Music

Course summary

Studying Music at A Level gives you the power to engage with music more deeply as a performer, composer and listener. Although A Level Music involves a lot of creative work, the theoretical study of music history and theory is sufficiently rigorous that it is accepted as a serious academic subject for entry to most university courses. Recent Music students have gone on to study languages and humanities (and of course music) and an even wider range of courses, including sciences and the performing arts. Year 12 is split into 3 components. Component 1 focuses on listening and theory, where you will study Baroque Solo Concerto’s, the operas of Mozart and examine the development of Popular Music. You will study the contributions from artists such as Stevie Wonder, Muse and Beyonce. Component 2 requires you to focus on your own performing, either as a soloist or in an ensemble. In Component 3, you will compose one piece of music. This is a ‘free composition’, which allows you to choose a specific genre of your choice. Year 13 is also split into 3 components. In component 1, you will study the romantic piano music of Chopin, Brahms and Grieg in detail and look at the development of Musical Theatre. You will study the contributions of composers such as Jason Robert Brown, Richard Rogers and Stephen Sondheim. In component 2, you will perform contrasting pieces on a solo instrument or voice. This will be recorded for assessment. Finally, in component 3, you will compose a piece of music responding to a brief.