Music

Title: Music
Type: A Level
Entry Requirements:Standard entry requirements.
Course Length: 2 Years

The AQA A-level Music course is designed for students with an interest in music who wish to develop their practical and theoretical skills. The course consists of three main components:

• Component 1: Appraising Music – This is a written examination that tests your knowledge and understanding of music, focusing on both familiar and unfamiliar pieces of music. You will study a range of musical genres, periods, and styles, including classical music, music for media, and popular music, with a focus on context, structure, and texture.
• Component 2: Performance – This component allows you to showcase your performance skills, either as a soloist or as part of an ensemble. The performance is assessed through a recorded submission that is marked by your teachers and external moderators.
• Component 3: Composition – You will be tasked with composing original music in response to specific briefs. This component encourages creativity, allowing students to write music in a range of genres and styles, and helps build compositional techniques such as harmony, melody, and rhythm.

Throughout the A-level course, you will study a wide variety of musical topics, exploring both historical and contemporary styles:

• Appraising Music:
  • Western Classical Tradition (including works from Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms)
  • Music for Media: You will explore how music is composed and used in film, television, video games, and other forms of media. This includes studying the techniques composers use to create mood and atmosphere, as well as the role music plays in storytelling. You will learn about the different approaches to scoring for media, from iconic film scores to more modern, electronic-based soundtracks.
  • Pop Music: An exploration of pop, rock, and other contemporary genres, focusing on their structure, styles, and social impact
• Performance:
  • Develop your technical skills on an instrument of your choice, either as a soloist or in an ensemble, performing a range of music from different genres.
• Composition:
  • Write music in a variety of styles, from classical and music for film to contemporary genres. You’ll be asked to create original compositions using techniques learned throughout the course.

A-level Music is an excellent foundation for further study and career opportunities. Many students go on to pursue degrees in music, such as Music Performance, Composition, or Music Production. The skills developed in this course are transferable to a wide range of fields, including:

• Higher Education: Degrees in Music, Music Technology, Music Performance, Music Composition, and Music Education.
• Music Industry Careers: Work as a musician, composer, sound engineer, music producer, or music educator.
• Creative Arts: Careers in media, television, film, and theatre, where a strong understanding of music is essential.
• Teaching and Education: Teaching music at both school and college levels.

The critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills you develop in this course are also highly valued by employers in many sectors beyond music.

“Music A level has helped me develop my skills as a musician and also helped me have a deeper understanding of the music I listen to. On top of this, it’s always the highlight of my week and it makes me sad to know that time is running out but at least I know it will never fade away.”