Course Description

Waltons New School of Music’s Leaving Cert. Music Two-Year Course is a comprehensive course covering all Core Listening and Composing activities of the exam. Although the course does not include preparation for the Performing activity (students are responsible for their own work in this area), students enrolled in the Two-Year Course are entitled to a 10% reduction in fees for 30-minute private lessons in any instrument (including voice) with the New School during the 2023-2024 and/or the 2024-2025 school years. Students taking a Higher Elective in Composing or Listening are responsible for their own preparation of this elective, with some guidance from the course teacher, who is also available for private tuition in these areas.

The Two-Year Course comprises 1 ¼ hours of weekly tuition over 29 weeks per year. And for extra preparation, students taking Year Two of the course may also attend, at no additional cost, the New School’s Easter Revision Course and/or our Pre-Exam Revision Workshop.

Self-Assessment

Prospective students who have not completed Junior Cert. Music and who are unsure whether or not to take this course should download, print and complete our Leaving Cert. Music Self-Assessment. If you have difficulty answering any of the questions in the Self-Assessment, we recommend that you take the New School’s Leaving Cert. Music Preliminary Course or private music theory tuition before commencing this course.

Requirements

Participants in this course will need:

• An internet-connected laptop, computer, tablet or smartphone. (A laptop or computer with webcam and microphone is strongly recommended, as it will have the largest picture.)
• Ideally, internet speed at least 1.5Mb per second. (You can test your speed using Measurement Lab’s Speed Test.)
• Headphones or earbuds, if possible.
• Free Zoom software or app.*

*   If you haven’t learned music with Zoom before, please see our printable Zoom for Students information sheet for information on how to download and use Zoom for music tuition.

Before the course begins, the teacher will email you a Zoom meeting invitation that includes a meeting ID and password to join the first class.

In addition, Year One students should purchase the following books (available from Waltons Music and other music shops) before the course begins:

• Sealy: Soundscapes: The Prescribed Works, Group A (Waltons Publishing)
• Long & Sealy: Soundscapes: Irish Music & Aural Awareness (Waltons Publishing)
• Costello: Leaving Certificate Music Workbook: Course A (Folens)
• Bach: Cantata BWV 78 (Eulenberg)
• Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture (Eulenberg)
• Barry: Piano Quartet No. 1 (Oxford University Press)
• A spiral-bound A4 music manuscript book

Amy Morrison

Amy studied in Trinity College Dublin (where she received both a BA in Music and a Professional Diploma in Education), the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary (where she received an advanced diploma), and most recently in Dublin City University (where she completed a Masters in Choral Studies, graduating with First Class Honours). As a teacher, Amy has worked extensively in secondary school, music school, and workshop settings with students of all ages, teaching Junior Cert. Music, Leaving Cert. Music, theory, musicianship, piano and voice. She is also very involved with the Post-Primary Music Teachers Association, where she has been a member of the Conference Team at their annual conferences, and from 2018 to 2020 she served as Vice-Chairperson of the Association. Amy is the current Chairperson of Kodály Ireland, having been heavily involved as a member of the organisation’s committee since 2018. She is continuing her studies by completing the International Kodály Certificate with the Kodály Institute, alongside certificate courses with the British Kodály Academy and the National Youth Choir of Scotland. Amy also teaches our Music Fundamentals and Sight Singing Made Easy courses.

Reviews • Testimonials

‘Very informative. Good classes and a huge aid coming up to my Leaving Cert.’
– D. Cullen

‘It’s good to do music outside your own school to experience a different setting. I would recommend it as an extra subject if you love music.’
– S. Doherty

‘The teacher really contributed to my learning development and knowledge of music.’
– T. Eccles

‘Well explained, well organised, comprehensive and interesting course.’
– M. Gilligan

‘Very interesting. Great to understand how music works.’
– R. Hayes

‘Clear and informative – and of course the teacher is great!’
– C. McEneff

‘The teacher had a very solid understanding of the course.’
– B. Marsh

‘I liked the one-to-one attention and had a more rounded understanding of music after I did the course.’
– S. Melvin

‘After completing my first year of Leaving Cert. Music, I feel as though I am much more knowledgeable about music as a whole, thanks to the tuition! Also, the atmosphere of the school is extremely welcoming and the staff are lovely!’
– R. Nolan

‘Concise, easy-to-study information. I feel confident about the exam.’
– P. O’Donohoe

‘The small class made it easier to learn and interact. Everyone could answer (or ask) questions in class.’
– H. Phillips

‘The teacher is great…and very approachable, and there is a feeling of security as you are not afraid to ask questions.’
– J. Richardson

Have you taken – or are you taking – this course? We would appreciate it if you could take a few moments to give us your feedback in a brief online questionnaire about it.

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2023-2024 Course Schedules

29 weeks, 26 September 2023 – 21 May 2024
Year One (2025 exam): Tuesdays 5 – 6.15 pm
Year Two (2024 exam): Tuesdays 6.30 – 7.45 pm
(Schedule of classes/holidays to be provided at start of term.)

Prerequisite

Junior Cert. Music, Preliminary Course or equivalent

Fees

1. Although there are no finance charges, payment plan fees include an additional processing fee of €8 per instalment payment.
2. Fee includes Easter Revision Course and Pre-Exam Revision Workshop, 2024 or 2025.
3. Students enrolling for both our Two-Year Course and our Preliminary Course together receive a 25% discount (€40) off the Preliminary Course fee (normally €160).

Enrolment

Enrolment for this course requires a completed Leaving Cert. Music Enrolment Form and either full payment of the tuition fee or a deposit and payment plan authorisation. Places on the course are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the date of enrolment.

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