For examination in June 2009 onwards.
"Once again, Rhinegold have produced an excellent "must-have" resource." Anthony Anderson, Music AST
This study guide will help students to:
- gain an understanding of all aspects of the Edexcel AS course
- learn from leading examiners and teachers on the best way to approach the exams
- discover how to achieve higher grades
This best-selling study guide has been fully revised in line with the new AS Specification. Students are shown how to approach music to the depth required for AS, with practical help with study techniques, note taking, planning coursework and revision.
There are dedicated chapters which analyse each of the set works to the depth required by the examiner; ensuring students have the support to go into the exam with confidence.
The authors offer additional guidance relating to Sections B and C of the Developing Musical Understanding paper, help on the new requirements for composing, and practical advice on performing.
The expanded glossary relates technical terms to specific examples in the New Anthology of Music and numerous music examples aid the explanation of the concepts encountered in the music.
David Bowman was for 20 years director of music at Ampleforth College and a chief examiner for the University of London Schools Examination Board (now Edexcel) from 1982 to 1998. His publications include Sound Matters (co-authored with Bruce Cole, Schott, 1989), Aural Matters (co-authored with Paul Terry, Schott, 1993), Aural Matters in Practice (co-authored with Paul Terry, Schott, 1994), Analysis Matters (Rhinegold, Volume 1 1997, Volume 2 1998) and numerous articles for Music Teacher. He is a contributor to the Collins Classical Music Encyclopedia (2000) and author of the Rhinegold Dictionary of Music in Sound (2002).
Errata
The last three paragraphs of page 12 and the first three paragraphs of page 13 should now read:
It is important to spend time practising your general composing skills before starting on the brief, and to continue doing so while working on it. The score of your composition has to be completed within a total of 15 hours of supervised time, although you can (and should) start making plans and sketches before this.
Additional time is allowed for recording the work, but if you then need to make any changes to the score, these must be completed within whatever is left of your 15 hours. It is therefore best not to leave making the recording until after your supervised time has been used up.
Research and preparation for the brief, including listening to and studying relevant music, can be done outside of this supervised time, but your teacher is required to check that any rough drafts or sketches that you use when working on your exam submission are your own work.
Your composition, recording and sleeve note will all need to be completed in time to send to the examiner by the specified date, which is likely to be in the middle of May.
Getting started
Once you have chosen a brief, you can do some valuable research and planning before starting to use up your permitted 15 hours on producing the final score. Listen carefully and analytically to plenty of relevant music and start to gather information about the resources you intend to use. You will then be in a good position to start sketching ideas and trying out some preliminary drafts.
On page 25, the paragraph headed 'Working the brief' should now read:
All work on the final score, apart from the recording, must be done under controlled conditions in the 15 hours allowed, although you can (and should) practise your general composing skills, listen to relevant music and sketch your plans for the brief outside this time. Concentrating on the following three aspects of composing should help you achieve a good mark.