IGCSE Music Topics by Exam Board: Full List

Choosing IGCSE Music means you're signing up for a journey that combines creativity with critical thinking. I've watched countless students flourish in this subject, from those who started as hesitant beginners to performers who went on to pursue music at university. Understanding exactly what you'll study is the first step toward success.

Key Takeaways

• Cambridge (CAIE) (opens in a new tab) is the primary exam board offering IGCSE Music, with comprehensive coverage of listening, performing, and composing

• The syllabus includes Western classical music from Baroque to 20th century, plus an annual World Focus region studying non-Western traditions

• Assessment is balanced across three components: listening and appraising (40%), performing (30%), and composing (30%)

• Knowing your specific board's requirements helps you plan your revision strategically, especially for the set works and world music elements

Which Exam Boards Offer IGCSE Music?

Here's something important to clarify from the start: Cambridge (CAIE) is the only major exam board offering IGCSE Music. While Edexcel (Pearson) (opens in a new tab) offers a comprehensive GCSE Music qualification, they don't currently provide an IGCSE Music course.

Cambridge offers two versions:

• Cambridge IGCSE Music (0410) (opens in a new tab): The established qualification

• Cambridge IGCSE (9-1) Music (0978) (opens in a new tab): The newer 9-1 grading version

Both follow essentially the same content and assessment structure, with the main difference being the grading scale used.

IGCSE Music Topic Lists by Exam Board

Cambridge (CAIE)

Let me break this down into the core areas you'll study. In my years as head of sixth form and physics, I learned that students succeed when they can see the structure clearly.

Component 1: Listening (40%)

This written exam tests your ability to analyse and understand music. You'll study:

Western Classical Music Periods:

• Baroque (1600-1750): Think Vivaldi, Handel, Bach. You'll explore characteristics like terraced dynamics, ornamentation, and the development of the concerto.

• Classical (1750-1820): Mozart and Haydn are your guides here. Focus on balanced phrasing, clear structures (sonata form, rondo), and the symphony's evolution.

• Romantic (1820-1900): Emotional depth, programme music, expanded orchestras. Composers like Chopin, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky.

• 20th Century (1900-2000): This is where things get interesting with atonality, minimalism, serialism, and the breakdown of traditional conventions.

Set Works: Each year, Cambridge prescribes specific works for each exam session - usually two pieces - which you study in depth. These typically include:

• One work from each major Western period

• Examples covering different genres (orchestral, chamber, solo, vocal)

For instance, recent syllabuses have included works like Mozart's Horn Concerto, Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Violins, and pieces by Debussy or Shostakovich.

World Focus: Here's where your musical horizons really expand. Each year, Cambridge publishes the World Focus region for each exam session in advance, and it remains fixed for that year. Recent World Focus topics have included:

• Music of India

• Music of the Caribbean

• Music of the Arab World

• Music of China

• Music of Africa

You'll explore:

• Traditional instruments and their construction

• Rhythmic and melodic systems

• Social and cultural contexts

• Performance practices

General Listening Skills: Throughout all of this, you're developing your ability to identify and describe:

• Melody, harmony, tonality

• Rhythm, metre, tempo

• Texture and structure

• Instrumentation and timbre

• Dynamics and articulation

As someone who's mentored Early Careers Teachers, I always emphasise this: listening skills are cumulative. Every piece you analyse builds your musical vocabulary.

Component 2: Performing (30%)

This is where you bring music to life. You'll present:

Solo Performance:

• One piece of your choice

• Must demonstrate technical control and musical understanding

• Can be any instrument (including voice)

• Typically 3-4 minutes

Ensemble Performance:

• One piece performed with others

• Your part should be substantial and demonstrate ensemble skills

• Can be any combination of instruments/voices

• Typically 3-4 minutes

Note: Your two performances should total at least 4 minutes combined (most students aim for 3–4 minutes per piece)

The beauty of this component? You choose repertoire that suits your current level. I've seen students perform everything from classical piano sonatas to folk guitar, from jazz saxophone to tabla. The assessment criteria focus on accuracy, fluency, technical control, and musical understanding rather than the complexity of the piece itself.

Chunking tip: Break each piece into manageable sections. Work on 4-8 bar phrases until they're secure, then gradually link them together. This approach works whether you're playing Bach or The Beatles.

Component 3: Composing (30%)

You'll create two compositions:

Composition 1 - Free Composition:

• Compose in any style

• Each composition must be at least 1 minute long, with a combined total of at least 2 minutes.

• Must include a score or lead sheet

• Shows your creative voice

Composition 2 - Composition to a Brief:

• Cambridge provides the brief (changes each session)

• Tests your ability to compose within specific parameters

• Might specify style, instruments, mood, or structure

• Minimum 1 minute

As a teacher trainer, I've watched students transform from saying "I can't compose" to creating genuinely moving music. The secret? Start small. Four bars can be as powerful as four minutes if they're crafted with intention.

Key composing techniques you'll use:

• Melodic development (repetition, sequence, variation)

• Harmonic progression

• Rhythmic patterns and ostinato

• Textural contrast

• Structural devices (binary, ternary, rondo, verse-chorus)

• Instrumentation choices

How IGCSE Music Is Assessed

Understanding assessment helps you prepare strategically. Here's how Cambridge structures it:

Listening Exam Structure:

• Section A: Questions on set works (you'll know these pieces intimately)

• Section B: Questions on the World Focus (specific knowledge required)

• Section C: General listening questions on unfamiliar extracts (applying your analytical skills)

Performance Assessment Focuses on:

• Technical accuracy and fluency

• Sense of style and interpretation

• Ensemble awareness (for the group piece)

• Musical communication

Composition Assessment Focuses on:

• Musical ideas and development

• Structure and coherence

• Use of musical elements

• Technical skill in realisation

• Appropriateness to brief (for Composition 2)

One thing I learned from being head of physics: assessment criteria are your friends, not your enemies. They tell you exactly what examiners want to see. Use them as a checklist.

How to Use IGCSE Music Topic Lists For Revision

Here are some practical strategies I've developed over years of preparing students:

For Listening:

1. Create a timeline: Map all your set works chronologically. This helps you see stylistic development across periods.
   

2. Active listening schedule: Don't just play music in the background. Set aside 20-30 minute sessions where you listen with the score, taking notes on:

   • Structural markers (where sections begin/end)

   • Instrumental entries

   • Dynamic changes

   • Harmonic progressions

3. Chunking technique for World Focus: Break down each aspect:

   • Week 1: Instruments and their sounds

   • Week 2: Rhythmic patterns and metres

   • Week 3: Melodic characteristics

   • Week 4: Social/cultural context

4. Vocabulary building: Create flashcards with musical terms. Can you define "ostinato"? "Alberti bass"? "Raga"? "Hemiola"? If not, that's your starting point.
   

5. Comparative listening: Listen to multiple recordings of the same work. Notice how interpretations differ.

For Performing:

1. Start early: You need time to internalise your pieces, not just learn the notes. I recommend having your pieces chosen by at least six months before assessment.

2. Record yourself regularly: What you hear in your head isn't always what comes out. Record weekly practice sessions and listen back critically.

3. Practice performing: Run through your pieces completely, without stopping, at least twice weekly. Simulate exam conditions.

4. Seek feedback: From teachers, mentors, other musicians. Fresh ears catch things you've become blind (deaf?) to.

For Composing:

1. Experiment frequently: Don't wait for "inspiration." Set a timer for 15 minutes and compose something, anything. Regular practice develops your compositional muscle.

2. Study scores: Look at how professional composers solve problems. How do they transition between sections? How do they develop motifs?

3. Technology is your friend: Use notation software or DAWs. They let you hear ideas quickly and refine them.

4. Keep a musical journal: Jot down ideas when they come. A rhythmic pattern you heard, a chord progression, a melodic fragment.

5. Start with constraints: "Compose anything" is overwhelming. "Compose a 16-bar melody in C major using only three rhythmic values" is manageable.

Cross-component connections: Here's something crucial - use your performing pieces to inform your listening skills, and vice versa. When you perform a Baroque piece, you understand Baroque style more deeply when analysing. When you compose, you develop a composer's ear for listening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is IGCSE Music hard?

IGCSE Music is challenging, but it's a different kind of challenge than many academic subjects.

The difficulty isn't about memorising facts. It's about developing three interconnected skills simultaneously: listening analytically, performing expressively, and composing creatively. Think of it like learning to juggle - each ball (skill) isn't that hard on its own, but keeping all three in the air requires coordination and practice.

Musical ability is far more trainable than people think. I've watched students who struggled to clap a rhythm transform into confident musicians. It requires patience and consistent effort, but it's absolutely achievable.

If you're wondering whether you're ‘good enough’: if you can commit to regular practice and engage curiously with different types of music, you're absolutely good enough.

How is composition assessed in IGCSE Music?

Composition assessment focuses on musical substance, not just technical wizardry. Here’s what examiners actually look for:

For both compositions (free and to brief):

1. Musical Ideas (around 30% of marks)

   • Are your ideas interesting and distinctive?

   • Do they have character and personality?

   • Have you explored them sufficiently?

2. Structure and Development (around 30% of marks)

   • Does your piece have a clear shape?

   • Do ideas return, contrast, or develop logically?

   • Is there a sense of musical journey with beginning, middle, and end?

3. Musical Elements (around 20% of marks)

   • Have you used harmony, rhythm, melody, texture thoughtfully?

   • Do your choices support the overall effect?

   • Is there variety without randomness?

4. Technical Realisation (around 20% of marks)

   • Is your score/recording clear and accurate?

   • Can others understand and reproduce your intentions?

   • Does the recording represent your piece effectively?

Practical tip: Before submitting, play your composition for someone who doesn't know your intentions. Can they follow it? Does it make sense musically? If they look confused, revision might be needed.

When it comes to preparing for your IGCSE Music assessments, structured revision is key. Start by reviewing the official syllabus and practicing past papers (opens in a new tab) to understand the exam format. 

What instruments can I use for my performance?

You can use virtually any instrument for your IGCSE Music performance, including voice.

Standard Western instruments: Piano, guitar (acoustic or electric), violin, flute, trumpet, drums, etc. - all absolutely fine.

Non-Western instruments: Sitar, tabla, erhu, koto, djembe, oud - equally valid. Cambridge explicitly welcomes instruments from all musical traditions.

Voice: Whether classical, musical theatre, jazz, or contemporary styles.

Music technology: Yes, you can perform using technology like synthesizers, MIDI controllers, or loop stations, provided you're demonstrating live performance skill rather than just pressing play on pre-recorded material.

Less common instruments: Recorder, ukulele, harmonica, even instruments you've made yourself - all acceptable if you can demonstrate musical skill on them.

Do I have to read music to take IGCSE Music?

This is a question I hear constantly, and the answer might surprise you: strictly speaking, no - but the reality is more nuanced.

Here’s what's actually required:

For the listening component: You don't need to read notation during the exam itself. Questions focus on what you hear, not on reading complex scores. However, many set works are taught using scores, which helps enormously with understanding structure and detail.

For performing: Cambridge doesn't require you to perform from notation. You can perform from memory, chord charts, or tablature. Many successful candidates perform pieces they've learned by ear or from alternative notation systems.

For composing: Here's where notation becomes more important, but there's flexibility:

• You must provide some form of written representation of your composition

• This could be standard staff notation, chord symbols with melody, graphic scores, or detailed verbal descriptions

• The key is that someone else could reasonably reproduce your music from your score

Bottom line: Not reading music isn't an insurmountable barrier, but learning to read music will significantly enhance your musical education and your IGCSE experience. Think of it as an investment in your musical future rather than a requirement to tick off.

Final Thoughts

If there's one thing I've learned from years in education - whether leading physics departments, training teachers, or working with sixth formers - it's this: understanding what you're getting into transforms anxiety into confidence.

IGCSE Music isn't just about ticking off topics or passing exams. It's about developing genuine musical literacy - the ability to listen deeply, perform expressively, and create originally. The syllabus structure exists not to constrain you but to ensure you develop these skills comprehensively.

Now, take this roadmap, plan your revision strategically, and make some music. The rest will follow.

References:

Cambridge (CAIE) (opens in a new tab)

 Edexcel (Pearson (opens in a new tab)

Cambridge IGCSE Music (0410) (opens in a new tab)

Cambridge IGCSE (9-1) Music (0978) (opens in a new tab) 

 Cambridge music past papers (opens in a new tab)