GCSE Music Performance

[KittyMcKitty]

Hi

My year 9 dd is taking GCSE music (Edexcel).

Am I right in understanding that for performance ABRSM grade 5 is the expected level so to get a high grade she will need to perform a Grade 6 piece?

I don't think so. I think the marks max out in terms of the required techniques that need to be demonstrated at around G5 level, so there are no extra marks for difficulty, and it might be more difficult to demonstrate a high enough level of the piece is more difficult iyswim.

It can be advantageous to have a G4 standard piece as she could get full marks in every aspect.

See page 18: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/Music/2016/specification/SpecificationGCSEL1-L2inMusic.pdf

Grade 4 is Standard level. To access the higher marks Grade 5 ish would be recommended. Always better to play well within your capabilities though, so no point in looking at Grade 6 pieces unless you are very confident of achieving a standard of performance that would enable you to gain marks in the higher assessment criteria bands. If you haven’t been provided with the assessment criteria by school, you can download them from the Music GCSE Specification (from 2016) available on the edexcel website.

Unless things have changed with the new GCSE, which I don't think they have), there is no point in playing a grade 6 piece at GCSE as no credit will be given for extra difficulty.

I think what’s confusing me was I saw somewhere that Edexcel had grade 5 as standard as opposed to the other boards which were grade 4.

She’s only year 9 and has just passed grade 4 with a merit (with the pieces being by far has strongest element) so with 2 years to go she sounds like she’ll be just fine (fingers crossed!!)

Found this:

qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/Music/2016/Specification%20and%20sample%20assessments/GCSE-AS-and-A-level-Music-Difficulty-Levels-Booklet.pdf

Which confirms grade 4 standard (and lists one of the pieces she did for her exam) and grade 5 + more difficult. So would a grade 4 piece performed perfectly be able to get full marks? Or would it need to be a grade 5+ (again if performed perfectly). Sorry am being rather dim!