Music

Curriculum Intent

In Music, our curriculum intent is:

To ignite and sustain a love for music through a musical journey. They will begin to build their musical knowledge and skills through performing, composing, listening and appraising.

Course Overview

Syllabus: Edexcel A Level 9MU01

  • Choose this diverse, stimulating course and study the iconic music in Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ in one lesson and compose your own symphony in the next!
  • Music is a multi-faceted subject, and at A Level, you will develop your skills across all aspects of performing, composing, listening and analysing.

Assessment

Component 1 Performing (30% of qualification):You will prepare a solo recital (on any instrument/voice) lasting a minimum of eight minutes. Performances must be recorded after the 1 March in Upper Sixth. The recital is recorded and externally assessed by Edexcel.

Component 2 Composing (30% of qualification): You will submit two compositions. The first will be either a free choice composition OR a composition in response to a brief set by Edexcel, and the second composition will be a response to a brief assessing technique, also set by Edexcel in the spring of Upper Sixth. The total time across both compositions must be a minimum of six minutes. The compositions must be notated and recorded and they are externally assessed by Edexcel.

Component 3 Appraising (40% of qualification): This unit focuses on listening to music, familiar and unfamiliar, and understanding the musical elements, contexts and language. You will focus on six specific areas of music, with in-depth study of three set works for each area:

Vocal Music

Instrumental Music

Music for Film

Popular Music and Jazz

Fusions

New Directions

Future Steps

  • Some of our students go on to follow a career in Music Industry.
  • Music at university
  • Music Tech at university
  • Performer
  • Composer
  • Music journalism
  • Creative Arts courses in Higher Education
  • Music Technicians
  • Music & Media – gaming soundtrack, jingles, film music
  • Session musicians
  • Marketing
  • Music Therapy
  • Teaching