BrightSparks – GCSE Concert

Applications for this concert are now open!

Do you know your concertino from your ripieno? Can you spot the difference between instruments of the orchestra? And how has western classical music changed from the Baroque period to the 20th century?

To find out, join the London Philharmonic Orchestra for our GCSE BrightSparks concert on Thursday 6 November at the Royal Festival Hall, where we will explore a wide array of music from just two performers all the way up to a huge symphony orchestra!

The concert will be conducted by Michael Seal and presented by Rachel Leach, who will guide the audience through detailed musical analysis, with quizzes interspersed throughout. Through this, students will sharpen their listening skills and put their learning into practice while experiencing the impact of hearing the London Philharmonic Orchestra performing live.

The programme includes the third movement of J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (Edexcel set work, OCR Concerto through time), the first movement of Bartók Hungarian Pictures (new AQA set work) and minimalist music by Steve Reich (AQA). We will also hear music by Tchaikovsky, Coleridge-Taylor and Saariaho taking us from the Romantic period to the 20th century, covering themes and terminology relevant to Eduqas and all other exam boards, as well as hearing film music (all exam boards) by the most iconic film composers of all time.

With a broad range of music included, this concert is also suitable for Year 9 students considering starting Music GCSE next year.

Tickets are £3 for students, free for accompanying adults, and include free resources for teachers.

Can’t wait till the concert? Check out some of our GCSE learning resources. Visit our Watch, Listen, Learn page and select “Schools–secondary” to access a wealth of free online learning resources to support GCSE music.