worried about the future of my subject with Gove's changes

[stillenacht]

Music.

Sometimes I hate it being called an 'art' as the connotations in the curriculum are so negative to that. Trying to recruit pupils for A level is a losing battle as there are other A levels which, to quote them, are easier and will get them higher grades...Wish music wasn't perceived to be so damned difficult in comparison to other A levels...I have heard of diploma (ie post grade 8 standard) musicians getting a C in the performance paper for Music- absurd. I wish we weren't so linked to grade examinations and were really a true reflection of classroom practice like every other A level subject argh!!!!...sorry just having a rant.

Why do the post grade 8 students get a C in performance ? What isn't that they are not doing that the examining board wants ?

I ask because Music is definitely in the frame for DD, but you are making it sound rather risky.

What makes it be thought of as so difficult. Doesn't the difficulty make it a respected A level.

Can you predict confidently what grade students are going to get ? Do you feel that music is marked excessively harshly ?

I am sorry you feel the need to rant, but it would be interesting to know more about why.

It is a respected A level by Unis which is fantastic and is the arts subject which is on the preferred list (for Trinity Cambridge I think its the highest ranked arts A level subject) and where we work we have had great results at A level so it is possible. Its just that our subject is such a minority subject and it will only get worse with Gove's changes. Its heartbreaking. Over the last 5-10 years other trendier subjects and less 'elitist' arts subjects have taken prospective pupils and I am dreading the new changes to the curriculum - less importance at KS3 will mean less pupils at KS4 and 5. It is a tricky A level - its not a 'doss' but then if you are passionate about music and are a well rounded musician you should do well. I don't know why the diploma student got a C - sometimes the marking does seem a little irrational - I know this to be the case with other arts subjects too. My colleagues in drama and art have commented on this. You can predict what a student is going to get as long as they stay focussed and work hard - they are part of the deal after all. Sorry if rambling and not answered all the points - please let your daughter do A level music - many many unis see it as such a bonus and a sure sign of a dedicated student.

Perhaps the A level is a hard Arts option (it certainly was when I took mine many eons ago) but the GCSE is too far the other way.

I met a teaching student working at my school the other day who told me she had achieved B grade in her Music GCSE.

She cannot read music or play an instrument. (did singing but admitted to be very average and had not passed any Grades.)

When I did my Music O'level we were expected to be at least a grade III to be able to do the course and and could only move onto A'level if Grade V theory and Practical had been achieved.

That is true that you can get a B without being able to read music at GCSE. I have got some singers who are not great at reading to get As as well. But thats GCSE.

Could nerves have effected performance of your grade 8 player? Speak as an ex violinist who failed exams predicted to do well on purely through nervous performance. Horrible memories.. Used to fail the odd number grades for some reason!

At A level nowadays they can record their recital as many times as they wish...sure they have to do the full recital (about 12 mins) but they can rerecord it too - notlike when I took it - one chance and thats your lot.

My DS (17) did music GCSE and can play the violin to grade 7 standard.

He decided to not do music A-Level for many reasons and here a some of them:

Too time consuming
Too much pressure put on him by teachers
Didn't feel like he could achieve well because although he is a good performer and good at theory he found the style of the exam difficult
He felt that the subject wasn't as well respected as his other choices
He didn't like the music teacher (although that is only related to his school)

The reason there was prob too much pressure put on him by teachers was that they subject will die if the small amount of pupils who are eligible then go on to drop it...I have the same battle every year..its so sad..I really try not to push it with students but its v difficult not to.

Music is the most respected of all the arts subjects according to many top unis.However if he was taking further maths, physics and chemistry I would prob agree.

How did he know that the style of the exam was difficult if he didnt take it? - saying that I do have grade 7 kids who are completely hopeless with regards to listening as they have just sat ABRSM type exams and learnt their pieces but have no wider understanding and are not able to contextualise pieces of music or aurally analyse them very well.

Your son is such a familiar tale to all the music teachers round the country. Oh well

Oh you sound so sad stillenacht. I hope music 'survives' as a school A level. I know it is not an easy option. Music develops/uses so many skills. I always struggled with theory as didn't have a mathmatical type brain - got there in the end though! It is a subject that 'stretches' and develops the brain in so many ways - as well as giving pleasure and enjoyment.

To me the importance of music in the curriculum is in inspiring everybody in the school/country/world to enjoy and appreciate music. So the emphasis really should be on KS2 and KS3.

I'm no hugely talented musician, but I spent much of my youth in a variety of musical activities: choirs, orchestras, singing in musicals, a band, various instrumental lessons/grade exams and did O Level music as an extra. (It was very easy even then! We did it in 4th form=yr10, by just having one lesson a week at lunchtime for one year!)

At my boys' (state) school (performing arts specialism) they have two' lessons a week of music in yr7, one is just singing. They have inter-house singing competitions, 4 thriving choirs, including an all-boys choir and an auditioning chamber choir, superb concerts, Saturday music centre, etc. Last year they had a session in the hall where all the yr8 boys sang in their form groups, as an inter-form competition! They also have instrumental lessons, orchestras, bands, la la la...

They offer an extra-curricular fast-track music GCSE. I think they do 1.5 hrs a week after school on Thursdays and complete it in 1 year.

After school GSE lessons...hmmm...I have HAD to do the same for A level...smaller numbers, less time in the curriculum, more after hours (non paid) teaching for minority subjects...

GCSE even

They do a GCSE option as well in school. But it's just there's a fasttrack possibility, that some students take in yr8 or yr9 as well, for those that have the ability.

Yes I have done that too - makes it difficult when you have them finishing AS/A2 in year 11 and then they study other subjects in sixth form and you rarely see your best musicians again (for performances etc) as they are too busy with their new A levels. I stopped doing a fast track class for this reason.

Yes, Music is the most respected arts A level, because it is so hard! It is a multi-disciplined A level - performance, essay writing and an understanding of the complexities of written music, a whole language in its own right.

However, as a consequence of this, it is very highly regarded by universities. I was head of music in a large London school before DC and now teach privately. My husband is on the admissions panel for a veterinary degree course, and music is a highly regarded A level even for a very science based degree (obviously some A levels take precedence, but as a third A level, music is regarded very well).

A student shouldn't be put of the subject at A level, but they should be fully informed of how tough it is. Last year, I was sent a piano student who'd achieved A* at GCSE who wanted to go on and take A level, but had done nothing beyond Grade 3. We spent all our time preparing her first recital to be at Grade 5 level, low for A level, and it was tough! Not surprisingly, she quit! Unless a student is reasonably able it is definitely not a good option, but for those who are, it's a fantastic option! All that musical activity looks great on the personal statement too!

Thanks Extending for your support