Music – KS5

Course name: AS/A2 Music

Examination Board and specification number

Course Outline

The focus of the course is on the development of the three main skills areas of performing, composing and listening/appraising of music.

At AS level there are two specific areas of study

The expressive use of Instrumental Techniques
Tonality

At A2 level, the above areas of study are continued, and another area of study is added- ‘interpretation’

Assessment

The AS examination is divided into three parts:

Unit G351- Performing Music (worth 40%)

Students will prepare an eight minute recital on an instrument/voice of their choice. The recital should show their technical, stylistic and interpretative skills in the best possible light.

Students will also perform as a member of an ensemble over the year, and present one piece for assessment.

The assessment of this unit is via performance to an external examiner on a date between late March and early May of the examination year.

Preparation for this will include a number of (public and class-based) performances that will take place over the duration of the course, and the whole recital will be performed at a specific performance evening in advance of the assessed recital.

Unit G352- Composing 1 (worth 30%)

By the end of April of the assessment year, students will submit

A folio of composition/harmony exercises covering a range of technical skills. These are set and marked by the teacher, and moderated by the examination board. These are presented as a set of completed exercises completed via a sequencing package (e.g. ‘garageband’ or ‘logic’)

A composition written for four or more instruments, to a brief agreed between the teacher and student. This is presented as a full score with expressive markings, a recording (both of which can be generated from a sequencing package as explained above) and a commentary of the composition process.

Assessment of this unit is by the teacher, and moderated by the examination board.

Preparation for this will be regular ongoing work in and out of class in relation to advice and interim assessments from the teacher.

Unit G353- introduction to historical studies in music (worth 30%)

In May of the assessment year, students will take a 1 hour 45 minute paper set and marked by the examination board. Questions will be taken from two topics- ‘orchestral scores’ (three works from the classical instrumental repertoire studied in class) and ‘jazz recordings’ (three additional works from the Jazz repertoire)

Preparation for this will include opportunities to witness live performances of the set works and related pieces, discussion work and assessment tasks.

The A2 examination is divided into three parts continued from the AS course

Unit G354- performing music 2 –interpretation (worth 40%)

Students will prepare a recital on an instrument/voice of their choice. The recital must consist of four pieces, lasting no longer than 20 minutes in total. The recital should show their technical, stylistic and interpretative skills in the best possible light, and is recommended to be at least of ABRSM grade 6 standard.

Students will take part in a viva voce examination with the examiner, based on the preparation and performance of the recital pieces.

The assessment of this unit is via performance to an external examiner on a date between late March and early May of the examination year.

Unit G355- composing 2 (worth 30%)

By the end of April of the assessment year, students will submit

A folio of harmony exercises covering a range of technical skills related to the topic of minimalism. These are set and marked by the teacher, and moderated by the examination board. These are presented as a set of completed exercises completed via a sequencing package (e.g. ‘garageband’ or ‘logic’) and a CD of recordings.

A composition written for four or more instruments, to a brief agreed between the teacher and student that relates to one of the following genres:

Vocal music
Programme music
Music and the media

This is presented as a full score with expressive markings, a recording (both of which can be generated from a sequencing package as explained above) and a commentary of the composition process.

Assessment of this unit is by the teacher, and moderated by the examination board.

Preparation for this will be regular ongoing work in and out of class in relation to advice and interim assessments from the teacher.

Unit G356- historical and analytical studies in music (worth 30%).

In May of the assessment year, students will take a 1 hour 45 minute paper set and marked by the examination board. Section A will relate to a recorded musical example; section B requires students to complete two essay style questions on the topic of ‘popular music’, specifically tracks from the following albums

‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ (the Beatles)
‘A Night At The Opera’ (Queen)
‘Not too late’ (Nora Jones)

Study will include the comparison with works by other artists contemporary to those above, for example representative tracks by the Kinks who were contemporaries of the Beatles.

Preparation for this will include opportunities to witness live performances of the set works and related pieces, discussion work and assessment tasks.

Homework

Homework relates directly to the three assessment areas:

Performing- in addition to class time, students are expected to practice for their assessments on a daily basis, as is good practice for any credible musician. This is seen as a set homework expectation that will be assessed via the final performances.
Composing- in addition to class time, students are expected to dedicate at least two after school opportunities to additional time to complete improvements on composition and harmony work.
Listening and Understanding- regular homework assignments on the content of the listening/theory classes will be set. These may include research, answering exemplar questions, completion of class work or exercises designed to improve understanding.

Equipment required

Sheet music as appropriate to the performance work being undertaken
Headphones are recommended (for hygiene purposes)
The department has a range of guitars, amps and keyboards for performance and rehearsal purposes, but instruments should be brought in as appropriate. Other instrumentalists should bring in appropriate consumables to their instrument (for example, drumsticks and guitar picks)
A 1 KB USB memory stick is strongly advised to backup coursework

Useful publications/websites

All relevant materials including study guides are given to students at the start of the course, but the following are useful sources of information:

Youtube (for the comparison of performances of set works and own recital pieces)
Various instrument-specific magazines that include sheet music and/or backing tracks for possible performances e.g. ‘the pianist’, ‘total guitar’
A reputable dictionary of music (available in the school library as well as online)

Supporting your child’s progress

As per key stage four, but in addition…

to encourage regular (preferably daily) use of own time for personal instrumental/vocal practice to prepare for performance assessment deadlines
to encourage twice weekly attendance at after school sessions for completion of composition work to meet assessment deadlines
if possible to fund peripatetic lessons on instrument/voice as to develop specific technique more