Year 5 - Music
Composing a countermelody
Singing together: how songs unite us
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit investigates the power of music to unite people. Pupils explore how song is used in sacred spaces, sports arenas and live concerts. Pupils study songs with unity as their common theme and use the lyrics to guide an effective, emotive performance.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to compose and perform songs in harmony as part of a choir, creating one pleasing, united sound.
Key Notes
- Adding a countermelody is a way of creating harmony and building texture.
- Do, mi, so work really well together when building harmonies.
- Live performances engage an audience and connect with their emotions more readily than recorded music.
- Live performances can help audiences feel a sense of wellbeing and belonging.
Vocabulary To Learn
- countermelody: a second melody that plays at the same time as the main melody
- harmony: the combination of two or more notes played or sung together, creating a pleasing sound
- texture: the combination of different layers of sounds
- live performance: a work that is presented to an audience in real time
- audience: a group of people gathered to listen to and watch a live performance
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- There's no difference between listening to live music and recorded music.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Adding a countermelody is a way of creating harmony and building texture. Do, mi, so work really well together when building harmonies.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'countermelody'
a second melody that plays at the same time as the main melody.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: There's no difference between listening to live music and recorded music. Correction: Many studies have shown that live music has a greater emotional impact on the listener compared to recorded music. The shared experience brings people together and increases the emotional impact of the music.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 5 Music guide library.