AQA A LEVEL

MUSIC
NAME:
FORM:
TEACHER:
TARGET GRADE:

CONTENTS
1

A Level Music at a Glance

3
Component Details

Component 1: Appraising
Key Vocabulary

Analysing Your Set Works at Home

12
Suggested Listening List

14

Component 2: Performing
Performing Practice Log
16
Performance Feedback Log

20

Component 3: Composing
Composition Log
Composition Feedback Log

23
26

Marking Criteria
2

A LEVEL MUSIC
AT A GLANCE

COMPONENT 1:
APPRAISING
MUSIC

COMPONENT 2:
PERFORMING
MUSIC

COMPONENT 3:
COMPOSING
MUSIC

Whats assessed?
Listening
Analysis
Contextual
Understanding
How its assessed
Exam paper with
listening and written
questions using
excerpts of music.

What's assessed?
Music performance

What's assessed?
Composition

Questions
Section A:
Listening
(56 marks)
Section B:
Analysis
(34 marks)
Section C: Essay
(30 marks)
This component is 40%
of A-level marks (120
marks).

Requirement
A minimum of ten
minutes of
performance in total
is required.
This component is 35%
of A-level marks (50
marks).

Requirement
A minimum of four
and a half minutes of
music in total is
required.
This component is
worth 25% of A-level
marks (50 marks).

Non-exam assessment
(NEA) will be externally
marked by AQA
examiners.

NEA will be externally

marked by AQA
examiners.

How it's assessed

How it's assessed
Solo and/or ensemble
Composition 1:
performing as an
Composition to a brief
instrumentalist, or
(25 marks)
vocalist and/or music

Composition 2:
production (via
Free composition (25
technology).
marks)

COMPONENT DETAILS
COMPONENT 1: APPRAISING MUSIC (40% of your A Level
Grade)
The areas of study provide an appropriate focus for you to appraise,
develop and demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of
musical elements, musical contexts and musical language. The areas of
study can also provide a rich source of material for you to work with when
developing performance and composition skills.
The areas of study we will be focusing on are:
Western classical tradition 16501910 (compulsory)
Pop music
Music for media
AREA OF STUDY 1: Western classical tradition 16501910
(compulsory)
For the purposes of this specification, the western classical tradition is defined as art
music of (or growing out of) the European tradition, normally notated, and normally
intended for public performance. There are three strands of music represented which
cover three key genres:
Baroque: the solo concerto
Classical: the operas of Mozart
Romantic: the piano music of Chopin, Brahms and Grieg.

1.) Listening unfamiliar music

You must be able to listen attentively to unfamiliar music from each of the three strands
to identify and accurately describe musical elements and use musical language
(including staff notation). See the suggested listening list for more information.

2.) Analysis and contextual understanding set works

For two of the selected strands, you must also be able to critically appraise music
through analysing excerpts from the set works using knowledge and understanding of:
the effect of audience, time and place on how the set works were created, developed
and performed
how and why the music across the selected strand is different
how the composers purpose and intention for the set works is reflected in their use of
musical elements
4

 relevant musical vocabulary and terminology for the set works

the complex interdependencies between musical elements
the sophisticated connections between music and its context.

AREA OF STUDY 1: SET PIECES

STRAND A: Baroque Solo Concerto

Sonata for trumpet and strings on D major Z.850 (complete) Purcell
Flute concerto in D II Gardellino op. 10 no 3 RV428 (complete) Vivaldi
Violin concerto in A minor BWV1041 (complete) Bach
STRAND B: The Operas of Mozart
Le Nozze di Figaro k.492: Act 1, focusing on:
overture
No.1 Duettino (Figaro and Susanna, including following recitative)
No.3 Cavatina (Figaro, including the previous recitative) No.4 Aria (Bartolo)
No.5 Duettino (Susanna and Marcellina)
No.6 Aria (Cherubino)
No.7 Terzetto (Susanna, Basilio, Count)
No.9 Aria (Figaro).

Musical language
You must be able to use musical language in the following ways:
Reading staff notation
You must be able to identify musical elements (as in elements list) when reading staff
notation. For unfamiliar music, you must be able to read short passages of a minimum of
four bars and a maximum of eight bars. For familiar music, you must be able to read
approximately two pages of music score.
Writing staff notation
You must be able to:
write melodic notation in all keys within short passages of music of a minimum of four
bars and a maximum of eight bars
write rhythmic notation, including compound time within short passages of a minimum
of four bars and a maximum of eight bars.
Chords
You must learn standard and extended chords, including chord inversions and secondary
dominant 7ths, and be able to identify them in aural and written form. Examples of
relevant types of chords can be found in the Musical elements lists.
Musical vocabulary and terminology
You must be able to identify and apply appropriate musical vocabulary and terminology
to both music heard and notated. The appropriate vocabulary and terminology required
can be found in the tables appropriate to the areas of study.

AREA OF STUDY 2: Pop Music

Named artists
Stevie Wonder

Joni Mitchell
Muse
Beyonc
Daft Punk
Labrinth

AREA OF STUDY 3: Music and the Media

Named composers
Bernard Herrmann

Hans Zimmer
Michael Giacchino
Thomas Newman
Nobuo Uematsu

Listening unfamiliar music

You must be able to listen attentively to unfamiliar music from all the named
artists/composers in their selected areas of study to identify and accurately describe
musical elements and use musical language (including staff notation).

Analysis and contextual understanding

For three of the named artists/composers from each of your optional areas of study, you
must be able to appraise music and make critical judgements, using knowledge and
understanding of:
how the artists/composers use of musical elements for at least two published works
reflects the style of the genre and their purpose and intentions for the work
how the style of the artists/composers music has varied over time through
comparison of published works
musical vocabulary and terminology relevant to the work and Area of study.

COMPONENT 2: PERFORMING MUSIC (35% of your A Level

Grade)
You must be able to perform music using one or both of the following ways:
instrumental/vocal: as a soloist, and/or as part of an ensemble
production: via music technology.
You must perform for a minimum of ten minutes.
Care should be taken when selecting repertoire for ensemble performance;
the level of demand refers to the individual part performed by you and not
to the overall level of demand of the selected piece.
Performance of pieces written with an accompaniment intended by the
composer should not be unaccompanied. You must be able to interpret
musical elements, using resources and techniques as appropriate, to
communicate musical ideas with technical and expressive control.
Through your performance students must also demonstrate understanding
of context, including the chosen style or genre of the music being
performed and the composers purpose and intention.
In all cases, the recording of the performances must be accompanied by
one or more of the following documents, as appropriate to the type of
performance:
notated score
lead sheet
guide recording
annotation (production only).
Performance
Type

Definition

Technical
Control,
including;

Expressive
Control,
including;

Instrumental/Voc
al

Solo performance
Your performance can be
one or more of the
following:
a single musician
playing/ singing solo
a soloist accompanied
by another musician (eg
pianist, guitarist, backing
track etc).

Pitch (including
Tempo, dynamics,
intonation)
phrasing and
Rhythm Tone
articulation
(including
breathing and
diction, bowing
and pedalling etc)
Synchronisation of
ensemble

Ensemble performance
as an accompanist to a
solo musician
as an
instrumentalist/singer
contributing to a unique
and significant role (ie
that is not doubled) to a
small group (of up to
eight musicians).

COMPONENT 3: COMPOSING MUSIC (25% of your A Level

Grade)
You must learn how to develop musical ideas, including extending and
manipulating musical ideas, and compose music that is musically
convincing through two compositions. One must be in response to an
externally set brief (Composition 1) and the other a free composition
(Composition 2).
The combined duration of the compositions must be a minimum of
four and a half minutes.
Compositions must demonstrate technical control in the use of appropriate
musical elements and how they are combined to make sense as a whole.
You must be able to compose music in one or both of the following formats:
instrumental/vocal: produce notated score, written accounts and/or lead
sheet by traditional means or by using music software as appropriate
production: generated entirely digitally, by using music software, without
notated score but with accompanying annotation. You must be able to make
creative use of the musical elements appropriate to their chosen style or
genre of music.
Documenting the composition
Programme note
You must write a Programme note of approximately 150 words for each
composition, which clearly informs the assessor of your compositional
intention. This must include how it relates to the selected
audience/occasion.
You must also provide details of any software and hardware used in their
compositional process. In all cases the recording of the composition must be
accompanied by one or more of the following documents:
staff notated score
lead sheet
aural guide
8

COMPONENT 1
KEY VOCABULARY
AREA OF STUDY 1: WESTERN CLASSICAL TRADITION
Students must be able to use knowledge and understanding of the following
musical elements when appraising music from this Area of study.
The following table contains all the musical elements, for Area of study 1,
that students must know and understand, to answer questions in Section A
(Listening) and Section B (Analysis and contextual understanding) of the
exam. Marks will also be awarded for knowledge of other terms, if relevant
to this Area of study, in Section B (Analysis and contextual understanding)
of the exam.
ELEMENT TYPE
Melody

HARMONY

ELEMENT
contour ascending, descending, stepwise, conjunct, disjunct,
scalic, triadic and arpeggio
intervals, including compound intervals
phrase length equal, unequal and balanced
ornaments trill, mordent, turn, acciaccatura and appoggiatura
passing notes accented, unaccented and chromatic
auxiliary notes upper, lower and chromatic
note of anticipation
echappe note
portamento
melodic devices sequence, motif, fragmentation, repetition,
intervallic augmentation and diminution.
consonant and dissonant
diatonic primary and secondary triads, dominant 7th and all
inversions
chromatic diminished 7th, secondary dominant 7th, substitution
chords (borrowing from opposite mode), chord of the Neapolitan,
Neapolitan 6th and augmented 6th chords (Italian, German, French)
cadences perfect, imperfect, interrupted, plagal, half close,
phrygian and tierce de Picardie
circle of 5ths progression, harmonic sequence
9

TONALITY

STRUCTURE

SONORITY/TIMBRE

TEXTURE

TEMPO METRE
AND RHYTHM
DYNAMICS AND
ARTICULATION

pedal notes tonic, dominant, inverted and inner

suspensions (43, 76, 98 and bass), preparation and resolution
cadential 6/4
major, minor, and their key signatures
modulation to dominant, subdominant, and their relatives, also to
tonic minor, relative minor and tertiary keys
enharmonic keys
modality.

binary, rounded binary and ternary

ritornello and episode
sonata form
through-composed
introduction and coda
recitative and aria
foursquare
antecedent and consequent phrases
ostinato.
standard orchestral and vocal types
basso continuo
pizzicato, arco, col legno, con sordino, sul ponticello, sul tasto and
double stopping
sotto voce, vibrato
una corda, pedalling.
solo, monophonic, unison, octaves, parallel 3rds
melody and accompaniment, homophonic, chordal
polyphonic, contrapuntal, imitative, fugal
antiphonal
trio sonata texture
polarised
countermelody, descant
canon.
simple and compound time
common Italian tempo terms including ritenuto, rallentando and
accelerando
rubato, pause
syncopation, hemiola, cross-rhythm, motor-rhythm
common Italian dynamic terms including sfz and fp
accent, tenuto, staccato, marcato, legato.

Highlight the terms and devices you do know. Research the

ones you dont and then highlight when you do

10

AREA OF STUDY 2: POP MUSIC

Students must be able to use knowledge and understanding of the following
musical elements when appraising music from this Area of study.
The following table contains all the musical elements, for Area of study 1,
that students must know and understand, to answer questions in Section A
(Listening) and Section B (Analysis and contextual understanding) of the
exam. Marks will also be awarded for knowledge of other terms, if relevant
to this Area of study, in Section B (Analysis and contextual understanding)
of the exam.
ELEMENT TYPE
MELODY

HARMONY

TONALITY
STRUCTURE

SONORITY/TIMBRE

ELEMENT
riff
pitch bend
melisma, syllabic
hook
slide
glissando
ostinato
blue notes.
power chords
sus4 chords
chord extensions secondary 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th
other complex chords eg half diminished 7th, added 6th chord
symbols eg C/E C7 C and C+
tonic and dominant pedal.
specific modes eg dorian, lydian
pentatonic
blues scale.
intro/outro
middle 8
bridge
breakdown
verse
chorus
instrumental
break
drum fill.
studio/technological effects eg reverb, panning
standard contemporary instrumental types eg electric guitar,
synthesisers
11

TEXTURE
TEMPO, METRE AND
RHYTHM
DYNAMICS/ARTICULA
TION

drum kit components and techniques eg rim shot

vocal timbres eg falsetto, belt, rap
specific instrumental techniques eg slap bass
specific instrumental effects eg distortion.
looping
layering
a cappella.
bpm (beats per minute)
mm (metronome marking)
groove
backbeat
irregular metre.
fade in/fade out.

SUGGESTED LISTENING LIST

Here is a list of the Set Works to listen to any time you can and some suggested
pieces not on the set list to listen to for good practice.
AREA OF STUDY 1: Western Classical Tradition 1650 1910
STRAND A: Baroque Solo Concerto
Set Works
Sonata for trumpet and strings on D major Z.850 (complete) Purcell
Flute concerto in D II Gardellino op. 10 no 3 RV428 (complete) Vivaldi
Violin concerto in A minor BWV1041 (complete) Bach
Suggested Unfamiliar
Spring Vivaldi
Flute Sonata in G Major Handel
Violin Concerto in A Minor - Vivaldi
STRAND B: The Operas of Mozart
Set Works
Le Nozze di Figaro k.492: Act 1, focusing on:
overture
No.1 Duettino (Figaro and Susanna, including following recitative)
No.3 Cavatina (Figaro, including the previous recitative) No.4 Aria (Bartolo)
No.5 Duettino (Susanna and Marcellina)
No.6 Aria (Cherubino)
No.7 Terzetto (Susanna, Basilio, Count)
No.9 Aria (Figaro).
STRAND C: Romantic: The Piano Music of Chopin, Brahms and Grieg
Ballade no.2 in F major op.38 by Chopin
Intermezzo in A major op.118. no.2 by Brahms
Norwegian march op.54 no.2 by Grieg

Nocturne in E minor op.72 no.1 by Chopin

Ballade in G minor op.118 no.3 by Brahms
Notturno op.54 no.4 by Grieg

AREA OF STUDY 2: Pop Music

Stevie Wonder
For Once in my Life, from For Once in my Life (1968)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, from Signed, Sealed, Delivered (1970)
Superstition, from Talking Book (1972)
You Are the Sunshine of My Life, from Talking Book (1972)
Sir Duke, from Songs in the Key of Life
12

Joni Mitchell
Big Yellow Taxi, from Ladies of the Canyon (1970)
Carey, from Blue (1971)
Help Me, from Court and Spark (1974)

River, from Blue (1971)

A Case of You, from Blue (1971)

Muse
Stockholm Syndrome from Absolution (2003)
Supermassive Black Hole, from Black Holes and Revelations (2006)
Uprising, from The Resistance (2009)
Supremacy, from The 2nd Law
(2012)
Beyonc
Crazy in Love, from Dangerously in Love (2003)
Singles Ladies, from I AmSasha Fierce (2008)
from 4 (2011)

Listen, from B'day (2006)

Best Thing I Never Had,

Daft Punk
Around the World, from Homework (1997)
One More Time, from Discovery (2001)
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, from Discovery (2001)
Get Lucky, from Random Access Memories (2013)
Labrinth
Earthquake, from Electronic Earth (2012)
Express Yourself, from Electronic Earth (2012)
Beneath Your Beautiful, from Electronic Earth (2012)
Let It Be, from Take Me To The Truth (2015)
Jealousy, from Take Me To The Truth (2015)
Area of study 3:
Music for media
Specific cues will be selected in due course from the following film scores:
Bernard Herrmann
Psycho
Citizen Kane
Taxi Driver
Hans Zimmer
Pirates of the Caribbean
12 Years a Slave
Rain Man

Vertigo
North by Northwest

Inception
The Dark Knight Rises
The Lion King

Gladiator

Michael Giacchino
Call of Duty or Medal of Honor
Lost
Up
The Incredibles
Mission impossible III
Star Trek into Darkness
13

Thomas Newman
American Beauty
Saving Mr. Banks
Finding Nemo
Gaming Music
Nobuo Uematsu
Opening medley
Terra's Theme (VI)
One-winged Angel
Vamo alla Flamenco (IX)

Skyfall
The Shawshank Redemption

Rebel Army (II)

Aerith's Theme (VII)
Fragments of Memories (VIII)
At Zanarkand (X)
Ronufaure (XI)

Lost Odyssey
Light of Blessing/A Letter

BEGINNING ANALYSIS OF
STUDY PIECES AT HOME

Below are some useful starting questions to ask when listening to a piece of
music for the first time. Your set works are listed at the beginning of this
booklet. For each piece, write answers down on a separate piece of paper in
the form of notes and add them to your folder. You can use these questions
when you are studying your set works, or for when you are listening to other
pieces of music. Be sure to answer the questions in as much detail as
possible. Do not just write 'high', but 'woodwinds are playing in a high
tessitura', for example. As you continue to develop your key vocabulary you
will be able to analyse the music in greater detail. And remember that these
questions are just starting points, if you feel there are any other features of
interest when listening to a piece of music then be sure to make a note of
them.
Melody:
Big or small range?
Which instrument performs the main melody?
Does the melody stay in that one instrument?
Is the rhythm of the melody mainly made up of quavers, minims or a
mixture?
Is there a wide range of the dynamics?
Is the tessitura (average note) high or low?
Is the melody syllabic or melismatic?
Is the melody pentatonic/minor/major?
Is the melody conjunct (scalic) or disjunct (leaps)?
Rhythm:
What is the time signature does it change?
14

 Is the rhythm on the beat or off the beat?

Are there polyrhythms, cross rhythms, hemiolas?
Is the rhythm of the melody the same as the accompanying instruments?
Are the rhythms complicated/straightforward in the verse/chorus/A
section/coda etc.
Are the rhythms improvised in the verse/chorus/A section/coda etc.?
Are the rhythms repetitive?
Harmony:
Is the music mainly major, minor or modal?
Are there many different chords used in the piece?
What is the key signature does it change?
Any added/chromatic notes in the harmony?
Are there any ostinati?
Which instrument(s) play(s) the accompaniment?
Structure:
How many sections are there?
How many themes are there?
How does the composer suggest a new section?
Are there any ostinati?
Do the sections repeat? If so, are they the same each time or different?
Texture:
What is the texture at the beginning/end of the piece?
How are the instruments layered?
Is there any use of canon?
Polyphonic/monophonic/heterophonic or monophonic?
Does the texture change?
Dynamics:
Is there a big range of dynamics?
Do the dynamics change? If so, is it a sudden change?
Timbre:
What is the function of the clarinet/oboe/violin/guitar/bass guitar?
What instruments can you hear in this extract?
What ensemble is this piece written for?
What instrument(s) can you hear at the start/end of this extract?
Is word painting used in this piece? If so, how?

15

COMPONENT 2
PERFORMING - PRACTICE
LOG
As previously mentioned, you will need to perform a recital consisting of a
solo and/or ensemble pieces that is at least 10 minutes long. If your recital
is less than 10 minutes you will be awarded no marks for this component of
the course.
You need to ensure that you are completing daily practice on your
instrument/voice (ideally a minimum of 30 mins a day including weekends
and school holidays). Your final coursework performance must be recorded
when you are in year 13, however it is vital that you have your pieces
prepared well before this time if you wish to achieve a high mark in this
aspect of the course. Over the next few pages is a weekly practice log to
show evidence that you are practising. You need to fill in how many minutes
practising you have completed each day, and your parents/teacher need to
sign it off each week to confirm that this has taken place. This will be
monitored by the teacher at specific intervals over the course of each term
and parents will be notified if there are any concerns with the amount of
practice taking place.
Week
beginni
ng

Mon

Tues

Weds Thur
s

Fri

Sat

Sun

Signed

Example

0 mins

20
mins

50
mins

0 mins

30
mins

0 mins

E. Stevens

30
mins

16

Week
beginni
ng

Mon

Tues

Weds Thur
s

Fri

Sat

Sun

Signed

17

Week
beginni
ng

Mon

Tues

Weds Thur
s

Fri

Sat

Sun

Signed

18

Week
beginni
ng

Mon

Tues

Weds Thur
s

Fri

Sat

Sun

Signed

19

PERFORMING
ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK
Use the following pages to record any feedback (teacher, peer etc) related
to your performance coursework. This can include formal teacher
assessment feedback, hand writing of verbal feedback, etc

20

PERFORMING
ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK
(CONT..)

21

PERFORMING
ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK
(CONT..)

22

COMPOSITION LOG
This composition log is for you to plan what you are going to do each
lessons, and to record what you have achieved, and any feedback you have
received in lessons. Be sure to use it at the beginning and end of each
composition session.
DATE

Plan for the

session write
this up at the
end of the
previous lesson

What have you

achieved? Be
specific and
highlight areas
for
development as
well.

Feedback when
applicable
(peer or
teacher)

23

DATE

Plan for the

session write
this up at the
end of the
previous lesson

What have you

achieved? Be
specific and
highlight areas
for
development as
well.

Feedback when
applicable
(peer or
teacher)

24

DATE

Plan for the

session write
this up at the
end of the
previous lesson

What have you

achieved? Be
specific and
highlight areas
for
development as
well.

Feedback when
applicable
(peer or
teacher)

25

COMPOSITION
ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK
Use the following pages to record any feedback (teacher, peer etc)
related to your composition coursework (separate from your composition
log). This can include formal teacher assessment feedback, hand writing of
verbal feedback, etc

26

COMPOSITION
ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK
CONT.

27

COMPOSITION
ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK
CONT.

28