Specification/Exam Board:  WJEC Eduqas

Criteria for Entry:

Grade C* or above in GCSE Music. GCSE performance standard will be taken into consideration regarding suitability for the course. This will be at the discretion of the music department’s professional judgement. Pupils must also be attending weekly individual lessons.

Course Overview

This course is designed for students who have taken GCSE Music. A Level Music incorporates the three fundamental musical activities of composing, performing and listening and appraising. Students will be encouraged to develop their own interests in performing or composing due to the flexibility within the units of assessment, as they can choose whether to major in performance (Option A) or composition (Option B). The aim of the course is to promote knowledge of past and present musical styles, traditions and contexts. It will develop skills as a basis for further study, leisure or both.

Summary of Subject Content

Performance

Pupils should be performing at Grade 6 standard by the assessment in Year 14.

Option A
• 35%
• Between 10-12 minutes
• Minimum of three pieces
• One must be as a soloist
• Two pieces must be related to separate Areas of Study

Option B
• 25%
• Between 4-6 minutes
• Minimum of two pieces
• One must be related to an Area of Study

Composition

 Option A
• 25%
• Two compositions
• Between 4-6 minutes
• One composition must relate to an Area of Study in response to a brief set by the examination board.

Option B
• 35%
• Three compositions
• Between 8-10 minutes
• Two compositions must be related to an Area of Study, with one as a response to a brief set by the examination board.

Appraising

This unit is worth 40%. Pupils are assessed in one exam that has a mixture of written and listening questions:

1. Set work analysis with a score
2. Extended written question on the wider context
3. Unprepared extract of music with and without the score
4. Comparison question

Areas of Study
• Western Classical Tradition
• Musical Theatre
• Into the Twentieth or Twenty-first century

Assessment

GRADING
A Level: Grades A* - E are awarded

PROGRESSION OPPORTUNITIES
This course opens up many opportunities in the field of music and performing arts both in the world of employment and further study. Suggested career paths could be Teaching, Performance related jobs, Music Therapy and Ethnomusicology.