AQA A-Level Music performance overview quiz quiz

25 percent

30 percent

40 percent

35 percent

At least 10 minutes

At least 5 minutes

At least 15 minutes

At least 20 minutes

An external examiner who visits the centre to hear the recital performed live

Your teacher against AQA criteria, moderated by AQA

Other students in the class, who assess each other's recitals as peer review

It is not marked at all and is only recorded for the centre's own records

Playing the piece as fast as you possibly can from the very first bar to the last

Playing the whole piece as loudly as possible to project to the back of the hall

Maintaining continuity and a secure pulse without hesitation or breakdown

Decorating the melody with as many ornaments and embellishments as you can manage

Solo performance only, with no ensemble work permitted at all

Ensemble performance only, with no solo items allowed in the recital

Voice only, since instrumental performance is not accepted for this component

Solo, ensemble, or a combination of both

The performer's expressive shaping through dynamics, phrasing, articulation, tempo and tone

Translating the lyrics of a vocal piece from its original language into English

Memorising the whole piece so it can be performed without using the printed score

Carefully tuning the instrument to concert pitch before the recital is performed to the examiner

Harder pieces always score higher marks regardless of how accurately or fluently they are actually played in the assessed recital

A clean, fluent performance of a secure piece scores better than an inaccurate attempt at a very difficult one

Only the title and reputation of the chosen piece matters to the examiner, not the playing

The single longest piece in the programme always wins the most marks for the candidate

Playing consistently louder than all of the other players in the ensemble

Ignoring the other players entirely and concentrating only on your own part

Listening, blending, keeping together and balancing your part

Playing your own part entirely from memory without using the printed score

Add the expressive interpretation first, and only then go back to learn the notes

Only ever do full run-throughs of the whole programme from start to finish

Record the assessed take first, and then gradually learn the notes afterwards

Notes and rhythms, then fluency, then interpretation, then full run-throughs

Perform the full programme to others beforehand so the recorded take feels familiar

Avoid practising at all on the day before the recording so your hands stay fresh

Record the assessed take without doing any preparation or warming up at all first

Choose pieces you have never played before so that the recital feels exciting and new