Music A level

[BertrandRussell]

My year 12 ds does loads of music-he's in a band that gets regular paid gigs, he sells music online, has written music for school and youth theatre productions and has been learning the guitar since he was 6. He has chosen never to take any exams and did not do GCSE music. He is currently staring to put together a portfolio because he has realised, a bit late in the day. 5)-5 there are music related further education courses that interest him. Recently he was "doing some music" at school and the Head of music heard him, and asked him about his background-and has now suggested that he should have a go at doing A level music in a year. He has offered to teach him the necessary theory in free periods and after school. Ds is very keen-but it seems to me to be a ridiculously difficult thing to do. Is there anyone here who could advise? Is this sensible or stupid?

I'm a musician, as you can probably tell from my user name.
My first thought is "what has he got to lose?" The fact that he's keen and has a teacher who is keen to teach him means he's half way there already.
I'm not up with the current A level syllabus (in my day, you could take music and music practical as 2 separate A levels, which I did), but put your faith in the fact that the head of Music knows what he's doing and let him go for it. At the very least, he will have a year of music education he wouldn't otherwise have got, which can only be a good thing.
Good luck to him!

Thank you! Yes he is keen, and I do trust the school- it's a very musicy place. I suppose I'm bothered that he might be so keen it distracts from his other A levels, particularly as I'm assuming it'll be very difficult to catch up. But I suppose I have to trust him too!

Bert

I'd say let him go for it, but you know I'd say that.
The fact you say it's a musicy place, obviously means the HOM was sincere about your ds talents.
I mean it's obviously not the school trying to drum up business (no pun intended)
If your ds wants to go for it, encourage him, it maybe what he decides to do for a living.
Have you looked at the content of the syllabus, I'm told they vary, but haven't compared any myself.

How is your DS getting on in his other subjects? If he decides that he wants to do something where A-level music would be of benefit, then a more sensible course of action than adding in A-level music would be to drop a current subject. He could then sit in, say, Y12 music A-level lessons and use free periods/lunch to do the Y13 stuff?

Hadn’t thought of that, giraffe- thank you. He’s doing well. Going from a high school to a grammar he had to work hard to catch up at first but he seems to have got there now. I don’t think he’ll be up for giving up a subject- he had to drop one in January and was cross about that......

If he is a good performer then your son has already done that bit of work towards A Level Music. So he won't have to learn a whole A level from scratch, iyswim. I've taught theory to a teen in a very similar position and he picked it up very easily, because in many ways it used his playing skills. So it just gave a framework to what he already knew.

I think you need to go in and have a chat with the head of sixth form about what is possible, curriculum-wise. I know students doing an A-level in a year by taking Y12 and Y13 lessons and that’s quite intense, I think being expected to take a 2 year course in 1 year without structured lessons and in snatched time would be a big ask. It would be a lot of work and taking away their study periods for their other subjects.

Why did he have to drop a subject? If it was because he wasn’t coping, then adding another one in on an ad-hoc basis seems like a recipe for stress.

There is much more to A level music than being able to play an instrument well. The listening covers a wide range of set works all of which need to be studied and there are music theory and composition techniques to learn too. Find out the exam board the school use and look at the speccification and past papers to see what is required.
If he is serious about taking music in the future a better approach might be to study AS music next year along side his A2 subjects and if he copes with that and does well, take A2 the following year whilst working on his instumental playing.
Also contact the institutions he is interested in and see what they require. Some audition and are not bothered about A level music for performance courses, some will accept grade exam passes as an alternative, which may be more doable alongside his other subjects

Just to add to that very good advice, the other thing he could think about is Studying the set works covered so far over the summer holidays and seeing what he and the teacher think in September.
It depends also on what his other subjects are - hopefully not coursework-heavy ones!

Lots to think about! I was wondering about finding a teacher over the summer to help him catch up.

He dropped a subject because at his school they start off doing 4 A levels, and then drop one unless they can make a very good case for keeping 4. Very few arts and humanities people do 4.

I'm not suggesting this for one minute Bert but if he did decide to take music further and audition for the colleges, there entrance criteria is very low, not suggesting that your ds isn't very bright, but that music A level isn't essential. There are lots who audition where Music GCSE and A level weren't available at their school.
My dd requires 3 GCSE's 9-4 and 2 A levels A -E.
She will have both Music GCSE and A level, but only because they are compulsory at her school.
There are alternatives too, such as BTEC level 3.

Alternatively, your DS could take a grade 8 practical exam (e.g. Rock School) and grade 7 Theory. Lots of decent HE institutions will accept these in lieu of Music A level. Those would certainly be possible in less than a year.

Your DS sounds as though he would benefit from some intensive theory catch-up and composition technique plus preparing for a grade .8 He has a keen volunteer teacher for the theory and composition so that's great. He will learn something even if he does n't do the A level. Whether he wants to catch-up with all the set works analysis and essay writing possibly to the detriment of his other subjects is a harder choice. I would think that is a step too much at the end of year 12. If he wants to change direction and do a university music degree then that is different and he needs music A level and therefore a change of focus for his subjects.

My advice would be to look at the recent A level music grades at your DS's school. I'm always surprised to see how some top notch schools get such poor Music A level results, while others get brilliant ones. It seems to me that the grades achieved are more influenced by the teachers or syllabus than the students. It shouldn't be like that though. Also are we talking Music Tech (which might suit your DS better) or Music? At DS's school last year for example the Music Tech (A Level) results were poor compared to other subjects but the Music (Pre U) results were stunning. I'm in no doubt that quality of musicianship in both classes were similar.

At our school kids who are musical often take Music as a 4th A level as it is relatively easy for them (especially if they've got to a high abrsm grade and enjoy composing). I'd say your ds should definitely have a go. Especially if the Head of music knows his talents and abilities.

@Sonnyboo that may have been the case with the last specification, but I think that someone who by the OP's admission had never done any exams and by implication any theory would really struggle with getting all the technical knowledge, learning all the set works AND other A levels. Remember, the other A levels are now linear and much more content-heavy than they used to be.

If you've got a supportive HoM you could just get on with it. One of my DSs did it it with no effort or interest ... A for performance, (just played old Grade 8 pieces) A for composition (which he did in an afternoon on the train) and an D for the listening paper, B overall.

But more interesting is DS3 who did not do music A level but got five RG offers, based on Grade 8 theory and DipABRSM. Now doing a PhD in music.

My dd y13 is really struggling with her music A level- it’s a new syllabus and she needs an A or will lose her place in vet school. Would never have taken it (decision made long ago in year 11) if she had thought she would get a vet offer, or it would endanger her dream career. I would check the syllabus and the exam board, and find out exactly what is required. For example they had to sit in class for 16 hours under exam conditions for part of coursework and compose a Bach Chorale, whatever that is, with the flippin’ lower school band learning Wonderwall in the next room! The school is indeed very musical, but she now at the end feels she was unsupported personally and like she was used as a workhorse in all the orchestras and bands, she was guilted into playing some concerts (grade 8 distinction string player and top horn player in school as well). The course work was 60% of the mark but unlike all her friends with other coursework, the musicians have no idea what mark they hold so far! The A could all be lost already. The written exam is all essays on loads of weird new and unheard pieces form the entire huge syllabus, and they got almost no practice writing essays like this.

Proceed with caution! Who knows what he’ll be into next at this point in life.

Even the Cambridge music degree accept grade 8 theory (merit or above) as a substitute for A level. A high level to attain especially for somebody doing formal theory from scratch but not impossible to aim for. Might actually be more use to OP's DS than A level and more time efficient if he is primarily interested in composing (as well as performing) rather than critical analysis of set music pieces.

I hope the new A level syllabus is better than the old which was just dire (and the reason my DS didn't take it). Grade 8 theory is far harder than the old A level; performances diplomas are just part of life if you're taking music seriously at 16 or so and therefore no extra work. Theory definitely more use than old A level for more academic music courses.

I think he should go for it. Given Loose's caveat, seeing what he can do over the summer.
Tbh I think high grade graded exams, practical and theory, would be work than the A-level with no experience if earlier grades.

Of, not if

Not behind other applicants in the slightest. No essay writing in Grade 8 theory but you can demonstrate that in other A levels. And the old A level music barely has sentences in it, let alone essays. I've done both and the Grade 8 is so much harder.