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Original poster

GCSE Music question - required level for performance?

30 replies

circular · 09/02/2012 14:05

Getting mixed info.

School say grade 3 to 4 standard is sufficient.

Music school (teacher is also an examiner) say Grade 3 standard OK for C Grade, for A/A* grade 5 at least.

DD in a quandry as wants to get as near full marks as she can as performance is her strongest. Due to logistics, school want her to do the ensemble work on an instrument which she is a lower standard on.

Exam board ED-EXCEL, and performances will be completed in 2012/2013.

OP posts:
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Original poster
circular · 20/02/2012 13:44

Just a quick update in this.

I spoke to the examining board. Very helpful, explained that it was within the rules that a student should not be disadvantaged in ensemble playing by the ability of others. Althought that sounded more like not putting an A* player pupil in with a group of D grade players. Not really the case here, all of her GCSE group have B grade targets. (Don't get me started on that).

They were quite surprised that a teacher from the school would not be willing to travel to the Music School to asesss her.

They also said if the Music School have been an exam centre for thier board before, it should be possible to have DD's performance assessed there by special arrangement.

However, DD has since said that

  1. she doesn't want to be the 'awkward' one
  2. it will be put too much pressure on her fellow ensembe members at the music school as they are mostly younger (there are some seriously gifted yr7 and 8's there).
  3. her previous teacher on her chosen instrument (who she has lessons on another instrument with) would be more than happy to perform with her.
OP posts:
capers123 · 17/02/2012 16:25

What is often forgotten is that musicians need to be able to perform pieces of any level of difficulty. Just because you've got a Diploma doesn't mean you won't have to play Three Blind Mice in C major. It's the performing well that matters.

BackforGood · 10/02/2012 13:57

Thanks Fozzie - she doesn't really want to take it (she's one of those pupils I think all the subject teachers are hoping she'll come onto their course).... the PE teacher is practically begging her Grin ...... certainly doesn't take after her Aunty Blush.......

I was just amazed at the idea you might be able to get a GCSE in music without actually being able to read music. I knew MN would know Smile

FozzieMK · 10/02/2012 13:47

My daughter is in year 11 and is studying Music GCSE. From what I've seen I would say not being able to read music would make it a lot harder. You can compose using a computer programme such as Sibelius, but there is a lot of theory work involved. There is a Music Tech BTEC that you can do without having to read music or play an instrument. There is also A level Music and A level Music Tech. From what I recall from recent 6th form information, they require Music GCSE for A level Music but not for Music Tech.

Original poster
circular · 10/02/2012 08:07

Backtogood - At DD's school, form the current yr10's onwards thye DO have to read music. This is for EDEXCEL GCSE which may be the only board that are currently insisting.

Those that couldn't were told they would either have to learn or do the BTEC Performing Arts instead.

This seems to have given the most difficulty to the percussion players and singers. It has resulted in a GCSE group half the size as last year.

OP posts:
Ponders · 10/02/2012 00:03

DD2 took music GCSE in 2001 & iirc had to have passed Grade 5 theory in order to do it. at the time I think she was playing at Grade 6 level (flute) & she ended up with a B - no idea what level piece she performed though

maybe it was just her school but I'm sure being able to read and write music was essential for her Confused

mycatsaysach · 09/02/2012 23:24

no probs

BackforGood · 09/02/2012 23:10

thanks mycatsaysach - you learn something every day, don't you ? Smile

mycatsaysach · 09/02/2012 22:55

is not his

mycatsaysach · 09/02/2012 22:55

just checked with dd and she confirmed that ds can't read music - but he his doing a level music tech and has offers to study music at uni this autumn

BackforGood · 09/02/2012 22:50

wow! I'm stunned at that! I'd have thought you'd need it for composing and the like (although I know she composes for the guitar without being able to read music). Amazing!
Thanks for answering me Smile

mycatsaysach · 09/02/2012 22:26

back for good

no you don't need to read music - dd says it helps though

EternalFootman · 09/02/2012 21:52

I did my music GCSE in 1999, when I'd had Grade 8 distinction for two years. I desperately wanted to perform the fantastic scary-hard modern piece I'd been working on, but my music teacher put his foot down. In the end I played a Grade 5 piece I'd learned in primary school and got full marks. So yes, no point busting a gut! :)

BackforGood · 09/02/2012 21:48

This is just for my curiosity really, as d niece isn't going to do it, but...
she's an excellent guitarist and the music teacher at her school was trying to get her to sign up to do music GCSE. dn said she wasn't going to as she couldn't read music (all guitar pieces she plays she reads the letter of the chord "A"/ "Cm" etc.). The music teacher was trying to convinvce her that wouldn't matter, and she didn't need to be able to read music to take a GCSE. Could this really be true or is the music teacher so desparate for numbers for her GCSE course she is planning to teach her to read enough music during Yr 10 ?

webwiz · 09/02/2012 21:08

I think you'll need to get the rules for performances outside school from Edexcel
Circular then you'll know whether there's a way round it.

I would have thought she could still get a high mark even on her second instrument as a lot of the marks for the ensemble are for keeping in time and actually performing together rather than for the difficulty of the music they are playing.

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 09/02/2012 21:05

My son has just picked music as one of his options; he is already Grade 5 on 2 instruments. Head of Music told us they liked students to be Grade 6 by exam time as they were actually aiming for a a good, confident Grade 5.

I'm not sure they even accept people on GCSE unless they are already Grade 3.

The syllabus they follow places emphasis on performance though, perhaps that is the difference.

mycatsaysach · 09/02/2012 20:40

agree with other posters

ds played a grade 2 piece perfectly and got an a grade dd has just done her performance this week on a grade 2 and is hoping for the same

neither of them are taking instrument lessons now but did in junior school

Original poster
circular · 09/02/2012 20:31

webwiz - school have said she can bring someone in from outside. But those she duets with from music school are at least an hour away and have school themselves. It's a big committment for the other person, as they have to attend for both the mock and the real performance.

I seem to recall her music school teacher saying they can assess the GCSE performance there, but her normal school have said NO. Apparantly, the head of music would also need to attend?

I;ve been searching for the rules on this, but not found anything yet. Should call EDEXCEL and check.

OP posts:
maddiemostmerry · 09/02/2012 20:20

We have been told the same as Zeezeywoo, play a simpler piece really well rather than possibly over stretch.
My ds is taking his GCSE this year. He is grade 5 and predicted A.

webwiz · 09/02/2012 20:00

Circular is there no one else who can do the ensemble with her? DD1 did hers with her younger sister - which was good on one hand as they could practice at home but it did have a tendency to get a bit hysterical! DS will probably do his with his guitar teacher.

Original poster
circular · 09/02/2012 19:39

Thanks for all takes on this.

Webwiz - I'd seen the spec on the Edexcel site. Was not sure what grade each column relates to though. Whilst DD would be fine for the highest standard on her first instrument, she would be somewhere in between the lower and the middle on her 2nd or 3rd instruments.

Zeezywoo - if you dont mind me asking, does that mean your DD got an A for the performance or overall? Was she able to get fill marks for the performance with the grade 5 piece?

DD can play to grade 7/8 standard on her first instrument, but was planning to play a grade 5 piece for the solo, if more marks cannot be obtained by playing a higher grade piece.

Unfortunately,all her ensemble work on that instrument us thrift her music school that isn't local. There's nobody at school she can ensemble with on that, and school have said she must be assessed at school. Which means sheeill have to play an instrument she is only grade 3/4 standard on.

OP posts:
Theas18 · 09/02/2012 18:01

We've been told that an easy piece fantastically ie grade 4-5 will get the same marks as a grade 7-8 piece that is clearly stretching your ability.

It's a "performance" and that is what they want.

roisin · 09/02/2012 17:32

ds2's music teacher said they can get an A* if they can play a grade 3 piece to distinction standard.

zeezywoo · 09/02/2012 15:57

i think the gcse performances are graded on 3 levels of difficulty, and i think grade 4/5 would be counted as the top level. my daughter was grade 7 when she did her gcse music (last year) and her teacher told her to play a grade 5 piece really well rather than a grade 7 one to get a better mark, she got an A.

i think for an ensemble it is judged more as a whole performance so as long as she plays well she would be able to achieve a high mark

webwiz · 09/02/2012 15:24

should read "rather than going back to a lower grade piece"

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