Group 6: The Arts

Music

• Music HL/SL

• Theatre HL/SL

• Visual Arts HL/SL

Music is one of the fundamental creative instincts of human beings everywhere. Today, technology makes music more ubiquitous than ever before: ask yourself when you last spent a day without hearing some kind of musical sound. This unprecedented exposure to music can be enriching but also leaves us in danger of becoming passive listeners; people who allow music to wash over them and even to manipulate their emotions almost without being noticed. To study music is to become more aware of what is happening around you.

IB Diploma Music is practical, creative and analytical. You will develop performing skills, learn to produce your own music from composition to recording it and editing it, produce recording sessions as a solo or group performer. There is something of the highest quality for fans of all types of music. IB Diploma Music allows you to participate in these activities as part of your course.

Theory, Harmony and Music History will provide you with the knowledge needed by musicians today, while composition and Music technology will help you create the musical ideas that express your inner composer and Music producer.  The addition of Music Technology in the course enables students to consider further professional studies as Sound Engineers or Sound Designers if performing is not their ultimate choice. Music Technology consists of scoring practice using Finale software and creating using the worldrecognized musical software Cubase. Equipped with state of the art audio equipment, the IB Music Studio environment at Ionios School supports the student's learning experience.

A fully equipped music studio is available for your practice, recording and editing. Alongside experts of the trade you will be able to produce quality performance material and full score arrangements on CD, as well as professional printed music scores.

Learning to listen analytically, to understand how musical effects are achieved, is also a major part of the course. Skills in this area are assessed in two Perception and Analysis components. The first, is a listening exam where candidates are asked questions about music they have not heard until the exam as well as about two set works. The second component is a coursework task in which candidates compare two pieces from different cultures in the form of a media presentation.

Analysis of other music also feeds creativity. You will be asked to produce two pieces of composition coursework at SL, three at HL. The style, ensemble and genre are all matters of personal choice. Many students find composing to be the most rewarding part of the course.

Standard level students can choose between being SLC (Creation), SLG (Group performance) or SLS (Solo performance)

Assessment

Standard Level
Perception and Analysis, 2 components (50%), plus one of:
a) Solo performance. 20 minutes. Recording submitted (50%)
b) Ensemble performance. No professional backing allowed. Recording submitted (50%)
c) Composition. Coursework: 2 or more contrasting pieces. Score & recording to be submitted (50%)

Higher Level
Perception and Analysis, 2 components (50%), plus:
a) Solo performance. 20 minutes. Recording submitted (25%)
and
b) Composition. Coursework: 3 or more contrasting pieces. 5 -15 minutes. Score & recording to be submitted (25%)


Visual Arts

There are three core areas of the new Visual Arts Syllabus.

These areas are: Communicating Visual arts, Visual arts in context, and Visual arts methods.

The students are encouraged to view various art eras and epochs through differing perspectives about culture, theories and art-making practices. They will also be able to write about (curatorial-practice) their own personal resolved and unresolved artworks as viewed through historical and current investigations of various cultures and their art-making practices.

There are three distinct assessment areas; two which are Externally assessed, and one is Internally assessed by the teacher.
Part 1: Comparative (cultural) study is worth 20% of the grade.
This component is Externally assessed and re-moderated.

Part 2: Process Portfolio is worth 40% of the overall grade.
This component is Externally assessed and re-moderated.

Part 3: Exhibition is worth 40% of the overall grade.
This component is Internally assessed and moderated.

A high quality of well-worked art is expected in both HL and SL categories. However, due to time constraints, HL candidates have to produce more work in their Process portfolios than SL candidates.

In the comparative study, they will produce the same amount of written work (10-15 ‘screens’), but HL students will submit 3-5 extra screens showing how their personal art making practice has been influenced by this study.

HL students will submit more resolved pieces (8-11 artworks) as opposed to SL (4-7 artworks) during the final Exhibition.