Music and Performing Arts – Level 1

Required qualifications

To be accepted onto the course, you will need a minimum of 3 GCSEs at Grade 2 or above, or equivalent, ideally with at least a minimum of a Grade 1 in English and maths, or you will have passed a Routes/Entry Level course and had a successful interview with the team.

You should also have a strong interest in the subjects.

What skills will I develop?

Over the course of the year, you can expect to cover skills and knowledge relating to the following units:

• Introduction to music, performing and production arts
• Introduction to research for music, performing and production arts
• Communicating with an audience for music and performing arts
• Production development for music and performing arts
• Performance development for music and performing arts
• Music, performing and production arts project

You will learn specific music skills such as an introduction to soundtracks, basic music production, a basic knowledge of instruments and their place within music and performing arts, how to make backing tracks for monologues or performances, and understanding basic marketing for productions, bands, and artists.

You will also gain performing arts skills such as learning basic characterisation and performance including body language, facial expressions, and projection.

In addition, you will develop broader transferable skills, specifically communication, confidence, creative thinking, effective participation, initiative, problem solving, team working, and time management.

Careers

The Level 1 course is designed to provide a comprehensive foundation in music, performing, and production arts, preparing you for study at a more advanced level. Passing the course, as well as completing all other required college elements, could lead to progression on to one of our Level 2 qualifications such as in Music or Performing Arts after already gaining an introduction into both industries.

Completing higher-level qualifications could then lead to a variety of creative careers.

Work experience

To pass the course, you will be required to complete at least 40 hours of work experience throughout the year.

Whilst qualifications are hugely important, employers also require candidates to have relevant skills and experience necessary for the workplace.

There will be in-house opportunities for you to get involved with such as open mic sessions that will offer you some industry experience or completing virtual tasks that replicate real work.

English and maths

If you don’t have a Grade 4 or above in GCSE English and/or maths, you will be required to attend weekly GCSE classes alongside your course during your time at college. As well as these classes, you will have access to ‘CENTURY’ which is an online English and maths diagnostic and skills development website.

English and maths will also be embedded within your qualification:

• English e.g. script work, monologues, creative writing, lyrics, and research
• Maths e.g. effects, counting, multiples, calculating BPM (beats per minute), decibels, frequency, and graphs

Other important information

We would advise you to have a pair of headphones or earphones with an aux cable for when working on the computers at college.