Key Stage 5 – A level

At Chipping Norton School students take the Eduqas examination for A level Music. This course aims to provide a broad musical experience, and develop aural awareness, composition and performance skills.

There are three main components in the A level course, Performing, Composing and Listening and Appraising, some of which can be weighted differently.

Performance – Either 35% (Option A) or 25% (Option B)

This is a recital of pieces performed to a visiting external examiner in the second year of the course.  Pieces need to be of at least grade 6, with scores for the examiner to follow.  Timings are between 6-8 minutes for Option B, and 10-12 minutes for Option A. 

Composition – Either 25% (Option A) or 35% (Option B)

This is creating and developing music, some of which follow a brief set by the exam board.  There are three pieces to compose for Option B (8-10 minutes), or two for Option A (4-6 minutes). 

Listening and Appraising – 40%

Students study pieces from three Areas of Study.  The exam is 2 hours and 15 minutes, and divided into 3 parts.  Area A is two Symphonies by Hadyn and Mendelssohn.  Area C (from a choice of B,C,D) is Musical Theatre and a focus on six composers (Rodgers, Bernstein, Sondheim, Schonberg, Lloyd-Webber and Schwartz).  Area E (from a choice of E or F) is Music of the 20^th Century, including pieces by Debussy and Poulenc.  These pieces are analysed and used in the exam, both from an aural and written perspective.