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A-Level

NEW: A-Level Music: Creating Outstanding Compositions

Course Code:
T0079
£269.00+vat

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Led by Alex Aitken, this refreshed and new composition course continues to be one of the most popular Music courses we run. Designed for all teachers of both GCSE and A-level Music, regardless of exam board and experience, the course has been described by delegates as ‘game-changing’, ‘truly inspiring’, ‘hugely insightful’ and ‘fantastically informative’. The course is continually rewritten to reflect the latest developments in teaching composition, and is packed with information, tips, proven teaching strategies and expert guidance

BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

  • A thorough day of CPD on all things composition, discussing everything from specific mark schemes through to implementing a school-wide approach to composition.
  • Expert guidance from one of the UK’s leading educationalists, who is also an A-level examiner, former Head of Music, and the author of one of the top A-level resources in the UK: www. masteringalevelmusic.co.uk.
  • Take away proven strategies, approaches and monitoring processes for composition at both GCSE and A-level.
  • Gain a range of effective methods that encourage low, mid and high ability students.
  • Raise academic standards in composition, and be challenged with new ideas and philosophies, regardless of your experience.
  • Learn ways to mitigate the risk of subjectivity in compositions. l Gain confidence in tackling the compositional process; particularly if you do not think of yourself as a composing musician.

PROGRAMME

Actually Defining Outstanding

10.00 – 11.30am
  • Actually Defining Outstanding
  • Summarising the latest guidance from all exam boards; common patterns.
  • Seeking a general consensus from the exam boards on what makes a composition outstanding.
  • Integrating exam report feedback and common errors with exam criteria to find patterns.
  • Hidden aspects to the Mark Schemes.
  • Composition curriculum end points and key objectives.
  • Ingredients of outstanding compositions.
  • The issue of subjectivity.

 

Coffee Break

11.30 – 11.45am

Immediate Priorities and Teaching Strategies

11.45 – 12.45pm
  • Too little teaching time: immediate solutions to tackle inefficiency.
  • The power of research; harnessing and capitalising upon student’s tastes.
  • Designing composition briefs – issues, parameters and requirements.
  • The issue of pastiche.
  • Using the latest research on the creative process to shape teaching strategies.
  • `I can’t compose’: boosting confidence and self-belief through a change of tack.
  • Helping weaker or underconfident student to boost confidence and self-belief.
  • How creative and how academic? Treading the fine line.
  • Working smarter.

Immediate Priorities and Teaching Strategies

11.45 – 12.45pm
  • Too little teaching time: immediate solutions to tackle inefficiency.
  • The power of research; harnessing and capitalising upon student’s tastes.
  • Designing composition briefs – issues, parameters and requirements.
  • The issue of pastiche.
  • Using the latest research on the creative process to shape teaching strategies.
  • `I can’t compose’: boosting confidence and self-belief through a change of tack.
  • Helping weaker or underconfident student to boost confidence and self-belief.
  • How creative and how academic? Treading the fine line.
  • Working smarter.

 

Deepening Skills

12.45 – 1.00pm
  • Making your life easier – getting students thinking and the importance of environment.
  • Overlaps with the other components of the specification; achieving greater efficiency.
  • Teaching non-pianists to harmonise, and singers to think vertically.
  • Graphical methods and alternative ideas for the planning stage; daring to be different.
  • Writing up later: surprising benefits.

Lunch

1.00 – 1.30pm

Keeping Track

1.30 – 2.00pm
  • Verbal feedback vs. written feedback – making SLT spreadsheet lovers happy.
  • Efficient marking processes when they can select all and delete between sessions.
  • Minimising time but maximising feedback value – making it a reality.
  • Accuracy vs. validity – problems with using the mark schemes before students have finished.

Adding Shine

2.00 – 2.30pm
  • Notation, typesetting, formatting and annotating – avoiding common errors.
  • Making a composition shine.
  • Final presentation of the score and alternative formats; communicating intentions to the examiner.
  • Composition Recordings – alternative ideas to make a better impact.


Manchester | Thursday 14 November 2024
London | Thursday 13 June 2024

This course, tailored to suit, can be delivered in your school. Discuss this further with our CPD team on 01625 532974 or click below to make an enquiry.

COURSE LEADER

Alexander Aitken is now one of the UK’s leading educationalists for Music, and is the author of www.masteringalevelmusic.co.uk, which is now used worldwide. An A-level examiner and former Head of Music, he also was part of Edexcel’s GCSE Music textbook team, having written the analysis of Defying Gravity. He continues to maintain a slightly too-busy schedule as a Musical Director, pianist and teacher, having most recently been the Children’s Musical Director and Cover Conductor on Cameron Mackintosh’s London production of Mary Poppins.


WHO SHOULD ATTEND

  • Head of Music
  • Teachers of Music, both new and experience

THIS COURSE INCLUDES

  • Thorough and hugely detailed handouts from the day
  • CPD Certificate of attendance

Description

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Led by Alex Aitken, this refreshed and new composition course continues to be one of the most popular Music courses we run. Designed for all teachers of both GCSE and A-level Music, regardless of exam board and experience, the course has been described by delegates as ‘game-changing’, ‘truly inspiring’, ‘hugely insightful’ and ‘fantastically informative’. The course is continually rewritten to reflect the latest developments in teaching composition, and is packed with information, tips, proven teaching strategies and expert guidance


BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

  • A thorough day of CPD on all things composition, discussing everything from specific mark schemes through to implementing a school-wide approach to composition.
  • Expert guidance from one of the UK’s leading educationalists, who is also an A-level examiner, former Head of Music, and the author of one of the top A-level resources in the UK: www. masteringalevelmusic.co.uk.
  • Take away proven strategies, approaches and monitoring processes for composition at both GCSE and A-level.
  • Gain a range of effective methods that encourage low, mid and high ability students.
  • Raise academic standards in composition, and be challenged with new ideas and philosophies, regardless of your experience.
  • Learn ways to mitigate the risk of subjectivity in compositions. l Gain confidence in tackling the compositional process; particularly if you do not think of yourself as a composing musician.

PROGRAMME

Actually Defining Outstanding

10.00 – 11.30am

  • Actually Defining Outstanding
  • Summarising the latest guidance from all exam boards; common patterns.
  • Seeking a general consensus from the exam boards on what makes a composition outstanding.
  • Integrating exam report feedback and common errors with exam criteria to find patterns.
  • Hidden aspects to the Mark Schemes.
  • Composition curriculum end points and key objectives.
  • Ingredients of outstanding compositions.
  • The issue of subjectivity.

 

Coffee Break

11.30 – 11.45am


Immediate Priorities and Teaching Strategies

11.45 – 12.45pm

  • Too little teaching time: immediate solutions to tackle inefficiency.
  • The power of research; harnessing and capitalising upon student’s tastes.
  • Designing composition briefs – issues, parameters and requirements.
  • The issue of pastiche.
  • Using the latest research on the creative process to shape teaching strategies.
  • `I can’t compose’: boosting confidence and self-belief through a change of tack.
  • Helping weaker or underconfident student to boost confidence and self-belief.
  • How creative and how academic? Treading the fine line.
  • Working smarter.

Immediate Priorities and Teaching Strategies

11.45 – 12.45pm

  • Too little teaching time: immediate solutions to tackle inefficiency.
  • The power of research; harnessing and capitalising upon student’s tastes.
  • Designing composition briefs – issues, parameters and requirements.
  • The issue of pastiche.
  • Using the latest research on the creative process to shape teaching strategies.
  • `I can’t compose’: boosting confidence and self-belief through a change of tack.
  • Helping weaker or underconfident student to boost confidence and self-belief.
  • How creative and how academic? Treading the fine line.
  • Working smarter.

 

Deepening Skills

12.45 – 1.00pm

  • Making your life easier – getting students thinking and the importance of environment.
  • Overlaps with the other components of the specification; achieving greater efficiency.
  • Teaching non-pianists to harmonise, and singers to think vertically.
  • Graphical methods and alternative ideas for the planning stage; daring to be different.
  • Writing up later: surprising benefits.

Lunch

1.00 – 1.30pm


Keeping Track

1.30 – 2.00pm

  • Verbal feedback vs. written feedback – making SLT spreadsheet lovers happy.
  • Efficient marking processes when they can select all and delete between sessions.
  • Minimising time but maximising feedback value – making it a reality.
  • Accuracy vs. validity – problems with using the mark schemes before students have finished.

Adding Shine

2.00 – 2.30pm

  • Notation, typesetting, formatting and annotating – avoiding common errors.
  • Making a composition shine.
  • Final presentation of the score and alternative formats; communicating intentions to the examiner.
  • Composition Recordings – alternative ideas to make a better impact.

Additional information

Location and Date

London | Thursday 13 June 2024, Manchester | Thursday 14 November 2024

Enquiry Form

Please complete the form below and we’ll get back to you shortly