If you are preparing for the leaving cert music practical exam then you should take the time to familiarise yourself with the breakdown of how the subject is assessed.
The listening paper is worth a total of 100 marks, this is worth a total of twenty-five per cent of the marks that are awarded for the subject. This part of the exam lasts for an hour and a half and is comprised of five questions.
First, you will complete the first question on set works for 25 of these marks in the first question. The next three questions are considerably shorter and also quiz students on set works. Though due to the reduction in the amount that is required of students in their answer booklets, only 10 marks are awarded for each of these questions.
Question five deals with Irish music where another twenty-five marks are up for grabs. On the sixth and final question, the student's aural skills will be tested for the remaining twenty marks.
You might be asking yourself how learning an instrument ties into performing well in the listening section.
Practising an instrument will help you in more ways than simply impressing your examiner when you are performing your setlist. By practising an instrument you will develop a better understanding of timing and enhanced aural skills. You have a better-trained ear that will help you to extract information and recognise different elements within the tapes.
Not to mention that playing an instrument will also afford you a better understanding when it comes to the composition section of the leaving cert music paper. This section is also an hour and a half in length and is broken down into two sections, a melody question and the Harmony Question.
With another 100 marks being offered for this section, you can see just how much familiarity with an instrument can help you across all components so the leaving cert music paper.
Take a look at this article that details taking up a new instrument as a hobby in Ireland!
The Leaving cert music practical
The practical component of the leaving cert music exam actually takes place in advance of the other assessments. This makes this a great opportunity for students to have some important marks in the bag in advance of sitting for their leaving cert exam.
The more comfortable you are with an instrument by the time you walk into your practical exam the more confident you can be that you will achieve a high grade.
The leaving cert music practical is a great outlet for students to attain some marks through playing an instrument, singing or incorporating music technology into their performance.
By practising for your leaving cert practical exam and learning an instrument you can improve your grade in the subject while getting a well-deserved break from conventional book learning.
You would be surprised at how many students use the practical component of the music assessment as a means of getting away from what might often seem like endless reading and writing during the lead-up to an exam.
In order to improve your grade in leaving cert music, you will need to work on all aspects of the course. Music students need to improve their level of singing or playing an instrument in order to achieve these results. A solid practical exam can work wonders for your music grade and it will help you to boost your points in other subjects in the final year.
During your final year of studying for the music exam, you should focus on getting the results that you deserve. Many music students try to attain a certain grade for their instrument just to help with their performance in the music exam. The study and practice that you need to do for both exams are actually quite similar so your time will be well spent.
Options within the practical music exam
If you select the practical elective, you will have an option between two possible test formats:
Play six compositions using just one instrument or one technique. These six elements have to be grade standards and will be evaluated in accordance with standards. If a student excels at a specific instrument, they are more likely to choose this choice since they will be more likely to receive a higher grade.
A different option would be to perform eight pieces utilizing two distinct instruments or musical styles. If at all feasible, go with this choice since it will be simpler for you to achieve a higher score because your work will be evaluated at a lesser level.
As you can see, by learning an instrument and getting help from an experienced teaching professional, you can put yourself at a significant advantage over other leaving cert students across the country.
Lastly, there is also an unprepared section of the test that features in the practical exam. This test consists of both a sight-reading and aural memory test.
If you decide to focus on improving at an instrument or you already have a strong grasp as it is then you are in luck. You will be glad to hear that the remaining twenty-five per cent of the overall music grade can be put towards your practical assessment. This is because Higher-Level music electives can have an extra practical element.
If you are a music student looking to improve your grade in the practical exam the n you will need to study music theory for your instrument and practice playing multiple times a week. If you want to learn to play an instrument well and improve your skill then you must play often.
You can even use your music class time for practice so that you improve your ability to play your respective instrument. Whether you decide to practice the piano or solely focus on music theory, you can always learn something that will help you in your music exam.
Get the grade that you deserve in leaving cert music with the help of a few tips!
Learning an instrument by yourself
The term "free" is one that is beloved by just about everybody. When it comes to having a costly pastime, there is nothing better than hearing the word free. Making the decision to study an inspirational instrument is a fantastic approach to raising your music grade overall and is ideal for the diligent musician. But it may be very expensive to learn how to play it well.
However, the greatest approach to becoming a professional musician isn't through self-study. It is a fantastic approach to advance your practice and get beyond any obstacles outside of the music classroom at school. Despite being a method of learning in and of itself, self-study is a vital adjunct to individual instruction.
Learning an instrument is perhaps more accessible now than it has ever been before. You will be able to find an expansive library of tutorials from beginner to advanced levels online free of charge.
While this can be a great resource to kickstart your learning, it often takes having an experienced teacher to walk you through the more advanced chords and notes.
You can use a variety of free resources if you decide to self-study. include publications, software, tutorials, free online courses, and forums.
Personal practice gives you the chance to learn more quickly, boost your instrument confidence, and connect with other musicians who share your goals. However, with the internet, all you have to do is switch on your computer to access a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips.
Take a look at this article on how music lessons are typically structured across the different levels here!
Leaving cert music tutors: Choose yours on Superprof!
Many working musicians also offer their skills outside of their regular hours by giving individual lessons to students who want to advance in their instrument practice.
There are teachers at Superprof that give grinds on a broad range of instruments. You may pick the instructor you want from a wide variety, attend as many or as few courses as you need, and choose the hours that work best for you.
No of the subject, you will discover that Superprof's grinds are reasonable because they start at just €10 and are adaptable, making them really useful!
Regardless of whether you consider yourself to have an advanced, intermediate, or elementary level playing your respective instrument, one thing is for certain, there is always room for improvement!
It is understandable why more and more students are turning to Superprof for assistance learning to play the musical instrument given that its costs are far lower than those of other private teaching services in the nation.
Finding the ideal teacher for you won't take long because of how simple the Superprof portal is to use! All you have to do is choose the subject in which you want to take lessons and look up a complete list of teachers and their rates. Superprof is an even better deal because frequently your first lesson is free.
There is certainly no shortage of qualified musicians and teachers scattered across Ireland that are eager to teach you and maximise your performance with the instrument.
If you are looking to improve at playing an instrument in order to improve you're leaving cert music grade without breaking the bank, then look no further than Superprof!
Explore all of the options that are available to you as a music student in Ireland.
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