Course information
Music
Kingston Grammar School - Kingston upon Thames
02085465875
London Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 6PY
Course summary

If you love music and enjoy performing and composing. A Level Music could be for you. Many students regularly prepare performances for grade exams, and playing the same or other pieces for A Level recording completes about half of the coursework. If you have always wondered how music really works, why musicians find it rewarding and how sound can have a profound effect on people, you will gain a good grounding in the analysis skills which help to explain this. You will study some great music in considerable detail, as well as choosing areas of music to explore in more depth. You will also further develop and refine your composition skills.

Entry requirements

As a minimum, students must achieve at least grade 7 (equivalent to A grade) in four separate subjects. In addition, all students must achieve a minimum grade of 6 (equivalent to a high B grade) in Mathematics and English GCSE or IGCSE. Please also note that a minimum of grade 7 is required in those subjects, or closely related subjects, that students wish to study for A Level with the exception of Mathematics where students will require a minimum grade 8 at GCSE and Further Mathematics where students will require a minimum grade 9 at GCSE.

How you'll be assessed

Component 1 of the course is Appraising Music, and it is worth 40% of the overall mark. It is assessed at the end of the course through a written paper comprising three sections: Listening, Analysis and Essay. Students study works from the Western classical tradition and a choice of two further areas of study (from a list of seven), including pop music, music for media, music for theatre, jazz, contemporary traditional music, and art music since 1910. Component 2 is Performance, which can be a solo and/or an ensemble performance as a vocalist or instrumentalist, or it can be a music production using music technology. The performance needs to be at least 10 minutes long, and this component is worth 35% of the A Level marks. The performance is recorded in school between 1 March and 31 May of your final year and it is then assessed externally. Component 3 is Composition. Students need to produce two compositions, one based on a brief set by the exam board, and one free composition. The process of composing happens mainly during lesson time, and work must be completed by 31 May of your final year. This component is worth 25% of the overall marks.

School Info

About Education Provider

RegionLondon
Local AuthorityKingston upon Thames
Ofsted Rating
Gender TypeCo-Educational
ISI ReportView Report
Boarding FeeUnknown
Sixth Form Fee£23,460
AddressLondon Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 6PY