When studying the Cambridge IGCSE (9-1) Music syllabus, learners listen to, perform and compose music, encouraging aesthetic and emotional development, self-discipline and, importantly, creativity. As a result, learners enhance their appreciation and enjoyment of music, an achievement that forms an ideal foundation for future study and enhances life-long musical enjoyment.
Learners study music from a variety of styles; each style is placed in its historical and cultural context, and they are encouraged to be perceptive, sensitive and critical when listening. Although the majority of the syllabus examines Western European music, the music of other cultures is always represented.
This syllabus is graded from 9 to 1 but is otherwise the same as Cambridge IGCSE Music (0410). Teaching resources can be found on the web page for Cambridge IGCSE Music (0410) and past papers and audio resources can be purchased from the publications catalogue. These may be useful for teaching Cambridge IGCSE (9-1) Music (0978).
Syllabus availability
From 2019 this syllabus will be available in Administrative Zone 3 in both June and November. Check the administrative zones for your school.
Please note that if you make an entry for the 9-1 grading scale, it is not then possible to switch to the A*-G grading scale once the entries deadline has passed. If you find that you have accidentally made an entry for the 9-1 syllabus, you must withdraw and re-enter before the entries deadline.
Withdrawal of November exam series
We are withdrawing Cambridge IGCSE (9-1) Music (0978) from the November exam series. The last November exam series will be in 2023. From 2024, we will only offer this syllabus in the June exam series. We do offer a June and November series for Cambridge IGCSE Music (0410), so you may be interested in this syllabus as an alternative. Please note that this alternative syllabus awards an A*-G grading scale. We communicated this series withdrawal decision to schools in June 2021.
Syllabuses
The syllabus year refers to the year in which the examination will be taken.
Grade descriptions
For some subjects, the syllabus states that Grade Descriptions will be made available after first assessment in 2020 or 2021.
Publication of grade descriptions for these syllabuses has been delayed. This is to make sure that grade descriptions reflect examination outcomes appropriately and are based on the full range of candidate performance after the 2020 and 2021 series.
School Support Hub
We provide a wide range of support so that teachers can give their learners the best possible preparation for Cambridge programmes and qualifications. For teachers at registered Cambridge schools, support materials for specific syllabuses are available from the School Support Hub (username and password required).