Component 1: Appraising music
- What’s assessed: Listening, Analysis, Contextual understanding
- How it’s assessed: Exam paper with listening and written questions using excerpts of music.
AS Music
- Section A: Listening (49 marks)
- Section B: Analysis (17 marks)
- Section C: Essay (30 marks)
This component is worth 40% of AS marks (96 marks in total).
A Level
- Section A: Listening (56 marks)
- Section B: Analysis (34 marks)
- Section C: Essay (30 marks)
This component is worth 40% of A Level marks (120 marks in total).
Component 2: Performance
- What’s assessed: Music performance
- How it’s assessed: Solo and/or ensemble performing as an instrumentalist and/or vocalist and/or music production (50 marks).
AS Music
- A minimum of six minutes of performance in total is required (no more than eight minutes).
- This component is worth 30% of AS marks (50 marks in total).
- This component will be externally marked by AQA examiners.
A Level
- A minimum of ten minutes of performance in total is required (no more than twelve minutes).
- This component is worth 35% of A Level marks (50 marks in total).
- This component will be externally marked by AQA examiners.
Component 3: Composition
- What’s assessed: Composition
- How it’s assessed: Composition 1: Composition to a brief (25 marks), Composition 2: Free composition (25 marks)
AS Music
- A minimum of four and a half minutes of music in total is required (no more than six minutes).
- This component is worth 25% of AS marks (Composition 1 = 25; Composition 2 = 25; = Total 50 marks.
- This component will be externally marked by AQA examiners.
A Level
- A minimum of four and a half minutes of music in total is required (no more than six minutes).
- This component is worth 25% of A Level marks (Composition 1 = 25; Composition 2 = 25; = Total 50 marks.
- This component will be externally marked by AQA examiners.