Students must record:

At least two pieces in any style

Lasting 4 - 6 minutes in total

One Ensemble piece

• • Of at least 1 minutes in length of ensemble playing

  • The ensemble part played must not be the melody for at least 1 minute of the piece

  • This can be achieved by performing a harmony line or accompaniment, or through polyphony

  • Between 2 and 8 performers

  • Other performers can be anyone

  • No conductor

One other piece

Pieces must be recorded with a Teacher (class or peripatetic) present

All recordings require a score with rhythm, pitch and dynamics, in order to be marked

Optional 3rd/4th piece to meet time requirement

Performances are internally marked and externally moderated

To help with performance, Students are advised to:

• Attend all instrumental/vocal lessons

• Practice!!!!!

• Attend as many extra curricular opportunities that you can

• Remember dynamics!

• Remember articulation!

• Check the difficulty grade carefully

• Pick your pieces for recording carefully!

  • Pick an easier piece you can play well over a harder one that you struggle with

Pieces are marked against the criteria below, and then scaled according to difficulty.

Pieces of below Grade 3 are marked as Easier

• • You will loose marks for playing an easier piece

Pieces of Grade 3 are marked as Standard

• • You will neither gain or loose marks for a Grade 3 piece

Pieces of Grade 4 or higher are marked as More Difficult

• • You can gain extra marks for playing a harder pieces

Students must compose:

Two pieces in total

Lasting 3-6 minutes

One piece in response to a brief, published in September of Year 11

One piece completed in Year 10

Compositions are internally marked and externally moderated

To help with Composition, Students are advised to:

Get used to using Noteflight and/or Cubase

Plan the piece out using chord charts

Create catchy melodies

Use the assessment criteria carefully to meet the requirements

Use DEVELOPMENT and CONTRAST

Pieces are marked against the criteria below

Total marks: 96

Length: 1hr 30 approx (depending on the lengh of music)

What things you can expect to find in the exam:

Eight sets of Questions in total

Two on each Area of Study

One set on a Set Work from AOS1 

• Badinerie by J.S. Bach

One set on a Set Work from AOS4

• Africa by Toto

Lots of sub questions of various types, including:

• • Describing musical features

  • Compare and Contrasting musical features

  • Placing music in a context

  • Identifying instruments

  • Identifying Keys

  • Identifying Structure

  • Identifying Key Signatures

  • Identifying Cadences

  • Finding chords

  • Typical Features of different styles

  • Melodic dictation

  • Rhythmic dictation

  • Long answer question giving a musical description and giving reasons