In order to help prepare you for the different elements of the Edexcel A Level Music course, we have compiled a checklist of tasks we would like you to complete before you start. Alongside this, we have created a list of great musical resources for you to get stuck into and explore.
Did you know? Research has shown that music can improve mood and prompt creative flow, which helps with anxiety and self- doubt. It can also help to regulate emotion. Studying music really does support you in every aspect of college life: some studies even show that it can enhance your grades in other subjects too!
Keep practising your instrument. Regular, short practises are the best for keeping to an effective practise schedule.
Set yourself the task of learning one new piece ready to perform in September.
A solid foundation in music theory is essential for A Level Music. Make sure that your theory knowledge is up to Grade 5 level. You should be able to answer yes to the following statements:
| Music Theory Checklist | Yes/No |
|---|---|
| I can confidently read music in both treble and bass clef |
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| I know all the major and minor key signatures |
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| I know the names of the degrees of the scale |
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| I can work out the notes of primary triads in any key (tonic, dominant, subdominant) |
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| I know the difference between common and simple time signatures |
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| I can identify the principal note values (crotchet, quaver etc.) |
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MusicTheoryVideos.com and teoría : Music Theory Web provide great support for practising music theory online!
Knowing your composers/genres/periods of music is a great start for studying music at college level. Classic FM is a good place to start. You can listen to various programmes on their website.
The most important part of studying music at any level is listening. And not just listening, but listening actively. The main task we would like you to undertake is to fill out a ‘Listening Log’, to be completed anytime you actively listen to a piece of music. You can use our template below or you can create your own.
| Date (of listening) | Piece | Composer | Context | Musical Observations (think structure/ harmony/ melody/ instrumentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Leonard Bernstein’s lecture series at Harvard is a landmark in Music education and will provide you with a wonderful foundation of understanding how to talk and think critically about music (it is fairly long – so don’t worry if you don’t make it all the way through every lecture, we just wanted to make sure you had enough to be getting on with!).
Howard Goodall’s Story of Music provides a brilliant overview of music through the ages!
Camilla Olexa
Valentina Seferinova-Bradley
We look forward to seeing you soon!
