Y E A R 7 U N I T 6 – C H I N E S E M U S I C W 3

Choose one of the composing tasks below to compose a piece of Chinese music that should last for
one minute and use Chinese sounding instruments and sounds from keyboards. You should use
only the black notes in your composition. Once your piece is complete, try writing down the order in
which you play your sounds using graphics and shapes in a graphic score.

TASK 1 – Compose a piece of music called “The Dance of the

Dragon” that could be played at a Chinese New Year celebration in
your local town. Your piece should start off at a very slow tempo and
gradually get faster and faster. Remember that your piece is called a
"dance" and you could use drums and cymbals to create a rhythm that
the Chinese people could dance to.

TASK 2 – Compose a piece of music called “The

Emperor’s Battle” which describes an ancient
Chinese battle. Try to put the sound of the horses
galloping into your music. Compose a pentatonic
melody that describes the Emperor when he rides
into the battle.

TASK 3 – China has many beautiful gardens and this

picture is called “A Chinese Fantasy Garden.” Compose
a piece of music that describes the beauty and stillness of
this Chinese garden. Keep the dynamics of your music soft
at all times and use gentle sounds like bells and
glockenspiels.

Your composition will Your composition will Your composition will

use Chinese sounds have a melody and make good use of
Level 3 from a range of Level 4 make good use of Level 5 tempo or changes of
different instruments different rhythms to tempo and use
but will only include describe the mood of different dynamics.
basic musical features with little or no your piece. You will have used Your piece will be well rehearsed and
sense of structure and only one chords and your piece will have a everyone in your group will play an
dynamic level and tempo throughout. musical structure. active part during the performance.

W W W . M U S I C A L C O N T E X T S . C O . U K