Music

Overview

Music helps learners to develop subject knowledge, understanding and skills, through listening to a variety of music, playing music and creating their own Music.

Year 7 & 8 topics include:

• A wide range of topics are covered at year 7, from basic Singing, Keyboard and Instrumental skills to African Drumming.
• The Blues and Film Music are covered in Yr 8. The history of one of society’s most popular art-forms is explored to ensure that the context beyond the art is embedded.

Year 10 & 11 topics include:

GCSE Music is split into three separate areas which are assessed on Listening and Contextual Understanding elements.

Understanding music

• Section A: Listening – unfamiliar Music(68 marks)

• Section B: Study pieces (28 marks)

The exam is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

This component is worth 40% of GCSE marks (96 marks) 

Performing music

Performing music is assessed through one instrumentalist and/or vocalist and/or via technology in two areas:

• Performance 1: Solo performance (36 marks)
• Performance 2: Ensemble performance (36 marks). 

A minimum of four minutes of performance in total is required, of which a minimum of one minute must be the ensemble performance.

This component is 30% of GCSE marks (72 marks).

Non-exam assessment (NEA) will be internally marked by teachers and externally moderated by AQA. Performances must be completed in the year of certification. 

Composing music 

Composition is assessed through:

• Composition 1: Composition to a brief (36 marks)
• Composition 2: Free composition (36 marks). 

A minimum of three minutes of music in total is required with the component is 30% of GCSE marks (72 marks). Non-exam assessment (NEA) will be internally marked by teachers and externally moderated by AQA.

GCSE Music offers a solid foundation for progression to other music studies, including A-level Music, and often to a music-related career. Our course provides the opportunity for learners to develop valuable transferable skills such as self-confidence, concentration, creativity, evaluation and team work

Extra Curricular opportunities

• Outside of lesson time there are opportunities to engage in musical activities such as extra-curricular instrumental lessons, music club, school radio and performances in a variety of school and non-school events.
• Starting Autumn 2018 groups of learners are learning the skills required to create a podcast or radio show using specialist technical equipment, gaining an Arts Award in the process, through Huddersfield Contemporary Music Society. This provides a fantastic platform to see how music is an integrated part of everyday life and develops team-building skills in addition to specialised knowledge.