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The four areas of study

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What do I need to know about the Beethoven Symphony No. 1 set work?

The Area of Study 1 set work for first assessment 2026, Beethoven Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21 first movement (Adagio molto - Allegro con brio), its slow introduction, sonata form, harmony, tonality, texture, orchestration and Classical context, as examined in Section B of the listening paper.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Music Area of Study 1 set work, Beethoven Symphony No. 1 first movement, covering its slow introduction, sonata form, harmony, orchestration and Classical context for Section B of the listening exam from 2026.
12 min answer →

What are the styles and features of popular music?

Popular music, including pop, rock, jazz, blues, musical theatre and film and computer game music, their instruments, structures and techniques, and the AQA strand of study based on the music of The Beatles.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Music area of study on popular music, covering pop, rock, blues, jazz, musical theatre and film music, their features and the set artist The Beatles.
9 min answer →

What are the features of traditional music from around the world?

Traditional music, including blues and folk, world music such as Indian raga, African drumming and Caribbean styles, their instruments, scales and rhythms, and the AQA strand of study based on the music of Paul Simon.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Music area of study on traditional music, covering folk, blues, Indian, African and Caribbean styles, their features and the set artist Paul Simon.
9 min answer →

How did Western classical music change after 1910?

Western classical music since 1910, including expressionism, neoclassicism, minimalism, serialism and experimental techniques, their distinctive harmony, rhythm and textures, and how twentieth and twenty-first century composers broke with earlier traditions.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Music area of study on Western classical music since 1910, covering expressionism, neoclassicism, minimalism, serialism and experimental techniques.
9 min answer →

What defines the Western classical tradition from 1650 to 1910?

The Western classical tradition 1650 to 1910, including the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods, their characteristic forms, harmony and instrumentation, and the set work the Badinerie for the AQA strand of study.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE Music area of study on the Western classical tradition 1650 to 1910, covering the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods and their features and set work.
9 min answer →