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Why study Music?
Music gives you the opportunity to use your imagination and express yourself in a creative and practical way. It helps you to develop important skills such as: playing a musical instrument, communication, creative thinking, using your voice, composing and arranging music. You can develop and consolidate your skills in performing and creating music, and develop your creativity and confidence as you explore and develop your own creative ideas and music.
The skills you learn on this course not only makes a valuable contribution to your general education and personal development but also allows you to develop the skills and knowledge required to proceed to further study and/or follow a career in music.
What do I need to get in?
Entry is at the discretion of the school or college but you would normally have achieved:
What will I study?
Music is a practical, hands-on subject that develops your creativity and imagination, and your musical skills. You will have the opportunity to perform a variety of music in solo and/or group settings using your voice or your chosen instrument(s).
You will also develop your skills in composing, arranging and improvising music, and learn about the social and cultural factors that influence music.
The course has three compulsory units. The units are similar to those for National 4, but you will be expected to produce a higher standard of work.
Music: Performing Skills (6 SCQF credit points)
In this unit you will:
- develop your performing skills on two selected instruments, or on one selected instrument and voice
- learn how to perform music accurately while maintaining the musical flow
- develop your own technical and musical performing skills.
Music: Composing Skills (6 SCQF credit points)
In this unit you will:
- experiment with and use compositional methods and music concepts in imaginative ways when creating your own music
- reflect on your own creative choices and decisions and develop a basic understanding of how composers develop their ideas and create their music.
Note: Both of these units may be taken with a Scottish Context option, which contributes towards the Scottish Studies Award.
Understanding Music (6 SCQF credit points)
In this unit you will:
- develop your knowledge and understanding of a range of music concepts and music literacy
- learn how to identify the distinguishing features of specific music styles, and how to recognise music concepts in excerpts of music
- learn how to understand and recognise common music signs and symbols used in music notation.
How will I be assessed?
Course Assessment (6 SCQF credit points)
Units will be internally assessed by your teacher or lecturer as 'pass' or 'fail'. Your work will be assessed on an ongoing basis throughout the course. Items of work might include:
- practical work
- written work
- projects.
Units do not contribute to your overall grade but to achieve the course qualification, you must pass all three units plus a course assessment.
The course assessment for this course consists of two components:
- performance (60 marks)
- examination question paper (40 marks).
The paper will be set and marked by the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA).
For the performance component, you will perform a programme of music that is set by your school or college, either using two selected instruments or one selected instrument and voice. This will be assessed by a visiting SQA assessor.
The course assessment is graded A-D.
What can I go on to next?
If you complete the course successfully, it may lead to:
Further study, training or employment in:
Which jobs are related to this subject?
Where can my parents find out more?
Your school will give your parents an Options or Choices information booklet, which has detailed information on the curriculum and the individual subjects or courses you can study. It will also invite them along to a Parents’ Information Evening.
They can also read the information leaflet(s):
Nationals in a Nutshell - Music (National 5)