Academic Music at Glenalmond College

Music The department underpins its varied and lively programme of practical music-making with firm academic foundations. Pupils are offered a wide-ranging foundation course in the Second and Third Forms, centred on work which is developed at GCSE level, should this be an option.

Music GCSE (EdExcel syllabus) has three central requirements; performing, composing (both coursework assignments) and listening/appraising (a written exam).

Uniquely at Glenalmond, at present, Music students follow the Cambridge pre-U course in the Sixth Form. This is a two year course, which is examined at the end of the second year. It is not possible to follow the course for the duration of the Lower Sixth year alone. The course extends the GCSE tasks:

Listening, Analysis & Historical Study (in topic-based set works, eg the concerto in the Classical period) Weighting 30%
Performing: 20 minute recital plus performance on a second instrument or improvisation Weighting 22.5%
Composing (harmony; two topics from a list of six) Weighting 22.5%

In addition, there is a personal study (Weighting 25%) chosen from four options:

dissertation or
advanced recital (30 minutes), not to duplicate type of work done in component 2 (a candidate would need to give two recitals on two different instruments, one at Grade 7 level, the other at Grade 8 level and also improvise to capitalise on the full 47.5% of marks potentially available through performance) or
free composition or
music technology project

Music Technology is also taught as a separate subject at AS and A level.