Week 3. Time to get Competitive: Composition Competition

You might consider words such as: dynamic, positive, cool, serious, enjoyable, open, efficient, stylish, sophisticated, etc. – all positive words that might be used in an advertising campaign for a product.

How are musical elements manipulated in the advertisements and for what purpose do you think the composer chose a specific compositional device (rhythm, tempo, melody, harmony, texture, tone colour, performing media and structure)?

• Think of some advertisements you are familiar with where music is important. Tell your teacher so that you can watch/listen to them with the class, and discuss what works and why.

Consider the following:

• How many different sounds are needed – speech, discussion, narration, interview, character acting, archive sounds?
• Which musical phrases are memorable?
• Which music is appropriate to the product?
• Which instruments are used?
• Is a jingle required?

Throughout the discussion, try to stay focussed on your end goal of a marketing campaign: to help sell more products. As you put forward ideas, explain how the musical elements used could influence people to buy the product. eg. The repetitive quaver rhythms make the listener feel… The constantly ascending scale on the violin makes the listener feel… Think about how this might vary from market to market, i.e. in order to make it appropriate to specific groups of people, that the advert is aimed at.

Group Activity

In groups of four, compose a radio advert lasting no more than one minute for a product of your choice. One example product might be a new airline with a Unique Selling Point (USP).

Branding

Come up with:

• A name for the airline
• Where it flies
• A USP (e.g. an airline for teenagers; an airline where pets are welcome)
• A slogan/catchphrase

Planning

Consider the following:

• What qualities of the product they should highlight
• How this can be achieved through music
• Each radio advert must have a musical reference to the flight destination, and should also reflect the USP of the airline.
• The name of the airline should be sung or spoken over the music at least once during the course of the advert.

With your group compose, rehearse and perform your advertisement. See if you can introduce some vocal harmony for the catchphrase. After further rehearsal you should record your jingle. It doesn’t have to be perfect but should be evidence of your work.

The Real Challenge Begins

Once recorded, you can upload your advertisements to see-saw or the school website. We can have a vote or poll to see who’s jingle is the best.

Note: Before casting your vote, remember that the idea of entrepreneurship is to find ways of making money through developing products that are appropriate to your market. Vote based on the entrepreneurial merit of the idea and advert – after hearing the adverts, which airline would they be most likely to fly with?

Assessment Rubric Task 3

Learning goal

Beginning 1

Developing 2

Mastering 3

4.01 Know that the study of music is concerned with musical expression and communication

Your work shows that you are beginning to understand that music is concerned with musical expression and communication.

Your work shows you’re your developing your understanding of how music is concerned with musical expression and communication.

Your work shows that you are mastering ways that musical expression is used to communicate.

4.02 Know the uses of the elements of music

Your work shows that you are beginning to know the uses of the elements of music

Your work shows that you are developing skills in the uses of the elements of music

Your work shows that you are mastering usage of the elements of music

4.10 Be able to create or compose short pieces within specified parameters

Your work shows that you are beginning to be able to create or compose short pieces within specified parameters

Your work shows that you are developing skills be able to create or compose short pieces within specified parameters

Your work shows that you are mastering skills that enable you to create or compose short pieces within specified parameters

4.12 Be able to make judgments about pieces of music, showing understanding, appreciation, respect and enjoyment as appropriate

Your work shows that you are beginning to make judgments about pieces of music, showing understanding, appreciation, respect and enjoyment as appropriate.

Your work shows that you are developing skills in making judgments about pieces of music, showing understanding, appreciation, respect and enjoyment as appropriate.

Your work shows that you are mastering ways to make judgments about pieces of music, showing understanding, appreciation, respect and enjoyment as appropriate.

4.14 Be able to improvise, extend or create music to express emotion, ideas, creativity and imagination

Your work shows that you are beginning to improvise, extend or create music to express emotion, ideas, creativity and imagination

Your work shows that you are developing skills that enable you to improvise, extend or create music to express emotion, ideas, creativity and imagination

Your work shows that you are mastering skills that enable you to improvise, extend or create music to express emotion, ideas, creativity and imagination

4.15 Be able to perform as part of an ensemble and contribute to the overall experience of the

collaboration

Your work shows that you are beginning to be able to perform as part of an ensemble and contribute to the overall experience of the

collaboration

Your work shows that you are developing skills to perform as part of an ensemble and contribute to the overall experience of the

collaboration

Your work shows that you are mastering skills that enable you to perform as part of an ensemble and contribute to the overall experience of the

collaboration