The grade 7s are beginning their final unit in Music with a TOK-themed question: What is Music? Does it have to have a rhythm? What about a clear tonal language? Can Music only be made with specific instruments or can anything make Music? Does it have to be “pretty” or can if be crazy? Do you have to be able to hum along or can it disregard the balance of math? Most Music is composed around a specific set of rules governing tones, rhythms, and balance, and the composer arranges these in a way that makes them sound “good.” So if you remove these rules, and it did not matter if the composition sounded “good,” is it still Music?
Ask your Grade 7 student what they think!