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IB Doctor
A Level

A Level Music Tutoring

Develop as a performer, composer, and listener. Our expert tutors help you excel in all three components and write musical analyses that score at the top.

Whether you're developing your performance programme and composition portfolio in Year 12, preparing for your appraising exam in Year 13, or building written analysis skills for the listening paper, our tutors provide structured support tailored to your exam board, instrument, and goals.

Matched in 24h
A & A* grade tutors
First session guarantee
4.8/5 Trustpilot

What You Get with A Level Music Tutoring

Comprehensive support designed to help you achieve your target grade

Appraising (Written Exam)

  • Set work analysis: detailed technical knowledge of every set work
  • Unfamiliar extract analysis: applying musical vocabulary to unseen scores
  • Comparison questions: connecting set works through style, period, and technique
  • Past paper practice with mark scheme analysis and examiner tips

Composition

  • Developing melodic, harmonic, and structural ideas from a brief
  • Idiomatic writing for your chosen instruments and ensemble
  • Technical development: voice leading, harmonic language, texture, and form
  • Using notation software (Sibelius, Finale, MuseScore) effectively

Performance & Musicianship

  • Guidance on programme selection and building a coherent recital
  • Aural training: interval recognition, rhythm dictation, chord identification
  • Music theory: harmony, counterpoint, musical forms, and analysis vocabulary
  • Regular progress tracking and personalised study plans
Real student results

Students Improving Their Music Grades

B → A*
"Written analysis was the part holding my grade down - I could hear everything but couldn't describe it precisely. My tutor built my musical vocabulary and my appraising marks went from B to A*."
E

Elise P.

A Level Music, AQA, Summer 2024

C → A
"My compositions were unstructured - good ideas but no shape. My tutor taught me how to plan harmony and form before writing and my portfolio marks jumped dramatically."
J

Josh W.

A Level Music, Edexcel, Summer 2024

D → B
"Set work analysis questions were where I kept losing marks. My tutor did systematic work through every set work with me and I stopped leaving points on the table."
C

Caitlin B.

A Level Music, OCR, Summer 2023

How It Works

Simple steps to get started with A Level Music tutoring

1

Buy a Bundle

Choose 3 to 100 hours based on your needs. Split across subjects if needed.

2

Complete Onboarding

Tell us your exam board, year group, weak areas, goals, and scheduling preferences.

3

Get Matched & Start

Matched within 24 hours. Schedule your first session immediately.

First Session Guarantee

Not satisfied? Contact us within 24 hours. We'll address concerns, offer a rematch, or provide a full refund.

AS Level vs Full A Level: What's the Difference?

We support students at both stages - here's how they compare

Area
AS Level (Year 12)
A Level (Year 12–13)
Content Covered
Introduction to set works, basic composition techniques, performance programme foundation
Full set work analysis, advanced composition, complete performance programme, appraising exam
Qualification
Standalone AS Level qualification
Full A Level - performing (30%) + composing (30%) + appraising (40%)
Performance
Shorter recital requirement (typically 4–6 minutes)
Full recital (8–12 minutes) demonstrating technical and musical development
Composition
One or two shorter compositions
Portfolio of two compositions demonstrating range: one free, one to a brief
Appraising
Set works and basic unfamiliar piece analysis
Full appraising exam: all set works + unfamiliar extract analysis + extended writing

A Level Music Syllabus Coverage

Our tutors are experienced with all major A Level Music exam boards - AQA, OCR, Edexcel, and Cambridge. Whether you need support with written analysis, composition technique, or theory underpinning, we provide targeted support exactly where you need it.

1
Set Work Analysis

  • Detailed technical analysis of all exam board set works
  • Musical elements: melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, dynamics, timbre
  • Form and structure: ternary, sonata, rondo, through-composed
  • Historical and stylistic context of each set work
  • +1 more

2
Musical Vocabulary & Theory

  • Harmony: diatonic, chromatic, modal, jazz, extended chords
  • Counterpoint and voice leading principles
  • Musical forms: binary, ternary, rondo, sonata, theme and variations
  • Texture: monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic, melody-dominated homophony
  • +1 more

3
Composition Techniques

  • Developing a musical idea: motif, sequence, inversion, augmentation, diminution
  • Harmonic progression and cadence planning
  • Writing idiomatically for specific instruments and voices
  • Structural planning: introduction, development, climax, resolution
  • +1 more

4
Unfamiliar Music Analysis

  • Identifying period, genre, and style from musical features
  • Describing harmony and tonality: modulation, chromaticism, non-functional harmony
  • Identifying textures, forms, and structural devices
  • Commenting on performance forces and their use
  • +1 more

5
Aural and Musicianship Skills

  • Interval recognition: all diatonic and chromatic intervals
  • Chord identification: triads, seventh chords, inversions
  • Rhythm reading and dictation
  • Recognising melodic and harmonic features in played extracts
  • +1 more

6
Performance

  • Programme selection: balance, contrast, and development across the recital
  • Technical preparation: specific exercises for your instrument or voice
  • Musical interpretation: dynamics, phrasing, tone colour, expression
  • Ensemble performance: if choosing a chamber or accompanied programme
  • +1 more
Assessment breakdown

A Level Music Assessment Structure

Understand exactly how you'll be assessed and prepare strategically for each component

Exam boards covered:AQAOCREdexcelCambridge

Component 1 - Performing

Coursework / NEA
Weighting
30%

A solo recital (and optionally ensemble performance) demonstrating technical and musical development

Minimum 8 minutes of performed music - recorded and submitted, or in some cases live examination
Student-chosen programme - must demonstrate technical control, musical expression, and stylistic understanding

Component 2 - Composing

Coursework / NEA
Weighting
30%

A portfolio of two compositions: one free composition and one to a set brief or stimulus

Two compositions totalling at least 4 minutes - submitted as audio recording and score/lead sheet
Free composition (any style/genre) + one composition responding to a brief set by the exam board

Component 3 - Appraising

Written Exam
Weighting
40%

Written exam: analysis of set works, unfamiliar extracts, and extended comparative or contextual writing

2 hours
Section A: Short-answer questions on set works and unfamiliar pieces | Section B: Extended essay
All set works from the chosen areas of study + unfamiliar extract analysis + comparative or contextual question

Grade Boundaries (Summer 2024)

Grade
Min. %
A*
74%+
A
60%+
B
50%+
C
40%+
D
30%+
E
20%+

Grade boundaries shift each session. These are indicative based on recent exam-board data.

Key Assessment Notes

  • Performing and composing (60% combined) are assessed as coursework - start developing your programme and compositions early
  • The appraising exam is closed book - set work knowledge must be secure and musical vocabulary precise
  • Composition can be submitted as audio + score or audio + lead sheet depending on the board and style
  • Grade boundaries shift each year based on overall cohort performance

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about A Level Music tutoring

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