Topic: Grade for music gcse?

does  anyone know what grade you have to be in an instrument for music gcse as i am going to get electric guitar lessons but i dont think there is much point if you have to be a high grade as i only have 1 year
thanks daiz11 smile

Re: Grade for music gcse?

Hi daiz11, I'm no expert and please don't take this as gospel, and also England may be different from Scotland, but I seem to remember something about being able to play 3 instruments. As I say, I could be wrong but that's what's ringing bells in my head.

Good luck with the lessons all the same.

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

Re: Grade for music gcse?

Hi daiz11
Follow this link it tells you all need to know about taking a music GCSE
http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/newgcses/art … mp;prev=04
ark

Re: Grade for music gcse?

What is gcse an abbreviation for? smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

5 (edited by arkady 2009-09-08 18:13:04)

Re: Grade for music gcse?

Russ it stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education
here in England a generic name for all subjects Theres O's and A's levels and others..
ark

Re: Grade for music gcse?

Thanks Ark we call it a GED (general education diploma) its a substitute for a high school graduation its almost a must if applying for a job smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Grade for music gcse?

If you follow the link given by arkady, you will see that music GCSE is a lot more than playing an instrument. You have to know theory, history, and be able to compose. Performance is 40% of the total mark. This is made up of half each of an individual performance and a group performance.
Some years ago it was possible to put forward your own grade 5 in an instrument as part of the assessment, but that is no longer possible.
The specification says that 3 marks (out of the 30 given for performance) are awarded for complexity of performance if that is equivalent to grade 5, 2 marks for grade 4, and 1 mark for grade 2 or 3.
So if your playing is not very good, you will lose some marks. What is interesting is that your performance can also be technology based.

My advice is to speak to a music teacher at the school, find out what syllabus they are doing and ask about the performance element and what your chances are, based on what you can already do.

Re: Grade for music gcse?

thanks