music
A LEVEL
Course Overview
The most amazing thing about Music is that it goes with EVERY subject! It's both practical and academic, creative and theoretical, an Art and a Science, and it's something to get passionate about and truly lose yourself in!
The course covers the following areas of Music:
Performing
Composing
Listening and Evaluating
You will develop your skills in all three as you progress through your A level studies!
welcome Video
Target Audience
Are you passionate about music?
Spend your free time singing, playing an instrument or creating tracks using music technology software?
Do you ever create your own original music?
Do you enjoy listening to music and trying to figure out how it was made?
Loved GCSE Music and don’t want it to end?
Didn’t do GCSE Music, regret it and have spent the last 2 years playing music?
If you've answered 'Yes!' to any of those questions, then this is the subject and course for you!
Practical units - 60%
performance - 35%
You will prepare a ten minute performance, either as a soloist or in a band, on an instrument or voice, or produce a music production via technology (or a combination of any of the above!)
composition - 25%
You'll create and produce two pieces of music, in styles of your choosing!
Exam units - 40%
Music for Media
Pop Music
Baroque: The Solo Concerto
Romantic: Piano Music
sample lesson
example work
Student testimonials
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outside of the classroom!
We are extremely lucky to offer recording studios, practice rooms and Apple mac I.T. suites at both the Norton Hill and Somervale music department sites, which are available to use during study periods for performance and composition practise.
We regularly run trips and offer extra-curricular opportunities, for example this year students went to see 'The Marriage of Figaro' at Bristol Hippodrome and also attended a University style lecture on Film music at Redmaids High School in Bristol.
Higher Education Progression Routes
degree
The 'traditional' degree pathway will initially follow the GCSE and A level Areas of Study offering you a balance of analysing, performing and composing music.
From your first year of study, you will be able to begin to specialise in specific areas and genres of music.
practical
There are a variety of degree and HE courses that focus on a specific area:
Performing Arts e.g. musical theatre
Contemporary Performance
Songwriting
technology
Music technology offers many pathways for further study including Sound production and engineering and Film and TV Music production.
Future Careers
music industry
There are a wealth of jobs and opportunities within the music industry, including: A&R, Management, PR and Marketing, Songwriting, Media Composition (Film/TV), Performance, Sound engineer, Producer/arranger
creative
Music is a creative pursuit and possible careers could include: Session musician, Composer (Pop/TV/Film), Orchestral player, Accompanist.
(And don't dismiss creative education pathways - instrumental teacher, workshop leader, music therapy! Some of the best jobs in the World!)
anything...!
A level Music is recognised and respected as a highly academic subject that instils creativity, an attribute that attracts all employers. Choosing it doesn't mean you are destined to go into a music based career. It means you are going to have a skill set that makes you highly employable!
Student Destinations
The A level Music course allows multiple pathways and some of our alumni have gone on to specialise in the following areas:
Musical theatre - Mountview, University of Chichester, Bird College
Song writing - Bristol BIMM
Performance - Brighton BIMM
Music BA Hons - Cardiff University
Other students have used the transferable skills gained from A level Music to study other subjects at University or to go into employment.