St Andrews and St. Brides
Music Department
ADVANCED HIGHER MUSIC
INDUCTION PACK
Course Requirements
Welcome to Advanced Higher Music!
To enter this course, you must have achieved a pass at Higher Music, or the equivalent skills in performance, musical knowledge/theory and composition skills.
Entry to this course without Higher Music is entirely down to the discretion of music staff through discussion with the pupil and any other specialist staff.
UNIT REQUIREMENTS
This course consists of three mandatory units that must be passed in order to proceed with the course assessment:
PERFORMING UNIT (pass/fail)
COMPOSING UNIT (pass/fail)
UNDERSTANDING and ANALYSING MUSIC UNIT (pass/fail)
To gain a unit pass, pupils must meet various outcomes for each unit, which are detailed over the next few pages.
Pupils must complete a record of work throughout the course that will evidence the outcomes achieved for each unit.
COURSE ASSESSMENT
This will consist of two components:
PERFORMANCE EXAMINATION (60 marks)
QUESTION PAPER (40 marks)
PERFORMING UNIT
Unit Outcomes
Requirements of Unit
Assessment Evidence
Perform music in a range of styles by:
1.1 Developing a range of advanced musical, interpretive and technical skills showing a clear understanding and sensitivity to the composers intentions.
1.2 Critically self-reflecting and evaluating the quality and accuracy of their performing and refining their performing skills.
Demonstrate your solo performing skills on two selected instruments.
Perform a variety of pieces in contrasting styles on each instrument.
Identify strengths and areas for development in performing.
Show understanding of musical concepts and language in reflective discussion.
Audio/video recordings
Oral and written self-reflection
COMPOSING UNIT
Unit Outcomes
Requirements of Unit
Assessment Evidence
Create original music by:
1.1 Analysing how a range of advanced compositional methods and music concepts are used by composers for specific effect and the contexts which influenced their work.
1.2 Experimenting and using complex music concepts and compositional methods in creative and sophisticated ways to create, develop and refine original music.
1.3 Developing musical ideas which make musical sense and realise their creative intentions.
1.4 Critically reflecting on their music and their creative choices and decisions
Study music by various composers.
Identify concepts and how they are used.
Come up with basic musical ideas.
Make improvements on these initial ideas.
Demonstrate the ability to compose successfully (see additional checklist)
Identify strengths and areas for development in composing.
Show understanding of musical concepts and language in reflective discussion.
Annotated scores and homework exercises
Written music and audio recordings
Record of progress
Written music and audio recording
Record of progress and checklist
Oral and written self-reflection
UNDERSTANDING and ANALYSING MUSIC
Unit Outcomes
Requirements of Unit
Assessment Evidence
Analyse sections/pieces of contrasting music by:
1.1 Identifying and analysing the use of level specific and other music concepts, signs and symbols in excerpts of music
1.2 Analysing style and form, melody, harmony and rhythm and the impact of social and cultural influences on the development of music.
Understand and recognise musical terms and concepts through listening
Show a knowledge of the background to specific styles of music.
Apply this knowledge to more in-depth study of musical styles.
Demonstrate musical literacy and knowledge of musical symbols and signs.
Listening exercises and end of unit tests
Essays/Powerpoint
presentations
Worksheets
COURSE ASSESSMENT
Component
Requirements
Assessment
PERFORMANCE
(60 marks)
You must perform on TWO selected instruments.
All pieces for each instrument must be a minimum of grade 5 standard.
Your teacher will advise you on appropriate level pieces.
You will perform a programme of 18 minutes in total between the two instruments.
Performance time on either of the two selected instruments must be a minimum of 6 minutes within the 18-minute programme.
You must ensure that there is a minimum of two contrasting styles presented on each instrument.
This will be examined by an external SQA
examiner in May
This exam accounts for 60% of your course award.
This is assessed on a grade A to D basis.
QUESTION
PAPER
(40 marks)
You will be expected to demonstrate an in depth knowledge and understanding of all music concepts and literacy signs and symbols.
This will be a one-hour listening paper where you will comment on musical excerpts and identify concepts.
This will be examined by an external SQA paper in May.
This exam accounts for the remaining 40% of your course award.
This is assessed on a grade A to D basis.
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Instrument/voice
(9-10) Excellent
(7-8) Secure
(5-6) Mainly accurate
(3-4) Inconsistent
(0-2) Poor
Mark /10
Comments
Piece 1
Melodic accuracy/intonation
Rhythmic accuracy
Tempo and flow
Mood and character
Tone
Dynamics
Piece 2
Melodic accuracy/intonation
Rhythmic accuracy
Tempo and flow
Mood and character
Tone
Dynamics
Piece 3
Melodic accuracy/intonation
Rhythmic accuracy
Tempo and flow
Mood and character
Tone
Dynamics
Piece 4
Melodic accuracy/intonation
Rhythmic accuracy
Tempo and flow
Mood and character
Tone
Dynamics
Table of Musical and Literacy Concepts
NATIONAL 3
Styles
Melody/Harmony
Rhythm/Tempo
Texture/
Structure/Form
Timbre/Dynamics
Blues
Jazz
Rock
Pop
Rocknroll
Musical
Scottish
Latin American
Ascending
Descending
Step (stepwise)
Leap (leaping)
Repetition
Sequence
Question and
answer
Improvisation
Chord
Discord
Chord change
Accent/accented
Beat/pulse
Bar
2, 3 or 4 beats
in the bar
On the beat
/off the beat
Repetition
Slower/faster
Pause
March
Reel
Waltz
Drum fill
Adagio
Allegro
Unison/octave
Harmony/chord
Solo
Accompanied/
unaccompanied
Repetition
Ostinato
Riff
Round
Striking (hitting)
Blowing
Bowing
Strumming
Plucking
Orchestra
strings, brass,
woodwind
and percussion
(tuned and
untuned)
Accordion
Fiddle
Bagpipes
Acoustic guitar Electric guitar
Piano
Organ
Drum kit
Steel band
Scottish dance
band
Folk group
Voice/Choir
Staccato
Legato
Literacy
Lines and spaces of the treble clef
Steps
Repetition
Crotchet
Minim
Dotted
Minim
Semibreve
Barlines
Double barlines
f forte
p piano
< cresc (crescendo)
> dim (diminuendo)
NATIONAL 4
Styles
Melody/Harmony
Rhythm/Tempo
Texture/
Structure/Form
Timbre/
Dynamics
Baroque
Ragtime
Romantic
Swing
Concerto
Opera
Scots ballad
Mouth music
Reggae
African music
Rapping
Major/minor
(tonality)
Drone
Broken chord
Arpeggio
Chord progression
chords I, IV and
V (major keys)
Change of key
Pedal
Scale
Pentatonic scale
Octave
Vamp
Scat singing
Ornament
Syncopation
Scotch snap
Strathspey
Jig
Simple time
2 3 4
4 4 4
Compound time
Anacrusis
Andante
Accelerando
Rallentando
A tempo
Dotted rhythms
Canon
Ternary (ABA)
Verse and chorus
Middle 8
Theme and
variation
Cadenza
Imitation
Brass band
Wind band
Violin
Cello
Double bass
Harp
Flute
Clarinet
Saxophone
Pan pipes
Recorder
Tambourine
Glockenspiel
Trumpet
Trombone
Timpani
Snare drum
Bass drum
Cymbals
Triangle
Guiro
Xylophone
Harpsichord
Bass guitar
Distortion
Muted
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Backing
vocals
Literacy
Treble clef stave
C-A
Sequenc
