Guildhall Young Artists Online GCSE Music Support

About GCSE Music Support 

Practice and preparation is key when it comes to music exams. This class has been designed for year 10 and 11 students to get ahead with their music preparation for GCSE, so that they feel confident when taking their exams.

This course is intended to support students with every aspect of their GCSE music requirements and is suitable for all exam boards. You will improve your understanding and confidence in answering questions found in the GCSE Music listening paper, learning key appraisal skills needed to make evaluative and critical judgments.  You will receive overview guidance of your GCSE compositions and will be taught the skills needed to achieve a high mark in the performance element of the exam.

Who is it for?

Students aged 14–18 planning to take GCSE music and aiming for grades 7–9.

What can I expect? 

A stimulating and fun course that supports and demystifies the GCSE music curriculum taught at school.

By the end of the course you will:

• Have developed an appreciation and understanding of the diverse heritage of music required for the GSCE listening and appraising paper
• Gain insight and increased skills for your performance modules
• Have a composition that is within the required parameters to access grades 7–9
• Feel fully prepared and equipped ahead of your GCSE music exams 

Course Outline 

Term one
You will learn key appraisal skills needed to support making evaluative and critical judgments found in the GCSE Music listening paper. You will also receive help with developing your compositions for the GCSE music exam, using rhythm, metre, texture melody, structure and form to reach grades 7–9.

Term two
You will continue to develop the knowledge and understanding needed to be confident in the listening exam. We will also include guidance for helping you to record your performance most effectively. This will include performance delivery, performance recording preparation, choosing the most suitable piece to play, as well as how to deal with nerves and feel confident in your own ability.

Term three
As you continue to increase your knowledge of the requirements for the Listening and Appraising Paper across all exam boards, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate and apply this musical knowledge through practice exam questions and tutor feedback.

Please note that class content could be subject to change.

About the Course Tutor

Dave Laurence is Head of Music at St Michael’s Catholic College in Bermondsey where he has had 18 years of GCSE Music teaching experience. He also teaches the french horn at Centre for Young Musicians, part of the Guildhall Young Artists network. 

Dave studied the french horn, guitar and composition at the Royal Academy of Music. After leaving, he worked as a horn player in Les Misérables and with classical and jazz orchestras including the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Radio Big Band. 

He is passionate about teaching every aspect of music and composes songs as well as music for TV and Radio adverts. 

Do I need anything?

• An email address
• A reliable internet connection
• A computer/laptop/tablet with a microphone and a camera.
• Your browser fully updated to be able to use the most recent version of Zoom (if using an Apple device we recommend installing an alternative browser such as Google Chrome or Mozilla)

Please ensure you are able to work in a well-lit and quiet environment so that your tutor is able to fully assess your work and performance.