Music

music 2

Watershed College offers IGCSE music as well as the Associated Board of the Royal Schools (ABRSM) of Music graded examinations in both Theory of Western Music and Practical. IGCSE Music is taught in class and ABRSM is offered as individual lessons. It is mandatory for all IGCSE candidates to do individual lessons in Performing.

IGCSE MUSIC

For the last few years, the IGCSE results have achieved a C as the lowest grade. To do IGCSE Music, one should have reached Grade 5 (ABRSM; TRINITY or UNISA) Theory of Music by the end of Form 2. For IGCSE, candidates must do three compulsory components as follows: 

LISTENING (40%):

  • History of Western music; Baroque, Classical, 19th and 20th Century musicWorld music such as music of Africa, Japan, China, Latin America, Arab Music 
  • Analysis of western music given a skeleton score 
  • Set work for both Western (e.g. Beethoven Symphony No. 6) and World music (e.g. Music of India)

PERFORMING (30%): 

  • Sing or play one or two instruments (Western or African) as an individual. 
  • Sing or play one or two instruments (western or African) as part of an ensemble. 

COMPOSING (30%): 

  • Composition 1 
  • Composition 2 
  • The Performing and Composing components are done as course work. 

ABRSM 

Candidates must do both the Theory and Practical components. The practical examination is done in South Africa. The College offers the following subjects up to grade eight level: Singing, Piano, Guitar, Trombone, Euphonium, Trumpet, Horn, Saxophone, Clarinet, and Recorder. 

MUSIC AT CLUB LEVEL 

There are a number of clubs within the music department and these are offered to any students whether or not they do music as a subject. The clubs give students the opportunity to enter the NIAA Music Festival in which Watershed has always achieved high grades since 2004. The clubs include: 

Choir, Marimba, Mbira, Brass band, Wind band, and Jazz band.

CHOIR 

It is the main pillar of the Watershed College music activities. Music from the Choir during the Sunday procession marks the beginning of the Sunday Evening service. The worship through music and dance from the Choir has made both the Thursday and Sunday Services memorable occasions of the College. At special services such as the Christmas Carols Service at the College, the choir has been a useful component of the ritual. The generally good singing of the rest of the students has complemented the choir performances. The Marondera School Carols Concert has been an enjoyable event for the choir as they managed to join other schools in remembering the birth of Jesus Christ. Their performances of some of the choruses from Handel’s well known oratorio “The Messiah” has left the audiences thrilled. 

The Watershed College Choir is well known nationally and internationally for its renowned singing. Every year at the NIAA Music festival, the Choir has been awarded a lot of honors grades in the different types of choir categories entered. The Gospel choir has been awarded the best gospel choir cup at the NIAA Music festival for a number of consecutive years.  

MARIMBA & MBIRA 

The solo, duet, trios and ensembles performances have been awesome both at competitions and concerts. The advanced Marimba band has been awarded Honors grade at The NIAA Music festival for a number of years. The Mbira band has also been awarded nothing lower than the first grades. 

The well supported “Parents’ Concert” has seen watershed parents and fans take pleasure in attending this once a year event because of these bands’ music. The Marimba and Mbira ensembles just like the Choir have been to Zambia, Malawi and the United States of America. 

BANDS 

The Watershed renowned Jazz band has done wonders at the NIAA Music festival as well as various concerts. The hymn accompaniment that has been provided by the brass band has made our chapel services unique. The involvement of the brass and wind bands in orchestral performances both at the music camp and combined schools concerts has seen them moving to greater heights in music.