Please find below a breakdown of the course. Further information can be found in the full specification, which is available on the AQA A Level Music webpage. Assessment for all three components is completed at the end of Rhetoric II. During two year linear course, students will complete internal assessments and tests in class to ensure they are challenged appropriately and fully prepared.
COMPONENT 1 APPRAISING MUSIC: LISTENING, ANALYSIS AND CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING.
An examination paper with written questions using excerpts of music (2 hours 30 minutes) 40% of qualification
• Section A: Listening
Students must answer three sets of questions in this section. They are assessed on their ability to analyse and evaluate the music heard in the exam and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of musical elements and musical language to make critical judgements. One set of questions is linked to Area of study 1: Western classical tradition 1650 1910, one of which will re quire aural dictation. Two sets of questions, each linked to an area of study, come from a choice of six options covering Areas of study 2 7. Each set of questions will contain three excerpts of unfamiliar music by the named artists/composers for each area of study.
• Section B: Analysis
In this section students will be required to answer two sets of linked questions on two extracts of the set works from Area of study 1: Western classical tradition 1650 1910. Students will be able to access the excerpts relevant to their options digitally on an individual basis.
• Section C: Essay
Students will be required to answer one essay question on one area of study from a choice of Areas of study 2 7.
COMPONENT 2 PERFORMANCE
A Solo and/or Ensemble performance as an instrumentalist, or vocalist and/ or music production
Each student must select the piece or pieces to perform during the assessment. The performance must meet the specified duration of ten minutes.
COMPONENT 3: COMPOSITION
For the coursework unit each student will compose two pieces 25% of qualification
One composition must be in response to an externally set brief and the other composition is freely composed. Together, the compositions must last a combined minimum time of four and a half minutes. Students will be able to choose from seven externally set briefs, which may include stimuli such as a poem or a piece of text, photographs, images or film or notation. The free composition need not reference any brief or area of study.
Across each of these components, students will be assessed on the following objectives:
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AO1: Interpret musical ideas through performing, with technical and expressive control and an understanding of style and context.
• AO2: Create, develop and refine musical ideas with technical and expressive control and coherence.
• AO3: Demonstrate and apply musical knowledge.
• AO4: Use analysis and appraising skills to make evaluative and critical judgement about music.
Component 1 Appraising Music, is centred around a number of areas of study. These provide a focus for you to appraise, develop and demonstrate an in depth knowledge and understanding of musical elements, musical contexts and musical language. They are also a rich source of material for you to work with when developing performance and composition skills. Area of study 1 is compulsory and, in addition, you choose 2 from the optional areas of study.
Area of study 1: Western Classical tradition 1650 1910, compulsory.
There are three strands of music represented which cover three key genres:
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Baroque music: the solo concerto
• Classical music: the operas of Mozart
• Romantic music: the piano music of Chopin, Brahms and Grieg
You must then choose two area of study from the following:
Area of study 2: Pop Music
Pop music includes a number of musical genres including rock, funk and R n B from 1960 the present.
Named artists are: Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Muse, Beyonce, Daft Punk, Labrinth.
Area of study 4: Music for Theatre
Named composers are: Kurt Weill, Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, Claude Michel Schönberg, Jason Robert Brown.
Area of study 6: Contemporary traditional music
Names artists: Astor Piazzola, Toumani Diabaté, Anoushka Shankar, Mariza, Bellowhead.
Area of study 3: Music for Media
This area of study covers music specifically composed for film, television and gaming from 1958 to the present.
Named composers are: Bernard Hermann, Hans Zimmer, Michael Giacchino, Thomas Newman, Nobuo Uematsu.
Area of study 5: Jazz
Jazz solo and improvisations from 1920 to the present.
Named artists: Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Pat Metheny, Gwilym Simcock.
Area of study 7: Art Music since 1910
Art music is defined as music that comprises modern, contemporary classical, electronic art, experimental and minimalist music, as well as other forms.
Named composers: Dmitri Shostakovich, Olivier Messiaen, Steve Reich, James MacMillan.
Composition/Listening
Sturman, P. Harmony Melody and Composition. Longman Samson, J. Chopin, the Four Ballades. Cambridge Music Goodall, H. Big Bangs. Vintage Osborne, C. The Operas of Mozart. Gollancz
The Cambridge Companion to Chopin. Cambridge UP Blume. Classic and Romantic Music. Faber
Mortimer, R Music Technology from Scratch. Rhinegold Education Redwood, G. Creative Musical Techniques
Lowe, D. How to Write Great Music (www.davelowemusiconline.com)
Denny, J. The Oxford School Harmony Course (Vols 1 & 2) OUP Morris, R O. Foundations of Practical Harmony and Counterpoint. Macmillan Morris, R O. The Oxford Harmony (Vols 1 & 2) OUP Butterworth, A. Harmony in Practice (ABRSM) Boyd, M. Bach Chorale Harmonisation and Instrumental Counterpoint
Benham, H. A Student’s Guide to Harmony and Counterpoint. Rhinegold Education Benham, H. AS/A2 Music Harmony Workbook. Rhinegold Education
Area of Study 1: Western classical tradition 1650 1910 Bukofzer, M. Music in the Baroque Era Read Books
Benham, H. Baroque Music in Focus. Rhinegold Education
Keele, S. The Cambridge Companion to the Concerto. Cambridge University Press Price, C. Purcell Studies. Cambridge University Press Adams, M. Henry Purcell. Cambridge University Press Rosen, C. The Classical Style. W.W. Norton Carter, T. W A Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro. Cambridge University Press
Hunter and Webster. Opera Buffa in Mozart’s Vienna. Cambridge University Press
Le Nozze Di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro): (English National Opera Guide 17) Rowland, D. The Cambridge Companion to the Piano. Cambridge University Press
Samson, J. Chopin: The Four Ballades. Cambridge University Press Samson, J. The Cambridge Companion to Chopin. Cambridge University Press Matthews, D. Brahms Piano Music. BBC Music Guide
Area of study 2: Pop music
Ventura, D. Understanding Popular Music. Rhinegold Education
Area of study 3: Music for media
Cooke, M. A History of Film Music. Cambridge University Press Ventura, D. Film Music in Focus. Rhinegold Education
Area of study 4: Music for theatre
Everett and Laird. The Cambridge Companion to the Musical. Cambridge University Press Terry, P. Musicals in Focus. Rhinegold Education
Banfield, S. Sondheim’s Broadway Musicals. University of Michigan
Area of study 5: Jazz
Whyton, T. Jazz Icons. Cambridge University Press
Kernfield, B. What to Listen For in Jazz. Yale University Press
Berrett, J. Louis Armstrong and Paul Whiteman. Yale University Press Green, E. The Cambridge Companion to Duke Ellington. Cambridge University Press Rattenbury, K. Duke Ellington, Jazz Composer. Yale University Press
Area of study 6: Contemporary traditional music
Astor Piazzolla: A Memoir (Natalio Gorin) Amadeus Press
Le Grand Tango: The Life and Music of Astor Piazzolla Oxford University Press
Lavezzoli, P and Shankar, R. The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. Continuum Agawu, K. The African Imagination in Music. Oxford University Press Elliott, R. Fado and the Place of Longing: Loss, Memory and the City. Routledge Winter, T and Keegan Phipps, S. Performing Englishness. Manchester University Press
Area of study 7: Art music since 1910 (A Level specification only)
Fairclough and Fanning. The Cambridge Companion to Shostakovich. Cambridge University Press
Fanning, D. Shostakovich Studies. Cambridge University Press Fairclough, P. Shostakovich Studies 2. Cambridge University Press
Ottaway, H. Shostakovich Symphonies. BBC Music Guide
Pople, A. Messiaen: Quatour pour la fin du temps. Cambridge University Press Sholl, R. Messiaen Studies. Cambridge University Press
Dingle, C. The Life of Messiaen Potter, K. Four Musical Minimalists. Cambridge University Press Spicer,P. James Macmillan Choral Music: A Practical Commentary and Survey
Performance Practice
Bruser, M. The Art of practicing. Bell Tower. Gordon, S. Mastering the Art of Performance. OUP Williamson, A. Musical excellence. Oxford Evans, A. The secrets of musical confidence. Thorsons Chaffin and Imreh. Practising Perfection, memory and piano performance Klickstein. The Musician's Way. OUP Havas, K. Stage fright. Bosworth. Green, B. The Inner game of Music. Pan Books Green, B. The Mastery of Music Macmillan Musical Performance, a guide to understanding. Cambridge Sandor. On Piano Playing. Schirmer.
Wider Musical Understanding
Levitin, D. This is your brain on music. Atlantic Books Storr, A.Music and the Mind. Harper/Collins Kivy, P. Musical Language and Cognition. OUP Rosen, C. Music and Sentiment. Yale Snyder. Music and memory. MIT press
A LEVEL MUSIC STUDENTS: TIPS FOR SUCCESS.
Performance practice: Make sure you are setting time aside to practice your instrument effectively. Your teacher will guide you as to how much time you should be spending practising each day. Make sure you are practising both technical exercises and pieces each time you practise. Performing regularly will give you confidence and so you are expected, at A Level, to perform in our programme of recitals and concerts and take part in ensemble playing.
Organisational skills: Music A Level requires the development of a range of different skills, as well as curricular and extra curricular commitment, so you need to be organised and manage your time effectively. You are expected to keep your academic work in a folder, with work organised into the relevant sections. You are also expected to keep a log of your aural training, using our Auralia software and to practice your aural skills every week.
Leadership: Take the opportunities for leadership seriously and develop yourself as a role model for our younger musicians. You will then be better at listening, reflect more on your learning and take care to refine and improve your performance. Leading whole school music events, such as House Music or Chapel Music and you will build your team skills and levels of confidence.
Department Aims and Objectives
The Music Department is aware of its role in the promotion of the Catholic Ethos within St Edmund’s College. Our aims are:
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For the love of God and fellowship with all in the College Community to be celebrated and fostered though the making of and experience of music.
• For all pupils to have opportunity to create, perform and enjoy music in a wide variety of styles, genres and cultural backgrounds.
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To encourage and develop self confidence, social skills, spiritual growth and sensitive communication from engaging in music making in the classroom, in individual lessons, ensembles, chapel and anywhere in the College.
Extra Curricular Music
The musical life of the school is enhanced by the extra curricular activities that take place outside normal lessons. The school has a large choir (Schola Cantorum), a Chamber Choir, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Guitar Ensemble, String Ensemble and a number of Wind groups, which perform regularly in concerts and productions in and out of school. We also run a Rhetoric Music Society who are engaged in a number of events, including organising senior concerts and attending concerts elsewhere.
Applying for Music Awards
(The Cardinal Allen music Scholarship) Students who are entering the Sixth Form at 16+ can apply for the CAMS.
Resources and Rooming for A Level Music
The Music School has a discrete A Level Music teaching room with a PC for each student and industry standard Sibelius software. We have a recording studio, (installed in 2017) with a vocal/ instrumental booth and connection into a larger recording space. We have a recital room with Steinway Grand piano.
All teaching at St Edmund’s is rooted in Christ and is taught with regard to Catholic tradition with all departments expected to be faithful to our Mission. Sensitive cultural and social issues are discussed appropriately and we believe that the syllabus chosen provides a suitable vehicle for the introduction of this subject in a Catholic school and, whilst encouraging critical thinking, takes care to avoid bias.
