Introduction to A Level Music

Eduqas Exam Board

Stowe School

Why Eduqas? Performing

•  Visiting Examiner for final exam.

•  Option of specialising in performance in year 2

Composing

•  Set brief has wide range of options

•  Option of specialising in performance in year 2

Appraising

•  Fewer set works than other exam boards offering opportunity to go more in depth

“A well balanced, accessible and interesting course. I recommend.”

“A joy to teach in depth again so students learn skills rather than lists of things and so much

freedom to cross reference any other pieces you enjoy/are relevant.”

“My students know more about the classical and romantic symphony than most undergrads.”

Appraising – Year 1 - WCT

•  Western Classical Tradition •  Haydn Symphony 104 – Mov 1&2

•  Development of the symphony from 1750 – 1830)

•  The influence and impact of patronage

•  Social and historical influences upon the symphony

Appraising – Year 1 – Musical Theatre

Studied Composers

•  Richard Rogers

•  Andrew Lloyd Webber

•  Leonard Bernstein

•  Stephen Sondheim

•  Claude-Michel Schonberg

AS Exam

Exam Breakdown

•  40% - 88 Marks

•  1 hour 30 minutes

AoS C

•  2 x Short answer Questions on Unprepared extracts (15 marks each)

•  Short essay style respond to general question about musical theatre (10 Marks)

WCT

•  Aural perception question – unprepared extract – reference to score – theory focus

•  Aural perception question – unprepared extract – skeleton score – dictation & KCL question

•  Comparison question of two unprepared symphonic extracts - General Knowledge of Development of Symphony through Classical and Early Romantic Era (1750-1830)

•  Set work Analysis taken from one of the two movements of Haydn

Exam Breakdown

Appraising – Year 2 - WCT

•  WCT – Development of the Symphony (1750 – 1890)

•  Haydn 104 – Complete in-depth study

•  Mendelsohn Italian Symphony – General study for comparison

•  Wider listening

Appraising – Year 2 – Musical Theatre

Studied Composers •  Richard Rogers •  Andrew Lloyd Webber

•  Leonard Bernstein •  Stephen Sondheim

•  Claude-Michel Schonberg •  Steven Schwartz

Appraising – Year 2 – Into the 20th Century

Overview

•  Exploration of composers at the turn of the 20th century focusing on three styles

•  Impressionism – Debussy & Ravel

•  Expressionism and Serialism – Schoenberg, Berg and Webern

•  Neo-Classicism – Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Poulenc

Set Works

•  Debussy -Nuages 9 1899 – impressionist)

•  Poulenc – trio for Oboe, bassoon and Piano: Mov II (1926 – Neoclassical)

Appraising – Year 2 - Exam

Exam Breakdown 40% - 100 Marks 2 hour 15 minutes AoS C Short answer Questions on Unprepared extract (10 marks) Short answer questions on an unprepared extract followed by a longer answer question comparing this extract to an additional extract (20 Marks)   AoS E Set Work Questions taken from ONE setwork [15 marks] Short Question on musical elements, devices and the comparisons of passages Longer form question discussing one aspect (musical element) of the piece  

Appraising – Year 2 - Exam   Unprepared Extract [ 15 marks] Short Question on musical elements and devices, comparisons of passages Discuss one musical element in the context of other wider listening pieces   WCT [ 40 marks] Aural perception question – unprepared extract – skeleton score – dictation, spot the mistake & keys, chords and cadences question Detailed analysis question of chosen set work (Haydn 104) Essay question based on development of the symphony 1750 -1900 in relation to both symphonies, wider listening and social, cultural and historical context

Performing – Year 1

•  6-8-minute recital (internally assessed)

•  72 marks

•  Minimum of 2 pieces

•  Solo, or ensemble, or combination

•  One piece must link with an AoS

•  Grade 5 = standard difficulty

•  30% of final mark

Composing – Year 1

•  5-7 minutes total duration

•  30%

•  72 marks

•  2 compositions (WCT and a free composition)

•  1 must link to a brief set by Eduqas

•  1 is a brief set by the department

Specialisms – Year 2

Performing •  10-12-minute recital assessed by a visiting

examiner

•  108 marks

•  Minimum of 3 pieces

•  One item MUST be a solo

•  Two pieces must link with two different AoS

•  Grade 6 = standard difficulty

•  35% of final mark

Composing •  8-10 minutes total duration

•  35%

•  108 marks

•  3 compositions (WCT, 1 other AoS and a free composition)

•  1 must link to a brief set by Eduqas

•  2 are to a brief set by the department