Music GCSE - Tips and Guidance

 Music GCSE


GCSEs can be a stressful time for most people and in today’s circumstances, there are no exceptions. There’s not much help that a person online can give to a GCSE student but having the experience and knowledge of sitting the actual paper can help a little! In this post, I plan to give you a clear breakdown of the syllabus, some tips for the year, some revision strategies that worked for me and some tips for the actual day of the paper.


I would like to note now that these mostly apply to the Edexcel exam board with the syllabus taught from 2016. I’d also like to share with you that I did receive a 7 in my exam so I’d like to say that I can be trusted but I’ll let you decide on that :)


The Exam Breakdown:


~~~~~~~~ Please note that the following information is for a normal exam year. It does not include any changes made as a result of COVID-19 ~~~~~~~~


COMPONENT 1: PERFORMANCE

  • Assesses the student’s ability to perform in both a solo and ensemble context

  • Performance of a solo and an ensemble performance (different piece of music for each)

  • Each performance must last one minute minimum

  • Must have a minimum of 4 minutes performance time for BOTH piece

  • If a piece is considered difficult (eg grade 6), then additional marks are added

  • 60 Marks


Marking of the performance exam is based on: Technique, Expression/interpretation and Technical control (accuracy)


COMPONENT 2: COMPOSITION

  • Assesses the student’s skills in comping music and enables them to appreciate the process of creating music

  • Students need to create TWO compositions:

    • A set brief - Edexcel releases 4 briefs each year, relating to the studied set works, which students must choose one to focus their composition on

    • Free Composition - Produce a composition of their own skill, imagination and choice. They can draw inspiration from set works and suggested listening.

  • Composition can be in any instrument of the student’s chosen


COMPONENT 3: APPRAISING

  • Assess the student’s listening and appraising skills through a study of different styles and genres

  • There are four main area of studies and two set works within each:

    • Instrumental Music (1700 - 1820)

      • J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto no. 5 in D major

      • Beethoven: ‘Pathetique’ Piano Sonata no. 8 in C minor

    • Vocal Music

      • Purcell: Music for a While

      • Queen: Killer Queen

    • Music for Stage and Screen

      • Schwartz: Defying Gravity (Wicked)

      • Williams: Main Title/Rebel Blockade runner (Star Wars)

    • Fusions

      • Afro Celt Sound System: Release

      • Esperanza Spalding: Samba Em Preludio

  • Includes short questions on the above set works, a dictation related to one of the set works and an unfamiliar essay question in which you compare one of the set works to a piece that you would not have studied (this is when you need wider listening)


https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/Music/2016/specification/Specification_GCSE_L1-L2_in_Music.pdf


Tips for the Year:


  1. Annotate scores clearly with the main points

  2. Constantly revise over previous set works

  3. Continuously listen to the songs - when you brush your teeth, on the way to school, when cooking dinner, five minutes before bed

  4. Ask questions if you are stuck

  5. Organise the work in a neat folder - section it off for different set works

  6. Listen to the Wider listening pieces - these are more important than you realise!!!!

  7. Wherever possible do exam style questions and timed essay questions - I know that there isn’t a large range of papers out there but whenever you find some, do them or ask your teacher to create some or even create some yourself near the start of the year so that you can do them again later without remembering the answers.


Revision Strategies: 


Each person will have different ways of revising that works for them. But here are three of the ways in which I revised the set texts that worked for me. 


  1. Mind Maps


  • Create a mind map for each set work, with the clear different musical elements 

  • Revise over this frequently

  • Grab a plain sheet of paper and try to recreate the mind map from memory

  • Check the ones you got correct and check which ones you missed out

  • Rewrite them all out again

  • Repeat this method throughout the year


  1. Sticky Notes

  • Write down the different musical elements on one side of the sticky note

  • Write down everything that relates to the set work and the element on the other side

  • Place the sticky notes around your bedroom/house on places that you frequently visit

  • Whenever you go to that place, answer the question


  1. Flashcards

  • Always a handy method

  • Write down questions relating to the set works on one side and the answer on the other

  • Test yourself or get others to test you wherever you go


Tips for the Exam:


  1. Stay calm and relaxed

  2. Get a proper good night sleep - full 8 hours (don’t try to cram revision in until 3am because it’s just not going to work)

  3. Read the questions fully - highlight, underline, circle! There’s nothing worse than missing out on a mark because you only ticked one box when it’s meant to be two.

  4. Take your time in answering 

  5. When you see the set work at the top of the page, write down all of the information you remember first as then when you listen to the extract, you already have options to choose from

  6. Use the time properly - fully listen each time an extract is played

  7. The time allowed for the essay begins when the first extract is played so make notes and then start writing!!! If you leave it until all of the extracts are played, you won’t have enough time to write everything


That’s everything I have to say on the GCSE exams! Good luck, keep calm and as long as you revise, you’ll be absolutely fine!

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