GCSE: Photography

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about GCSE Photography.

To do GCSE Photography, you must :-

- Have a genuine interest in photography

- Have a digital camera or a recent model smartphone on which photographs can be taken in your own time, as part of the course.

- Work on a portfolio of evidence

Assessed

- Through two assignments (60% of final mark)

- Exam over a ten hour period (40% of final mark)

Work in ONE OR MORE areas of photography in both units.

Areas of Photography :-

- Portraiture

- Location photography

- Studio photography

- Experimental imagery

- Documentary photography

- Photo journalism

- Moving image: film, video and animation

- Fashion photography

- Installation

You may explore overlapping areas and also a combination of areas

You must develop and apply the knowledge, understanding and skills specified in the subject content to realise personal intentions relevant to photography and their selected areas of study.

- How sources relate to historical, contemporary, social, cultural and issues based contexts and external considerations such as those with the cultural industries and client orientated requirements.

- How ideas, themes, subjects and feelings can inspire creative responses informed by different styles, genres and aesthetic consideration and/ or individuals distinctive view of the world.

Photography Skills & Techniques

- Lighting

- Viewpoint

- Aperture

- Depth of Field

- Shutter Speed & Movement

- Use of Enlarger

- Chemical and/ or digital processes

Photography Materials

- Film

- Photographic papers

- Chemicals appropriate to darkroom practices

- Digital media, programs and related technologies

- Graphic media for purposes such as storyboarding, planning and constructing shoots

GCSE: Music

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about GCSE Music, and this an option that you can take as part of your GCSEs.

The GCSE Music course is split into four areas, and they are :-

- Performing

- Composing

- Controlled Assessment

- Listening Paper

Performing

You must play one piece of your own music, and one piece of music with at least one other person. 

You can perform on an instrument, keyboard or sing

30% internally assessed/ externally moderated

Composing

You will receive lessons in melody making, adding a harmony part, making up a song and writing for different instruments.

You will also compose one composition of your own choice, and one composition relating to an area of study selected by the EDUCAS exam board

15% internally assessed/ externally moderated

Controlled Assessment

The controlled assessment is a composition set by the examination board where you can choose from one of a few areas to compose from.

15% internally assessed/ externally moderated

Listening Paper

You will learn a variety of different aural skills over the three year period, and then these are tested in a listening paper exam.

The exam involves listening to a variety of different excerpts and answering set questions about each excerpt.

40% externally assessed

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.