Connecting Music — AS & A Level Music (9483) questions by topic
Connecting Music essays discuss how improvisation or silence functions across styles, or how music supports amateur music-making, and require examples from two or more of world, folk, pop and jazz traditions, worth up to 30 marks.
Discuss, describe and explain expect you to compare traditions rather than write about one alone. Set against 2023 to 2025 papers across 45 questions, this page's instant marking is well suited to checking that your written analysis, not a recording, carries the argument, since examiners consistently reward specific musical examples over general claims about a style.
What examiners look for
- Strong answers gave specific musical examples drawn from candidates' own experience of playing arrangements, such as changing instrumentation or simplifying music.
- Reports praise responses discussing how silence builds tension, citing genres such as pop, rock, EDM and film music with named examples.
- Strong answers on tempo change extended the question sensibly, for example comparing tempo differences between adjacent album tracks, which examiners credited as valid.
- On vocal style questions, strong responses cited specific contrasts such as growling versus 'real' singing or head versus chest voice, often from pop and musical theatre examples.
May–June 2025, Paper 11
Answer one question in Section C. You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western…
Answer this question and get it marked →Discuss the importance of musical fusion, where different musical styles, cultures or traditions combine, in the music you know.
Answer this question and get it marked →Discuss how silence and the context in which music is heard can affect the listener's response to it.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 12
Answer one question in Section C. You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western…
Answer this question and get it marked →Discuss how music can tell a story or represent a narrative. Refer to both instrumental and vocal examples in your answer.
Answer this question and get it marked →Discuss the role of creativity in performing and composing music across different styles and traditions.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 13
Answer one question in Section C. You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western…
Answer this question and get it marked →How has technology been incorporated into the performance of music from different styles and traditions?
Answer this question and get it marked →Describe different ways music and words can be combined in performance.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 11
Answer one question from Section C. Question 6: How can music of different cultures and traditions be linked to a particular time and/or place? You must refer to musical examples…
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 7: Discuss how improvisation is used in different musical traditions. You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or…
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 8: What are some of the different ways in which music can be structured? You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 12
Answer one question from Section C. Question 6: How is music used in everyday life? You may draw on any music you have studied in any tradition.
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 7: How are percussion instruments used in music from different traditions? You may draw on any music you have studied in any tradition.
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 8: How has technology influenced the creation and performance of music? You may draw on any music you have studied in any tradition.
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 13
Answer one question from Section C. Question 6: How is music used to describe scenes and events? You may draw on any music you have studied in any tradition.
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 7: Describe the use of scales and tuning systems in music from different traditions. You may draw on any music you have studied in any…
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 8: How could the place of performance affect the musical decisions performers make? You may draw on any music you have studied in any…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 11
Answer one question from Section C. Question 6: How does music contribute to amateur music-making and community life? You may draw on any music you have studied in any tradition.
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 7: How has modern technology influenced music from any two different traditions? You may draw on any music you have studied in any…
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 8: What is 'classical' music and how is it different from other styles and traditions? You may draw on any music you have studied in…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 12
Answer one question from Section C. Question 6: How does music contribute to amateur music-making and community life? You may draw on any music you have studied in any tradition.
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 7: How has modern technology influenced music from any two different traditions? You may draw on any music you have studied in any…
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 8: What is 'classical' music and how is it different from other styles and traditions? You may draw on any music you have studied in…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 13
Answer one question from Section C. Question 6: How does music contribute to amateur music-making and community life? You may draw on any music you have studied in any tradition.
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 7: How has modern technology influenced music from any two different traditions? You may draw on any music you have studied in any…
Answer this question and get it marked →Answer one question from Section C. Question 8: What is 'classical' music and how is it different from other styles and traditions? You may draw on any music you have studied in…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 11
You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 12
You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 13
You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 11
You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 12
You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 13
You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →You must refer to musical examples of two or more styles or traditions from: world, folk, pop, jazz. You may also refer to music from the Western classical tradition not including…
Answer this question and get it marked →