Higher Music
Higher Music is scaled to 100 marks: performance 50, question paper 35 and composing assignment 15. The 2027 listening paper is on Tuesday 11 May, from 10:15am to 11:15am.
- Question paper10:15 to 11:15
What grade is my mark?
Type a total mark to see the grade it would have got.
How the A and C boundaries have moved
Boundaries as a share of the total marks. A lower line means the papers were judged harder that year. Qualifications Scotland publishes boundaries from 2022 in this format.
| Year | Out of | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 100 | 70 | 60 | 50 | 40 |
| 2025 | 100 | 70 | 60 | 50 | 40 |
| 2024 | 100 | 69 | 59 | 49 | 39 |
| 2023 | 100 | 70 | 59 | 49 | 38 |
| 2022 | 100 | 70 | 60 | 50 | 40 |
Where the marks come from
Higher Music is unusual because half the grade comes from performing. The course is scaled to 100 marks.
The performance is worth 50. The listening question paper is worth 35. The composing assignment is worth 15.
Performance
You perform a programme of 12 to 13 minutes. It is split across two instruments, or one instrument and voice. Each must have at least 4 minutes. You play at least two contrasting pieces on each.
The music should be around Grade 4 standard or above. Each instrument is marked out of 30, giving 60 in total, which is then scaled to 50.
The 2025 course report said most performances were well prepared. Some candidates fell short of the 12 minutes or the minimum on one instrument. Time your programme early.
Assignment
You compose an original piece lasting between 1 minute and 3 minutes 30 seconds. It must use harmony. It must also use at least four of the musical elements: melody, harmony, rhythm, structure and timbre.
An arrangement scores zero, and so does a piece that is only an improvisation. You also write a review of your composing process. The composition is marked out of 20 and the review out of 10.
The report found that many pieces relied on repetition without developing ideas. Weak harmonic progressions were common. Writing for instruments you know, or for a small group, helped. Reviews scored better when they gave specific musical reasons, not personal taste.
Question paper
The listening paper lasts 1 hour and is marked out of 40. You hear excerpts and identify concepts, and answer music literacy questions.
At Higher you need styles like plainchant, oratorio, lied, impressionist, musique concrète, jazz funk and soul. You also need devices such as the tierce de Picardie, mordent, ritornello and passacaglia. Literacy covers bass clef notes, chords I, IV, V and VI, intervals and compound time.
In 2025 most candidates spotted plainchant and jazz funk. Many found identifying a prominent rhythmic feature and naming chords hard.
In 2027 the paper is on Tuesday 11 May, from 10:15am to 11:15am.
In 2025, an A needed 70 out of 100, a B 60 and a C 50.
Practising with past papers
Use past listening papers with the audio, then check answers with the marking instructions. Listen to each excerpt several times with the score in front of you. This links what you hear to what you see.
Revision checklist
Tick topics as you revise. Ticks are saved on this device only.
- Time your full performance programme and check each instrument has at least 4 minutes
- Record practice run-throughs and listen back for accuracy and expression
- Build a glossary of every Higher concept with a listening example for each
- Practise identifying cadences and chords I, IV, V and VI by ear
- Read bass clef notes from E below the stave to middle C fluently
- Write out rhythms in 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8 time, including triplets
- Plan a chord progression before composing your melody
- Develop your musical ideas with variation, not just repetition
- Write your composing review with specific musical reasons for each choice
- Sit past listening papers with the audio under timed conditions
Quick answers
- How much is the Higher Music performance worth?
50% of the course. You play a 12 to 13 minute programme on two instruments, or one instrument and voice. Each needs at least 4 minutes.
- Can I submit an arrangement for the Higher Music assignment?
No. An arrangement is awarded 0 marks, and so is a piece that is solely an improvisation. The piece must be an original composition that uses harmony.
- How long is the Higher Music exam?
1 hour. It is a listening and music literacy paper marked out of 40 and scaled to 35 marks.
- When is the Higher Music exam in 2027?
Tuesday 11 May 2027, from 10:15am to 11:15am.