Considering Music GCSE or A level? Read our FAQ here!

Music isn't a subject for everyone, but those that like it love it! Taking it for GCSE or A level can seem a bit daunting though, so this guide is here to help you find out more about it. It can be a great subject to show you're into a bit more of a range of things and also as a break in your week to do something maybe a bit different- I found it invaluable from this point of view, and really wish I had done it at A level too!

GCSE

The exact proportions vary, but your course will have elements of listening and analysis, composition and performance. For example, on Edexcel you'll study eight pieces in depth and a few more more generally to prepare you for the exam. Then just over half of your overall grade is split between two compositions and a short solo and ensemble performance. The other exam boards vary in the detail but have a similar basis- the music all comes from different genres so don't worry that it's going to be all classical!

How will I be assessed?

What's the workload like, and how hard is it?

Performance? Composition? Ahhh!

Is it a waste of an option?

A level

What will I be studying?

How will I be assessed?

Is it very different to GCSE?

I'm not sure good enough..?

What might it be useful for afterwards?

If you have anything you'd like to add to this or would like to be covered, let me know! There will be loads of these guides appearing in different forums to help with your choices, so have a look around. If there isn't one for your subject or think you'd like to make one yourself, just ask :smile:

Reply 1

A09887

5

I am very musical and I play three instruments (piano, flute, saxophone), but I have never properly composed before - only messed around a bit. Should I take music for GCSE's or not as I know the composition is a big part of it. Is it worth taking it or doing a different subject (eg. computer science) as I do music outside of school anyway and I don't want to have a musical career? My minimum expected grade is a 9 but I don't know how hard it is to get a 9 in music. Is there a specific criteria? Also what did you think of it? Sorry for lots of questions I just don't want to regret my decision as I have to pick my subjects now.

Reply 2

JosephCiderBwoy

16

Original post by A09887

I am very musical and I play three instruments (piano, flute, saxophone), but I have never properly composed before - only messed around a bit. Should I take music for GCSE's or not as I know the composition is a big part of it. Is it worth taking it or doing a different subject (eg. computer science) as I do music outside of school anyway and I don't want to have a musical career? My minimum expected grade is a 9 but I don't know how hard it is to get a 9 in music. Is there a specific criteria? Also what did you think of it? Sorry for lots of questions I just don't want to regret my decision as I have to pick my subjects now.

I took both GCSE and A Level music, but my year group was the last to do the old GCSE, so what I know about that is irrelevant, but for the new GCSE, it's quite weighted on theory, as well as composition and performance, of course. However, when I did GCSE music, we didn't study set works, but I know now that GCSE students study set works, so you ought to commit to learning music theory up to grade 5 standard, the technical terms, and have good musical logic. I found GCSE is marked less harshly than A Level. For A Level, grade 5 theory is the baseline knowledge. You study more set works, ranging from Baroque and Classical music to musical theatre. This is marked very harshly. To answer the exam questions, you need to make it as PEE-formatted as possible. If you don't state the bar number, no mark for that point. If you get the musical technique wrong, no mark for that point. If you don't explain the effect well enough, no mark for that point. It is incredibly difficult, but definitely possible, to get an A*/A at A Level music. I got an A overall, just on the boundary, though. It is a subject which really does reflect how hard you work. You need to work so hard to perfect your exam technique, your essay technique and your musical knowledge. All of these are quintessential in getting the top grades. Had the exam gone terribly (in which I got an A*), it would've jeopardised my place at university. The exam is the biggest chunk of marks, so even if you don't do well in composition and performance (I got a C for both), you can still get a comfortable B or maybe an A if your exam goes well.

Reply 3

A09887

5

Original post by JosephCiderBwoy

I took both GCSE and A Level music, but my year group was the last to do the old GCSE, so what I know about that is irrelevant, but for the new GCSE, it's quite weighted on theory, as well as composition and performance, of course. However, when I did GCSE music, we didn't study set works, but I know now that GCSE students study set works, so you ought to commit to learning music theory up to grade 5 standard, the technical terms, and have good musical logic. I found GCSE is marked less harshly than A Level. For A Level, grade 5 theory is the baseline knowledge. You study more set works, ranging from Baroque and Classical music to musical theatre. This is marked very harshly. To answer the exam questions, you need to make it as PEE-formatted as possible. If you don't state the bar number, no mark for that point. If you get the musical technique wrong, no mark for that point. If you don't explain the effect well enough, no mark for that point. It is incredibly difficult, but definitely possible, to get an A*/A at A Level music. I got an A overall, just on the boundary, though. It is a subject which really does reflect how hard you work. You need to work so hard to perfect your exam technique, your essay technique and your musical knowledge. All of these are quintessential in getting the top grades. Had the exam gone terribly (in which I got an A*), it would've jeopardised my place at university. The exam is the biggest chunk of marks, so even if you don't do well in composition and performance (I got a C for both), you can still get a comfortable B or maybe an A if your exam goes well.

Ok thank you - I am doing my grade 5 theory exam on the 4th of march so I think I'll be comfortable with the theory aspect of it.

Reply 4

furryface12

OP

21

Original post by A09887

I am very musical and I play three instruments (piano, flute, saxophone), but I have never properly composed before - only messed around a bit. Should I take music for GCSE's or not as I know the composition is a big part of it. Is it worth taking it or doing a different subject (eg. computer science) as I do music outside of school anyway and I don't want to have a musical career? My minimum expected grade is a 9 but I don't know how hard it is to get a 9 in music. Is there a specific criteria? Also what did you think of it? Sorry for lots of questions I just don't want to regret my decision as I have to pick my subjects now.

I think it's worth a go. Most people won't have composed before, but you may well find you really enjoy it. If you don't then you don't have to take it any further :smile:

you could always have a go before you start and see how you like it!

I did the old GCSE so don't know a great deal about the specific criteria for a 9 sorry. Hopefully someone else will come along that does! You'll be fine with the performance and theory aspects though, and the set works you'll hopefully find interesting. So even if you scored a bit less on composition (which you probably won't do!) then you could make up for it.

Could you talk to the music teachers at school about it? They'll know a lot more than us! Good choice of instruments btw too :tongue:

Reply 5

Imlostaf

5

Original post by A09887

I am very musical and I play three instruments (piano, flute, saxophone), but I have never properly composed before - only messed around a bit. Should I take music for GCSE's or not as I know the composition is a big part of it. Is it worth taking it or doing a different subject (eg. computer science) as I do music outside of school anyway and I don't want to have a musical career? My minimum expected grade is a 9 but I don't know how hard it is to get a 9 in music. Is there a specific criteria? Also what did you think of it? Sorry for lots of questions I just don't want to regret my decision as I have to pick my subjects now.

I was exactly the same! I too play flute and piano and Id never composed before GCSE, but honestly its not as daunting as you think! For my first ever composition myself and a lot of other composition newbies did minimalist pieces, which is basically making up a random melody and repeating it and developing it throughout a piece. This got me pretty good marks and gave me a good starting point for composing as I went on to do my set brief pieces. If you already play three instruments I imagine you have decent theoretical knowledge, this will help you on the theory side, especially with reading music (you'd be surprised how many people go into it not being able to!) as it can be tricky. 9 is quite hard to get on this paper as it is so strict on the way you word answers, but I would advise you to learn loads of keywords and their definition and practice identifying them in unheard pieces, as this is essentially the exam. I was always predicted 9 but ended up getting 8 (even though I got full marks on performance) and remarks are confusing for music. I would recommend the gcse as for me it was a lot of fun, and I went onto do the a level! Good luck with your choices xx

Considering Music GCSE or A level? Read our FAQ here!

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