Northern Ireland · CCEASyllabus
Music syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the Northern Ireland Musicsyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Component 3: Listening and Appraising
Module overview →- How does film music create mood and support the action, and how do you appraise it?Area of Study 2 Film Music: appraising how composers use the musical elements to underscore image, mood and character.13 min answer →
- How is the 90-minute listening exam structured and how do you answer each question type for top marks?Listening exam technique: how the Component 3 written paper works and how to answer short-feature, comparison and extended-response questions on played extracts.13 min answer →
- What are the features of traditional Irish music and how do you appraise them?Area of Study 3 Musical Traditions of Ireland: appraising the instruments, dance types, melodic and rhythmic features of Irish traditional music.13 min answer →
- What are the features of popular music since 1980 and how do you appraise them?Area of Study 4 Popular Music 1980 to present: appraising song structure, the rhythm section, technology and vocal style in pop, rock and related genres.13 min answer →
- What musical elements and vocabulary do you use to describe and appraise any piece of music?The musical elements: the shared vocabulary of melody, harmony, tonality, structure, texture, timbre, tempo, metre, rhythm, dynamics and articulation used to appraise every Area of Study.14 min answer →
- How do you describe and appraise Baroque, Classical and Romantic music in the listening exam?Area of Study 1 Western Classical Music 1600 to 1910: appraising the Baroque, Classical and Romantic styles and their three set works.13 min answer →
Practical Components: Performing and Composing (overview)
Module overview →- How does the practical composing component work and how do you prepare for it?Component 2 Composing overview: the two compositions, the free brief and the stimulus brief, and how this practical, controlled-assessment component is submitted.11 min answer →
- How does the practical performing component work and how do you prepare for it?Component 1 Performing and Appraising overview: the solo and ensemble performance and the viva voce, and how this practical, non-examined component is assessed.11 min answer →