GCSE Music:

Component 1:  Understanding music (40%)

There are four areas of study that provide an appropriate focus for students to appraise, develop and demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of musical elements, musical context and musical language.

1. Western classical tradition 1650–1910

2. Popular music

3. Traditional music

4. Western classical tradition since 1910.

What's assessed:

• Listening

• Contextual understanding

How it's assessed:

• Exam paper with listening exercises and written questions using excerpts of music.

Component 2:  Performing Music (30%)

Students must be able to perform live music using one or both of the following ways:

• instrumental/vocal

• production via technology

One performance must be as a soloist and one piece must be as part of an ensemble lasting a combined minimum of four minutes. The performance as part of an ensemble must last for a minimum of one minute.

Repertoire will be determined by the student and teacher. It need not reference an area of study and can be in any chosen style or genre.

What's assessed:

• Music Performance

How it's assessed:

Recordings of student performances are marked by teachers and moderated by the examination board as follows:

• Performance 1: Solo performance

• Performance 2: Ensemble performance

Component 3:  Composing Music (30%)

Students must learn how to develop musical ideas, including extending and manipulating musical ideas, and compose music that is musically convincing through two compositions. One must be in response to an externally set brief (Composition 1) and the other a free composition (Composition 2).

The combined duration of the compositions must be a minimum of three minutes.

Compositions can be composed in any style or genre to best reflect the skills, strengths and interests of the individual students.

Both compositions must be assessed on the student’s ability to demonstrate:

Creative and effective selection and use of musical elements.

Appropriate selection and use of musical elements (to the compositional intention).

Technical and expressive control in the use of musical elements.

What's assessed:

Composition Skills

How it's assessed:

Recordings of student performances are marked and moderated by the examination board as follows:

• Composition 1: Composition to a brief (36 marks)

• Composition 2: Free composition (36 marks).

Year 10

• Solo Performance Skills

• Ensemble Performance Skills

• Technology Skills

• Western Classical Tradition 1650-1910

• Popular Music

• Compositional Starting Points

Year 11

• Western Classical Tradition since 1910

• Traditional Music

• Essay writing and analysis skills

• Solo Performance Skills and Assessment

• Ensemble Performance Skills and Assessment

• Unit 3 Compositions

• Strands and AoS Revision and Listening Examination