Music

A level | OCR

Students of A level in Music will engage in a range of supporting skill areas. The course includes detailed analysis of a range of music from Western Classical music, Jazz and early Popular Music. This underpins work done in developing instrumental and/or vocal skills through performing, and creative skills in composing.

Progression Opportunities

The A level qualifications lead on well to conservatoire or academic music degrees, or towards more vocational type music degrees. Many of our students have gone on to study at top universities and conservatoires in the recent past.

Subject Visits and Enrichment Opportunities

There are a wide variety of ensembles for students to be involved in within school and also opportunities to form own bands and groups, as well as using the excellent music facilities in own time. Students are encouraged to access the wide range of concerts and events locally. Entry Requirements

• Grade 5 in Music or • Music Practitioner or BTEC level 2 Distinction, or considerable independent experience of music.

If formal music has not been studied before then an audition will be needed to judge capacity for the course. Although formal exams do not have to have been taken students will need to be at a minimum level of grade 5 on their instrument.

Assessment Overview

Assessment for the listening part of the course is through an exam based on areas of study chosen, and a range of set pieces that students will have analysed during the course. Students will study units: • Classical Period Music • Romantic Period Music • Twentieth Century Classical Music • Popular Music.

Performing • Students will give a recital in their final year which can include both solo and ensemble performing.

Composing • Students will compose two pieces during the course – one to a board set brief, and one which is completely open to individual choice. Students are encouraged to work creatively with material that has been studied with the Listening part of the course, and are taught specific compositional techniques. In the final year of course students choose which is their better skill set and either focus on Composing as their major area, or Performing, where one will be marked at 35% of final grade, and the other at 25%. This allows us to tailor students work to their best strength.

The beauty of the course is both the flexibility it offers in matching the course content to student’s best skill set, alongside giving students a thorough academic study of music both through learning about specific genres of music and also through creatively engaging with them.