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Original poster

Music gcse

31 replies

onegiantleap · 07/04/2009 13:18

My ds wants to choose this option, can anybody tell me what it entails ? And what can one use it towards later on?

OP posts:
snorkle · 07/04/2009 16:06

Ds is doing this. They have to do composition, performance and a listening exam with roughly equal weightings between the three. The level expected for the performance is around grade 4 (can be instrument or voice), you can do slightly easier pieces and get slightly reduced marks I think too. The listening involved written answers and covers a wide range of music styles and theory too.

In terms of what you use it for later, what do you use any GCSE for? I suppose it could be handy if you end up in the music industry or something, but it's not hugely useful in much more than a general knowledge kind of way - so a bit like history, geography or RE in that respect. It's quite a fun subject though.

flowerybeanbag · 07/04/2009 14:23

I did it, I had to do performance, a written exam and coursework, which was several compositions. We were all good musicians in the group I did it with and found it very easy. We all got As. There was a fair amount of mucking about as well.

In terms of what you can use it for, well, the same as any GCSE really, not a lot other than getting the best grades you can for further study or your cv.

Stretch · 07/04/2009 14:19

What was that ad thing????

Stretch · 07/04/2009 14:18

I did it and got a B. I found it very easy, but then I had been doing music for years. You have to do a composition, performance, written and something else (I forget!)

We did muck around a lot and a lot of us did it as the easy option Lots of mucking around on the piano, singing smoking and other stuff. That's why I got a B not an A!

Sorry, wanted to give you a different side. It was extremely good fun though!

titchy · 07/04/2009 14:10

I think you have to have an instrument for the practical part of it. Or voice of course. Not sure what you mean by what can you use it for. You can't really claim GCSEs can be used for anything later on can you? Other than you need maths and English for anything, and you shoudl have 5 A to C grades to do A Levels.

sassy · 07/04/2009 13:23

The theory part is equivalent to Grade 5 theory. Also compostition and performance. I took it ..erm..qute a few decades years ago and found it hard. Certainly not a soft option.

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