WJEC A-Level Music: complete guide to the components, set works and exam
A complete guide to WJEC A-Level Music (Wales). Covers the three components (Performing, Composing and Appraising), the compulsory Western Classical Tradition symphony study with its Haydn and Mendelssohn set works, the optional areas of study (Rock and Pop, Musical Theatre, Jazz and the twentieth and twenty-first century options), the musical elements you analyse, and how to study for top grades.
WJEC A-Level Music (Wales) combines two coursework components, Performing and Composing, with a written Appraising exam. This page is the index: below is a map of the components, the set works, the areas of study, the musical elements, and how to study each one.
The WJEC Music components
The qualification is built from three components: two non-examined assessments and one written exam.
- Performing (Component 1)
- A recorded recital of 10 to 12 minutes on one or more instruments or voice, worth 35 per cent, marked for accuracy and technical control and for interpretation and communication.
- Composing (Component 2)
- Two compositions totalling 4 to 6 minutes, worth 25 per cent: one written to a WJEC set brief and one a free composition, marked for handling of the musical elements, idiomatic writing and structure.
- Appraising (Component 3)
- A written listening exam worth 40 per cent, testing analysis of the compulsory Western Classical Tradition set works and a chosen optional area of study, plus unfamiliar music.
The set works and areas of study
The Western Classical Tradition is the compulsory area of study, focused on the development of the symphony 1750 to 1900 through two set works: Haydn's Symphony No. 104 (London) and Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 (Italian), one studied in depth and the other in general. Alongside it, you take an optional area of study: Rock and Pop, Musical Theatre or Jazz, with the further options Into the Twentieth Century (Debussy, Poulenc) and Into the Twenty-first Century (Ades, Beamish).
The musical elements
The Appraising exam is analysed through the musical elements: melody, harmony, tonality, structure, rhythm and metre, texture, sonority, dynamics and tempo. The same toolkit describes the symphony set works and every other style, so mastering the elements and their vocabulary is the core listening skill of the course.
Exam structure
WJEC A-Level Music is assessed by two non-examined components and one written paper.
- Performing (Component 1) - a recorded recital of 10 to 12 minutes, marked for accuracy, technical control and interpretation (35 per cent).
- Composing (Component 2) - two compositions totalling 4 to 6 minutes, one to a brief and one free, marked for the musical elements and structure (25 per cent).
- Appraising (Component 3) - a written listening exam on the symphony set works and a chosen optional area of study, plus unfamiliar music (40 per cent).
How to study WJEC Music
Music rewards secure performance, crafted composition and precise listening analysis.
- Build the recital early. Choose contrasting, secure repertoire and rehearse the full programme.
- Compose with the elements. Answer the brief, develop a free piece, and control melody, harmony, rhythm, texture and structure.
- Know the set works. Study the Haydn and Mendelssohn symphonies movement by movement.
- Study your optional area. Learn its defining features and (where applicable) its set works.
- Drill the musical elements. Practise describing any extract using correct terms.
The components and elements, topic by topic
Each component and area has a topic-level overview with worked exam questions and cross-links, plus dot-point pages for the set works, the optional areas and the musical elements.
For the official specification
WJEC publishes the full specification, set works, past papers and mark schemes at wjec.co.uk. Always revise from the current specification and WJEC's own past papers, because set works and question style are board-specific.
Music guides
In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.
- Composing overview: how the two WJEC A-Level Music compositions (Component 2) work
A complete overview of WJEC A-Level Music Component 2 (Composing): the two compositions totalling 4 to 6 minutes worth 25 per cent, the WJEC set brief and the free composition, how handling of the musical elements and structure is marked, and how to develop material and submit.
9 min readRead β - Musical Elements and Analysis overview: the listening toolkit for WJEC A-Level Music
A complete overview of the musical elements you analyse in WJEC A-Level Music Appraising: melody and harmony, tonality and structure, and rhythm, texture and sonority, the analytical toolkit used to describe listening extracts in any style across the exam.
10 min readRead β - Optional Areas of Study overview: the chosen Appraising areas in WJEC A-Level Music
A complete overview of the optional areas of study in WJEC A-Level Music Appraising: Rock and Pop, Musical Theatre, Jazz, Into the Twentieth Century and Into the Twenty-first Century, how they are chosen alongside the compulsory symphony study, and the features each one examines.
10 min readRead β - Performing overview: how the WJEC A-Level Music recital (Component 1) works
A complete overview of WJEC A-Level Music Component 1 (Performing): the 10 to 12 minute recorded recital worth 35 per cent, the solo and ensemble options, how accuracy, technical control and interpretation are assessed, and how to choose and prepare a programme.
9 min readRead β - The Western Classical Tradition overview: the symphony and set works in WJEC A-Level Music
A complete overview of WJEC A-Level Music Area of Study A, the Western Classical Tradition: the development of the symphony 1750 to 1900, the set works (Haydn's London Symphony and Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony), and the harmony, structure and orchestration the Appraising exam expects.
10 min readRead β
Music practice quizzes
Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.
- Composing overview quiz - WJEC A-Level Music14 questionsStart β
- Musical Elements and Analysis overview quiz - WJEC A-Level Music14 questionsStart β
- Optional Areas of Study overview quiz - WJEC A-Level Music14 questionsStart β
- Performing overview quiz - WJEC A-Level Music14 questionsStart β
- The Western Classical Tradition overview quiz - WJEC A-Level Music14 questionsStart β
The WJEC-A-LEVEL system, explained
See all β- generalAI and academic integrity in 2026: what you can and cannot do
An honest 2026 guide to how Year 12 students can use AI tools well and where the line is. NESA, VCAA, and QCAA rules, what AI is actually good at, what it is bad at, and how to think about it without panicking.
- wellbeingExam stress, anxiety, and looking after yourself
An honest guide to exam stress and mental health in Year 12. What is normal, what is not, when to ask for help, and what to do if it gets really hard. With the numbers you can call.
- uni pathwaysGap year or uni straight after school?
A clear-eyed comparison of going straight to uni versus taking a gap year. Who benefits from each, how to actually defer your offer, common gap-year traps, and how to make either path work for you.
- generalHow ExamExplained is built: the AI-first methodology (2026)
How ExamExplained is built. Claude Opus (Anthropic's latest AI) reads the published syllabuses, past papers and marking guides from the official exam authorities, then writes the dot-point answers, guides and quizzes. AI-written, not individually human-reviewed, so always check the official authority for what affects your mark.
- uni pathwaysHow to choose a uni course (without picking the wrong one)
A practical guide to picking your university course in Year 12. How to research, how to order preferences, when to ignore the ATAR cutoff, and how to leave yourself an escape hatch if you change your mind.