Music
Welcome!
Music at A level is varied, practical, and intellectually stimulating. GCSE is not necessarily a prerequisite but being proficient on an instrument is.
You will hone numerous skills; listening, analysing, essay writing, and forming arguments, alongside the creative skills Music fosters so successfully. This marriage of skills makes Music A Level a respected and well-rounded qualification. We also aim to deliver the qualification in an engaging and practical manner, through performance and composition tasks which link to the set works.
General Tasks
1. Listen to lots of different types of music. This will mainly consist of the Western Classical Tradition but listen to other types as well - include unfamiliar music and music that may feel uncomfortable to listen to.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/series/50-greatest-symphonies
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-151127/
2. Continue to practice your instruments/voice. Keep your technique in shape by learning new repertoire and working on technical exercises, scales etc. Practice sight reading and improvisation. Try to be come a musician rather than just a [insert instrument name here}ist.
3. Brush up on your music theory. Grade 5 is the expected standard although you don't have to have taken the examination. We will be working through elements of Grade 6 and 7 theory during the course and for those who are interested, this could progress into taking the examination. https://www.mymusictheory.com/ is an excellent down to earth resource for grades 1-8.
4. Read books and do some research online. Begin to discover a basic history of music; eras, composers, particular features of genres:
Music: A Very Short Introduction by Nicholas Cook
The Story of Music by Howard Goodall
The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross
Listen to this by Alex Ross
How Music Works by John Powell.
5. A level music is an academic qualification and will involve extended writing. You could try some ideas, here are some topics to think about.
“The greatest composers were all born in the 18th Century”
“What is Jazz”
‘What’s the point of having music in a film”
“Serialism is pointless”
“Popular music isn’t really music”
“Music is about Sound & Silence only”
You can pick any title or topic, something that will get you intrigued and interested and maybe providing some listening.
5. Assimilate the following resources:
The Listening Service is a 30 minute educational programme on Radio 3. All episodes are currently available here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b078n25h/episodes/player
Specific Tasks
Performance
1. Perform a piece you know how to play well. Focus on expression and interpretation
2. Start to learn a new piece with an emphasis on accuracy and fluency
3. Perform a piece you know well and see how stylistic you can make it; know the features of the style in which you are playing
4. Record yourself performing a piece you are familiar with. Analyse it critically with what you did well and what you need to improve
5. Listen to a performance online / go to see a concert. What makes a successful performance other than accuracy and fluency?
Composition
1. Write a composition using one pitch. For example, only use B but you are permitted to use different octaves.
2. Take the following chord progression. Make the triads more complex by adding notes (e.g. sus4, 7th) and create a rhythm to play the chords to. Am G C F
3. Create a 4 bar leitmotif on any instrument to represent a character from Greek / Roman mythology (Zeus, Hera, Hephaestus etc). Write a short paragraph explaining the musical features used to depict that character
4. Explore various ranges, techniques, and characteristics of you first instrument. Can you create something interesting and unusual to exploit these characteristics of your instrument?
5. Read the following blog: https://manwaringmusic.blog/2020/04/02/composing-at-home-1/
Appraisal
1. Familiarise yourself with MAD T SHIRTS. Write as many keywords / features of those areas as you can. E.g. Rhythm may include syncopation, andante, hemiola.
2. Choose a composer, a piece by that composer and listen to it. Why do you enjoy this piece? What musical features make it so satisfying? Give the composer, title of the piece, era of music e.g. Baroque.
3. Argue the following question: “What’s the point of having music in a film?” Provide relevant musical examples of film music and come to some conclusion at the end of your writing. Aim to write a side of A4.
4. Stockhausen said all music which is tonal (i.e. in a particular major or minor key) has already been written and that he would end up merely repeating music which had already been composed. To what extent do you think all tonal music has already been composed and we are merely repeating what already exists?
5. ‘Popular music deserves more recognition and is equal to Classical music’. Discuss and provide relevant musical examples.