Course Syllabus
Exam
Requirements
Extra
Curricular
What can I do next with GCSE Music?
Meet The
Department
FAQ's
Hello year 10/11 - welcome to the
GCSE Music page! We have put together some handy information about the GCSE
Music Course to let you know what it's all about. You will find information on
the course structure and coursework requirements, along with lots of useful
links to music related sites.
We hope you
find this site useful. If you have any comments or
suggestions about things we could add please let Mrs
Glover know.
music is
about making and listening to music. It covers
performing, composing and listening in a wide variety of
musical styles – popular music, world music and
classical music.
The Three Basics of the Course
Listening and Appraising:
Students
will study musical periods and styles as well as music
from different cultures. They will learn technical
vocabulary to be able to respond to and discuss the
music in detail. They will also develop the skills to
compare contrasting performances of the same pieces. A
wide range of music will be covered developing students'
understanding and enjoyment of music.
Performance:
Solo
performance and ensemble work on their instruments will
continue throughout the year. Performance is part of the
coursework requirement and students will have to present
a piece of work at regular intervals, solo or ensemble.
At the end of the year there will be an assessment, and
this work could form the basis of the performing
coursework module. Support for this can be either
through an instrumental teacher - either external or
through Warwickshire Music Service.
Pupils
often ask if they can take GCSE music even though they
do not take instrumental lessons. The answer is YES,
however we strongly advise pupils to participate in an
ensemble or apply for lessons as performance is a large
part of the course.
To apply
for instrumental lessons at school,
click here
Composition:
Composition
forms part of the coursework and students start this in
Year 10. At school we are very fortunate to have
Sibelius software that pupils will use to create their
final two coursework compositions in Year 11. Some of
the composition work in Year 10 will be undertaken in
groups, but the final submissions must be individual
work.
Examples of
past coursework will be available on this site soon!
For a full
OCR syllabus breakdown,
click
here
Pupils have
to perform 2 pieces, one is a solo and the other one
must be in an ensemble of at least one other person. In
an ensemble the person who is being marked must be the
only one playing/singing that part. A solo performance
may have an accompaniment – it does not have to be a
literal solo. All performances will be recorded and
submitted in this way.
2
compositions will be submitted; one of these will relate
to topics studied as part of the course (in the syllabus
these are Area of Studies 3 and 4) and one will be
related to the instrument you play. All composing will
be recorded and printed using Sibelius.
At the end
of the course there will a practical test requiring both
performing and composing skills. This is referred to in
the syllabus as the Terminal Task.
There are
four Areas of Study which link together the performing,
composing, Terminal Task and the final written paper.
These Areas
of Study are:
1. Exploiting the Resource.
The
“resource” is the pupil’s main instrument (including
voice as an “instrument”) and “exploiting” it means
studying three pieces for that instrument, performing
one of them and composing a piece based around ideas
from the three pieces studied. The three pieces should
have some common link between them: a particular style,
some aspect of technique, a particular mood, etc.
2. Techniques of Melodic Composition.
The various
methods of composing melodies will be studied and the
technical language associated with this will be learnt.
Questions will be asked about this in the written exam
and the practical application of this knowledge will be
used in the Terminal Task.
3. Dance
Music.
Pupils will
study dance music across four centuries and will focus
on three specific dance types: • Elizabethan
(Renaissance) Pavan and Galliard • 19th century Viennese
waltz • 1970’s-style disco music
4.
Traditions and Innovations.
This covers
several types of musical fusions which have occurred in
the last one hundred years. Pupils should have some
awareness of how different musical styles have been
‘mixed’ together and they will focus on three specific
styles which mix ‘old’ (traditions) and ‘new’
(innovations):
• Salsa: a mix of traditional Cuban Son and American
big-band jazz.
• Bhangra: a mix of Punjabi harvest music and Western
pop music.
• Minimalism: a style of composing which mixes
conventional methods of composing with technology or
with ideas drawn from the use of technology.
The final
written paper is an exam lasting just over an hour and
consisting of questions which are all linked to the four
Areas of Study. Questions will be based around extracts
of music which will be played during the examination.
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Students can help themselves in any
topic by finding and listening to a wide range of music outside
lessons and involving themselves in the different ensembles
available to Year 10 students. These include opportunities to play
different instruments, jazz band, choir, concerts and shows. With
the help of music staff, students are encouraged to form their own
bands and groups.
The GCSE course is good preparation for
further musical study at AS/A level.
You may wish to go into a job where it is useful to have had
experience of music or where you will need to use some of the skills
developed during this course. These might include careers in the
music industry, publishing, entertainment and teaching or any job
which involves communication and expressive skills. It might be that
you just enjoy your music making and wish to show something for your
hard work and determination. If so, music GCSE is the course for
you.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask us and we will do
our best to answer them and sort out any problems.
Click here
to visit the staff.
The Music department consists of 3
classroom teachers and 14 instrumental teachers who teach over 150
students in the school to support the department. The subject is
taught as a separate subject through all key stages, but belongs to
the new Expressive Arts Faculty. The department runs a very varied
and exciting extra-curricular programme. All three members of staff
and instrumental teaching staff work very hard to maintain and keep
this programme varied and exciting. There are weekly-run activities
including 2 Wind Bands, 2 Orchestras, Swing Band, 2 Brass Bands,
Choirs, numerous rock bands plus a whole range of chamber groups, as
well as Theory club, GCSE composition, Aural training and rock band
workshops and recording sessions.
For more information on GCSE Music,
click here
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