music essay topics leaving cert

10 Leaving Cert Music Tips

Special contributor: Shannon Boyle, LC Music teacher , breaks down the Leaving Cert Music (Higher Level) exam into 10 clear tips for a better grade.

Set A and Set B Music Notes are now available to purchase

Listening Paper

The listening paper examines your knowledge of the four set works, Irish traditional music and general music theory.

1. Ensure that you are adequately prepped for these questions, knowing your definitions for each section – e.g. for Bach be able to define things like cantata, figured bass, ritornello and for Barry know all your techniques such as retrograde, inversion, polymetre etc.

2. If a question asks you to describe , a one word answer will not receive full marks. For example if it asks you to describe the rhythm of the piece and you say ‘syncopation’, you must display that you know what that word means and how it affects the music. Eg. The rhythm here is syncopated as the rhythm of the violin emphasises the weaker beats, the second and fourth beat of each bar.

3. Know the difference between a melodic, compositional, rhythmic and instrumental technique . A melodic technique only concerns the melody and cannot refer to rhythm. This may appear obvious but people lose marks for this every year. A melodic technique includes wide leaps, wide range, repeated notes, whereas a rhythmic technique can be syncopation or dotted rhythm. Compositional techniques are things like retrograde, inversion, canon – things the composer has done to the melody. Instrumental techniques can include pizzicato, arco, senza vibrato. If it doesn’t specify which type of technique it is looking for then you are more free in your answer but if it states give a compositional technique then repeated notes will not receive marks.

4. Question five concerns Irish Traditional Music and will include three listening excerpts and an essay. The listening section is quite predictable and usually examines the dance types, sean nos singing and fusion . You need to know traditional and non-traditional features of ITM and features of the traditional sean nós singing. The most common dance types to come up are reel, hornpipe, jig, slip jig. You need to know their time signature and a typical bar of rhythm.

5. The trad essay often suffers due to students providing answers that aren’t detailed enough. The examiner is looking for facts about the topic not a general, vague synopsis. Four options come up for the essay so be tactical  in what you study. You can get away with not knowing every topic but do not leave yourself short on the day. Many topics overlap slightly – you can mention Sean O Riada briefly in a céilí band essay, he is an example of a composer who uses fusion and he can come up in his own right. You need a knowledge of sean nós and the dance tradition for the listening so these can also be handy answers to prepare.

6. Question six is completely unprepared and the only thing you can do is practice past papers . There is often an element of dictation to this, a comment on the style of the piece, identification of instruments and features. You need to show the examiner that you can analyse music here. Again if it says describe, do not give one word as an answer. If it asks you to describe Brahm’s use of dynamics simply saying loud will not get full marks.

Composing Paper

The composing paper features some choice but I will be discussing question 1 and question 5 as they are most common and do overlap with the other options.

7. It is incredibly difficult to obtain full marks in the melody question but there are steps you can take to avoid unnecessary deductions .

a) You must pick an instrument for your melody

b) You must have enough beats in a bar (have the correct amount for each phrase if it has an upbeat)

c) It must have barlines

d) It must include dynamics which make sense

e) It must have phrasing

f) It has to modulate to the dominant if in a major key

8. The Q1 option of the composing section is development of a given opening , so you must analyse the phrase they give you. Do they use any interesting leaps? What type of rhythm do they use? What chord is bar 1 and 2 based on?

You can develop the opening by using retrograde, inversion, putting it up/down the octave, omitting/altering passing notes, changing the rhythm. There are plenty of ways to alter it but ensure you show the examiner that you understand that this is a development of the existing phrase.

9. The backing chord question (Q5) is worth sixty marks so give it plenty of practice and allow enough time to check over it in the exam.

Pick the chord that best fits the bar – if you’re in the key of D and there is a D, G, B in the treble clef then the chord of D is weaker than the chord of G because the bar includes all notes of the G chord. Remember you cannot repeat chords but you can use inversions.

10. Use and develop the bass pattern provided but also make your bassline interesting by adding your own ideas in places and including a falling bass where possible.

Finally – Bring a pencil, a rubber, a topper – no one wants to read a melody scribbled in pen! Highlight key words of the listening paper and make sure your answer makes sense.

You may also like:

Leaving Cert Music Syllabus

This is a workbook I put together to have Leaving cert music Irish essays in the one place. These essays are from resources I have gathered from teaching music over the last few years. This booklet includes Essays for: Céilí Bands Denis Hempson Edward Bunting Fusion of Irish Music Mícheál Ó Shuilleabháin (Use for: Irish composer and solo fusion of styles.) Music Collectors Sean Nós The Harping Tradition Turlough O Carolan Irish Dancing Influence of the Song and Dance Music of Ireland on the Folk Music of North America Sean O Riada (Use for Irish composer) This booklet also includes: A revision checklist Study summary after each essay (this allows students to summarise key points and add keywords to a column in each study summary)

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Online Resources for Leaving Cert. Music Students

Online resources, for leaving cert. music students, waltons new school of music.

This page includes:

Comprehensive information on the syllabus and exam. Information and YouTube videos of all Prescribed Works. Useful websites for Leaving Cert. Music students. Links to all third-level music programmes in the Republic and Northern Ireland.

The Syllabus

Performance element, music technology option, past exam papers.

Click here for a copy (in pdf format) of the current Leaving Cert. Music syllabus.

The performance element of the Leaving Certificate Music exam offers a wide range of choices for the student. Following is an excerpt from the current syllabus, which provides a brief description of the options available. Leaving Cert. Music students can be prepared for any of these options at Waltons New School of Music.

2.1.1 Performing

All students offering at Ordinary level must present performing as outlined in (a) and (b) below:

(a) Singing and/or playing individually; or Singing or playing as a member of a musical group; or Rehearsing and conducting a musical group; and (b) Singing or playing a sight reading test; or Singing or playing an aural memory test; or Singing or playing an unprepared improvisation.

2.1.2 Performing requirements

(a) Ordinary level students must perform: (i) two prepared songs or pieces and (ii) one unprepared test (i.e. either a sight reading test or an aural memory test or an improvisation)

(b) Higher level students must perform: (i) three songs or pieces and (ii) one unprepared test (i.e. either a sight reading test or an aural memory test or an improvisation).

(c) Higher level students may, as an alternative, present: (i) two Ordinary level performing activities and (ii) the appropriate Higher level sight reading test or aural memory test or improvisation.

(d) All students should show appropriate musical and technical fluency.

(e) In individual performing, other than performing on traditional Irish instruments, accompaniments should be included as appropriate.

(f) In performing traditional Irish music, some use of ornamentation will be required at Ordinary level, where this is appropriate; at Higher level, proficiency in the use of appropriate ornamentation will be required.

(g) In group performing, students must show an ability to hold their own musical line and contribute musically to its interpretation.

(h) In certain circumstances, students may, with prior permission from the Department of Education, present performing for assessment using an audio or audiovisual medium.

(i) No specific programmes are given. The criteria for choosing music for performing at Ordinary level and Higher level are set out in appendix E.

2.1.3 Higher level Elective in Performing

Students taking this elective are required to perform a programme of approximately 12 minutes’ duration that reflects a further expansion of the Higher level essential performing activity.

APPENDIX A • SINGING OR PLAYING INDIVIDUALLY

(a) Ordinary level and Higher level students may present performing under this heading.

(b) Students should note the performing requirements outlined in 2.1.2.

(c) The criteria for choosing music are given in appendix E.

(d) Presentations under this heading may include individual singing and/or playing of traditional and popular musical genres as well as classical art works.

(e) Three different options are possible under this heading:

Option 1: singing individually Option 2: performing individually Option 3: demonstrating an ability to understand and to use microtechnoloqy music-making systems.

For Option 3, students will be expected to demonstrate an ability to:

• input via electronic instruments (and/or conventional instruments with electronic controllers providing a MIDI interface) a musical score of at least two real parts;
• save, retrieve and edit that score (e.g. change rhythms, pitch, dynamics, timbres, etc.);
• produce a taped and/or printed final version.

In addition, Higher level students must demonstrate an ability to compile and perform to their own prepared recording or to play at least two pieces from the standard repertory for electronic instruments.

Below is is a summary of the requirements for Leaving Cert. Music students choosing the Music Technology option. Students can be prepared for this option through private music technology lessons at the New School or through our Leaving Cert. Music Technology Workshop .

• Backing track to consist of at least 32 bars. Candidates must show evidence of / describe the compiling of the backing track
• Backing track to consist of at least three parts/lines of at least 32 bars each. Candidates must show evidence of / describe the compiling of the backing track.

Candidates presenting the Music Technology option will be required:

• To state the medium / system / software he / she will use to input lines / parts / tracks and to name the edits they intend to make.
• To input all or part of each line / part / track, at the discretion of the Examiner.
• To make the required number of edits. Edits should make musical sense.
• To demonstrate the ability to produce a tape or printed score. While the tape or score may be produced in advance on the day of the examination, the candidate will be required to demonstrate the procedure involved to the Examiner.
• To perform the required number of pieces, if presenting Higher level core (one activity) or Higher level elective (one activity).

Methods of inputting, as defined in the syllabus, must be via electronic instruments and/or conventional instruments with MIDI controllers/interface. Music may also be input by use of the mouse directly onto the stave using appropriate notation software. Inputting may be in real time or step time. Teachers and candidates are reminded that copying and pasting is not a valid method of inputting unless the music copied was first input by the candidate.

Music to be input should be at least 16 bars long and of an appropriate degree of difficulty.

Past exam papers for Leaving Cert. Music are available in pdf format (readable with Adobe Reader) in the Exam Material Archive on the State Examinations Commission website.

Resources on the Works

Group a on youtube, group b on youtube, the prescribed works group a (2023, 2024, 2025).

Bach: Cantata BWV 78 Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture Mercury/Queen: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Barry: Piano Quartet No. 1

The Prescribed Works Group B (2026, 2027, 2028)

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique , Parts II and IV The Beatles: Songs from Sergeant Pepper Deane: Seachanges (with Danse Macabre)

Resources on the Prescribed Works

The following resources (in pdf format) were produced by the Post-Primary Music Teachers Association and are available to download on Google Drive:

• Prescribed Works Group A
• Prescribed Works Group B
• Irish Music

The Contemporary Music Centre also has useful study study notes available on Gerald Barry’s Piano Quartet No. 1 and Raymond Deane’s Seachanges (with Danse Macabre) :

• Piano Quartet No. 1 Study Notes
• Seachanges (with Danse Macabre) Study Notes

Johann Sebastian Bach Cantata BWV 78

Pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky romeo & juliet fantasy overture, freddie mercury / queen ‘bohemian rhapsody’, gerald barry piano quartet no. 1, wolfgang amadeus mozart piano concerto no. 23, hector berlioz symphonie fantastique, ii (a ball), iv (march to the scaffold), the beatles songs from sergeant pepper, ‘sgt. pepper’s lonely heart’s club band’, ‘when i’m sixty-four’, ‘she’s leaving home’, raymond deane seachanges (with danse macabre), useful websites, third-level music programmes, third-level music programmes in the republic and northern ireland.

• Ballyfermot College of Further Education
• BIMM Institute Dublin
• CIT Cork School of Music
• Dublin City University
• Dublin City University, Institute of Education
• Dundalk Institute of Technology
• Griffith College Dublin, Music & Multimedia
• Irish World Academy of Music and Dance
• NUI Maynooth
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• Royal Irish Academy of Music
• St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra
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Leaving Cert Papers, News, Notes, Tips and Resources

Higher Level Exam Papers

2019-listening 2019-composing 2018-listening 2018-composing 2017-listening 2017-composing 2016-listening 2016-composing 2015-listening 2015-composing 2014-listening 2014-composing 2013-listening 2013-composing 2012-listening 2012-composing 2011-listening 2011-composing 2010-listening 2010-composing 2010-elective 2009-listening 2009-composing 2008-listening 2008-composing 2007-listening 2007-composing 2006-composing

Ordinary Level Exam Papers

2019-listening 2019-composing 2018-listening 2018-composing 2017-listening 2017-composing 2016-listening 2016-composing 2015-listening 2015-composing 2014-listening 2014-composing 2013-listening 2013-composing 2012-listening 2012-composing 2011-listening 2011-composing 2010-listening 2010-composing 2009-listening 2009-composing 2008-listening 2008-composing 2007-listening 2007-composing 2006-listening 2006-composing 2005-composing

Higher Level Marking Schemes

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 P1 Elective 2006 P1 Composing

Ordinary Level Marking Schemes

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2006 comp

How to succeed in your Leaving Certificate Music Composing Paper

Check out our Leaving Cert Music composing guide written by Ellen who achieved a H1 in her Leaving Cert Music exam.

Introduction

The composing paper is often underestimated and students are usually left to figure it out for themselves. The paper itself is worth an equal number of marks to the listening paper (half of what the practical exam is worth). It is not a section to be forgotten, dismissed or 'made up off the top of your head'. If the listening paper goes wrong or you freeze during your practical, what is going to save your grade? You guessed it, the compositions! Treat the composing paper with the time and respect it deserves and it will reward you in return.

It can be difficult to mark a musical composition. Similarly to the English written paper, examiners are advised to use their own intuition and personal preference. Many teachers suggest singing a melody out loud or playing the harmony line on an instrument. For the experienced musicians among us, this may be helpful but for a novice, it is not so easy. Perhaps a student had no choice but to take music as a subject or their only musical experience is playing the tin whistle in primary school.

In this guide, I will break down the key elements of a spectacular composition (both melody and harmony sections). 'Attacking' is a fitting description of the way of going about a musical composition. I like to think of it as a mysterious sentence to be taken apart and investigated for clues, before being slowly rebuilt into a perfect paragraph. Too much? Maybe, but it is an exam after all so we might as well have some fun while we’re doing it.

Before you take off on your composition journey, there are a few essential things you should be aware of and keep in mind throughout. Think of these as safety procedures, demonstrated by you, for the benefit of your fellow passenger, the examiner.

I would always try to write out a chord bank for both the melody and the harmony question. These are the chords of the first six notes in the scale. It is important to remember that we never use chord three or seven under any circumstances.

The page before the harmony question will always contain a space for rough work and chord banks. Use this space.

Part 1: melody writing

Let’s start at the beginning. In this guide, I am going to use the Q.1 melody from the Leaving Certificate 2018 composing paper:

There are a number of steps to follow in answering this question. Let's go through them.

Identify the key signature

This is perhaps the most important step as it determines the entire melody. Choose your instrument: violin.

Bar 4 should contain (or lack) a helpful accidental. In this case, we see a D sharp. We know that the major key with only one sharp is G major, with its relative minor being E minor. G major only uses F# but E minor uses both F# and D#. Therefore, we know that this melody is in E minor. If there was no D# accidental, the melody would simply be in G major.

Work with what you've got

The first four bars contain all of the information you could possibly need so break it down bar by bar. Draw out your chord bank and write the Em scale with its tonic solfa:

The tonic solfa of the Em scale does not start with 'doh', it starts with 'la'. Although we are in the key of Em, its relative major is G (G = doh and E = la). The tonic solfa will start with 'la' and go to 'high la'.

Example: bar 1 - phrase

We already know that the melody is in E minor so first we write out our chord bank. It should look something like this:

By identifying the notes in bar 1 ( E, D#, E, B, A, G), we can say that the bar itself makes up the notes of the chord E minor (not counting the passing notes). Therefore, we know that the first bar of phrases A1 and A2 contain notes of the chord Em, whereas bar one of phrase B doesn’t.

Note the direction in which the notes are going and invert it in bar one of phrase A1, for example:

• E steps down one note to D# and back up to E before falling to B, A, G.

Through inversion, whichever note you start on in bar one of phrase A1, the next note should go up a step and then back down to the original note, all while keeping the same rhythm as bar one of phrase A (tricky I know but it shows skill). If this seems too complicated, stick to keeping to the same rhythm as bar one in A and the notes of the chord Em.

Do this with the first two bars:

• identify notes of a chord (sometimes there may be two in one bar) and try to replicate it in the same bars in phrases A1 and A2. Don’t mess with the rhythm too much as you might end up confused. If in doubt, use a bar of rhythm from the original bars but with different notes.

For bar two of the A1 phrase, reverse the rhythm of the notes but keep within the same chord notes, for example:

• if the original bar two contains a crotchet, a quaver and 3 quavers, start bar two of the A1 phrase with 3 quavers, a quaver and a crotchet.

As we’re in a minor key, we don’t technically have to modulate. However, I would recommend doing it if you’re looking for those extra 'wow' marks. The modulation always takes place in bars 7 and 8 and I would advise you to ask your teacher if they have a set sequence for the major and minor modulations.

We modulate to the dominant (the fifth) note so depending on the dominant, we use a sharp, flat or natural sign. In the case of C major, we would use F# in bar seven as the dominant is G major (which contains an F#).

You simply don’t use an accidental in bar 7. In this case, our accidental is D# so we use the note D but we don’t sharpen it. As G major only has an F# and no D#, we have successfully modulated back to our relative major. Make sure to use an F# and a natural D in bar 7.

The B phrase

While each of the A phrases are similar (inversions, rhythm, etc.), what are we supposed to do with the B phrase? Wing it? No. We must build the B phrase using sequences. Sequence, in music, is a melodic or chordal figure repeated at a new pitch level (that is, transposed), thus unifying and developing musical material. Basically, a group of notes at a certain pitch is repeated at a different pitch.

These notes should not make up any specific chord so just roll with it. This is your Mozart moment! Will you be remembered for hundreds of years for composing some random sequence? Probably not but you feel like a musical genius in the moment, let me tell you. The trick is to repeat the sequence in the following bar, either up a step or down a step.

Ending your melody

Every teacher has a different method of finishing off a melody or adding cadence points. Obviously, there are some guidelines but other than that, each melody ending will be different.

Major melody

Your teacher should have a set solfa pattern for bar 15 which leads into a final note of 'doh' in bar 16. For example, in a C major melody, the final note will be a long note on C. If you’re feeling fancy, you can incorporate an octave jump with two long notes: high C to low C or low C to high C.

Minor melody

Again, your teacher should have a set solfa pattern for bar 15, however, it should lead into a final long note of 'la' in bar 16.

Be aware of the time signature when using long notes. This is another rookie error that could cost you marks.

Finishing touches

Before you say goodbye forever, make sure to add your final mark grabbers. These include:

Melody conclusion

I hope this guide helps you when you’re doing your melodies. Practice makes perfect and you will always learn from your mistakes. If you have time, I recommend doing mock paper questions as they’re much more challenging than proper exam questions but they’ll prepare you for whatever the SEC decides to throw at you in June.

Part 2: harmony composing

If I’m being really honest, I was never a huge fan of the harmony writing question. I’d spend hours and hours on the melody writing question but somehow, I always ended up doing just as well on the harmony question (more good luck than good management I think). After a frustratingly long time, I accepted the harmony question and just got on with it.

This question can be particularly tricky if you don’t know what you’re looking at. As I mentioned before, there is a space before the question for a chord bank. This helpfully tells you what key the composition is in and leaves space for you to fill in the rest so start there and use a rough work page for working out chord progressions, etc. I will be using the 2018 Q.5 harmony question as an example:

There are a number of steps to follow in answering this question:

Fill in the table

As with the melody composition, we never use chord three or chord seven. Ever. The finished table should look something like this:

Chord progressions

Ask your teacher for a list of the good, the bad and the ugly chord progressions. Some progressions work and some just don’t. Below is a list of chord progressions that you should never use in both a major or minor harmony question.

As mentioned earlier, there are different chord progression patterns that you can use. I usually move in falling thirds and fifths and in rising twos, for example:

Once you don’t use any of the ‘never’ progressions, you are free to continue. Above, you can see the preferred progressions but they are not always possible. Go with what works best for you.

Identify notes in the bars

The harmony chord in the box is based on the notes below it. As you can see, the accompanying chord is Gm because the notes in the bar are: G, B flat, A, B flat, D. As A is used as a passing note, the bar is based on Gm.

Find your cadences

We know that there will be a cadence at the end. This is usually a final cadence but sometimes it may be non-final. There should also be a non-final cadence at approximately the halfway point, however, this is not always the case.

Only concern yourself with the last cadence as the rest of the cadences will automatically slot in (provided you choose the right chords for the boxes), for example:

Choose your chords

Ensure it is the best fit for the bar. Take into account the notes in the bar, the chord progressions and the bass notes that are given.

Composing the bass line

This is perhaps the most difficult step. Every teacher has different ways of teaching this so you should probably start there. However, if you’re looking for inspiration, this is my way of doing it:

• take the bass notes that are given in the opening bars;
• identify what notes of the scale they are based on the chord above the bar. For example, bar one uses G minor and we have G, B flat, D, G and B flat. Therefore, the style of the base goes like this:

Use this pattern in the first bar in the second phrase. Remember that you must fill in the bass in the first bar. Do this for each of the bars that have a given bass and repeat the pattern in the bars that follow. This shows your understanding of the instruction, 'in the style of the given opening'.

Finishing touches and cautions

• Only use root position chords at cadences, no inversions.
• In a minor key, the 7th note is always raised by a semitone in the bassline, except when it is used as an unessential note.
• Only use chord 5 7 if the 7th note is actually in the bar.
• Never end an imperfect cadence on 5 7 .
• Maintain given bass throughout where possible (some adjustments may be required).
• Never use two unessentials together.

Harmony conclusion

This question is more about your interpretation skills than your composition skills. You must go in with your eyes wide open as there are a lot of traps to fall into (and you will fall into them, nobody is perfect no matter how much practice you have). However, the more traps you’re aware of, the less likely you are to fall into them.

In a stressful exam situation, when our brain feels as if it’s blocked, we rely on our subconsciousness to step up to the job. Writing a melody should be like drawing a picture; it may only be a stickman on a bike but a picture nonetheless.

I took music as my eighth subject for the Leaving Cert so the only time I had to do my composition homework was on a Friday night after school. I would push all other homework aside and put my time into my melodies and harmonies. This way, I didn’t feel as rushed to get through them and I could afford to take my time. Don’t get me wrong, some Friday nights my eyes would be closing as I was writing out tonic solfas and chord banks but I got through it thanks to a Bruce Springsteen album on repeat in the background and a steady supply of tea.

I’m not assuming that you have that sort of time to spend on music or even if you have the interest. I enjoyed the composition paper and was fortunate enough to have an excellent teacher but it’s not for everyone. However, as I mentioned earlier, this paper is a hidden goldmine of marks. Treat it with respect and it will reward you and ease a small bit of pressure. You've got this!

Ellen is a motivated learner with a particular interest in Music. She has worked for us since graduating from Tullamore College in 2021 and helps create blog content while maintaining existing site content.

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Leaving Cert Music

This comprehensive two-year course is aimed at students intending to sit the Leaving Certificate Music exam with the Department of Education.

Held every Saturday and taught by Kim Fallen Bailey , this popular course offers students the opportunity to prepare for the music syllabus outside of school.

The course covers all aspects of the written papers for Leaving Cert Music. This includes melody writing and composition, set works, Irish music and unprepared history.

It is the student’s responsibility to enter this examination through his/her Secondary School. The course commences in September of each Academic year. 

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Leaving Cert Notes

Notes and anki decks for the leaving cert, irish fusion.

Fusion - Combining two genres of music to create a unique sound

Traditional Music Fusion

Irish and rock.

Sub-category also known as Celtic Rock

Example: Horslips

https://youtu.be/y5G8AJf4Xzw

Instruments used by Horslips: Electric and acoustic guitars, fiddles, mandolin, concertina, flute, bodhrán, drums and keyboard

Irish and Classical

Sean Ó Riada - Mise Éire

https://youtu.be/JGPe9qeN_VY

Shaun Davey - Brendan Voyage

https://youtu.be/YzF92y8e7pc

Irish and World Music

• Formed in 1987

https://youtu.be/81jegq4B9_M?t=473

• Formed in 1955
• Formed by Simon Emmerson

The band fuse electronic music with Irish traditional music and West African Music

https://youtu.be/WtoBT5WbrZQ

• Bill Whelan (an Irish composer) was commissioned to make
• For the 1994 Eurovision Concert
• Riverdance tells the story of people moving to new places and changing over time, taking their dances and their stories with them

Lead dancers were Jean Butler and Micheal Flately

https://youtu.be/4Dfrhh1Otwo

Irish and Jazz

Oiche Nollaig (On The Dolphin’s Way Album)

https://open.spotify.com/track/3JVliShLZ4GKEIaeybUi1M?si=277fe390c71c4d27