Music
Everybody Sings, Everybody Plays
At Rossmoyne Senior High School the study of music fosters knowledge, skills, values and attitudes so students can either aspire to a career in music, or become a life-long music appreciator.
The Music Program at Rossmoyne Senior High School was established in 1978 with very humble beginnings and has grown steadily ever since. In 2008, it was granted Approved Specialist Program for Classical Music status, allowing gifted musicians from outside the Rossmoyne boundary to attend the school to further their studies. There are now more than 450 students involved in music from Year 7 to Year 12.
Local students
Student who live within the school’s intake area may indicate their preference to study music when enrolling and are then offered an audition. Students who are successful at audition will begin in the Music program in Year 7 and continue with music until the end of Year 10. Students who are not successful in their audition are placed into an alternate performing art subject. Music students do not study any other performing art subjects in Years 7 to 10.
Out-of-bounds students
Students who do not live within the school’s intake area can apply to enter the Specialist Classical Music (or ‘Scholarship’) program through a rigorous selective-entry process. Specialist Classical Music students begin the program in Year 7 and continue with music until the end of Year 10. Music students do not study any other performing art subjects in Years 7 to 10. Learn more about Specialist Music.
Class structure and opportunities in The Arts
Years 7 to 10
All Music students attend two periods of ‘Class Music’, a Year 7 Choir session, an Instrumental Lesson, an Ensemble session.
Music students are also expected to do at-home practice.
Year 11 and 12
Students who have studied Music in Years 7 to 10 may choose to study ATAR Music. They attend this class four times a week.
Music in Years 7 – 10
The Music program motto is “Everybody Sings, Everybody Plays.” Every Music student at Rossmoyne learns through both singing and playing an instrument.
The program is influenced and inspired by the teachings of Zoltan Kodaly and Edwin Gordon, meaning a preference for ‘aural first’ learning. This means, musical concepts are first experienced through song before they are later labelled when they become part of our students’ musical vocabulary.
As well as a heavy emphasis on aural training students will also learn theory, history and composition as part of the ‘Making’ and ‘Responding’ of The Arts under the Western Australian Curriculum.
Music in Years 11 and 12
Students who have studied Music in Years 7 to 10 may choose to study ATAR Music.
More information
Learning content and opportunities
Read about what content is covered in classes, and what opportunities are available within each Learning Area in the Curriculum Handbooks.
Curriculum in Western Australia
Read more about the curriculum in WA on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority’s webpages for Pre-primary to Year 10 and Year 11 and Year 12.