A Level Music

Music is the art of manipulating emotion through sound. That is so powerful, to be able to change how other people feel and, in the process, yourself as well

Mr Gibson (Head of Music)

Exam Board: AQA

Entry Requirements: 8 or more GCSEs at grades A*–C including GCSE English and a minimum grade B in Music or Distinction at in BTEC Level 2 Music. Students should additionally have the ability to play an instrument/sing and read music at Grade 4 standard.

@MusicatHA

A Level Music provides students gain self-confidence through performing to others, as well as developing creative and collaborative skills. Students will specifically focus on performance techniques in a range of styles and contexts, helping them to build listening, composing and performance techniques. Students should have a keen interest in creating and listening to different styles of music. They will have access to the Academy’s music technology suite, radio and recording studio, and theatre, as well as music practice rooms for independent rehearsal. There will also be the opportunity to work in the local community and in professional music spaces. Whilst the course largely focuses on performance, students will additionally study areas of music history, theory, analysis and compositional skills.

Whilst many students will take on music because they’ve had some experience of performance, the range of careers that link to an interest performance is of course far wider. The world of music and performance includes roles beyond the professional singer.

Careers

• Back Stage (for example, stage management, stage hand, production assistant)
• Front of House (for example, box office assistant, venue management, steward, roadie, catering)
• Support (for example, tour manager, fundraising, marketing and PR, artist manager, talent scout)
• Production (for example composer, record producer)
• Creative (for example song-writer, costume designer, set decorator)
• Education (for example, music therapist, community arts worker, voice coach, music teacher)
• Technical (for example lighting designer, sound technician)

Many companies value a music qualification because of the broad skillset that it gives you. It is worth thinking laterally about the professions where performance skills will be valued, for example a musician’s fine motor skills would undoubtedly be useful in the operating theatre.

Entry & Training

Many of the roles have allied degree courses that can be studied at university. It’s worth taking the time to check out the detail of individual courses as there will be a wide range of approaches from the theoretical to the vocational, with plenty of combination in between.