Public learning track
Compositional Craft and Free Composition
11th Grade · Arts · UK A-Level
10 lessons
Goal
Compose sophisticated, structurally cohesive pieces demonstrating thematic development, harmonic richness, and idiomatic instrumental scoring.
10 lessons
0 of 10 done
- 1Composing Melodies with Secure Structural UnderstandingUp nextStart
- 2Thematic Development: Fragmentation, Inversion, and AugmentationPremiumNot started yet
- 3Harmonic Pacing and Tonal Planning in CompositionNot started yet
- 4Orchestrating and Arranging for Chamber EnsemblesNot started yet
- 5Contrapuntal Writing and Two-Part InventionNot started yet
- 6Rhythmic Drive: Ostinatos and Syncopated GroovesNot started yet
- 7Expressive Dynamics and Textural Contrast in CompositionNot started yet
- 8Vocal Writing and Text-Setting TechniquesNot started yet
- 9Professional Score Engraving and Performance DirectionsNot started yet
- 10Evaluating and Refining Compositional DraftsNot started yet
Standards Covered
- MUS-1.3General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11develop skills that facilitate coherent compositions which demonstrate the manipulation of musical ideas and the use of musical devices and conventions
- MUS-2.2General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11organisation of pitch (melodically and harmonically) including sequence, plagal and interrupted cadences and augmentation at AS; additionally chromatic harmony, diminished 7th and additive melody at A level
- MUS-2.6General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11tempo, metre and rhythm including syncopation and cross-rhythms at AS; additionally rubato, hemiola and more complex rhythmic patterns, e.g. polyrhythm at A level
- MUS-2.3General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11tonality including modulation to the dominant, cycle of 5ths subdominant & relative minor key relationships at AS; additionally modulation to remote keys, atonality and polytonality at A level
- MUS-1.7General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11develop knowledge and understanding of a variety of instruments and styles, and of relevant approaches to both performing and composing
- MUS-2.5General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11sonority including antiphony, identification of less common instruments e.g. piccolo, cor anglais, bass clarinet and instrumental techniques e.g. con sordino, una corda at AS; additionally smaller vs larger group pieces e.g solo concerto/concerto grosso, vocalisation e.g. sprechgesang and acoustic resonance at A level
- MUS-2.7General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11texture including homophony, imitation and monophony at AS; additionally polyphony, fugue and canon at A level
- MUS-2.8General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11dynamics including crescendo & diminuendo, terraced dynamics and application of dynamics to style & performance context at AS; additionally expressive application of dynamics in interpretative choices, nuance and additional special effects, e.g. fp, sf, dim al niente, con tutta forza at A level
- MUS-1.6General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11develop and extend the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to communicate effectively as musicians
- MUS-2.12General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11musical language (relating to the students’ own work and the music of others)
- MUS-2.13General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11reading and writing staff notation including rhythmic notation in compound time and key signatures to 5 sharps & 5 flats at AS; additionally chord notation and all key signatures at A level
- MUS-1.1General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11engage actively in the study of music
- MUS-1.10General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11develop as effective, independent learners and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds
- MUS-1.11General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (UK A-Level) · Music · Year 13 (A2 Level) · Grade 11reflect critically and make personal judgements on their own and others’ music
Curriculum Framework
11th Grade · Arts · UK A-Level
1
11 lessons
Advanced Harmony, Voice Leading, and Bach Chorales
Master functional tonal harmony, four-part vocal writing (SATB), chromatic chord progressions, and Bach chorale harmonisation techniques.
2
10 lessons
Western Classical Tradition and Instrumental Structures
Analyse orchestral, chamber, and solo works from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods with a focus on formal architecture and thematic development.
3
10 lessons
20th and 21st Century Art Music
Investigate modernist, avant-garde, and contemporary concert music movements, including serialism, impressionism, neoclassicism, and minimalism.
4
10 lessons
World Music, Jazz, and Global Contemporary Traditions
Appraise traditional world musics, jazz evolution, popular styles, and cross-cultural fusion with accurate analytical vocabulary.
5
8 lessons
Music for Screen, Theatre, and Interactive Media
Analyse thematic underscoring, leitmotifs, dynamic video game audio, musical theatre structures, and production technologies.
6
10 lessons
Aural Dictation, Score Analysis, and Transcription
Develop acute ear-training skills to transcribe complex melodies, rhythms, chord sequences, and orchestrations from unfamiliar audio recordings.
7
10 lessons
Compositional Craft and Free Composition
Compose sophisticated, structurally cohesive pieces demonstrating thematic development, harmonic richness, and idiomatic instrumental scoring.
8
8 lessons
Performance Interpretation and Appraising Essays
Prepare high-level recital performances and write analytical, contextually grounded A-Level appraising essays.
9
7 lessons
Advanced Harmonic Language and Tonal Systems
Analyse, notate, and apply sophisticated harmonic vocabulary including inversions, cadential progressions, secondary dominants, and extended chords.
10
7 lessons
Western Classical Tradition (1700–1900) Analysis
Critically appraise Baroque, Classical, and Romantic repertoire with detailed reference to musical elements, stylistic conventions, and historical context.
11
7 lessons
Contrasting Areas of Study and Global Innovations
Appraise 20th/21st-century art music, jazz, musical theatre, pop, and traditional world music through attentive listening and contextual analysis.
12
6 lessons
Advanced Performance Mastery and Recital Execution
Execute technically assured, stylistically authentic, and expressive solo and ensemble recitals fulfilling A-Level assessment criteria.
13
6 lessons
Stylistic Composition and Brief-Led Creation
Compose sophisticated, well-crafted musical works in response to external briefs or as free compositions, drawing on established stylistic conventions.
14
6 lessons
A-Level Music Portfolio and Recital Assessment Strategies
Master the regulatory, structural, and timing requirements for AS and A-Level music performance recitals and composition portfolios across all assessment weightings.