WJECGCSE17 resources

WJEC GCSE Music Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download free WJEC GCSE Music past papers, mark schemes & examiner reports. Performing, composing and appraising across musical styles. 17 resources.

Papers Overview Paper Structure Key Info Key Topics Command Words Grade Boundaries Revision Tips Try AI Tutor ✦

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Year

17 of 17 resources

Summer 2023

4 files

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GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising – Mark Scheme – Summer 2023

Mark Scheme

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GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising [Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2023

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GCSE Music – Unit 2 – Composing: – Composing – Past Paper – Summer 2023

Past Paper

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GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising – Past Paper – Summer 2023

Past Paper

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Summer 2022

4 files

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GCSE Music – Unit 2 – Composing: – Composing – Past Paper – Summer 2022

Past Paper

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GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising [Resource] – Past Paper – Summer 2022

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GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising [Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2022

Modified Paper

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GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising – Mark Scheme – Summer 2022

Mark Scheme

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Summer 2019

4 files

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GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising – Mark Scheme – Summer 2019

Mark Scheme

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📋

GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising [ Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2019

Modified Paper

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📄

GCSE Music – Unit 2 – Composing: – Composing – Past Paper – Summer 2019

Past Paper

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📄

GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising – Past Paper – Summer 2019

Past Paper

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Summer 2018

5 files

✅

GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising – Mark Scheme – Summer 2018

Mark Scheme

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📋

GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising [ Paper size: A3 Font size: 36] – Modified Paper – Summer 2018

Modified Paper

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📋

GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising [ Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2018

Modified Paper

Download

📄

GCSE Music – Unit 2 – Composing: – Composing – Past Paper – Summer 2018

Past Paper

Download

📄

GCSE Music – Unit 3 Appraising: Appraising – Past Paper – Summer 2018

Past Paper

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Performing, Composing, and Appraising Music Across Styles and Traditions

WJEC GCSE Music develops practical musicianship alongside analytical understanding through three assessment components. Unit 1 (Performing) requires students to perform a minimum of two pieces — one as a soloist and one as part of an ensemble — demonstrating technical control, musical expression, and interpretive skill. Unit 2 (Composing) requires students to compose two original pieces, one free composition and one in response to a brief set by WJEC. Unit 3 (Appraising) is a written examination lasting 1 hour 15 minutes, testing students' ability to listen to and analyse music from four areas of study: Musical Forms and Devices, Music for Ensemble, Film Music, and Popular Music. Students listen to extracts and answer questions about musical elements (melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, dynamics, timbre), form and structure, instrumentation, and context. The specification draws on a wide range of musical traditions, from Western classical and popular music to world music and film scores. Welsh musical traditions — including Welsh choral singing, the Eisteddfod tradition, and contemporary Welsh popular music — feature as part of the broader musical landscape students explore. This archive contains 17 resources from Summer 2018 to Summer 2023, including appraising exam papers and accompanying audio resource materials.

Exam Paper Structure

Unit 1No calculator

Performing

⏱ Practical assessment🎯 marks📊 30% of grade

Solo performanceEnsemble performanceTechnical accuracy and expression

Unit 2No calculator

Composing

⏱ Coursework🎯 marks📊 30% of grade

Free compositionComposition to a briefUse of musical elements

Unit 3No calculator

Appraising

⏱ 1 hour 15 minutes🎯 marks📊 40% of grade

Musical Forms and DevicesMusic for EnsembleFilm MusicPopular Music

Key Information

Exam Board	WJEC
Qualification	GCSE
Grading Scale	A*–G
Assessment Type	2 practical units + 1 written paper
Unit 1	Performing — solo and ensemble (30%)
Unit 2	Composing — 2 compositions (30%)
Unit 3	1 hr 15 min — Appraising (40%)
Available Sessions	Summer 2018 – Summer 2023
Total Resources	17

Key Topics in Music

Topics you need to know

Musical elements: melody, harmony, rhythm, textureForm and structure in musicInstrumentation and timbrePerformance skills and interpretationComposition techniquesFilm music and popular music analysisMusical context and traditions

Exam Command Words

Command word	What the examiner expects
Identify	Name the instrument, device, or musical feature you hear in the extract
Describe	Give a detailed account of the musical elements, using correct musical terminology
Compare	Identify musical similarities and differences between two extracts or sections
Explain	Give reasons for musical choices, linking techniques to the effect on the listener
Discuss	Consider how musical elements work together to create mood, atmosphere, or narrative
Name the device	Give the correct musical term for the technique used (e.g., ostinato, sequence, pedal note)

Typical Grade Boundaries

Grade	Approximate mark needed
Grade A*	78–88%
Grade A	66–77%
Grade B	54–65%
Grade C	42–53%
Grade D	30–41%

⚠️ Typical boundaries across performing, composing and appraising. Practical marks tend to be higher than written. Actual boundaries vary by series.

Developing Aural Awareness and Using Musical Vocabulary Precisely

Appraising success depends on your ability to identify musical features by ear. Practise listening to unfamiliar music and identifying: the time signature, tempo, dynamics, instrumentation, texture (monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic), and form (binary, ternary, rondo, verse-chorus). Start with classical excerpts where these features are clearly defined, then progress to popular and film music where they may be less obvious. Musical vocabulary must be precise. Don't write 'the music gets louder' — write 'there is a crescendo from piano to fortissimo.' Don't write 'the tune goes up and down' — write 'the melody has a conjunct contour with an ascending sequence in bars 5–8.' This specific vocabulary is what distinguishes strong answers from weak ones. For performing, choose pieces that allow you to demonstrate your best skills within your comfortable technical range. A well-controlled performance of a moderately difficult piece scores higher than a technically ambitious piece full of errors. For composing, demonstrate understanding of the musical elements you have studied — use clearly defined structure, develop your melodic ideas through variation and sequence, and create textural contrast.

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WJEC GCSE Music Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download Past Papers

Summer 2023

Summer 2022

Summer 2019

Summer 2018

Performing, Composing, and Appraising Music Across Styles and Traditions

Exam Paper Structure

Key Information

Key Topics in Music

Exam Command Words

Typical Grade Boundaries

Developing Aural Awareness and Using Musical Vocabulary Precisely

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