European Baccalaureate Music study plan

Map the full syllabus of both courses onto a single one-page grid, marking where the 2-period and 4-period content overlap and where the 4-period course adds depth

Build a personal glossary of 40 core terms (form, cadence, texture, timbre, notation, harmonic function) with a one-line definition and one notated example for each

Sight-read and annotate two short tonal excerpts, labelling key, cadences and phrase structure by hand

Set up a listening log template that records composer, date, genre, forces, form and three analytical observations per work

Analyse four works from the 4-period repertoire for harmonic function, identifying tonic, predominant and dominant regions and any chromatic alteration

Write out Roman-numeral analyses of two passages and justify each label in one sentence

Practise harmonic dictation: transcribe the outer voices and bass line of eight short four- to eight-bar progressions

Compare two recordings of the same work and note three interpretive differences in tempo, articulation and balance

Trace the development of sonata form across three periods, listing the structural markers that distinguish each example

Identify and notate eight melodic intervals and six chord qualities by ear in a timed drill

Compose a 16-bar period in a Classical style with a clear antecedent-consequent structure and notate it correctly

Explain the difference in expected analytical depth between the 2-period and 4-period courses for the same work

Complete a full mock analysis paper under timed conditions, covering form, harmony, texture and instrumentation

Self-mark the mock against a rubric you write yourself, listing every point lost and its cause

Re-analyse the two weakest passages from the mock and write corrected model answers

Memorise the standard instrumentation and typical textures of four genres spanning Renaissance to Romantic

Perform and annotate three set works from the 2-period repertoire, marking form, texture and stylistic features directly on the score

Build a comparative timeline linking each set work to its historical and cultural context in two sentences or fewer

Practise aural identification of texture types (monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic, heterophonic) across ten short excerpts

Draft concise programme notes for one work, targeting the length and register expected in the exam

Synthesise a comparative essay plan linking two works from different periods on form, harmony and context

Complete a second timed mock covering both course profiles, mixing analysis and aural questions

Drill melodic and rhythmic dictation daily, recording accuracy scores for each session

Review and correct every error from the week-4 error log, confirming each is resolved

Write two full essay answers under exam timing, one per course profile, each with a clear thesis and evidence from the score

Condense both courses into a 30-card revision deck covering forms, terms, composers and representative works

Rehearse aural tests at exam speed three times and log scores

Identify the five weakest recall items and build a targeted drill for each

Run a full final mock under strict exam conditions for both course profiles and mark it against the rubric

Review the revision deck and error logs, closing every remaining gap

Practise score-reading under time pressure: extract key, form and cadence points from three unseen excerpts in ten minutes each

Finalise a one-page exam-day strategy covering time allocation, question order and answer structure