MUSIC  `GCSE` - listening / appraising tests.

This series of three publications covers many aspects of the `unseen` listening tests of all three exam boards, focusing on graded questions linked to the prescribed Areas of Study.

"GCSE LISTENING - CD1"  booklet and CD - simplified standard of questions, suitable for use in year 10.   

"GCSE LISTENING - CD2"  booklet and CD - `exam` standard questions (based on specimen papers) for use in year 11.   

"GCSE LISTENING - SAMPLE PAPERS"  booklet and double CD - `exam` standard questions for use as complete practice papers.  

MUSIC  `GCSE` - composing and composing techniques / exercises.

All three exam boards.

Covers many aspects of the composition requirements outlined in the new GCSE syllabuses, with particular relevance to those composing tasks which are linked to the prescribed Areas of Study.

"COMPOSING FOR GCSE" booklet and CD.

  Here are some specimen pages from "GCSE LISTENING - CD1".

Click on the thumbnails below to view full sized images - click the <BACK> button to return to this page.

There are 60 tracks on the CD - 20 for each of the three examination boards. Most tracks can however be used to practice basic skills which are very similar across the boards. There is also a good deal of common ground in the prescribed Areas of Study. The Stylistic Index shown here makes it easier to scan for music of a particular type / style.

Two pages from the AQA section, showing three sets of questions from different Areas of Study.

Questions from the EDEXCEL section, covering two Areas of Study - `New Directions` and `Popular Song`.

Pages from the OCR section. All questions are presented in the various formats used by the three boards in their Specimen Questions for the new specifications.

Comprehensive answers are provided, focusing attention on the sort of responses expected by the exam boards.

To: Renaissance Recordings, PO Box 2068, Marlborough, SN8 2PF

Name of school ...............................................................................................  

Address..........................................................................................................   

.............................................................................. Postcode ........................

Signed .......................................      (Please print) ...........................................

Please send your order by post to the above address, email (renrec@btconnect.com) or fax (01590 670196) using an official school order form or school stationery. All goods will be invoiced on dispatch.

Here are some specimen pages from "COMPOSING FOR GCSE".

Click on the thumbnails below to view full sized images - click the <BACK> button to return to this page.

There are 67 tracks (nearly 200 extracts) on the double CD, giving comprehensive coverage of all Areas of Study for all the three exam boards. These extracts can, of course, be used to illustrate points in all aspects of the GCSE music courses - their use is by no means confined to the composing component. The Stylistic Index shown here makes it easier to scan for music of a particular type / style.

Two pages from the AQA section, showing composing exercises from two different Areas of Study. Most of the exercises are closely linked to the CD extracts and are designed to give students an initial insight into the characteristic features of each style of music and how to incorporate these features into their own compositions.

Two pages from the EDEXCEL section, again showing composing exercises from two different Areas of Study. The exercise are widely differentiated and range from KS3 standard to `A` level work. All exercises are certainly not suitable for all students. As a guide, each exercise should take 2 / 3 hours - they are short `snapshots` and are not intended to result in complete compositions.

Here is a page from the OCR section, giving an illustration of the sort of work which might expected in the "Techniques of Melodic Composition" (terminal task) Area of Study. There are 10 complete sets of practice tests for the terminal task - graded in difficulty and set out in the format used by the board in its specimen paper.

A second page from the OCR section. Most exercises are suitable for either single line melodic writing or composition in several parts and students can work either on acoustic instruments or on a multi-track keyboard / computer. Note-by-note harmonisation is not required.

To: Renaissance Recordings, PO Box 2068, Marlborough, SN8 2PF

Name of school ...............................................................................................  

Address..........................................................................................................   

.............................................................................. Postcode ........................

Signed .......................................      (Please print) ...........................................

Please send your order by post to the above address, email (renrec@btconnect.com) or fax (01590 670196) using an official school order form or school stationery. All goods will be invoiced on dispatch.

Here are some specimen pages from "GCSE LISTENING - CD2".

Click on the thumbnails below to view full sized images - click the <BACK> button to return to this page.

There are 57 tracks on the CD - 19 for each of the three examination boards. (One track from each exam board has two sets of questions, giving a total of 60 sets of questions.) The basic layout is similar to Part 1 and again, the Stylistic Index shown here makes it easy to scan for music of a particular type / style.

A page from the AQA section. Questions are based closely on the Specimen papers provided by the boards and are of a similar standard of difficulty.

Questions from the EDEXCEL section, covering the `Popular Song` Area of Study.

A page from the OCR section, covering two Areas of Study.

Comprehensive answers are provided, focusing attention on the sort of responses expected by the exam boards.

To: Renaissance Recordings, PO Box 2068, Marlborough, SN8 2PF

Name of school ...............................................................................................  

Address..........................................................................................................   

.............................................................................. Postcode ........................

Signed .......................................      (Please print) ...........................................

Please send your order by post to the above address, email (renrec@btconnect.com) or fax (01590 670196) using an official school order form or school stationery. All goods will be invoiced on dispatch.

"GCSE SAMPLE PAPERS".  Two complete sample question papers for each of the three examination boards.

Questions, mark schemes and mark weighting all based on the most recent information and updates from the exam boards.

To: Renaissance Recordings, PO Box 2068, Marlborough, SN8 2PF

Name of school ...............................................................................................  

Address..........................................................................................................   

.............................................................................. Postcode ........................

Signed .......................................      (Please print) ...........................................

Please send your order by post to the above address, email (renrec@btconnect.com) or fax (01590 670196) using an official school order form or school stationery. All goods will be invoiced on dispatch.