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Music Compositions

Welcome to our Composition page. Here you can find examples of original music composed by our students from KS3 to A Level. 

For GCSE and A Level compositions we have given an indication of exam grade for guidance. You can also find here the links to the marking criteria for GCSE and A Level compositions.

Compositions GCSE

For this topic area, students are required to write their own original music. Many students relish this area of the course and really enjoy the creative outlet for their ideas, however, the art of composition is also one that students can find daunting.  For those students who struggle knowing where to start, we are able to offer a variety of suggested topics to help them with their initial ideas.

The majority of composition is now done using computer software, although there is nothing stopping students from using ‘live’ instruments.  In the Music Department we run Cubase 5 and Sibelius 6 as the main composition programmes.

Below we have set out compositions which achieved a variety of grades during assessment.  We hope these might be helpful to you, and that you enjoy listening to them.

Grade A and A*

The composition is musically stimulating, interesting and satisfying.

  • The candidate demonstrates the successful and imaginative creation of musical ideas in relation to the Areas of Study selected.
  • There is a sense of completeness in the music and there is evidence of development of the musical ideas.
  • Writing for instruments, voices and sound sources is idiomatic.
  • The score is accurate and contains detailed performance directions appropriate to the chosen style of the music.

Morning Stroll A*          
Olympics A*      
Quartet in G minor A

Grade B

The composition is imaginative and largely satisfying.

  • The candidate demonstrates a sound sense of understanding of musical ideas in relation to the Areas of Study selected.
  • There is a sense of wholeness in the music with some development of the musical ideas presented.
  • Writing for instruments, voices and sound sources demonstrates understanding of the techniques required.
  • The score contains sufficient detail to reflect the candidate’s intentions, though some details may be missing.

Memento  B       
Black Tooth Grin  B

Grade C

The composition is largely effective.

  • The candidate demonstrates some understanding of the musical ideas in relation to the Areas of Study selected.
  • There is a competent handling of the musical ideas.
  • Writing for instruments, voices and sound sources demonstrates some understanding of the techniques required.

The score shows some accuracy but may contain some omissions and/or inaccuracies

Spooks!  C

Compositions - A2

Prelude A                
Ground Bass C

Assessment criteria for A level composition: Click here