If offered a place on this course, you will have access to the most modern and well-equipped music suite and performance facilities in the county including:

• Music and rehearsal suite with 3 grand pianos
• 80 seat recital room with Bösendorfer grand piano
• 12 purpose-built practice rooms, many equipped with pianos
• 3 Mac suites equipped with the latest Apple iMacs, running Sibelius, Logic Pro X and Native Instruments’ Komplete
• A Schimmel Grand Piano for use in recitals in the theatre
• Full size xylophone, vibraphone, 5 octave marimba, acoustic and electric drum kits, full set of timpani
• Instrumental loan including: saxophones (inc. baritone and soprano) violin, viola, cello, double bass and guitars.

A level music students are required to take part in at least one performance ensemble per week as a key part of the course; these will develop skills such as sight-reading, teamwork, continuous improvement and commitment.  Other ensembles are set up in line with students' experience and musical interests such as close harmony groups and other chamber groups.  All students (and staff) across the College are welcome to join the ensembles.

Numerous and varied activities of a high standard include:

• Big Band
• Chamber Orchestra
• Contemporary Voices
• Chamber Choir
• Close Harmony (auditioned)
• Advanced Jazz Ensembles (student led)
• Grade 5 Theory

In addition to practical work in class and the extra-curricular programme, you will have many opportunities to perform:

• Concerts throughout the year in College and in external venues such as Guildford Cathedral;
• Weekly informal performance classes and regular lunchtime concerts;
• Support to visit festivals and competitions and other community performances;
• Community outreach work giving students both performance and teaching experience.

In addition, students are encouraged to lead their own ensembles. 

Fourteen specialist instrumental tutors visit the College.  The College provides instrumental tuition for students who are studying Music (or BTEC music performance).  Please collect an application form and further details from the music department.  Lessons are available for all other students but will be charged to parents/guardians.

If you enjoy performing, listening to music, composing or arranging, this course could be ideally suited to you.  The main areas of study will include:

• Performing (35 or 25%) - A solo performance lasting 6 to 8 minutes (25%) or 10 to 12 minutes (35%) on your main instrument assessed by an external examiner visiting the music department.
• Composing (35 or 25%) - Two compositions (25%) based on the Western Classical tradition and a free composition or three compositions (35%) based on the Western Classical tradition, a free composition and related to an additional area of study.
• Appraising (40%) - Written examination based on three areas of study: (A) The development of the symphony from 1750-1900, (D) Jazz and (E) Into the 20th Century.  You will study two symphonies (one in detail and general knowledge of another) and the development of the genre through history, and three 20th Century styles and two set works, one by Debussy and the other by Poulenc.

You will be involved in many different activities including group work, individual study, listening tasks, discussion, analysis tasks, research for composition and completion of composition tasks/ coursework.  You will be given individual guidance and support in order to fulfil your potential through one-to-ones and written feedback on individual markbooks.  As part of the course, students are encouraged to join the music ensembles available at the College as an extension to what they learn in the classroom; appraising, composing and performing.   

This linear A level course is a combination of exam (40% of the overall grade) and coursework (60% of the overall grade).  Coursework is completed over the two years consisting of a solo or ensemble performance and two or three compositions.  At the end of the second year of the course, you will take an external exam that will assess content covered in the first and second year.

Students have access to numerous academic and performance opportunities that go beyond the requirements of the course.

• Academically, high ability students have access to original source readings, advanced harmonic exercises and comparative aural tasks that go beyond the expectations of the course, and engage in undergraduate modes of thinking. These can be found on the Study Directory, as well as students being encouraged to share materials between each other too. The majority of regular tasks are differentiated in ways to allow for exploration and engagement beyond the confines of the specification. Bach Chorale harmony lessons are also offered to especially strong students, which are useful preparation for undergraduate-style harmonic classes especially those applying to Oxbridge and/or Conservatoires;
• Students have access to multiple performance opportunities in and out of the College throughout the year that engage them beyond the practical confines of the course, including with professional musicians. These include weekly lunchtime recitals with opportunities for feedback, ensemble concerts and external solo and chamber music concerts. All students engage with this music-making, allowing for musical growth and development, giving them access to venues such as Guildford Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and The Royal Memorial Chapel in Sandhurst;
• Students have the opportunity to engage in local community volunteer and work experience activities, including local festivals and organisations;
• Students are encouraged to develop skills in other aspects of music including arranging music, conducting, running their own ensembles as well as their own concert - in the summer term each year, there is a student-led concert which has students performing, creating the programme, organising the technical support, introducing acts and advertising on social media;
• Each year, there is a student-led jazz band, which takes part in concerts in and out of the College itself, providing students with essential experience of management, organisation and ensemble skills;
• Throughout the year, TED talks are organised with musicians in the industry including film composers, performers, portfolio musicians as well as meeting with the CEO of Sony UK (July 2024).  Other organisations to have run sessions for our students include Cardiff University, two ex-College students (one Royal Welsh Conservatoire student and one Cambridge student) and, in 2024-2025, events with Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Trinity Laban, Royal Welsh College of Music, Cambridge University and Royal Holloway amongst others;
• Outside of the College, students have opportunities to take part in outreach events at other schools and organisations including live music for primary school students and Christmas carolling in the local community.

Music combines well and contrasts with mathematics and science (particularly physics), modern foreign languages, media studies and other arts subjects.  Music is accepted as an academic subject for entrance to higher education.

We have a reputation for outstanding results with many of our students continuing their studies further at music conservatoires and universities including Oxbridge.  Destinations have included Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester, Birmingham, York and Southampton Universities and The Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music, Trinity College of Music, Guildhall School of Music, Royal Welsh College of Music and Birmingham Conservatoire.  Others simply enjoy making music for pleasure or have it as a combined honours degree such as English and Music.

You can find the prep work for this course at prepwork.farnborough.ac.uk. 

Q:  Are the ensembles compulsory?

A:  All music students are encouraged to attend at least one music ensemble for ensemble and note-reading skills.  Other ensembles, including Big Band, Orchestra and Contemporary Voices, are open to all students, not just those who are studying music.  

Q:  Can I sign up for instrumental lessons?

A:  Yes - we have peripatetic staff who teach a range of instruments.  For music and BTEC music performance, students currently receive one lesson by the College peripatetic staff, paid for by the College.  

Q:  What theory/instrument grade do I need to take music?

A:  Grade 5 - part of the appraising component requires score reading to identify aspects such as chords, keys and cadences and completing an ABRSM Grade 5 Theory exam is excellent preparation.  Students should be completing the Grade 5 Theory exam prior to joining the College - there are various opportunities to complete the exam online during the academic year.  There is a Grade 5 Theory session available for students as well as resources on our Study Directory pages.  For performance, ideally around a Grade 5 if not higher.  For the recital at the end of Year 2, you access a higher mark bracket if you can perform Grade 6+ standard pieces.

Q:  What do we do in lessons?