GCSE: Drama

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about GCSE Drama, which is an optional subject for you to choose for your GCSEs.

GCSE Drama is divided into three components, and these are :-

Component 1: Understanding Drama

Component 2: Devising Drama (practical)

Component 3: Texts in Practice (practical)

How Will You be Assessed?

- 70% Written

- 30% Performance

You must also be able to work in groups with different people

Understanding Drama

- Gaining a knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre

- Study of one set play

- Analysis and evaluation of the work of live theatre makers

Written paper (80 marks)  40% of GCSE

Devising Drama

- Process of creating devised drama

- Analysis and evaluation of own work

Devising log (60 marks)

Devised performance (20 marks)         80 marks in total

20% of GCSE

Texts in Practice

- Performance of two extracts from one play

  Free choice of play, but it must contrast with the set play chosen for.

Performance of Extract 1: 20 marks

Performance of Extract 2: 20 marks

40 marks in total       20% of GCSE

Written Exam

1 hour and 45 minutes

Education: Creative Subjects for GCSEs

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about a series related to the creative subjects you can take at GCSE level.

GCSEs have changed since I have sat mine in secondary school. When I was at school they were over a period of two years (Years 10 & 11), where as now they have been extended to three years (Years 9 - 11).

The GCSEs that I will be covering for now are :-

- Drama

- Music

- Creative Media Production

- Music Technology

- Photography

- Dance

- English Literature & Language (Core Subject)

These will be covered in there own individual posts.

Education: Vocational Courses in Performing Arts

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about the Vocational options you have within Performing Arts. The Vocational courses are an alternative option to AS/ A Level Drama & Theatre Studies.

Performing Arts Level 2

- Introduction to Performance

- Communicating with an Audience

- Staging a Performance

- Contextual research for Performance

- Performance skills & practice

- Personal project

- Presentation & producing

- Performing to an Audience

Performing Arts Level 3

- Principles of Performance

- Engaging with an Audience

- Introduction to Professional Practice

- Critical & Contextual Awareness

- Performance skills & context

- Preparation for Specialist Study

- Collaborative Performance Project

- Developing Performance Skills

- Preparing for Progression

- Exploration of Specialist Study

- Extended Project

Assessed

Practical courseworks followed by a Practical Final Major Project

Call & Response

Hi everyone,

In today's post I will be talking about the phrase 'Call & Response'.

'Call & Response' is where you have two or more characters within a piece of music who are talking to each other, thus creating a musical dialogue.

Two Characters

For a two character 'call & response'; this usually occurs developed between a pianist and an instrumentalist. The pianist takes one character, and then the instrumentalist will take on the second character; and within pieces of different music you will hear the pianist 'calling' for the instrumentalist; and then the instrumentalist will 'respond' back. When the piano 'calls' to the instrumentalist; they will use a either a phrase or variation, and then the instrumentalist will 'respond' back either repeating the same phrase or variation to enable the 'response'.

Multiple Characters

You also can have pieces that contain multiple different characters. I'm going to use 'The Erlkonig' for this one, as it contains three characters - you have the boy, the father and the Erlkonig; and I'm also going to focus this piece on the violin. For the violin you have four strings, two staves and three different characters. Somehow on the violin, you have to create a dialogue between all three characters, and to also tell a story at the same time. It's a tricky piece of music to learn, and you also have to understand this piece of music to enable you to tell a story. Just bare in mind that this piece is written for solo violin, not multiple violins.

Paganini

Paganini also uses 'call & response', but in a slightly different variation. In Paganini's 24th Caprice each variation starts with a phrase, and then that phrase is repeated. But on the second phrase it's also extended slightly just so then that variation can come to an end before starting the next variation. What you can do is create two different characters; first phrase - one character and the second phrase is the second character. The trick is to make the second phrase sound a little bit different from the first phrase; and by this it will also make the overall piece sound more interesting to the listener. 

Flute Materials: Platinum

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about platinum flutes. I'm not going to lie, but these are 'top tier' when it comes to flutes and also the most expensive option.

Pure Platinum

These flutes weigh a lot more than gold flutes, and they produce an even stronger and darker sound. You can either buy a flute that is platinum throughout or a platinum flute with gold/ rose gold. With these flutes, they mainly feature all of the 'add ons' such as D# roller, C# trill key, B foot joint and a gizmo key. They are also a thin walled instrument, due to them being so heavy.

Platinum Clad

This is the cheaper alternative when it comes to platinum flutes. Platinum clad flutes consist of a solid silver flute that has been given a thick coating of platinum. So, you'll still get the feeling and tone of a platinum, but without such a high price tag. Even though, platinum clad flutes are still expensive.

Tone Development on the Flute

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about developing your tone on the flute.

Developing your tonal quality on the flute can take some time to get right, and not too sound airy when you are playing the flute.

Relax Your Embouchure

Keep your embouchure as relaxed as possible, and try your best not tighten up your embouchure while playing as this will make your flute tone sound harsh and airy.

Air Support

While keeping your embouchure relaxed, you need to support your air really well. This requires a bit of push up from the diaphragm. On lower end of the stave, you need a air support and you should be aiming for a little more depth in tonal quality; and the higher up the stave you go; the more you should be able to 'push through' to get the higher registers to sing.

'Pushing Through' Your Airstream 

What this means is at the same time you are supporting yourself; you will also have to 'push through' your air the higher up the stave that you go. By doing this, you should also get a fuller, richer sound the higher up the stave that you go. But, you should also get a depth to the lower end of the stave. This will take some practice, and a little bit of getting used to. But, it's definitely worth it; as your overall tone quality will improve immensely. 

Embouchure Crisis

While improving your tone on the flute, there's a chance that your embouchure will need to change to help you to get the best overall tonal quality. It can take weeks to sometimes months to solve to get back playing the flute to your usual playing standard, but with a better tonal quality. All I can say is, please just persevere with it; as in the long term it will make you sound better, and become a better player.

Exercises to Help You to Develop Your Tone

Trevor Wye Practice Books for the Flute

Trevor Wye has some brilliant exercises to help you to develop your tone on the flute. But, within these practice books; there's a book dedicated to just tone development.

The exercises from the Trevor Wye Practice Books that I like to use are :-

- Expressive Scales

- Machiavellian Exercises 1

- Low Register Tone Exercises

- Middle Register Tone Exercises

I've always enjoyed playing through the Expressive Scales from these practice books. The one in C Major would be really beneficial to learn, as it starts on low C. Because it starts on the low C, it should enable you to focus on getting a really nice tone in the lower register; and hopefully getting a tone that has a little more depth.

The low/ middle register tone exercises are really gentle tone exercises that will help you to develop your tone even further. There's also a variety of tonal exercises that you can do within these exercises. I would recommend starting off on easier exercise at first just so then you can slowly build up.

If you fancy a challenge I've thrown in the Machiavellian Exercises 1. Please don't attempt these until you feel ready.

Moyse 'Beginning the Flute'

I know that this book is aimed at flute learners who are just starting out, but there's some really great exercises within this book that would also be great for helping you to develop your tone. There's a couple of really nice exercise to help you to ascend and develop your tone down to a low C (Exercises 9/10), and from Exercise 11 onwards the exercises will help you to develop your tone in the higher registers up to the top A. All of the exercises in the book seem to pretty gentle, even though there's a few challenging bits thrown in along the way. Once you start working on an exercise within this book; please just take your time with it.

Developing your tone on the flute will take time for you to learn and develop, but it will happen. Also, you should over time start to hear a massive improvement in your overall tone quality.

Flute Materials: Gold

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about gold flutes.

 Gold flutes compared to solid silver flutes are heavier in weight. You also have the options of buying rose gold and yellow gold, along with the different gold caret weights; which are 9k, 14k, and 18k. Also, most gold flutes have the options for either a solid silver mechanism or a gold mechanism.

Depending on the purity of the gold and they type of gold flute you choose, you are going to get a tone that varies in depth of the warmth that the flute and you may also have some brightness within that tone as well.

Rose Gold Flutes

Rose gold flutes are more mellow in tone compared to yellow gold flutes, but they also have a really nice depth to them; especially in the lower register. With rose gold flutes, you also have the option to choose either a rose gold mechanism or a silver mechanism; and this may also alter the tone slightly depending on which option of mechanism you choose.

Yellow Gold Flutes

Yellow gold flutes are much warmer in sound, and also produce a slightly brighter tone. As with the rose gold flutes, yellow gold flutes also have the option to either have a yellow gold mechanism or a silver mechanism. 

Some player find a gold flute with a gold mechanism gives them a 'little too much' in the sound that they are looking for. If thats the case for you, opt for a silver mechanism; as it will help soften the tone.