A Level Music: Achieving Your Potential

Most A Level courses involve combinations of the following: history/analysis aural/ listening harmony/ composition performance. Inevitably most students will have a preference for one or two of these areas, usually based on how well they perceive their ability or confidence in their chosen areas. However, there is one musical factor which invisibly links every aspect of A level study and which, if a candidate can master and become thoroughly confident in its application will lead to increased performance and success. That factor is critical listening or critical awareness. And it all stems from those earliest days when we begin to play an instrument-the voice is definitely included here too. Too often when we learn to play an instrument we simply go through the mechanics of learning the correct fingering to enable us to produce the correct pitch for the right length of time. This is perfectly understandable in the earliest days, but often, imperceptibly, we allow it to continue far longer than we should, even when we are preparing for higher grades, having now been performers for several years. So what do I really mean by critical listening or critical awareness? Well, in a nutshell, I mean don’t just play the notes, but listen to what you are playing. Really listen. Relate each note to the one either side of it are you aware of the relationship or interval between them? You are now developing crucial aural skills that underpin all A level courses. Then listen to longer sections then listen to the whole piece. Do sections repeat or return? You are now thinking more critically about structure. Not only will this help with the aural sections of the exam but harmony and composition are all about intervallic relationships and structure, And let’s not forget set works which are about-ah, yes- intervals and structure (among other things)! And finally, of course, there is the performance component itself in the A Level exam-back where we started all those years ago. If we can all start to take this approach early on in our performing life ( at whatever age) then surely by the time we arrive in the sixth form, we will have that much more confidence and skill in being able to tackle the rigours of A level. I’ve suggested adopting this approach from as soon as you are able whenever you are practising a new piece. Equally important is to take every opportunity to perform to a live audience: parents/siblings/ friends/ school concerts or concerts organised by your music teacher. If you have had, say, ten years of publicly performing by the time you do your A Level performance, then surely many of the performance ‘phobias’ will have disappeared by then. Get to know a broader repertoire of music, not just in your own playing but generally. Too often these days music education is far too narrow we tend to follow the syllabus rigidly and leave it there. There appears to be no time to explore and probe beyond the narrow confines of the A Level syllabus (I probably should say ‘specification’). So make time. Go to live concerts-not only will this broaden your general musical repertoire but it might stimulate your own critical thinking about different interpretations of music. Listen on-line or on the radio: Classic FM is brilliant at providing bite-size portions –I often play a game with myself when I tune-in mid-way through a piece: can I work out the composer or at least the correct period and style? If nothing else you are developing your general musical repertoire and that will help you to put your particular A level history/listening module in some sort of musical continuum context: just like those aural intervals earlier, you will appreciate what and who comes either side of your set work/topic. In conclusion then, don’t just play: listen. Listen to yourself every time you practise. Listen to music whenever you hear it. Develop your inner ear. Listen to a variety of music across the centuries-there’s so much out there. In short, go beneath the surface-it’s much more interesting (ask any surgeon or marine biologist!). If nothing else, spending time developing your inner ear will markedly increase your confidence and it just might also improve those crucial aural perception skills which are the backbone of music in all its aspects.