Music

Course summary

Music plays an integral part in life at Westminster, and the academic courses offer a rigorous and stimulating perspective on the excellent and wide-ranging musical activities across the School. Many internationally renowned musicians have been educated at Westminster including Henry Purcell, Adrian Boult, Roger Norrington, Ian Bostridge, George Benjamin, Julian Anderson, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Christian Mason, Mika, Dido and members of the band Clean Bandit. The Fifth Form (Year 9) music course explores the widest possible range of music, from Mozart to hip-hop, to allow pupils to engage critically with unfamiliar music and cultures. Pupils have the opportunity to perform and compose and develop their aural skills, and their understanding of music theory. The Edexcel GCSE has three modules: performance (30%), composition (30%), and a written listening paper (40%). The set works give pupils the chance to study a really wide range of music, ranging from Bach to Queen, Wicked the musical (we see this at the Victoria Apollo) to Purcell, and Brazilian jazz fusion to the Star Wars soundtrack. You will develop your aural skills, theoretical understanding, musical appreciation, and awareness of compositional techniques, and broaden your musicianship immeasurably through this qualification. The A Level Music course comprises three modules: performance, composition, and listening / analytical skills (30%, 30% and 40% of the examination structure). Through these activities, pupils develop a more informed appreciation of how and why a very wide variety of music has been written and performed; this, in turn, improves pupils’ skills in performing and composing across a range of styles. Alongside the teaching of the formal examination syllabus, the course includes an introduction to: Baroque Figured Bass, Harmony and Counterpoint, Composition, Aural Skills, Improvisation, Repertoire, Analysis and History, Musicianship Skills and Instrumental Studies. The School’s proximity to several of London’s leading music venues allows for frequent trips to concerts and operas to hear world-class performers. Participation in the School’s orchestras, choirs, chamber music ensembles and jazz bands, if appropriate, is expected. Every year there are masterclasses, workshops, competitions and concerts featuring pupils’ compositions, often featuring several international guest soloists.