What is A Level Music?

If you love music and you're choosing your A Levels, you might be considering A Level Music. This two-year qualification develops you as a performer, composer and critical listener, blending theory with practice.

This guide walks you through what the course covers, how it's assessed, what you need to take it, and where it can lead.

Key Takeaways

• A Level Music has three components: performing, composing and appraising (listening and evaluating)

• AQA (opens in a new tab), Pearson Edexcel (opens in a new tab), OCR (opens in a new tab) and WJEC (Eduqas (opens in a new tab) in England and CBAC (opens in a new tab) in Wales) all offer A Level Music with slightly different specifications

• A Level Music is different from A Level Music Technology, which focuses on recording, producing and technology-based composing

• You technically don’t need to have taken GCSE Music for A Level, but it is recommended, so your school might require it

• A Level Music can lead to music-related degrees, conservatoires, and careers in musical education, therapy and the music industry (as well as other creative industries)

What does A Level Music involve?

A Level Music is an academic and practical qualification that builds upon the foundation laid at GCSE. It is split into performing, composing and appraising music. You'll study set works that span centuries and genres, from Bach and Mozart to Jazz, film music and pop.

You'll have classroom lessons covering theory and analysis, regular instrumental and/or vocal practice, composition assignments and end-of-course assessments. Expect to spend several hours a week outside lessons on independent practice and study.

The A Level music syllabus varies between exam boards, but every board covers the Western Classical tradition alongside other genres such as pop, rock and jazz. You'll learn to write detailed analysis using musical terminology, identify features by ear and place pieces in their historical context.

Which exam boards offer A Level Music?

Listed below are the main UK exam boards offering A Level Music, alongside examples of named artists and set works for each one:

AQA (7272)

• Hans Zimmer (Music for Media)

• Stephen Sondheim (Music for Theatre)

• Beyoncé (Pop Music)

Pearson Edexcel (9MU0) 

• Hounds of Love by Kate Bush (Popular Music and Jazz)

• Batman Returns soundtrack by Danny Elfman (Music for Film) 

• Breathing Under Water by Anoushka Shankar (Fusions)

OCR (H543)

• Young Woman’s Blues by Bessie Smith (Popular Song: Blues, Jazz, Swing & Big Band)

• Where Are We Now? by Ian Shaw (Popular Song: Blues, Jazz, Swing & Big Band)

• Star Dust by Bing Crosby (Popular Song: Blues, Jazz, Swing & Big Band)

WJEC Eduqas (England, A660QS) and CBAC (Wales, 1660QS)

• Mendelssohn (the Western Classic Tradition – Eduqas)

• Claude Debussy (Into the Twentieth Century – Eduqas)

• The Manic Street Preachers (Popular Music in Wales – CBAC)

Specifications are regularly reviewed and altered, so check your school’s exam board website for any changes.

How is A Level Music assessed?

The weightings for each component vary, but the three core areas are the same across the UK exam boards:

Performing (25-35%)

An assessment of your instrumental or vocal performing skills in a solo and/or ensemble context, or via music technology. You’ll submit 1-3 pieces.

Composing (around 30%)

An assessment of your ability to create music using the technical and expressive skills of a composer. You’ll submit two compositions, which will either be free compositions or based on a brief.

Appraising/Listening (around 40%)

An assessment of your skills in listening, reflecting on, analysing and evaluating music. You’ll learn the content through 2-7 areas of study and take a written paper, usually lasting 2 to 2.5 hours.

Final grades follow the standard A* to E scale. Our explanation of A Level grades goes through the grading system and how grades are calculated.

What do you need to study A Level Music?

Most schools and sixth forms ask for the following:

• A strong GCSE Music grade, usually 6 or above. Some schools will accept students without GCSE Music if your practical level is high, but you'll need to catch up on the theory side quickly

• Grade 6 on your instrument or voice as a minimum. Many students take A Level Music at Grade 6, 7, or 8 standard, which gives access to more marks in the performing component

• Grade 5 music theory. This is the level assumed at the start of Year 12, covering keys, intervals, chord progressions and basic harmony

• A genuine interest in analysis and listening. The appraising paper is essay-based, so you need to enjoy writing about music as well as making it

If you're due to begin your A Levels soon, our guide on preparing for A Levels after GCSE covers what to do in the summer before sixth form starts.

If you didn't take GCSE Music, don’t worry; our explanation of GCSE Music and GCSE Music topics by exam board will show you what content you should familiarise yourself with before September.

A Level Music vs A Level Music Technology

With such similar names, it’s easy to get A Level Music mixed up with A Level Music Technology. While both contain practical elements and require listening and analysing skills, they are, in fact, separate A Levels with different focus areas.

A Level Music is closer to a traditional academic music course. The emphasis is on performing, composing and analysing a wide range of musical styles.

A Level Music Technology (opens in a new tab), as the name would suggest, is more tech-heavy. You'll learn recording and mixing techniques, the principles of sound and audio technology and the history of recorded music.

If you play a classical instrument and love analysing different genres, A Level Music is the better fit. If you produce music on your laptop and want to learn about the technical side of recording, you’re best suited to A Level Music Technology. Some schools let you take both, but it’s rare, so double check with your Music teacher if this is an option.

What can you do with A Level Music?

Here are just some of the pathways A Level Music can open up for you:

Further Study

• Many Russell Group universities like Oxford, Cambridge and Durham offer music degrees

• Several universities offer joint honours, such as Music and Modern Languages

• Conservatoires like the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music allow you to take vocational, performance-orientated courses

Careers

• Education, e.g. teaching music or becoming a musicologist

• Healthcare, e.g. music therapy

• Creative industries, e.g. performing, composing or designing sound for games and films

Find out more about your options post-A Levels using our guide on what to do after A Levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is A Level Music hard?

Though it’s generally not listed among the hardest A Levels, some students find A Level Music hard – especially balancing theory with practice, handling performance anxiety and taking the written exam.

How hard you’ll find it really depends on your prior knowledge, interest in music and willingness to take a practical subject. Refer to our article on ‘Is A Level Music Hard?’ for more information.

Do you need GCSE Music to take A Level Music?

Most schools prefer you to have taken GCSE Music, but the exam boards list it as a recommendation rather than a requirement.

If you have strong instrumental or vocal grades and can demonstrate solid music theory knowledge, some schools will accept you. Just be ready for a steeper learning curve as you get to grips with the foundational material.

Reading our article on ‘Is Music GCSE Hard?’ will give you a sense of the background knowledge and skills most A Level students arrive with.

Do universities respect A Level Music?

Yes! A Level Music is accepted by Russell Group universities (including Oxbridge) and conservatoires. It's particularly valued for music degrees, but it’s also recognised for cultivating transferable skills like strong analytical writing, project management and creative discipline.

Is A Level Music a facilitating subject?

A Level Music isn't on the old Russell Group list of facilitating subjects, which was retired in 2019.

Universities now look at your overall student profile rather than ticking off facilitating A Levels. For music-related degrees, A Level Music is actually the strongest qualification you can have.

What's the pass mark for A Level Music?

There's no fixed pass mark across years, as grade boundaries are set each summer based on exam difficulty.

That being said, an A Level pass grade is anything from A*–E. This includes A Level Music.

However, in practice, most colleges and universities consider a C as the minimum A Level pass grade. In June 2025, the threshold for a C grade in Pearson Edexcel A Level Music (opens in a new tab) was 139/250 marks.

With its combination of theory and practice, A Level Music is both a creative and academic qualification that universities, conservatoires and creative employers all value highly. If you already love practising, listening to and writing about music, you should seriously consider it.