Performing Arts BTEC L3
The course was introduced to capitalise on very highly motivated students with a passion for dance, drama and music. It should provide an excellent and broad educational base to enable each student to progress onto either Higher Education/University or employment within the Performing Arts Industries.
This provides a broad-based approach to the three disciplines of the Performing Arts to develop students’ knowledge, understanding and skills within dance, drama and music. The vocational context of the qualification is key to effective delivery, and this is provided through project briefs and assignments with a collective focus on Musical Theatre.
Music A Level- OCR
Students continue to listen, compose and perform. The A level is run as a linear course and is made up of three units of performing, composing, listening and appraising with a choice whether to major in performance or composition. Students analyse and evaluate familiar and unfamiliar pieces and answer questions based on aural extracts. The curriculum currently focuses in Y13 on Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, K.488, 3rd movement and in Y12 on Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 61, 1st movement. Popular Song currently focuses in Y13 on Frank Sinatra: (i) I’ve got the world on a string, (ii) They can’t take that away from me, (iii) I’ve got you under my skin, (iv) Come fly with me and in Year 12 Nat King Cole: After Midnight – (i) Caravan, (ii) It’s only a paper moon, (iii) Blame it on my youth, (iv) When I grow too old to dream. Students also write two essays in the exam, one related to Developments in Instrumental Jazz 1910 to the present day and the other related to Programme Music 1820–1910.
Students are encouraged to fully participate in the life of the Music School from the Yamaha Music School through to leading choirs, orchestras and ensembles.
Trips to see live music making are encouraged, with regular visits to the BBC Proms and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Drama
The course demands practical, creative and communication skills in almost equal measure. You will extend your ability to create drama and theatre through performance. You will also be required to write about drama and to develop your powers of analysis to become an informed critic. The course will involve taking part in drama productions, as well as studying plays and playwrights.
You need to be curious about issues and ideas and have a creative instinct for communicating your views through drama. You may be keen on acting, writing or on the visual and technical side of theatre and wish to develop your skills in some or all of these areas. Equally you will be interested in going to the theatre to see plays performed by different theatre companies.
AS- Unit 1 – Exploration of Drama and Theatre: 40% of AS marks and 20% of A2 Unit 2 – Theatre Text in Performance: 60% of AS marks and 30% of A2
A2 - Unit 3 – Exploration of Dramatic Performance: 40% of AS marks and 20% of A2 Unit 4 – Theatre Text In Context: 60% of AS marks and 30% of A2
