Music

Assessment

The Music course further develops and strengthens the skills of composition, analysis and performance covered in the GCSE. It is a highly regarded course, which will complement any set of subjects since it requires confidence, clarity of thought, rigour of practice, and analytical thinking. The course includes focused work on the analysis of music, the development of aural perception, performance, and composition. There are three components: Performance (35%); Composition (25%); Appraising (40%). For Performance, you must record 10-12 minutes of music as an instrumentalist or singer. This must be recorded between the 1st March and 31st May of the exam year. This can be solo and/or ensemble work. The portfolio submitted is marked by AQA and 10% of the marks are reserved for level of difficulty. Students should be aiming, by the Lent Term of Year 13, to be able to submit work that is of at least Grade 7 ABRSM standard, but ideally of Grade 8 ABRSM standard or above. For the Composition component, you will further explore the techniques encountered at GCSE level. You will study: melodies and examine how motifs can build phrases; the use of inversion, retrograde, diminution and augmentation to build melodic ideas; 4-part harmony in Chorale style, cadences and modulation, and how chords are built from the scale and can be extended and altered; use of pedals and ostinati; use of sequence; use of texture and orchestration; development of contrapuntal melodies. You must compose two pieces, one to a brief from a choice of seven set by AQA, the other a free composition. The briefs range from Bach chorale harmonisation to composition with specified motifs, setting of a text, a pop or rock piece based on a given bass line, a piece of film music to a specified storyboard, to a jazz piece based on a given chord progression. You must complete a log describing your compositional thinking and reflection for the composition to a brief. For the Appraising component, you will study Western Classical Music from 1650-1910, Music for Media, and Music for Theatre. Within the Western Classical Music unit, you will focus on three strands: Baroque solo concerto; operas of Mozart; and Romantic piano music. The set works for these strands are: • Purcell, Sonata for trumpet and strings Z.850 • Vivaldi, flute concerto RV248 • Bach, violin concerto in A minor BWV 1041 • Mozart, The Overture and 8 numbers from Act 1 of The Marriage of Figaro • Chopin, Ballade no. 2, and Nocturne in E minor op.72 no.1 • Brahms, Intermezzo op.118 no.2, and Ballade in G minor op.118 no.3 • Grieg, Norwegian march op.54 no.2, and Notturno op.54 no.4 Through the study of these set works and the three areas of study, you will develop your aural perception, your ability to analyse and write critically about music and your contextual understanding of music. This will be examined in a 2-hour 30-minute exam comprising listening questions and essay questions.