Assesment

Non-examined assessment: internally marked and externally moderated

30% of the qualification

60 marks

Content overview

● Solo performing

● Ensemble performing

● Approaches to performing

Requirement

● Students perform for at least four minutes’ combined duration

● Solo performance: this must be of at least one minute in duration, and may

comprise one or more pieces

● Ensemble performance: this must be of at least one minute in duration, and may

comprise one or more pieces

● Each performance will be out of 30 marks.

● Internally marked and externally moderated.

Non-examined assessment: internally marked and externally moderated

30% of the qualification

60 marks

Content overview

● Developing musical ideas

● Compositional techniques and strategies

● Ensuring technical control and coherence

● Methods of notating composition scores

Assessment overview

● Students compose two compositions, of at least three minutes’ combined

duration

● One composition to a brief set by Pearson, of at least one minute in duration.

● One free composition set by the student, of at least one minute in duration.

● Each composition will be out of 30 marks.

● Internally marked and externally moderated.

Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes

40% of the qualification

80 marks

Content overview

● Musical elements, musical contexts and musical language.

Areas of study:

● Instrumental Music 1700–1820

● Vocal Music

● Music for Stage and Screen

● Fusions.

Full details of the areas of study can be found on pages 48–49.

Assessment overview

The paper is made up of two sections and is out of a total of 80 marks.

Section A – Areas of study, dictation, and unfamiliar pieces (68 marks)

● Six questions related to six of the eight set works.

● One short melody/rhythm completion exercise.

● One question on an unfamiliar piece (skeleton score provided) with questions on

its musical elements, musical contexts and musical language.

Section B – Extended response comparison between a set work and one

unfamiliar piece (12 marks)

● One question that asks students to compare and/or evaluate the musical

elements, musical contexts and musical language of one set work with one

unfamiliar piece of music.

● Audio files with the music extracts will be played to all students at the same time

and will repeat the extracts a set number of times.