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Original poster

GCSE Music advice please

79 replies

runforthehills65 · 03/05/2013 12:16

My son showed no interest in playing an instrument until Year 7. He is now in Year 8 and about to take Trinity Grade 1 piano.

He practises a fair amount at home and does seem to be able to play pieces by ear quite easily.

I am not musical at all and wondered whether this level is too low to do GCSE Music? His music teacher said he should ideally be grade 3 level but thinks he will cope.

Anyone whose DC has taken GSCE Music and how hard is it?

He's got to chose now for Year 9 and I don't want him taking this if he will really struggle and could chose another option, ie. geography or 2nd language.

Thanks.

OP posts:
eatyourveg · 03/05/2013 16:44

Criteria in dc's school is the potential to reach at grade 5 by exam time

webwiz · 03/05/2013 15:49

DS is in year 11 and is taking music gcse, it will probably be his lowest grade out of all his gcses despite the fact that he's grade 7 on the guitar. He just hasn't got to grips with the composing, finds the listening paper very difficult and he ended up recording his solo performance when he wasn't ready to do it (long story!). He's enjoyed the course but it has been appearing on reports as "not on track for target grade" for the last 18 months now so we are resigned to whatever grade he gets.

BackforGood · 03/05/2013 13:27

My dd is in Yr9 so just chosen her options.
She has grade 3 in both piano and flute, but regularly plays pieces that are more difficult, just doesn't like the whole scales / aural stuff for the exams yes, I was surprised when she said she wanted to take GCSE music too. The music teachers said that she would be OK.... in the same breath they also said that she would be working at Grade 5 level when she takes the GCSE, so from Grade 1 in Yr8, it's going to be much harder work for your ds, but probably do-able.
OTOH, my niece, who is an excellent guitarist, and can play a bit of piano by ear, but not read any music at the end of Yr9, is just about to take her GCSE and doing fine with that. I don't know if different boards put an emphasis on different aspects of the music ?

circular · 03/05/2013 12:46

Depends when he is likely to need to do the performance element, and what grade he would want from the GCSE.

The performance is 30% of the marks overall, grade 3 generally the minimum standard. Extra marks are awarded for difficulty, so for a grade 5 piece it is possible to get full marks with a couple of slip ups.

Composition makes up 30% so if that is his strong area can get extra marks there.

The listening and appraising paper is worth 40.

If he is a piano player, the keyboard skills will give him an advantage.

My DD is in yr11 taking GCSE music and says it is the singers that struggle the most with the non performance elements.