GCSE Edexcel Set Work Analysis: Esperanza Spalding: 'Samba Em Preludio'

Student-friendly analysis resources to ensure your class are completely confident with their GCSE set works, and ready to excel in the exam. Build listening skills and encourage evaluation and reflection with a mix of guided analysis and independent tasks.

A lot of valuable exam practice and resources for performance

T Scammell, Teacher & Expert Reviewer

Each pack sets the scene with essential context before working through the set work bar by bar. Students are fully supported with detailed notes, annotated score extracts and key term definitions – then encouraged to reinforce and apply their knowledge with regular consolidation questions and activities.

Following the analysis, a wealth of exam preparation:

  • Concise revision summary structured by musical element to aid recall of key points
  • Musical dictation exercises using extracts from the piece, for vital transcription training
  • Section A and Section B exam-style questions with mark schemes – perfect practice for the listening paper

Totally flexible – integrate into your class teaching or use for independent learning.


GCSE Edexcel Set Work Analysis AoS4 Esperanza Spalding: ‘Samba Em Preludi’ (from the album of the cast recording of Esperanza)

Grammy-award-winning guitarist Esperanza Spalding’s much-acclaimed improvised version of ‘Samba Em Preludio’ is a masterpiece in the fusing of jazz, funk, soul, gospel, Latin American and classical music styles. Unpick the prominent features of the piece, including complex rhythms, transient harmonies and her signature electric and acoustic bass guitar sound, with ‘clear and easy to understand’ analysis, relevant activities and ‘valuable exam practice’.

What do teachers say about this resource? (9632)

Really well structured and researched, including the full range of activities expected at GCSE; analysis, performance and composition. All three were well resourced and appropriate for the study of the set work... I really liked the Performance and Composition topics based around the elements of Samba and Tonality of the set work itself, to familiarise students with these core elements that are used in the set work piece... Really excellent comparison and analysis of the genres blended together to create Samba em Preludio; Samba-cancao, Cool Jazz and Classical. Consolidation and keyword activities are excellent resources that are well planned out to check students understandings / misconceptions. The practice essay questions contain a good range of unfamiliar pieces as well as elements of music for comparison... Really thorough analysis of the set work, explained in detail with appropriate bar umbers and reference points, well planned consolidation questions and accompanying keyword activity sheets to check for understanding of key elements of the genre... Really enjoyable resource to read through, I look forward to adapting my own resources to include some more performance and composition activities inspired by this resource!

S Grice, Teacher & Peer Reviewer

The analysis of the work and score excerpts are very clear and easy to understand...The analysis is clearly set out into small sections, interspersed with relevant activities. There is always an appropriate amount of detail and good cross referencing to other works... There is a lot of valuable exam practice and resources for performance.

T Scammell, Teacher & Expert Reviewer