Page 38 - Seaford Year GCSE Options Booklet 2020 A5

GCSE Music
You can live a long and productive life without music. You can also live a long and productive life without ever going outside, going to the cinema, painting a picture or falling in love.
If you choose to study music, you’re choosing to explore one of life’s most profound forms of expression. How can it be that 12 simple notes can be put together in ways that can make your heart beat faster, or reduce you to tears, from your earliest childhood to your last day alive?
Incredibly, as humankind developed, the language of music also developed patterns and rules that can be studied and mastered. Through listening, practising and making music together, you can learn why a certain song cuts right to your heart, while another leaves you unmoved. You will develop problem-solving, analytical and communication skills that will last your whole life, wherever it may lead.
Course Outline:
This course consists of 3 components as listed below:
1. Performance (30% of the course, internally marked and externally moderated coursework)
• Students record a solo performance which must be of at least one minute in duration, and may comprise one or more pieces
• Studentsrecordan ensemble performance which must be of at least one minute in duration, and may comprise one or more pieces
2. Composition (30% of the course, internally marked and externally moderated coursework)
• Students compose two pieces, of at least three minutes’ combined duration.
• One composition is to a brief set by the examination board and the other is a free composition set by the student
3. Appraising (40% of the course, 1 hour 45 minutes written examination)
• Students study 8 set works, dictation and musical analysis during the course. The written examination involves listening questions based on the set works and one essay style question comparing a set work and an unfamiliar piece
Examination Board:
Edexcel
Head of Department:
Mrs J Hawkins
“Music GCSE has been very interesting. I’ve loved learning more about different composers and the ways in which they construct their pieces. I’ve learnt more interesting ways of composing myself and this has pushed me to explore how to makepiecesmoreinterestingandexciting. MusicGCSEisgreatfunandintriguing. All the teachers are supportive and want you to do your best.”
Izzy Black 36