Music S5/S6
Music Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, Higher and Advanced Higher
A full range of courses is on offer – Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, Higher and Advanced Higher.
Entry requirements
Entry to any level is best determined after consultation with Music staff and depends on demonstrated ability at, say, a lower level or clear and appropriate practical skills to proceed with the chosen level. Playing two instruments is compulsory at all levels.
Course Description
There are three Units in all courses – Performing, Listening and Composing.
Performing – preparing a programme of pieces at the required level and for a stipulated length of time. The standard of the pieces and the time requirements increase proportionately with the level of course. (There is a further option within the Performing unit to follow a MIDI sequencing course. This would only be open to a small number of pupils, strictly by arrangement with Music staff).
Listening involves the identification of musical concepts in an exam paper. Questions are a mixture of multiple choice and written answers. The number of concepts and their complexity increases with the levels.
Composing – producing original work to a given set of criteria which also determines how long each composition should be.
Intermediate 2
This course is suitable for candidates who have gained a pass at Int 1 level or after consultation with Music staff.
Higher
Students wishing to take Higher in Sixth Year should have gained a pass at Int 2 and/or be practising musicians in or out of school.
Advanced Higher
This course is very demanding and requires a considerable amount of unsupervised work. Entry to this course will only be open to pupils who have gained at least a ‘B’ pass at Higher or after interview with Music staff.
Assessment
All courses are assessed the same way. Performing and Listening make up 100% of the marks and are assessed EXTERNALLY . Composition is assessed internally on a pass/fail basis and is subject to moderation by SQA.
Opportunities: Higher Music would be particularly beneficial for anyone considering an Arts course at University, or a career where music would be a useful asset e.g. Primary Teaching |
