Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Guide to Component 3: Composing Music

Name: _________________________________ Tutor Group: _____________

GCSE Target: ________________

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

AQA Component 3: Composing Music

For this component, you have to create and develop musical ideas and produce two
compositions, which are musically convincing. One composition will be to a brief set by
AQA in September of Y11 (composition 1) and the other will be a free composition
(composition 2). You can compose in any style and you may use a combination of
vocal/instrumental and technology.

 Together, the two pieces must last a minimum of 3 minutes.

 Compositions can be in any style
 You can use traditional methods of composing, or use the software on the computers
 Each composition must demonstrate selection and use of at least four types of
musical elements.
o At least two of rhythm, metre, texture, melody, structure, form
o At least two of harmony, tonality, timbre, dynamics, phrasing, articulation
 You must submit written evidence to support your work – Staff-notated score,
annotation, or a lead sheet.
 You must also create a recording of your compositions
 You also have to submit a programme note of approximately 150 words for each
composition.
 Each piece is marked out of 36 and together they form 30% of your GCSE marks.

Composition 1 (To a brief)

 Started in Y11 and completed by Easter of Y11.
 Chose a brief that you can relate to, there will be a choice of four with specific
contexts (audience/occasion).

Composition 2 (Free Composition)

 Started in Y10, completed in Y11.
 Choose a style that you are excited to write for, but it still must have a specific
context (audience/occasion).

Top tips for success

 Listen widely to music written in the style you have chosen.
 Write for instruments you know about. If not – research them thoroughly.
 Plan your composition well. Remember, structure is fundamental when
composing.
 Remember to add the finishing touches - dynamics, articulation, phrasing and
other expressive marks.
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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Thinking about composing

In your lessons, you will have learnt to compose short ideas in lots of different ways.
Hopefully, this will mean that you now know the way in which you compose best. You will
always start by choosing the style you want to write in, which will inform your choice of
instruments and structure.

You might prefer to start using:

 A chord sequence
 A short melodic phrase
 A rhythm
 A particular time signature

For both compositions, you have to choose four elements (two from each group) to focus
on developing. This is because you are marked based on the elements you have chosen to
develop. The mark scheme outlines examples for each element that reflect a particular
mark band. The planning stage is a good time to make sure you are going to include
enough techniques to let you access to the highest marks.

You will probably all use structure for one of the elements, as without this your piece is
unlikely to sound complete. The mark scheme talks a lot about this, so it’s important your
piece sounds whole and has a good ending.

In your composition lessons, you will find that your teacher can’t always get around
everybody each lesson, as there are a lot of you. You should aim for your teacher to discuss
your work with you every 3 lessons. Once per half term, you should make sure you fill in
your progress report based on the feedback you are given.

You might prefer to write using your instrument or voice as a starting point, or you may
prefer to use software on the computers. Be careful when using the computers though –
they are excellent for recording your ideas and creating your score as your go, but they can
play anything. Instruments in real life cannot. Be sure to check that what you write is
playable, or your mark will be affected at the end.

Your work will be formally marked 2-3 times during the course, with specific feedback for
you to improve. We cannot do this for you as there are strict rules as to the guidance we
can give to students. It is important you act on this feedback to maximise your mark.

If it all goes horribly wrong in year 10, there is a possibility of re-doing your free
composition in Y11 in your own time. We do not recommend this though, as you will be
also trying to write your composition to a brief at the same time in Y11.

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Plan for your Free Composition (Y10)

Style

Instruments

Structure

Element 1

Element 2

Element 3

Element 4

Method

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Additional notes

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Plan for your composition to a brief (Y11)

Brief
Style

Instruments

Structure

Element 1

Element 2

Element 3

Element 4

Method

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Additional notes

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Date Free Composition Progress Log Actions

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Date Free Composition Progress Log Actions

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Date Brief Composition Progress Log Actions

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Date Brief Composition Progress Log Actions

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Free Compositon Progress Reports

Y10 Autumn 2 Date:

www

Ebi

Y10 Spring 1 Date:

www

Ebi

Y10 Spring 2 Date:

www

Ebi

Y10 Summer 2 Date:

www

Ebi

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Brief Composition Progress reports

Y11 Autumn 1 Date:

www

Ebi

Y11 Autumn 2 Date:

www

Ebi

Y11 Spring 1 Date:

www

Ebi

Y11 Spring 2 Date:

www

Ebi

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Free Composition Deadline Assessments

Teacher Assessment
Deadline 1 /18 /18
Next steps

Deadline 2 /18 /18

Next steps

Deadline 3 /18 /18

Next steps

Final
/18 /18

Brief Composition Deadline Assessments

Teacher Assessment
Deadline 1 /18 /18
Next steps

Deadline 2 /18 /18

Next steps

Deadline 3 /18 /18

Next steps

Final
/18 /18

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Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

Submission checklist

Brief Composition Submission details Date Signed

Title

Time

Recording ☐
Supporting written work Score Annotation Lead Sheet

Programme note ☐

Free Composition Submission details Date Signed

Title

Time

Recording ☐
Supporting written work Score Annotation Lead Sheet

Programme note ☐

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 Mark scheme part 1 – rhythm, metre, texture, melody, structure, form

Selection and use of rhythm, metre, texture, melody, structure, form

Mark Descriptor
16-18 · Selection and use of elements is exceptionally creative and
effective, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of
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composition
· The selection of elements is exceptionally perceptive and
insightful; entirely appropriate to the intentions of the music,
including the audience/occasion
· The composition sounds finished with excellent technical and
expressive control throughout.
13-15 · Selection and use of elements is highly creative and effective,
demonstrating a coherent understanding of composition
· The selection of elements is highly perceptive and insightful;
clearly appropriate to the intentions of the music, including the
audience/occasion
· The composition requires very little more to sound finished, with
consistent technical and expressive control throughout.

10-12 · Selection and use of elements shows secure creativity and Rhythm and metre: change of metre/ compound time/ augmentation/
AQA GCSE Music (9-1)

effectiveness, demonstrating a sound understanding of
composition
· The selection of elements shows secure perception and insight;
almost always appropriate to the intentions of the music,
including the audience/occasion
· The composition sounds mostly finished, but with further work
required: technical and expressive control is not always
consistent.
diminution/ cross rhythm/syncopation/ dotted rhythms/ triplets/ rubato/
tempo change.
Texture and melody: homophonic texture/ polyphonic texture /scalic,
triadic conjuct and disjunct movement/ ornamentation/ ostinato or riff/
improvisation/ imitation/ canon/ antiphonal texture/ blue notes/ passing
notes.
Structure and form: rondo/ arch shape/ theme and variations/ minuet and
trio/ strophic/ through composed/ sonata/ ground bass/ popular song
form/ blues.

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September 2016
 7-9 · Selection and use of elements is moderately creative and
effective, demonstrating a moderate understanding of
composition
· The selection of elements is moderately perceptive and
insightful; largely appropriate to the intentions of the music,
Rhythm and metre: simple or compound time/ a regular tempo/
semibreves. Minims, crotchets, quavers and semiquavers.
Texture and melody: single line melody/ unison and octaves/ homophonic
texture/ ostinato/ riff.
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including the audience/occasion

· The composition sounds mostly finished, but with further work Structure and form: binary/ ternary/ strophic/ through composed/ ground
required: occasionally lacks coherence, technical and expressive bass/ popular song form/ twelve bar blues.
control is limited and not always consistent.

4-6 · Selection and use of elements shows limited creativity and
effectiveness, demonstrating a basic understanding of
composition
· The selection of elements shows limited perception and insight;
sometimes inappropriate to the intentions of the music, including
the audience/occasion
· The composition sounds unfinished: often lacking coherence,
basic and infrequent technical and expressive control.
Rhythm and metre: simple or compound time/ a regular tempo/
semibreves. Minims, crotchets, and quavers.
Texture and melody: single line melody/ unison and octaves/ homophonic
texture/ riff.
Structure and form: binary/ ternary/ strophic/ ground bass/ popular song
form/ twelve bar blues.
AQA GCSE Music (9-1)

1-3 · Selection and use of elements shows minimal creativity and Rhythm and metre: simple time/ regular tempo
effectiveness, demonstrating a very simplistic understanding of
composition Texture and melody: single line melody/ riff/ unison and octaves
· The selection of elements shows minimal perception and insight;
largely inappropriate to the intentions of the music, including the Structure and form: binary/ ternary
audience/occasion
· Although there are creditworthy elements, the composition
sounds incomplete: incoherent, very little evidence of technical
and expressive control.

0 No work submitted or worthy of credit.

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September 2016
 Mark scheme part 2 – harmony, tonality, timbre, dynamics, phrasing, articulation

Selection and use of harmony, tonality, timbre, dynamics, phrasing,

Mark Descriptor
articulation
16-18 · Selection and use of elements is exceptionally creative and
effective, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of
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composition
· The selection of elements is exceptionally perceptive and
insightful; entirely appropriate to the intentions of the music,
including the audience/occasion
· The composition sounds finished with excellent technical and
expressive control throughout.
13-15 · Selection and use of elements is highly creative and effective,
demonstrating a coherant understanding of composition
· The selection of elements is highly perceptive and insightful;
clearly appropriate to the intentions of the music, including the
audience/occasion
· The composition requires very little more to sound finished, with
consistent technical and expressive control throughout.
10-12 · Selection and use of elements shows secure creativity and Harmony and tonality: perfect, plagal, imperfect and interrupted cadences/
effectiveness, demonstrating a sound understanding of major and minor tonality/ modal tonality/ diatonic harmony/ inverted
AQA GCSE Music (9-1)

composition chords/ modulation/7th chords/ dissonance/ pedal or drone/ chromatic

· The selection of elements shows secure perception and insight;
almost always appropriate to the intentions of the music,
including the audience/occasion
· The composition sounds mostly finished, but with further work
required: technical and expressive control is not always
consistent.
harmony.
Timbre and dynamics: single instruments and/or voices/instrumental
groupings and/or vocal groupings/ synthesized sounds/ computer-
generated sounds/ crescendo and diminuendo/ reverb/ tremolo/ distortion/
vibrato/ falsetto.

Phrasing and articulation: legato/ staccato/ tenuto/ marcato/ accent/

slurring/ arco/ pizzicato/ tonguing,

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September 2016
 7-9 · Selection and use of elements is moderately creative and
effective, demonstrating a moderate understanding of
composition
· The selection of elements is moderately perceptive and
insightful; largely appropriate to the intentions of the music,
including the audience/occasion
· The composition sounds mostly finished, but with further work
required: occasionally lacks coherence, technical and expressive
control is limited and not always consistent.
4-6 · Selection and use of elements shows limited creativity and
effectiveness, demonstrating a basic understanding of
composition
· The selection of elements shows limited perception and insight;
sometimes inappropriate to the intentions of the music, including
the audience/occasion
· The composition sounds unfinished: often lacking coherence,
basic and infrequent technical and expressive control.
1-3 · Selection and use of elements shows minimal creativity and
effectiveness, demonstrating a very simplistic understanding of
composition
· The selection of elements shows minimal perception and insight;
largely inappropriate to the intentions of the music, including the
audience/occasion
· Although there are creditworthy elements, the composition
sounds incomplete: incoherent, very little evidence of technical
and expressive control.
0 No work submitted or worthy of credit.
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Harmony and tonality: major and minor chords, perfect and imperfect
cadence, major tonality/ pedal.
Timbre and dynamics: single instrumental, vocal or sythesised/ computer
generated sounds/ group instrumental, vocal or synthesized/ computer-
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generated sounds/ changes in dynamic.
Phrasing and articulation: legato/ staccato/ accent/ slurring/ arco/
pizzicato/ tonguing.
Harmony and tonality: major and minor chords, perfect and imperfect
cadence, major tonality/pedal.
Timbre and dynamics: single instrumental, vocal or sythesised/computer
generated sounds/balance in dynamic.
Phrasing and articulation: legato/staccato/slurring.
Harmony and tonality: major and minor chords, major tonality.
AQA GCSE Music (9-1)
Timbre and dynamics: single instrumental, vocal or sythesised/ computer
generated sounds/ awareness of dynamic.
Phrasing and articulation: legato/ staccato.
September 2016
Jack Hunt School AQA GCSE Music (9-1) September 2016

 An exceptionally creative composition showing

sophisticated understanding.
 Selection of elements is entirely appropriate to
the intentions of the music, including the
audience/occasion.
 Sounds finished with excellent technical and
expressive control throughout.

 A composition showing secure creativity and

demonstrating sound understanding.
 Selection of elements shows secure insight to
the intentions of the music, including the
audience/occasion.
 Sounds mostly finished but with further work
required: technical and expressive control not
always consistent.

 A moderately creative composition,

demonstrating some understanding.
 Selection of elements is moderately perceptive
and mostly appropriate to the intentions of the
music.
 Sounds mostly finished but with further work
required: technical and expressive control is
limited.

 A composition within minimal creativity,

demonstrating basic understanding.
 Selection of elements is limited and sometimes
inappropriate to the intentions of the music.
 Sounds incomplete, often lacking coherence and
with little evidence of technical and expressive
control.

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