Kings Ely senior
Academic
Music
Music at King’s Ely is vibrant, engaging and inclusive.
Recent results have been excellent, with GCSE at 100% A*-B and AS Level 100% at A grade.
At King's Ely, our students enjoy making music under the watchful eyes of an unparalleled orchestra of visiting teachers and professional musicians.
Our musicians perform to the highest standards as soloists and ensamble payers. Many attend music schools at the weekends to enhance further their performance skills.
Not only does Music activate every area of your brain, but it helps you gain a valuable range of transferable skills that will attract universities and employers in later life.
At King's Ely, we believe music helps to maintain good mental health by improving your mood, prompting creativity, and therefore helping regulate anxiety, self-doubt, and other emotions.
Through performing, composing, and appraising, GCSE Music will help build skills in:
- Developing creativity and self-expression
- Problem solving and teamwork
- Independent learning
- Researching and planning
- Listening, analysing, and essay-writing
- Confidence and self-esteem
- Critical thinking
Music is one of very few courses to retain the 60% coursework weighting, meaning that there is only one exam at the end. This helps to spread out the work more evenly and takes a little pressure off revision during those critical final weeks.
| GCSE Topic Overview |
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Component 1 (MU01): Performing Students will perform on one or more instruments of choice, as a soloist and as a member of an ensemble, and will produce two recordings. In order to access the highest marks, students will need to be Grade 5 standard by Year 11 on one instrument (including voice). Students will record their performance in Year 11 but there will be plenty of preparation time to build up to this performance in Year 10. Component 2 (MU02): Composing After learning compositional techniques and strategies, students compose two short pieces. One of these is a free composition in which students write to suit their musical tastes and interests. The second is a response to a brief set by the exam board. Students will use a variety of notation and software programmes to complete this. Examples of compositions include a song, instrumental piece (solo/duet/trio), dance track or film score. Component 3 (MU03): Appraising The only part of GCSE Music assessed by examination involves the study of music from Baroque to Rock, and from Sonata to Samba, with J.S. Bach, John Williams, and Queen (amongst many others) studied in depth. Through listening and critically appraising during the GCSE course, students will be ready to answer a variety of short questions and a small essay in the final listening examination. Studying music is even more than this, however: GCSE Music helps students to hear and understand more. The more one hears, the better one can listen, and the more enjoyment one will find. The opportunities continue A willingness to support some of the fabulous live music here at King’s is a huge advantage. Choirs, Orchestras, Bands, and Chamber Groups all have their place and only succeed with pupil support. Are there any restrictions? Candidates should have a secure performing background to around Grade 3/4 or higher along with an understanding of basic musical notation and a willingness to work towards their Grade 5 Theory. It is expected that all GCSE Music candidates take instrumental lessons in or out of school. |
Neil studied under Christopher Robinson and his father, John Porter as a chorister at St George’s Windsor. A scholar at Malvern College, Neil won a major music scholarship to Trinity College of Music, London where he continued his vocal and string tuition under James Gaddarn, Elizabeth Turnbull and Stephen Tees.
Following conservatoire and touring with his string quartet, Neil moved into teaching, working as Head of Music at Winchester House and Birkdale School before he moved with his family to Ely in 1996.
Neil has been Housemaster and Director of Music to the boy choristers of Ely Cathedral and in the Prep department before moving into the Senior School in 2018. Neil conducts and trains many groups and choirs and is often asked to adjudicate competitions. He has compositions published and regularly writes for the school and loves working with budding composers. Neil also loves his musical theatre and pop/rock and can often be found on stage!
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