Composition in GCSE exam

[CyclingLegs]

Hi,

I wondered if I could ask a question about the composition element of GCSE music?

It says in the specification "The final write up and recording of the composition must be completed under teacher supervision."

And I'm must a bit puzzled, because my son really likes composition, but he doesn't just sit down and blast out a piece in 20 minutes under supervision. he tends to work on a piece for some weeks and it evolves over time.

Also when we come to try and write it down, it's often quite a challenge to get the timing right on paper, as he often composes quite jazzy pieces with very complicated timing.

I just wondered if I could ask what they are really expecting?

I'm wondering whether he's going to be taught to compose a fairly simple piece from a series of rules, like they do in Grade 6 ABRSM music theory, and just write something like that under more-or-less exam conditions?

I just wondered, because that would be very different from the thing that he normally does.

Also if it's going to be under exam conditions then maybe I'd better spend some time making sure that he can translate his own complex ideas in to written format, because with the kind of thing he writes that could take us some time.

He's just going into year 9 so we have some time.

Sorry for the long question. Thank so much for any thought.

Ask your teacher.
rules are different depending on boards and when exams were taken.
my kids did this years ago and they worked on the composition over time I think. Definitely to a set of “ include this element for more marks “ 🤣

Thanks! Yes I'll put that on the list to ask when school goes back. They do edexcel so I'll scour the website for hints.

My son is doing Edexcel and going in to year 11 in sept. This year across many lessons they have composed a 'free' piece but he composed on Soundtrap not on a score so that makes it easier to record I suppose. The teacher gives feedback and then they adjust it and so on. This was done across several terms I believe. Next year they will be composing something else to a brief (a theme given by the exam board I think). Both count towards his final mark.

Thanks, yes that makes much much more sense than blasting something out under exam conditions. That's good to know.

It's coursework basically which is submitted to the exam board.

Thanks, yes that seems ideal.

Composition is coursework prepared over a long period of time both my DC did one piece in year 10 and one in year 11. Is worth finding out what software the school use as ours had Sibelius and there is a way of working on a keyboard linked to a computer that creates a basic score from what you play. I don't know if this is allowed for GCSE though.