Music

Assessment

Component One Performing (30%) Candidates perform as soloists and/or as part of an ensemble for a minimum of eight minutes. This is recorded and sent off for assessment by the Edexcel examiners. To be confident of achieving full marks in this module, performances should be of grade eight level. Component Two Composing (30%) Candidates develop their composition skills and create a four-minute piece in response to a chosen brief (20%). Pupils also complete a shorter technique-based exercise such as a Bach chorale (10%). Component Three Appraising Music (40%) This unit focuses on listening and musical analysis. Candidates study 13 set works, identifying important musical features and exploring social and historical contexts. The examination contains varied questions on a selection of the set works, a dictation exercise and two essays, which require candidates to write confidently about an unfamiliar work and to discuss one of the set works with extensive reference to wider listening. The six areas of study into which the set works fall are: