Nature of the Subject

Music students listen to, perform and compose music, encouraging aesthetic and emotional development, self‑discipline and, importantly, creativity. As a result, students develop

their appreciation and enjoyment of music, an achievement that forms an ideal foundation for future study and encourages lifelong musical enjoyment.

Students study music of all styles; each style is placed in its historical and cultural context, and music students are encouraged to be perceptive, sensitive and critical when listening. Although the syllabus focusses on

Western European music, the music of several world cultures is also explored.

Syllabus & Content

The course is broken down into 3 components:

1) Listening which includes:

i) World Music: Indian, Arabic, African, Latin American, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian.

ii) A Set Musical Work for in-depth analysis of the score and some wider context.

2) Performance where students perform solo and also as part of an ensemble or band.

3) Composition where students create original pieces of their own music. 

Assessment

Listening Exam Paper 40%

Students sit a 90 minute listening exam based entirely on the listening component of the course.

Performance (coursework) 30% 

Submitted as recordings and with sheet music.

Composition (coursework) 30% 

Submitted as recordings and sheet music.

Teacher Introduction

By introducing students to other musicians and composers from different periods and also from different world cultures and their techniques, students will not only be improving their analytical, performance and compositional skills, but they will also be developing their discipline, confidence and creativity thus broadening the spectrum with which they can communicate expression.