General Music Programme (GMP)

Explore how the GMP builds musical skills over two years. Students learn instruments, form pop bands, and write original songs.

Last updated 21 August 2026

The General Music Programme (GMP) is a two-year, Lower Secondary programme that brings students through a range of modules, sensitising them to the variety of popular musical cultures and styles in the world we live in. Through music making and performance, student go on to express their musical ideas and thoughts in the songs they create in Secondary 2.

Programme Outline

General Music Programme modules and outcomes by secondary level and term

Sec	Term(s)	Module	Module Outcomes
1	1	Ukulele Studies	Read ukulele chord charts Play a variety of strumming patterns and styles
	2	Keyboard Studies	Read lead sheets Develop aural skills such as playing by ear Improvise using the pentatonic scale over a given chord progression
	3	Cajón Studies	Read TUB charts Learn techniques to play percussion instruments Create a variety of rhythms to accompany pop songs
	3 & 4	Pop Band	Put all the instruments learnt in the year to form a pop band Create a music cover for a pop song of their choice
2	1	Soundscape Creation	Read and create graphic music notation Expand vocabulary of instrumental timbres and musical textures Build aural awareness and ability to listen critically
	2	Song writing	Multi-disciplinary module tie-up with Literature Create a song for a set of song lyrics they wrote in Literature class.
	3 & 4	Song writing	Create a pop song based on elements of Lyrics, Melody, Harmony, Rhythm, and Instrumentation