2021 A level Music Changes

Important permanent changes to A level Music

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/news-policy/qualifications/a-levels/music/important-changes-to-a-level-music.html?fbclid=IwAR0GXkZlGhduFuVcRuobEixLPuIquVeeDSj85Xchh8qF1r4D8brElYWx_eI

3 December 2020

Ofqual have approved changes to the Pearson Edexcel A level Music specification that will take immediate effect. These are permanent changes and will be made for the summer 2021 exam and beyond.

We are delighted to announce that Ofqual have approved changes to our A level Music specification. These permanent changes will take immediate effect, meaning these amendments will impact on the exam from summer 2021 and beyond. Our updated specification will be available soon, however our Sample Assessment Materials (SAM) will not be available until early next year.  

We have made these changes due to feedback received from teachers about the amount of content to deliver and the time candidates have to complete all aspects of the exam. In order to make the specification more manageable for teachers and candidates the changes we have made are:

• A reduction of set works from 18 to 12 (as outlined in the table below)

• An additional 10 minutes on the exam time, now 2 hours 10 minutes 

• A fourth optional question for question 6

The set works included in the specification are now: 

Vocal Music

• J. S. Bach, Cantata, Ein feste Burg, BWV 80: Movements 1, 2, 8

• Vaughan Williams, On Wenlock Edge: Nos. 1, 3 and 5 (On Wenlock Edge, Is my team ploughing? and Bredon Hill)

Instrumental music

• Clara Wieck-Schumann, Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 17: movement 1

• Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique: Movement 1

Music for Film

• Danny Elfman, Batman Returns: Main theme (Birth of a Penguin Part II), Birth of a Penguin Part I, Rise and fall from grace, and Batman vs the Circus

• Bernard Herrmann, Psycho: Prelude, The City, Marion, The Murder (Shower Scene), The Toys, The Cellar, Discovery, Finale

Popular Music

• Courtney Pine, Back In The Day: Lady Day and John Coltrane, Inner State of Mind, Love and Affection

• Kate Bush, Hounds of Love: Cloudbusting, And dream of sheep, and Under ice

• Beatles, Revolver: Eleanor Rigby, Here, there and everywhere, I want to tell you, and Tomorrow never knows

Fusions

• Debussy, Estampes: Nos. 1 and 2 (Pagodes and La soirée dans Grenade)

• Anoushka Shankar, Breathing Under Water: Burn, Breathing Under Water and Easy

New Directions

• Kaija Saariaho, Petals for Violoncello and Live Electronics

• Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring: Introduction, The Augurs of Spring, and Ritual of Abduction

Although six set works have been removed from the specification and will no longer appear in questions on the exam paper, centres should add these to the wider listening list as they can prove to be valuable pieces to study when answering questions 5 and 6 in the exam. 

 In support of these changes we have recently published full mark responses for question 5 and 6a, which are available online.

Edexcel A Level Music: March 2021 update

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/music-2016/teaching-support/news..html?article=%2Fcontent%2Fdemo%2Fen%2Fnews-policy%2Fqualifications%2Fa-levels%2Fmusic%2Fedexcel-a-level-music-march-2021-update&pageTypes=

Over the last year, we’ve been reviewing our A level Music qualification to make sure we provide the right support for you during an unprecedented time of learning. We reached out to hundreds of A level Music teachers and asked them to share their views on our qualification via our surveys, in addition to a wide number of interviews, and research with stakeholders representing Higher Education, music education, and the wider music industry. Thank you to all of you who took part. To address the feedback we received, we’re pleased to share our following next steps in ensuring that we provide the best support for you and your students.

1. Returning Courtney Pine 

We announced in Autumn 2020 that we were reviewing the volume of work in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and that to do this, we initially reduced the number of set works in our specification. This included the removal of British Jazz artist, Courtney Pine. We recognise that this was the wrong decision to make. As already communicated in the September update, we will be returning Courtney Pine to the set works for 2022 assessment. This means there are 3 set works in the Popular Music and Jazz area of study (AoS). It also returns the genre of Jazz to the AoS (currently just called Popular music).

2. No further changes to the set works

 We know from our conversations with teachers that more changes to the qualification, specifically to the set works in the short-term, will be challenging to manage. We are not intending to make further changes for 2022. We’ll work with the DfE, Ofqual and other stakeholders on the arrangements for 2022, and share any further updates and information as it becomes available.

Performing (2021 only)

'Students perform one or more pieces of music with a combined minimum duration of 3 minutes'.

• Before reducing the length of your recital, think very carefully about whether it will continue meet the highest level of performing assessment criteria found here.

• These criteria can be summarised as a recital which is 'outstanding' in its demonstration of technique, accuracy, fluency and interpretation. 

• To be 'outstanding', by definition your recital must 'stand out' above the recitals of all other excellent, good and satisfactory candidates in its demonstration of these features.

• Will your chosen programme allow your recital to 'stand out' above all other excellent recitals?