Music

Why study this subject?

Studying A Level Music is an opportunity to share and expand your musical passion and enthusiasm. It will offer you opportunities to meet other people, to build relationships and to develop and improve your personal wellbeing both independently and as part of a wider community.

This subject is not only suitable for students who intend to continue their musical studies at university or conservatoire, but also for those who wish to extend their understanding of music for its intrinsic value and interest or for the pleasure they derive from it. Universities value music immensely as a subject which requires both artistic and scientific skills, and therefore acts well as a foil to the subjects found in many other ‘traditional’ combinations.

You should have an inherent curiosity about music in all its various forms, and the why as opposed to simply the what. You must have an open mind to all genres, and a desire to delve into music in the highest detail as a composer, listener and performer.

What skills will you develop?

• An ability to understand and explain in prose why a composer is making a particular choice as well as analysing its intended effect on the listener. • An ability to understand and explain the decisions a performer has made, as well as questioning those decisions in your own performances. • An understanding of the composer's craft and an ability to put this into practice

What are the key elements to the course?

The components of study include:

• Appraising Music o Study of three historical topics, e.g. Western Classical Tradition 1650-1910, Art Music since 1910, Development of the Symphony 1750 - 1900, Into the Twentieth Century, Rock/Pop Music, Jazz or Musical Theatre

• Performance o Solo and/or ensemble performing

• Composition o Composition 1: Composition to a brief – Chorale Harmonisation or Western Classical Tradition o Composition 2: Free Composition o Possibly a third composition, reflecting musical characteristics of a different Area of Study

Why study this subject?

Do you have a passion or interest in Sport? If you are interested in the physiological, psychological, biomechanical and socio-cultural aspects that surround sport then Physical Education at A Level is a subject for you. Studying A Level Physical Education will give you a fantastic insight into the amazing world of sports performance and equips you with a broad spectrum of knowledge, desirable across a range of careers.

A Level Physical Education is an excellent base for a University degree in Sport Science, Physiotherapy or Exercise and Health. It can also complement further study in Biology, Human Biology, Physics, Psychology, Nutrition, Sociology and many more. It is widely accepted and acknowledged by Russel group universities with some offering a specific Sport Science course, such as: Birmingham, Exeter, Bath, Durham, Edinburgh.

What skills will you develop?

Students considering taking this course will benefit from developing improved analytical skills, learn to accurately interpret data and graphs, develop questioning and reasoning skills as well as learning to effectively evaluate sports performance. Students will regularly engage in discussions and debate on current topical sporting affairs. The course encourages independent learning as well as efficient time management. Furthermore, the students will be expected to read widely beyond the specification to support their understanding of theory and their ability to make synoptic links.

In the coursework, students will utilise their learnt theoretical knowledge to crucially analyse their own sporting performance in comparison to an elite model performance.

What are the key elements to the course?

This A Level course offers candidates an opportunity to study a wide variety of sport related topics. Students will study how applied physiology, psychology, sociology and biomechanics can be used to optimise sporting performance.

The A Level is assessed through a combination of exams and coursework, with this coursework split into practical performance in one sport and a written analysis and evaluation of performance.