Music

Course summary

Students will learn to rehearse and refine solo and/or ensemble performances on their chosen instrument or voice and develop their technique, expression and control. This component will develop creative thinking, critical awareness and self-confidence. Students can perform in any chosen style. Students will develop the technical and expressive skills needed for composing music. Students will be encouraged to explore a range of compositional starting points, investigate a range of techniques for developing and manipulating ideas. Students will learn to develop their listening and appraising skills through the study of music across a variety of styles and genres. The content is grouped into six areas of study, each of which contains two set works. This component gives students the opportunity to reflect on, analyse and evaluate music in aural and/ or written form. To achieve this objective they need to use their knowledge and understanding of musical elements, context and language to make critical judgements about the repertoire and context of music within the areas of study. Students will learn how to harmonise two chorales in the manner of J.S. Bach by adding alto, tenor and bass parts to a given soprano. Using an appropriate harmonic vocabulary students need to be familiar with triads in root position and first inversion, the tonic triad in second inversion in contexts where Bach would have used it, seventh chords and their inversions typical of Bach’s style. The Edexcel course provides a clear and coherent structure. The qualification has a straightforward structure with three engaging components, assessed through practical performances, compositions and one externally examined paper. The course provides a real music focus – the key content of musical elements, contents and language are taught through the Areas of Study and set work to show real examples of how these are used within different types of music Holistic understanding of music – students investigate, analyse and evaluate music and its features. The course is designed to provide a stepping-stone towards any career within the Music industry. As well as teaching key skills in performance, composition and musical appraising, the course also provides an excellent grounding for a degree in Music, or any Humanities subject. The skills developed within the course can be usefully applied to a diverse range of higher education courses. https://www.ashmoleacademy.org/_site/data/files/post16/1665D110BFBC2774CA4DFED150071DED.pdf#page=34