• Internally assessed, externally moderated

• Minimum of 4 minutes for all performances

• A minimum of two pieces, including an ensemble of one minute duration

• One piece must demonstrate a link to an area of study

• Technology options available

• Internally assessed, externally moderated

• A minimum of 3 minutes for both compositions

• Two compositions, one to a brief set by WJEC (released each year on

September 1st of year 11)

• The second piece is a free composition

• Externally assessed listening and appraising examination

• One hour 15 minutes duration approximately

• Based on the four areas of study

Musical Forms and Devices

Music for Ensemble

Film Music

Popular Music

• Western Classical Tradition (Baroque, Classical and Romantic)

• Binary, ternary, minuet and trio, rondo, variation and strophic forms...and

specified compositional devices...

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Movement 3, Minuet (and Trio)...Mozart

• Chamber music, musical theatre and jazz & blues

• Opportunity to engage in ensemble performances and develop the use of

small instrumental/vocal groupings in their own music.

• Understanding of jazz trios, rhythm sections, string quartets, basso

continuo, sonatas and vocal ensembles

• Textural devices

• Consider how composers use musical elements and thematic

transformation to respond to a commission.

• Learners are encouraged to use musical technology to create mood and

atmosphere.

• Through this area of study learners explore rock & pop, bhangra and

fusion.

• In their performances and compositions learners should be encouraged to

use music technology

Since you’ve been gone, Rainbow

• Grade 3 standard

• One piece linked to an area of study

• Ensemble has between 2 and 8 players

• Technology options are included

• ‘Bona fide' embellishments can enhance the performance when

sung/played in the context of the music.

• Embellishments or instrumental/vocal breaks that are out of context with

the style of music are not acceptable

• Most Rock School, Jazz and Trinity pieces leave 8-16 bar sections for

improvisation over a given chordal outline.

• Submit recording score/leadsheet and mark sheets

• WJEC will set one brief and the learner sets their own brief for their free

composition

• There will always be a choice of four briefs,

each one linked to a different area of study

• It is recommended that each piece is long enough to demonstrate

development of ideas

• Composing sketch book

• Initial ideas should then be developed, extended and manipulated using

recognised processes and devices.

• Chosen resources need to be appropriate to the style and controlled.

• The outcome should show structural organisation and stylistic coherence

• Details of resources / instrumentation

• Some notation of main melodic / rhythmic ideas

• Chord progressions used

• Devices such as ostinato

• Clear outline of sections

It should NOT be in essay format!

• Build on previous knowledge from KS3

• Teach compositional skills through the elements of music:

Melody writing

Harmonic support

Variety of textural and rhythmic devices

Using sonority for appropriate effect

Control of structure

• All compositions must be submitted with a score/lead sheet and a recording

• Non-assessed composition log requiring details such as:

acknowledgements

the relationship between the score and the recording

process evidence

signatures

• The listening and appraising exam focuses on the four areas of study

• Every year there will be eight questions out of 12 marks each, two on each

area of study

• Questions will always focus on musical elements, musical contexts and

musical language

• Group/class discussions of a recording or performance

• Set individual listening tasks (with possible class presentation)

• Pupils keep a regular listening diary of pieces linked to AOS

• Pupils build up a vocabulary log of new words each week

Performing

Composing

Appraising

• Buildmusical knowledge, understanding and skills

• Each unit includes aspects of P, C and A relating to a chosen topic

• Associated stimuli and targeted outcomes

• Inclusion of differentiation techniques

• Interaction can only happen at the level of understanding

• The sample assessment materials are not exhaustive. However, the

following things will remain constant:

the longer response question will always be on an unprepared extract

there will always be a dictation score based question based on an

unprepared extract

there will always be a question on each of the prepared extracts

Paper has 24 marks on each area of study

the areas of study will always appear in order from 1-4

musical terminology tested in the exam will be taken only from the list

provided in Appendix C of the specification.

Things to remember about the exam:

the dictation question will require learners to write either pitch or rhythm, not

both at the same time

the dictation question will require learners to write either treble clef or bass clef,

not both at the same time

the dictation question will always be in simple time

learners may be asked to write chord symbols in either contemporary symbols

or roman numerals, but not both in the same question and it will always be

from chords I-vi in a major key only

Things to remember about the exam:

learners will be required either to read or to write key signatures up to four

sharps and flats, but not both in the same question

learners will be required to read compound rhythms, but not write them

learners will not be asked for dates or names of composers outside of the

prepared extracts, but they will be expected to recognise whether a piece is

baroque, classical, romantic, rap, hip-hop, musical theatre etc.

• 48 marks of the exam will focus on AO3... Demonstrate and apply musical

knowledge

• AO3 style questions will include multiple choice, picking out features from a

piece of music and recall of knowledge

• Typical command words will include name, state, identify, underline, give,

pick, insert, define

• 48 marks of the exam will focus on AO4... Use appraising skills to make

evaluative and critical judgements about music

• Some AO4 questions will require a longer response, however, there may still

be some multiple choice questions which require critical judgement or

evaluation such as question 8b on the sample assessment materials where

learners must consider more than one musical feature at a time

• Typical AO4 command words will include, describe, explain, compare,

contrast, complete (missing pitch or rhythm), find the difference

• Class arrangements

• Practice questions

• Interactive quizzes

• Course book

• Guidance for teachers

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• Subject network groups