I'm sorry to bring up A levels again as I have made various posts about it before...but I'm still dithering. There seem to be loads of people here and at my school who hate Music A level. So if you like it, please can you say so and tell me why? thanks.

I'm not doing music A-level...or at least not at the moment - I will be next year (yay!). I know a few people who do A-level music, though, and they say they really like it because they love music in general, but they just say that it's very hard

What are the music teachers like at your school? It seems that they can really 'make or break' a subject. The teachers are my school are really great, so perhaps that's why people like the course, who knows?

Good question to ask by the way - I'm interested in the any replies too!

Laura

Well the one who I know is fantastic from first-hand experience will be on maternity leave at some point - not sure when. You have one teacher for composition and one for other stuff (I think) so I can almost guarantee who the two would be and from knowing them from orchestras/accompanying for exams etc both seem great, but I don't know for sure, I've never had classroom lessons with them. I guess they'll be getting someone temporary in as well though.

I would totally agree with singerpianist on the teacher thing, and I suppose it really depends on your school. I don't personally know anyone who hates Music A Level, but I do know lots who hate GCSE, probably because we are a 11-18 state school, so 6th form is attached, and it's pretty much guaranteed which teacher you will have for A Level (only 1 out of the 2 staff teaches it at the moment, the other teaches Music Tech although we are only offering a different Music combined with Music Tech A Level next year so they'll probably both teach it.) This means lots of people drop it after GCSE if they discover that they don't like the teacher, so generally the A Level class all really want to and enjoy doing it.

I've just asked my son about this - he is in year 13 and does Music (Edexcel) for fun as a fifth A-level. He says AS Music was really good, because there is such a mix of things: Bach chorales, composition, performance, anthology works, etc. It was so much fun that he decided to do A2, although initially he'd planned to drop it at the end of year 12 to concentrate on his other A levels.

But he hasn't enjoyed A2 nearly as much, because it goes into fewer things in greater depth - it may have been OK if he could have chosen which things to go into, but of course the school does that. He's become very bored with studying so few works, so in some ways he might have been better to stop after AS while he was still enjoying it.

Why not give AS a try and then see how you feel at the end of year 12? I expect the teachers make a lot of difference to how much fun it is, but if you think they'll be OK and you fancy doing it, go for it!

I love it. It makes a change from my other subjects, and I enjoy the various bits of it. Some people find it really too bitty though - it depends on the person! I'm looking forward to specializing next year.

I love it too I like how you can specialise in the 2nd year, so you don't have to do composition any more... Also it's a nice change from all my other subjects (double maths, chemistry).

Thanks for your opinions guys - I think I will do it but what's holding me back is that the others who will be doing it are people who spend their Saturdays at music college and are working on diplomas. I'm grade 6 ish so fine in terms of performance but I can imagine being the slowest in the group to grasp things and also I can't see myself being very good at composition. Not to mention at the recitals...having three diploma-standard people who are going to become professionals to listen to in one evening...and then me.

im doing AS at the moment and i love most of the course!
theres always going to be bits you don't like or find hard, but if u generally like music, there shouldnt be a problem!

I'm doing A2 at the moment and agree that it is quite difficult, particularly if your teachers aren't up to scratch. I can't honestly say I've enjoyed much of the course this year, everything has been so unorganised but that's due to the teacher. I love music though which is one of the reason I decided to continue onto A2, the course itself it quite varied and gives you opportunity (particularly in composition) to explore different genres of music. With the right teaching A level music can be really enjoyable.

I liked it although the school/quality of the teaching really meant I liked it less than I should have.

Don't worry too much about the standard, they expect candidates to be grade 5/6 level so you'll be fine

Thanks everyone for your advice. I think I'm going to go for it because previously it was competing with geography which I know now I don't want to do, and my violin teacher says she thinks I should do it.

Apologies if I make less sense than usual, I've probably drunk a little too much this evening, and would normally refrain from posting as a logical consequence, except I expect I'll forget to else!

Seems to me that the 2 diploma standard students are one of the reasons to do the course! Often, on these threads, people say they find A level and GCSE music tough, because the classes can be full of people doing it for the sake of an 'easy' subject.

Additionally, the small classes that tend to exist in 6th forms are generally pretty friendly. You might find you learn as much from those students as the teacher! Might not work so well if you don't particularly like them though!

From what you say, so long as you have confidence in the teaching quality, the course has lots of potential to be fun at your school. The only final question is where it fits into your long terms plans. It certainly seems worth pursuing at A/S level, if there is no other 4th or 5th subject you are burning to study. I regret not doing one creative subject at GCSE or International Baccalaureate, as it made it such a slog.

Lastly, try and have more confidence in yourself and your musical ability! You might find a latent composition talent you never expected!

I'm doing AS Level at the moment, so A Level next year.
It is good, and interesting, but it does take up an awful lot of time, certainly alot more than other subjects.
For instance, if a piece of coursework for english would take you three hours, a composition could take you anything up to three months depending on what grade you're hoping to hit with it.

But if you enjoy music, enjoy composition, and have the time, then i would say certainly go for it!

I am taking it now and enjoy it. I didn't at first but this was mainly because I was behind everyone else (moved from a school where i learned nothing) and found it difficult. That is the tricky thing with music, i have found the people who dislike it don't understand it, find it difficult or don't understand why they aren't top of the class anymore. you just need to be prepared to work hard.