Music

Course summary

The importance of music has been long recognised by great minds. It is said that Pythagoras discovered the relationship between music and mathematics by investigating why, when hammers of different weights were struck, the combinations of notes produced were consonant or dissonant. Music is also considered to be a language that expresses the soul as much as the mind, and an art form that can create sonic architecture paralleling the most spectacular cathedrals. By studying the Music A level course, you will develop a greater understanding of how music works. You will study its creation (composing), re-creation (performing), perception (listening skills) and appreciation (knowledge and understanding). You will learn to analyse it, to understand how notes are structured into chords and melodies, and chords and melodies into structures spanning minutes and even hours. In so doing, you will also discover how music intersects with other subjects, such as physics, geography, history and art. You will develop your current skills in performance, composition and musical appreciation. You will study set works, encountering music ranging from the classical to the popular and from around the world. You will create compositions in response to briefs set by the exam board, including practical work within traditional harmonic practices. You will demonstrate progress in performing skills and developing a coherent plan for a solo recital towards the end of the year. In the second year, all three components of the course continue to be extended and developed. Your composing will extend into work either on a new brief from the exam board or into an area of your own choice. Performance will develop a coherent plan for a solo recital towards the end of the course. New set works are studied.