How to get an A*/A in A level Music

Music is both a rewarding and challenging subject to study, especially at A level. It is also seen as an incredibly valuable A level by university admissions officers across the country.

Studying such a demanding A level should not be taken lightly. Succeeding in A level Music requires not just the ability to perform and compose music, but also an understanding of how music has evolved throughout history into what it is today. You also need to be confident in critical analysis, communication, essay writing and exam preparation.

Whether you’re a student looking to improve your grades or you’re a parent seeking guidance for your child, this article provides the recipe for success.

Ready to claim your A-A* in A level Music? Our Music tutors tare here to help. Take your future into your own hands! Harness the expertise of A-Level Music Tutors with The Profs and pave your way to unparalleled career growth in the music industry.

Content:

• What to expect: Understanding the A level Music curriculum
• Understanding grades: How many marks do you need to get an A or A* in A level Music?
• Is A level Music harder than GCSE Music?
• Understanding the A level Music exam format
• What are the fundamental concepts of A level Music?
• Brush up on your English and study Critical Thinking
• Complete past papers to boost your grades
• Make use of visual aids to improve your memory
• Explore Music beyond your A level
• Teach what you’ve learned
• Benefit from our expert guidance in A level Music
• FAQs

What to expect: Understanding the A level Music curriculum

If you’d like to achieve the best grades possible, you should learn your A level syllabus inside and out. Syllabuses can vary across exam boards, as listed below:

Typically, you would study A level Music with a school or college, who decides for you what you will be studying for your music appreciation. Your teachers will also be obligated to help you decide on your performance pieces as well, but alongside your compositions, these parts of A level Music are where you can best show off your creativity. Harness the power of expert guidance with A-Level Tutors from The Profs and propel your academic journey towards unparalleled success.

Some exam boards, such as AQA or Edexcel, do not let you take an AS level in Music but only offer the full A level. If you aren’t sure whether you will continue studying Music until the end of your A levels but would still like a qualification beyond a GCSE, you may want to consider working with an exam board such as OCR instead.

Need help understanding your curriculum for A level Music? Our expert Music tutors can clarify the topics covered, as well as break them down in an easy-to-understand way. From revision tips to practice tests, we’ve got your back.

Understanding the A level Music exam format

If you are aiming for an As or A*s in your A levels, you need to know what paper covers what topics, and how much they count towards your final grade. Fortunately, A level Music only has one exam paper regardless of the exam board, which will be evaluating your music appraisal and listening skills.

Take a look at the table below for detailed information on how this exam paper varies across exam boards:

 The following information below applies to all the above exam boards:

• The assessment of A level Music is separated almost equally between performance, composition, listening and music appreciation.
• A level Music covers exclusively Western music and does not cover music stemming from Eastern traditions.
• In all cases, the recording of the composition must be accompanied by one or more of the following documents: a staff notated score, a lead sheet, or an aural guide.
• Good planning and time-keeping are essential to doing well in these exams as well as the performance and composition components. During the written exams, leave yourself enough time to answer each section thoroughly. In relation to composition, make sure to construct a portfolio of your work to help with your thought process in constructing your pieces, whether you are answering a brief or not.

Our Music tutors can help you grasp complex concepts, find excellent revision methods suited to you and improve your grades! Harness the expertise of Online Tutors with The Profs to elevate your career to new heights.

Is A level Music harder or easier than GCSE Music? 

In comparison to GCSEs, many students find A levels to be much more difficult, and unfortunately, A level Music is no exception. Whilst GCSE Music builds on the foundation of the subject, A level is much more rigorous.

Despite this, many schools don’t make GCSE Music a prerequisite to studying A level Music, as a GCSE in the subject is unfortunately not provided by all schools. Instead, it is recommended you have a Grade 5 in an instrument/voice from an exam board such as ABRSM or Trinity College London. 

Most top candidates study Music within and beyond their curriculum as much as possible. If you do this, it will consolidate what you learned at GCSE whilst also helping you to become better prepared for A level questions. Many students find the jump between GCSEs and A levels challenging; the best way to combat this is exposure.

Also, make sure that you are consistent in your studies. It’s much better to do a little bit every day than study a vast amount in one day and then not at all for the next few days. Doing this strengthens your long-term memory and gives you time to contextualise challenging concepts. This simple strategy will be instrumental in earning you a top grade in A level Music.

Don’t be discouraged from studying A level Music. We can help you achieve your very best grades! Harness your potential with The Profs, where expert tutors guide you towards unparalleled academic success and career advancement.

Top tip: In addition to obtaining good GCSEs, many schools recommend you achieve at least a Grade 5 in a chosen instrument (including voice). However in order to successfully apply to study music at university, applicants should demonstrate their ability to play two or three instruments at Grade 5 standard. Even better, achieving a Grade 8 in an instrument will boost your UCAS score, which is necessary for getting onto some university courses. Make sure to talk to one of our UCAS tutors if you want to know more. Navigate your academic journey and secure your future success with unparalleled expertise from UCAS Tutors at The Profs, where our tailored guidance empowers you to achieve your dreams.

Understanding grades: How many marks do you need to get an A or A* in A level Music?

It is important to note that each exam board has its own marking criteria. So, achieving top grades is not easier through one exam board than another. 

To the best information on grades, we recommend looking into the grade boundaries for the previous summer exam season. Top candidates find this to be the most accurate way of working out how they aim for that A or A*. 

Here are the grade boundaries for the June 2023 exams:

AS level:

A level:

Whilst it is easy to see the grade boundaries differ between exam boards, no one exam board is more difficult than any other. An A* from AQA means just as much as an A* from OCR. You should also expect grade boundaries to change year on year, but generally, you want to be aiming for at least 80% across all components of your A level to achieve an A*.

Do you need help understanding grade boundaries or what your personal goal should be? Would you like an expert to guide you through your A level in Music? Do you want to get an A or A*? You’ve come to the right place. 

Here at The Profs, top grades are our forte. That’s why 35% of our students achieve an A* at A level, which is over 4x the national average! Achieve your academic ambitions with The Profs’ expert Admissions Tutors, positioning yourself for unparalleled career growth by securing your place at top institutions.

What are the fundamental concepts of A level Music?

Music is the arrangement of sound to create a combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or other expressive content, and is generally recognised as a cultural universal present in all human societies. The study of A level Music focuses more specifically on the development of Western Music through performance, composition, critical listening and musical appraisal. In all versions of this A level, the focus is equally split between these four skills.

To get an A or A*, you must make sure you are proficient in all of these skills and understand specific aspects of Music inside-out. This will require a revision timetable that is easy to follow and should be put together following your strengths and weaknesses. You also need to be confident in writing essays to get these top grades.

Need help? Our expert Music tutors can help you understand every concept and build a personalised revision plan. Alternatively, you can also interact with one of our Essay tutors to get your writing abilities up to speed. 

Identifying your strengths and weaknesses

Candidates only have so much time to revise for their exams, and that time must be used wisely. A great way to be productive with this is to go over your A level syllabus and use the traffic light system to identify what you believe your strengths and weaknesses are. 

This involves going through your syllabus and highlighting topics you are very confident about in green, those that you feel neutral towards in amber, and finally, red for topics you have little to no confidence in.

This process is very good at prioritising what you revise first and in what order, starting with your weakest topics. Make sure that you cover the relevant theory before jumping into exam questions when working through these, ideally using a revision guide rather than a textbook. Also, ensure that what you are working with completely matches your exam specifications.

Our expert Music tutors can help you grasp complex concepts, find excellent revision methods suited to you and improve your grades with our tutors. 

Brush up on your English and study Critical Thinking

Many topics within Music heavily depend on the skills developed through GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature, which is why many students decide to study Music and English at the same time during their A levels. In fact, several universities suggest this when applying to a university for Music, although this is not the only possible combination of subjects you could take to become a Music undergraduate student (contact our admissions experts if you’d like to know more).

Universities in general consider critical thinking to be a weak subject to study at A level, and it is important to note what courses your chosen universities value. However, it is a fantastic subject to return to, if you want to understand how to make a strong argument and communicate effectively. Unleash your musical potential with guidance from The Profs’ expert English Language Tutors, and set the stage for an impactful academic journey in A-Level Music. 

There are many ways you can develop your skills in these areas. For instance, you could take part in a debate club or enter an essay competition on a topic of your choosing.

Above everything else, we suggest practising past paper questions for Music regularly, but keep studying essay writing and critical thinking as much as you can on the side. 

Harness the expertise of A-Level Thinking Skills Tutors from The Profs, and empower your learning journey with insights that lead to academic excellence and career advancements.

Complete past papers to boost your grades

Overall, completing past papers is a valuable study technique that can help you prepare effectively for exams and increase your chances of success. Even if some of the questions are challenging, it’s best to start doing this sooner rather than later.

You also want to make sure you read and understand questions properly before attempting a question. This may involve underlining keywords and phrases. Action words, such as ‘argue’ or ‘justify’, also give a clue as to what kind of answer should be provided. 

Finally, make sure to mark every single attempt you make. By being familiar with a paper’s mark scheme, you will be able to see how marks are allocated. Use this as an opportunity to provide yourself with constructive criticism, and use that as a drive to fill any further blanks in your understanding of the material.

Do you want to get an A or A*? You’ve come to the right place. Here at The Profs, top grades are our forte. That’s why 35% of our students achieve an A* at A level, which is over 4x the national average!

Make use of visual aids to improve your memory

Flashcards are an excellent method for swiftly reviewing essential facts and information relevant to the A level Music curriculum. You can craft your own flashcards by jotting down key concepts, facts, and equations, or utilise online resources like Quizlet. This will particularly help you in learning the vast vocabulary that comes with A level Music.

Utilising online platforms such as Quizlet can further enhance your revision for A level Music syllabus and exams. These platforms allow you to generate virtual flashcards featuring various question types and answers. Additionally, platforms like Quizlet enable you to share your flashcards with fellow students studying the same topics, fostering collaborative learning. 

Flashcards prove to be an effective and efficient method of revising for your A level Music syllabus and exams. With the right approach, they facilitate swift recollection of key facts and concepts, aiding in achieving optimal results in your studies.

Mind maps also offer an excellent means of structuring information and establishing connections between different topics. Breaking down complex subjects into smaller components through mind mapping simplifies review and aids in memory retention. 

You can construct mind maps using traditional pen and paper or utilise online platforms, such as Coggle. Mind maps typically comprise circles or boxes linked by lines.

Each box or circle denotes a keyword or concept, with lines drawn to connect related ideas and additional details incorporated in smaller boxes or circles surrounding the main idea. This method creates a visual representation of the topic, enhancing retention.

When crafting a mind map for your A level Music syllabus, begin by listing your weakest topics and work your way up to the stronger ones.

Explore Music beyond your A level

If you are not only aiming for top universities as well as top grades, you need to be doing plenty of supercurricular activities to show your love for Music. 

It shouldn’t be a surprise that you must love the subject if you are studying it at A level, especially if you want to get those top grades. One good way of demonstrating this is to engage in music competitions or recitals that allow you to perform pieces outside of your syllabus. These can be in any genre of music, whether it be classical, jazz or even pop. 

There are many things that you can do at school to show your extensive interest in Music and the Performing Arts, such as being a member of the school orchestra, participating in school plays and musicals, or even being a member of the school choir. You could even run a music club or a music group of your own if your school has a small music department.

Whilst all of these things are fantastic for your UCAS applications, the best candidates will show engagement with the performing arts on at least a national level. Even if you are not able to win an award, constructing and performing your own musical repertoire can offer fantastic practice for auditions to any drama school or musical conservatoire you might wish to apply to.

Here are some examples of competitions you might want to look into:

• The Birmingham International Music Competition.
• The Young Musicians Competition (The Two Moors Festival).
• Scottish Young Musicians.
• Royal College of Music Competitions.
• Independent Schools Association Competitions.

Alternatively, you could try auditioning for the National Youth Theatre, National Musical Theatre, National Youth Choir, and even the National Youth Orchestra which all offer fantastic ways of engaging in the Performing Arts on a national scale without participating in competitions.

Many universities also offer additional outreach programmes for A level Music students to engage in music beyond their curriculum, such as the University of Huddersfield’s Discover Programme. Courses like these are great in providing students with an insight into what it means to study Music at university.

It is also good to show in UCAS applications that you are using music to contribute towards your local community. For instance, if you have religious commitments and attend church each week, you could even include in your university applications that you play the piano or sing on a weekly basis as part of the worship band.

Top-performing candidates for Music degrees also study additional topics over what has been provided at school, for instance Eastern music or the science of music, which are topics typically not covered in A level Music. Not only does this strengthen your university applications, but it also increases your overall understanding of Music, making A level questions much easier in comparison.

If you are in the middle of applying for university, we have an excellent team of admissions tutors who would love to help you maximise your chances of success! 

Teach what you’ve learned

Register to tutor Music to your peers or conduct revision sessions. If not, consider approaching a friend or family member to teach them specific theories and concepts.

Even if your grasp of a topic is not completely thorough, attempting to explain it to someone can significantly aid your comprehension of its workings. Teaching others helps solidify your understanding of concepts. If you can explain concepts effectively, you possess sufficient understanding to apply them successfully!

Make sure to take regular breaks between your study periods! Other than to consolidate your knowledge, your mental health comes above all else, so make sure you also eat, drink and sleep in healthy amounts.

Want top grades and dedicated support? Our expert Music tutors can help.

Benefit from our expert guidance in A level Music

If you’d like to achieve an A or A* in A level Music, our expert team for dedicated and bespoke support is here to work with you. 

Unsure? Trust in our results. 35% of our students achieved an A* in 2023, compared to the national average of 7.7%. Hence working with us will increase your chances by a whopping 78%!

Our experienced Music tutors offer methods for improvement by breaking down complex concepts and providing exam strategies. They also offer a deeper understanding of the subject by providing additional learning materials and offering immediate feedback.

So, if you’re ready to claim your A-A* in A level Music, and achieve the best grades possible, explore the horizon with our trusted support. Elevate your musical prowess with The Profs’ elite Music Tutors, and set the stage for academic and career success today.

FAQs

Why should you study A level Music?

A Level Music offers many benefits, from developing a candidate’s general confidence and ability to communicate effectively, to exploring the development of Western cultures and the ability to think critically as part of the essay writing component. It is also well respected by universities all over the world, and it complements several other subjects besides the Performing Arts, such as Anthropology, Sociology, and English Literature to name a few. Finally, the study of Music can lead to a wide variety of interesting careers. 

How hard is A level Music?

A level Music is without a doubt a challenging subject due to its depth and breadth of content, critical thinking and logical reasoning abilities, and essay writing skills. Alongside a series of written exams at the end of your time at secondary school, you will be awarded an overall grade where A and A* are the very best grades you can possibly achieve. 

Despite its difficulty, A level Music can be highly rewarding for students who have a passion for the subject and are willing to put in the effort to understand its concepts thoroughly. With effective study strategies, support from teachers or our Music tutors, and dedication, students can overcome the challenges of A level Music and achieve success in their exams. Why not get in touch with The Profs to maximise your learning today?

Where can A level Music take you?

A level Music can open up various pathways and opportunities, depending on your interests and career aspirations. Here are a few potential directions:

1. Education: A level Music can be a stepping stone to becoming a Music teacher, lecturer, or educational administrator.
2. Music Therapist: Use music to help improve the emotional, cognitive, and social well-being of individuals.
3. Arts Administration: Manage events, concerts, or music festivals, or work in marketing and promotion for musical artists.
4. Music Production: Work as a producer, sound engineer, or studio technician.
5. Composer/Songwriter: Write music for various genres, including classical, pop, film scores, and video games.
6. Performer: Become a professional musician, whether as a solo artist, in an orchestra, band, choir, or ensemble.
7. Radio and Broadcasting: Present or produce music programmes for radio or television.

A Level Music can be a stepping stone to a variety of exciting and fulfilling careers, both within the music industry and beyond. Whether you aim to become a professional musician, pursue academic studies, or simply enrich your personal life with a deep understanding of music, the skills and experiences gained from studying A Level Music will serve you well.

Can you self-study A level Music?

Unlike other A levels, it is not possible to self-study A level Music and take the assessment independently – A level subjects are typically designed to be taught over two years in a structured classroom environment, with guidance from teachers and a wealth of access to instruments, performance spaces and Music textbooks for essay writing. Teachers also help to welcome external examiners to mark student performances which cannot be organised independently.

However, A level Music does not have to have to be studied at a school and can be studied online with a private organisation such as Oxbridge. Regardless of how you wish to study A level Music, The Profs are here to help.

Can you do an A level in Music in 1 year?

Mainstream secondary schools will normally not offer this as an option, with the exception that you are extremely gifted in the subject, perhaps being proficient in multiple musical instruments. 

However, many institutions for adult learners offer accelerated courses for A levels, which you can complete in one year. You have the option to either study such a course through online classes, or you can still attend classes in person

In conclusion, studying A level Music in one year can be achieved through careful planning and a commitment to the schedule you set yourself.