Music

What is it? Two years of making music and responding to music. Students can perform and compose any kind of music they like, from traditional Irish jigs to electronic dance anthems. At AS, you will study the works of great composers such as Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Mozart. But at A2 you can choose to concentrate on 16th-century composers or those from the 20th century, such as Vaughan Williams and Shostakovich.

Why do it? "In my experience, most students do music at A-level for enjoyment, not for career purposes," says Jenny Scharf, the subject officer for music at CCEA. "Plus, music is unique because it's a whole-brain activity, involving both the cognitive and affective aspects of your personality."

What skills do you need? At the end of A2, students are expected to be grade six or equivalent in an instrument, so you should have at least grade five when you start. However, you don't have to stick to instruments like the flute or oboe. Examiners are just as keen to see students playing traditional Irish or Scottish instruments or getting to grips with world music on the sitar or dulcimer.

How much practical work is there? Tons. It's 64 per cent performance and composition, so making music is a vital part of the course. If you don't put the practice in, you're not going to do well.

Ratio of coursework to exams: 64:36

Is it hard? "It's challenging, but you shouldn't be put off if you're not a musical genius," says Jenny Scharf. "Some students find the tests of oral perception difficult. They involve listening to some music and then answering questions on its features, such as pitch and rhythm."

Who takes it? An even number of boys and girls.

How cool is it? "To be a musician is to be cool in the 21st century," says Jenny Scharf. And because the course lets you dip into all genres and periods of history, you can be as up-to-the-minute or obscure as you like.

Added value: Performing often helps to build up a student's self-confidence.

What subjects go with it? Any subject. It is often taken as a bit of light relief by maths and sciences students.

What degrees does it lead to? It could lead you to study music seriously at an academy. Or there are myriad music degrees you could take at university.

Will it set you up for a brilliant career? "It certainly has," says Jenny Scharf. "Music students are very sought after, even in fields you wouldn't expect such as IT and computing."

What do the students say? "I play electric and acoustic guitar and I'm also interested in computer-generated music and sound manipulation," says Chris Storey, 18, who has also just finished A-levels in English and history at Friend's School, Lisburn. "The music I play for recitals ranges from modern pieces of guitar music, such as works by Joe Satriani and Metallica, through to Baroque pieces arranged for the guitar, most notably Robert Johnston's 'Alman'"

Which awarding bodies offer it? AQA, CCEA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC.

How widely available is it? Very.

c.rudebeck@independent.co.uk