Abstract
AbstractA-level music, a qualification taken most often in English and Welsh school contexts around the age of 18, has been a long-standing feature of the musical training of many musicians. Historically bound up with Western European Art Music, the qualification has somewhat broadened its horizons in recent times, though with mixed success in opening up new ways of thinking about music. Recent research has highlighted the seemingly precarious nature of A-level music in many English schools. The reasons for this picture of decline are highly complex and difficult to disentangle, and are part of a much broader diminishing of creative subjects in the school curriculum. Decreasing numbers of A-level music entries run somewhat counter to popular policy discourse, which celebrates flagship announcements of £79 million given to Music Education Hubs in 2019–2020, and 2018 survey results that reported more than 700,000 children learning to play a musical instrument through music hub provision. However, behind these headlines, although there are many children having the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, few continue through to A-level and beyond. Despite its declining numbers, A-level music is recognised as a valuable qualification amongst music teachers, offering something distinct from graded music examinations and other Level 3 musical qualifications. This article presents the results of a recent nationwide survey of A-level music teachers to offer an insight into teacher perceptions of current A-level music specifications, the extent to which it prepares students for entry into higher musical education, and its appropriateness for aspiring young musicians.
Highlights
A-level music, a qualification taken in English and Welsh school contexts around the age of 18, has been a long-standing feature of the musical training of many musicians, often taken before continuing on to higher musical study at a university or music college
A-level music is under threat at a national level, with this being acute in statefunded schools, and its continued existence is far from guaranteed
It is clear that this nationwide sample of teachers felt that A-level music offered something different from other existing performance and theoretical examinations, and that there were some key positive features of the qualification that supported preparations for higher musical study
Summary
A-level music, a qualification taken in English and Welsh school contexts around the age of 18, has been a long-standing feature of the musical training of many musicians, often taken before continuing on to higher musical study at a university or music college. Taken during Key Stage 5 (the final 2 years of school, aged 16–18), A-level music focuses upon three principal areas of activity: performance, composition and listening/music history. The combination of these three elements within a single qualification renders A-level as a distinctly different proposition from other music qualifications such as graded music examinations. By their very nature, these focus predominantly on skills in instrumental and vocal performance, and/or theory, and do not include opportunities for extended discussions of musical contexts and analytical study of a body of set works. A similar assessment might be made of equivalent Level 3 qualifications, such as BTEC, which tend to have a stronger focus towards performing skills, often in popular musical styles
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
