Composing a Fanfare

National Curriculum Links

Key Stage 3 Music (Years 7–9)

• Performing – Use voices and instruments with increasing accuracy, control and expression
• Composing – Create and develop musical ideas by experimenting with sounds, structures and musical devices
• Listening and Appraising – Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds and sequences with increasing aural memory
• Vocabulary – Use appropriate musical vocabulary confidently to identify and discuss music

Referenced from National Curriculum for England (2014), Music Programme of Study §3.2, specifically focusing on composition and performance.

---

WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Compose a simple fanfare using key musical elements such as rhythm, dynamics, and motif
• Understand and apply fanfare characteristics in our composition
• Perform and share compositions confidently using keyboards, tuned percussion, or ukuleles

---

Success Criteria

• I can identify key features of a fanfare (short, bold, rhythmic motifs, use of brass or percussive sounds)
• I can create a simple fanfare using a clear rhythmic motif on the keyboard, tuned percussion, or ukulele
• I can demonstrate knowledge of dynamics and articulation to make my fanfare sound powerful
• I can perform my composition confidently to the class

---

Resources Needed

• 15 keyboards
• 10 ukuleles
• 15 tuned percussion instruments (e.g., xylophones, glockenspiels)
• Un-tuned percussion (for rhythmic motifs if desired)
• Whiteboard for visual notation
• Audio playback (e.g., YouTube or teacher’s device) for fanfare examples (e.g., Pomp and Circumstance, Olympic fanfares)
• Staff paper and pencils

---

Lesson Structure (40 Minutes)

1. Starter / Engagement (5 minutes)

• Activity: Listen to two contrasting fanfares (short clips, e.g., “Pomp and Circumstance” and a modern movie trailer fanfare).
• Discussion:
  • What do you notice about the music?
  • What instruments are often used?
  • What mood do they create?
• Teacher writes key characteristics on the board:
  • Short, bold melodic motifs
  • Strong rhythm with repeated notes
  • Use of dynamics – often loud and striking
  • Usually performed by brass or percussion

(Addresses listening and appraising strand of the National Curriculum.)

---

2. Demonstration / Modelling (7 minutes)

• Teacher Activity: Using the keyboard, demonstrate how to create a simple fanfare motif:

  • Choose 3–4 notes
  • Play short, repeated rhythmic patterns (e.g., ♩ ♪ ♩ ♩)
  • Add articulation (staccato or accented notes)
  • Show how dynamics can change (start quiet and get louder)

• Invite a few students to try playing the motif on keyboards or tuned percussion.

• Write the motif rhythm on the board and label dynamics/articulation.

(Practical performance & compositional modelling per Curriculum.)

---

3. Main Activity - Composition (20 minutes)

• Task: In pairs or small groups (max 3), compose a simple fanfare using keyboards, tuned percussion, or ukuleles.
• Guidance:
  • Use 3–4 notes only, focusing on a bold rhythmic motif
  • Experiment with dynamics (eg. crescendo, accents)
  • Keep it between 4-8 bars long
  • Use notation/graphic score on staff paper or pictorial representation
• Teacher support: Circulate giving feedback, encouraging musical expression, and ensuring understanding.
• In Lesson Differentiation:
  • Support: Provide pre-written rhythmic patterns or motifs for less confident students; pair with stronger students.
  • Challenge: Encourage advanced learners to add more complex rhythms, incorporate call-and-response motifs or use contrasting dynamics effectively. Suggest adding un-tuned percussion for accents.

(Composing and performing aligns directly to KS3 composition objectives.)

---

4. Sharing / Performance (7 minutes)

• Groups perform their fanfares to the class using their chosen instruments.
• Peer feedback on: rhythmic clarity, dynamics, expression—using specific criteria from the success checklist.
• Teacher highlights effective use of fanfare characteristics and encourages use of musical language in feedback.

---

5. Plenary / Reflection (1 minute)

• Quick round: What is one thing you enjoyed about composing your fanfare?
• Remind students that composing small pieces like fanfares builds skills useful for KS4 and beyond.

---

Differentiation Strategies

• Visual aids: rhythmic notation and dynamics displayed clearly on whiteboard
• Group work to support diverse learners
• Use of instruments to engage kinaesthetic learners
• Extension: Encouragement to develop fanfares into longer pieces or add harmonies for advanced learners

---

Extension/Homework Suggestion

• Compose a fanfare inspired by a famous event (e.g., a school event, national celebrations) using a digital composition tool or notation app. Focus on clear motifs and dynamic contrasts.

---

This lesson encourages creativity, practical application, listening skills, and confidence — all grounded in the demands of the National Curriculum and geared towards motivating KS3 students who may take music forward to KS4.