Why study Music?
You will:
- be able to study Music in much greater depth than you have at KS3.
- develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of musical styles, genres and traditions from all over the world.
- understand how to explain what you hear in music accurately, with reference to the subtleties in the rhythm, harmony and instrumentation.
- be more informed about how to perform music to bring out the full effect of a piece or song.
- improve your instinct for how notes can be made to fit together to create a range of musical effects. This will give you more
- build confidence for improvising and composing your own music.
What will I study?
The AQA course is delivered through four areas of study:
- Western classical tradition 1650–1910
- Popular music
- Traditional music
- Western classical tradition since 1910
How will I study?
- Component 1 – Understanding Music (40% of the marks)
- Component 2 - Performing Music (30% of the marks)
- Component 3 - Composing (30% of the marks)
All of the units will be covered during lessons, but due to the nature of the performance unit, you will also be expected to take extra- curricular instrumental lessons (voice, or any other musical instrument). You should aim to be able to sing or play a piece of music to Grade 3 standard at the very minimum for assessment.
You will need to read music notation.
How will my work be assessed?
- Component 1 takes the form of a listening exam, where you will listen to musical extracts and answer questions based on what you hear. You will also be expected to notate a short melody or rhythm at some point during the exam. You will have to write critically about two of the set pieces in the areas of study.
- Component 2 requires two performances (individual and group) on your instrument or voice.
- Component 3 requires you to write two compositions. One composition is to a brief, the other is a free composition; composing a piece of music stimulated by two or more of the areas of study.
Please see Ms Hammond for more information.