Sri Lanka GCE Ordinary Level - Eastern Music

This information pertains to the Grade 10 syllabus. Information on the Grade 11 syllabus was unavailable.

Grade 10

The Grade 10 Eastern Music syllabus focuses on developing nine major competencies through practical application and theoretical understanding. The curriculum aims to foster well-rounded individuals with an appreciation for music and the ability to apply musical knowledge in diverse settings.

Competencies:

1. Practical Abilities in Singing/Playing: Students develop fundamental skills in singing or playing instruments, focusing on ragas (melodic frameworks) like Bhairavi and Yaman. This includes voice training, sargam (solfege) exercises, and understanding lakshana gee (descriptive songs).

2. Playing Ability and Understanding Musical Instruments: Students learn to read and interpret musical notations, apply tuning techniques, and develop basic skills for playing keyboard or other chosen instruments.

3. Appreciation of Music: Students explore and appreciate various stages of applied music development, including gramophone songs, early radio period sarala gee, and kapirinna gee. They also study the contributions of key Sri Lankan musicians like W.B. Makuloluwa, C. De .S. Kulathilaka, Rohana Beddage, and Lionel Ranwala, and appreciate the works of North Indian classical musicians. Students also gain performance experience through concerts and presentations.

4. Cultural Heritage and Indigenous Folk Music: Students learn and perform Sinhala verses, study traditional rhythmic patterns, and classify folk songs ( mehe gee, bethi gee, samaja gee, gel kavi, pel kavi, pathal kavi, paru kavi). They also explore the concepts of aghathathmaka (percussive) and anaghathathmaka (non-percussive) music.

5. Non-Classical Music: Students explore and appreciate songs from North Indian films and their ragadhari background, as well as light music in Sri Lanka that celebrates parents.

6. Specialities of Drama Traditions: Students study the influence of nadagam style on modern Sri Lankan drama, appreciating songs from traditional dramas like Maname and Sinhabahu.

7. Creative Work in Music: Students compose lyrics and tunes, exploring the features of successful song composition and the relationship between melody and lyrics. They also learn about different forms of poetry.

8. Recording Music Symbolically: Students learn to notate lyrics based on rhythms (japthal and deepchandi thalas) and explore the concepts of samagraha, vishamagraha, and avagraha (rhythmic placements).

9. Technological Equipment and Physical Foundation of Music: Students analyze the characteristics of sound (pitch, amplitude, timbre, frequencies), explore the generation and propagation of sound, and learn to use computers for playing, recording, and learning music (MIDI, e-learning, e-music). They also utilize online resources like YouTube and online encyclopedias for music education.