Students and teachers were pleased to see familiar Irish musicians included in the listening section of the higher-level music exam, although the questions proved to be quite challenging.

Ciara Coleman, a music teacher at the Institute of Education, mentioned that the paper rewarded students who had a good understanding of the key musical themes and features of their set works, while also pushing them to listen more deeply to certain elements they may not have considered before.

Lucille O’Mahony, a music student at the Institute of Education and a member of the band Bullpen, expressed that students were content with the listening paper, especially question one which focused on Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture.

Nicole Cooney, ASTI subject representative for music and a teacher at Maryfield College, described the higher-level exam as "lovely" and highlighted the major melody and harmony questions that most students would have attempted.

However, question three introduced a unique twist by requiring students to indicate where a chord change occurred in Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody by ticking a box, which could have tripped up some students.

The Irish music question tested student knowledge of sean-nós, slip jigs, and fusion, challenging them to analyze the form of the music being played on a deeper level.

The essay question offered a good choice of topics, and the unprepared aural skills question focused exclusively on Irish musicians like Hozier, The Cranberries, Dermot Kennedy, and Cian Ducrot.

After a break, students tackled the composition paper, which featured questions on harmony and melody, with question one and five being the popular choices among students.

Overall, students felt that the exam provided enough new challenges to test their skills and adaptability.

On the ordinary level paper, the listening section was similar but with more appropriately pitched questions, leaving students satisfied with the content.