abrsm libretto 2011:2

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2011:2

ABRSM news and views

Making music in IndiaThe country’s growing demand for western classical music teaching

All change for Bowed Strings A preview of the new ABRSM sight-reading and scales

Hitting all theright notes

The Royal College of Music’sSparks Juniors scheme

Making music in IndiaThe country’s growing demand for western classical music teaching

All change for Bowed Strings A preview of the new ABRSM sight-reading and scales

01 Lib2-11 Cover.qxd 18/4/11 15:25

New ABRSM Violin syllabus 2012–2015Available from July

New volumes of Violin Exam Pieces will be available from retailers worldwide and at www.abrsm.org/shop

Revised scale and sight-reading requirements for all Bowed Strings

will be published in July, and valid from

January 2012.

New ABRSM Violin syllabus 2012–2015Available from July

New volumes of Violin Exam Pieces will be available from retailers worldwide and at www.abrsm.org/shop

Revised scale and sight-reading requirements for all Bowed Strings

will be published in July, and valid from

January 2012.

COVER STORY

8 Hitting all the right notes How the Royal College of Music is providing local children with free tuition

FEATURES

7 Success in private practiceISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts on creating a healthy teaching business

12 A future for musicProfessor Sue Hallam assesses the prospects for music education in the UK

14 All change for Bowed Strings ABRSM Syllabus Director Nigel Scaife previewsour revised sight-reading andscale requirements

16 Making music in IndiaExploring the growing populartiy of lessons in western classical music

19 Building bridges The first of two articles looking at a project bringing classical music to new audiences

REGULARS

4 News ABRSM developments worldwide

11 Opinion Teacher Ken Virgin shares his experiences of the CT ABRSM course

21 Diary dates Your essential run-down of forthcoming events

22 Call and responseThoughts from ABRSM Chief Examiner John Holmes,plus a chance to share your views

February saw the publication of the Henley Review,the government-commissioned report on thefunding and delivery of music education in England.

We have been greatly encouraged by the holisticperspective taken and support many of Darren Henley’srecommendations. Yes, clear progression routes shouldbe made available to all children with musical aptitudeand, yes, graded music exams should receive greaterrecognition in the context of school performance tables.We agree with calls for a new music educationqualification, a national register of music teachers andspecialist training for leaders in the sector. We alsobelieve in the important role played by Music Servicesand for the need for dedicated music education funds to be delivered via Local Authorities in order to ensurethat progress made in recent years is not eroded.

It is in the context of the Henley Review thatProfessor Sue Hallam discusses the future of musiceducation in the UK (see page 12). Here at ABRSM, welook forward to working in partnership with others asthe Review’s recommendations are taken forward. None of what we do would be possible without partnership –with representatives, teachers and examiners, to namea few. I recently had the chance to meet our wonderfulRepresentatives in India, and you can read more aboutABRSM activity in this country on page 16.

Working with and supporting teachers is central to our work - something we have in common with the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM). The ISMprovides a range of services for its members, and ISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts has some usefulbusiness advice for teachers on page 7. We also reporton two projects with collaboration at their heart: theRoyal College of Music’s Sparks Juniors initiative (page8) and the London-based Bridge Project (page 19).

Collaboration will play an increasingly importantrole if music making and learning are to thrive. As a major player in the provision of music educationservices we will continue to develop partnerships at all levels in our aim to support teachers and students worldwide.

Guy PerriconeChief Executive

Outlook

14

8 12

19

Editor-in-Chief Tony Pinkham Editor Lucy North

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© The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. All rights reserved. Unauthorisedreproduction in whole or in part is prohibitedwithout permission. The views expressed inLibretto are not necessarily those of ABRSM;neither are the products or services appearing inadvertisements and inserts endorsed by ABRSM.

Libretto

COVER PHOTO: RCM SPARKS JUNIORS © SHEILA BURNETT

03 Lib2-11 Contents.qxd 27/4/11 12:10

Following the success of last year’sevents for teachers in the UK,

we are again holding conferencesbetween September and Novemberthis year. With a theme of ‘Inspiringsuccess: new ideas in musicteaching’, we are running these two-day events in Birmingham,Gateshead, London and Manchester.They are aimed at all instrumentaland vocal teachers and will offer a wide range of seminars andworkshops packed with practicalideas to take back to your lessons.Aural training, musicianship andlesson planning are just some of the topics on offer as part of aprogramme designed to enrich yourprofessional skills.

This year, to coincide with thepublication of our new BowedStrings syllabus, there will be aspecial focus on strings. Seminarson both the new ABRSM Violinrepertoire and on the revised scaleand sight-reading requirements,which will affect all Bowed Strings,are included. There will also bewoodwind and brass and pianoworkshops, with the latter taking a close look at pedalling, touch and interpretation via some of thecurrent Piano syllabus repertoire.

For more information about theconferences, including details ofpresenters, and to book your place,visit www.abrsm.org/conferences.

News4

This year sees the publication of a new syllabus for BowedStrings, together with a range of supporting materials. The

syllabus, valid from 2012, will feature new repertoire lists for Violinplus revised scale and sight-reading requirements for Violin, Viola,Cello and Double Bass. The usual overlap period will apply for the Violin set pieces, but the new scales and sight-reading willcome into effect for everyone on 1 January 2012. For more on thenew Bowed Strings scales and sight-reading, turn to page 14.

Violin syllabus resources from ABRSM will include the ViolinStar series (see page 5), new books of Violin Exam Pieces,providing a selection of pieces from Grades 1 to 7, and syllabusrecordings by eminent violinists, including Gina McCormack,Madeleine Mitchell, Jennifer Pike, Katie Stillman and AlexandraWood. We are publishing the Violin Exam Pieces as violin part only (Grades 1 to 5), score and part (Grades 1 to 7) and score, partand CD (Grades 1 to 7). For Grade 8, recordings of the completesyllabus will be available on CD. You will also be able to buy all the

recordings as individualdownloads fromwww.abrsm.org/audioshop.For both downloads andCDs, the accompaniedpieces will be available as full recordings and as accompaniment only,providing a backing track for students to play along to.

Finally, to reflect thechanges to scale and sight-reading requirementsacross the syllabus we arebringing out new books ofScales & Arpeggios andSpecimen Sight-Reading Tests for Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass.

The new Bowed Strings syllabus and all related publicationsand recordings will be available in July. You will be able to view the syllabus at www.abrsm.org/exams or request a copy atwww.abrsm.org/syllabusrequest. Publications and recordings will be available from retailers and from www.abrsm.org/shop.

PHOT

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SIM

ON F

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NDEZ

Between February and April more than 45,000 youngmusicians took part in the 2011 Music for Youth

Regional Festival Series, sponsored by ABRSM.Providing free access to performance opportunities in a friendly and supportive environment, these UK-widefestivals are open to young people of all ages,instruments, levels of experience and types of musicalperformance. For ABRSM Chief Executive GuyPerricone, the Regional Festivals fit perfectly withABRSM’s mission to encourage music making for all:‘We believe passionately in the power of music tochange and enhance the lives of participants andlisteners, teachers and learners alike. We are delightedto be involved in a series of events that does so much tocelebrate and encourage the musical achievements ofyoung people.’

For more information about Music for Youth and itsRegional Festival Series visit www.mfy.org.uk.

New Bowed Strings syllabus coming soon

Celebrating musicalachievement

ABRSM conferences return in 2011

04-06 Lib2-11 News.qxd 18/4/11 14:02

Following the success of last year’sevents for teachers in the UK,

we are again holding conferencesbetween September and Novemberthis year. With a theme of ‘Inspiringsuccess: new ideas in musicteaching’, we are running these two-day events in Birmingham,Gateshead, London and Manchester.They are aimed at all instrumentaland vocal teachers and will offer a wide range of seminars andworkshops packed with practicalideas to take back to your lessons.Aural training, musicianship andlesson planning are just some of the topics on offer as part of aprogramme designed to enrich yourprofessional skills.

This year, to coincide with thepublication of our new BowedStrings syllabus, there will be aspecial focus on strings. Seminarson both the new ABRSM Violinrepertoire and on the revised scaleand sight-reading requirements,which will affect all Bowed Strings,are included. There will also bewoodwind and brass and pianoworkshops, with the latter taking a close look at pedalling, touch and interpretation via some of thecurrent Piano syllabus repertoire.

For more information about theconferences, including details ofpresenters, and to book your place,visit www.abrsm.org/conferences.

News4

This year sees the publication of a new syllabus for BowedStrings, together with a range of supporting materials. The

syllabus, valid from 2012, will feature new repertoire lists for Violinplus revised scale and sight-reading requirements for Violin, Viola,Cello and Double Bass. The usual overlap period will apply for the Violin set pieces, but the new scales and sight-reading willcome into effect for everyone on 1 January 2012. For more on thenew Bowed Strings scales and sight-reading, turn to page 14.

Violin syllabus resources from ABRSM will include the ViolinStar series (see page 5), new books of Violin Exam Pieces,providing a selection of pieces from Grades 1 to 7, and syllabusrecordings by eminent violinists, including Gina McCormack,Madeleine Mitchell, Jennifer Pike, Katie Stillman and AlexandraWood. We are publishing the Violin Exam Pieces as violin part only (Grades 1 to 5), score and part (Grades 1 to 7) and score, partand CD (Grades 1 to 7). For Grade 8, recordings of the completesyllabus will be available on CD. You will also be able to buy all the

recordings as individualdownloads fromwww.abrsm.org/audioshop.For both downloads andCDs, the accompaniedpieces will be available as full recordings and as accompaniment only,providing a backing track for students to play along to.

Finally, to reflect thechanges to scale and sight-reading requirementsacross the syllabus we arebringing out new books ofScales & Arpeggios andSpecimen Sight-Reading Tests for Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass.

The new Bowed Strings syllabus and all related publicationsand recordings will be available in July. You will be able to view the syllabus at www.abrsm.org/exams or request a copy atwww.abrsm.org/syllabusrequest. Publications and recordings will be available from retailers and from www.abrsm.org/shop.

PHOT

O: ©

SIM

ON F

ERNA

NDEZ

Between February and April more than 45,000 youngmusicians took part in the 2011 Music for Youth

Regional Festival Series, sponsored by ABRSM.Providing free access to performance opportunities in a friendly and supportive environment, these UK-widefestivals are open to young people of all ages,instruments, levels of experience and types of musicalperformance. For ABRSM Chief Executive GuyPerricone, the Regional Festivals fit perfectly withABRSM’s mission to encourage music making for all:‘We believe passionately in the power of music tochange and enhance the lives of participants andlisteners, teachers and learners alike. We are delightedto be involved in a series of events that does so much tocelebrate and encourage the musical achievements ofyoung people.’

For more information about Music for Youth and itsRegional Festival Series visit www.mfy.org.uk.

New Bowed Strings syllabus coming soon

Celebrating musicalachievement

ABRSM conferences return in 2011

04-06 Lib2-11 News.qxd 18/4/11 14:02 Page 4

Electronic versions of Libretto and our 2010 Annual Review are now available online as we look to bringthese important publications to a wider audience. Both come complete with a newly integrated in-page

viewing and browsing tool.Providing an overview of our activities and achievements during the past year, the Annual Review charts

recent developments at ABRSM, as well as providing a taste of what’s to come. In this latest review, we alsolook at our relationship with four of the Royal Schools of Music and give an insight into how our charitabledonations to each school support their work, not only their core teaching activities but also a variety ofoutreach, performance, career development and scholarship programmes. To read the Annual Review visitwww.abrsm.org/annualreview. You can find Libretto at www.abrsm.org/libretto.

5News

IN BRIEF

� New ABRSM App CentreABRSM offers a range of musicmaking, teaching and learningapplications to help teachers andstudents achieve more with theirmusic. You can now reach theseresources from one dedicated webpage. The ABRSM App Centreprovides access to Speedshifter, a practice tool that allows you tovary the speed of any CD or MP3track without altering the pitch;ABRSM PureSolo, a practice toolthat allows you to record yourselfplaying Flute and Clarinet exampieces (with Violin pieces cominglater this year); the ABRSM audiodownloads shop where you canbuy recordings of a wide selectionof syllabus pieces; andSoundJunction, our interactive site for listening to, exploring,discovering and creating music. To find out more, please visitwww.abrsm.org/appcentre.

� Representative updateA warm welcome to new ABRSMRepresentatives around the world.Valentina Lorenz Cammans joinsus in Sweden and Johanita deWaal in Namibia. In the UK wehave new Honorary LocalRepresentatives for the followingareas: Henley-on-Thames (Wendy Hawkins), Lincoln (Martin Stockdale, practical examsonly), Stockport (Trevlyn Thomas)and Whitehaven (Jane Bell and Hugh Turpin).

� ABRSM Teaching course comes to MalaysiaInstrumental and vocal teachers inMalaysia now have an opportunity to sign up for ABRSM’s TeachingMusic Effectively course. Designedto develop teaching skills and buildconfidence, the course includes asix-week distance-learning module,starting in July, followed by threestudy days, from 1 to 3 September.To find out more about the course,we are inviting teachers to attend afree taster session on 14 June at the SIM Music School in Selangor.For more information about thetaster and the course, includingdetails of the early bird discount,visit www.abrsm.org/mytme. Theclosing date for course applicationsis 8 July.

Celebrations cometo Hong Kong

Libretto and ABRSM's Annual Review go digital

In July we will be publishingViolin Star, an innovative

series of repertoire books forbeginner violinists. Assembledand arranged by composer andteacher Edward Huws Jones,the three volumes containcarefully selected repertoireand original compositions,

ranging from classical to popand traditional to jazz. Startingfrom the absolute basics andmoving up to around ABRSMGrade 2, these volumesprovide a logical progressionthrough the technical andmusical challenges of the earlylevels. The series is also auseful resource for exams,with Books 2 and 3 including anumber of pieces from theforthcoming ABRSM Violinsyllabus at Grades 1 and 2.

At each level the student’sbook gives the solo line, whilethe accompaniment bookprovides both piano and violinaccompaniments. In addition,the CD in the back of the

student’s book containsinstrumental arrangements ofthe printed accompanimentsfor violinists to play along to.

‘Violin Star is designed tobuild musical skills,’ ABRSM’sEditorial Director, Robin Barry,told Libretto. ‘Bursting withmore than a hundred piecesacross three books, stylisticbacking tracks, and livelycolour illustrations, we hope that this fresh and funapproach will inspire youngviolinists across the world to enjoy learning andperforming music.’

Violin Star will be availablein July from retailers and from www.abrsm.org/shop.

Beginner violinists take note

This year marks the sixtieth anniversary ofthe first ABRSM exams in Hong Kong. To

celebrate this milestone, and the strength ofour relationship with teachers and students inHong Kong, we are planning a host of specialevents for 2011.

Celebrations will be centred around ateachers’ conference, our first in Hong Kong, on4 and 5 November. Open to all instrumental andvocal teachers, the conference will provide apacked programme of seminars andworkshops. Sessions are planned on ABRSMPiano repertoire, the new ABRSM Violin pieces,exam marking, aural training, musicianshipand much more. This is a chance for teachersto develop their professional skills andunderstanding in a stimulating setting.

In addition to the conference, thecelebrations will take in the 2011 Diploma

Awards Ceremony, on 4 November, and willclose in fitting style on 6 November with ananniversary High Scorers’ Concert.

We are also funding placements for twoHong Kong teachers at Manchester’s RoyalNorthern College of Music (RNCM). Pianist Wat Chun-Pong and trombonist Chan Pui Lingwill attend the RNCM from October toDecember this year where they will benefitfrom personalised study programmes designedto enrich their teaching skills. All successfulABRSM exam candidates during 2011 will alsoreceive a unique certificate incorporating ourspecial Hong Kong anniversary logo.

For more information about the conference and to book your place, visitwww.abrsm.org/hk60conference.

04-06 Lib2-11 News.qxd 18/4/11 14:02

News6

IN BRIEF

� Share your views ABRSM is running an online surveythis month as we look to furtherdevelop our communications in orderto better meet your needs. Participantsin the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore andMalaysia are being asked how theycurrently keep up to date with newsfrom ABRSM, and how best we mightcommunicate with them in the future.We will also be asking for views onLibretto as part of the survey. Yourresponses will help to ensure that it isan informative and enjoyable read forall ABRSM customers. If you would liketo contribute, and are from one of thefour countries listed above, the surveycan be found at www.abrsm.org/survey.All respondents will be entered into a prize draw, with the chance ofwinning £200 (or the local equivalent)of ABRSM publications.

� Improve your jazz skillsTeachers looking to improve their jazzskills can do just that at our DevelopingJazz Techniques course. Over four daysour presenters will help you to developyour playing and deepen yourknowledge of the idiom, giving youmore confidence when exploring jazzwith your students. The course is forteachers of all instruments who alreadyuse jazz in their lessons, enter studentsfor ABRSM jazz exams or who haveattended an ABRSM Let’s Teach Jazzcourse. This is a residential coursetaking place in Bournville, Birmingham,UK, from 2 to 5 August. To find outmore, visit www.abrsm.org/teachers.

� UK CT ABRSM Plus tastersThere’s still time to enrol on one of our CT ABRSM Plus taster sessionsin the UK. These events introduce thelesson observation element of the CT ABRSM Plus course and provideinformation about the course ingeneral. Places are available inBirmingham (28 May) and London (12 June). For more information, please visit www.abrsm.org/ctplus.

� Hong Kong CT ABRSM PlusThe closing date for our CT ABRSMPlus course in Hong Kong, starting in October, is 5 September. To enrol on the course, contact Petina Law([email protected]) or DorcasWong ([email protected]), our Administrative Associates in HongKong, or visit www.abrsm.org/ctplus.

The first two volumes in the new Aural Training

in Practice series, coveringGrades 1 to 5, are nowavailable. These books,

with accompanying CD, aredesigned to help teachers andstudents prepare for the auralelement of ABRSM exams andreflect the revised tests whichcame into use this year.

These invaluable resourcescontain information on whateach test involves and whatthe examiner is looking for,together with plenty ofguidance and advice. Here youwill find teaching tips, warm

up material and ideas forintegrating aural into yourlessons, as well as practiceexercises and answers, bothrecorded and printed, whichprovide a guide to the types of response that would besuccessful in the exam.

Aural Training in PracticeGrades 1–3 and Grades 4 & 5are available to buy fromretailers and fromwww.abrsm.org/shop.

Help at hand for aural tests

CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading cancercharity for children and young people,

is calling on schools and groups to perfecttheir music skills while taking part in itsPractice-a-thon campaign.

Practice-a-thon is a national fundraiser for young singers, dancers and musicians.Schools and groups are encouraged to holdsponsored events and raise money to helpchildren and young people with cancer, andtheir families. Participants have an option tokeep 25% of the funds raised to develop theirown activities and CLIC Sargent provides a

free pack with everything you need toorganise an event, including fundraising andpublicity advice, and template certificates.

ABRSM has been a long term supporter of Practice-a-thon, which, as CLIC SargentNational Events Manager Emily Felix-Daviestold Libretto, is about ‘getting the best out ofyoung performers and helping CLIC Sargentgive the best support possible to familiesaffected by childhood cancer.’

For more information and to sign up, visit www.clicsargent.org.uk/practiceathon or telephone +44 (0)845 120 6340.

Practise and perform to raise money

From January 2012, there will be somechanges to the minor scale requirements

for candidates at Grades 1 and 2. In recentyears we have been discussing the role ofthe natural minor in teaching and learningand in 2009 we invited teachers tocontribute to the debate. It was clear thatmany teachers already begin with thenatural form when introducing minor scalesand would welcome its appearance at theearly grades.

For Nigel Scaife, ABRSM SyllabusDirector, the natural minor provides an idealplace to begin understanding the logic of keyrelationship: ‘Through learning this, theeasiest minor, a student’s understanding ofthe minor mode can begin to be encouragedboth aurally and theoretically.’ So, from nextyear, candidates at Grades 1 and 2 only may

present either the natural or harmonic or melodic form for their minor scales, where applicable. Syllabus materials will beupdated to reflect this change as and whenthey come up for reprint or revision.

Where there is a choice of minor formsin the exam (Grades 1 to 5), we expectcandidates to perform all minor scales inthe same form. If a candidate wishes topresent different forms for different keys,then they should tell the examiner whatthey have prepared at the start of the exam.This is to avoid confusion over whether ascale has been played correctly, asintended, or not.

These small changes come into effect for all instruments from 1 January 2012. To read more about the natural minor visitwww.abrsm.org/naturalminor.

Natural minor coming soon

04-06 Lib2-11 News.qxd 3/5/11 15:03

A s a private music teacher it has always been important todevelop the skills necessary to create a successful teachingpractice. Now, however, the private teaching market is

becoming increasingly competitive as more music professionalsmove into portfolio careers and as a whole range of musicproviders in the UK face cuts in funding. In this climate, it is vital to remain one step ahead of the competition.

First of all, don’t be afraid by the term ‘business’. At theIncorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) we provide regularprofessional development sessions on business skills in music, and here I’ve outlined the essentials.

As with any business, promotion is key. Decide who you want to teach and then find the best places and ways to reach thosepotential pupils. Always go through a parent or teacher rather thantargeting children directly. Then, make sure you promote yourselfin a professional manner - be it on leaflets, posters or online. Usehigh quality images and if you set up a Facebook page or group,don’t use it to chat to friends.

Exploit online opportunities by setting up a website via a freehosting site, such as www.flavours.me, and don’t forget to highlightqualifications, awards, and any professional development you haveundertaken. Utilise social networking sites to build mini practiceprofiles and draw people to your website. A good place to find helpon this is www.mashable.com. Also, look at what other musicteachers have done and then make sure your profile is better!

Finally on promotion, explore other online tools such asdirectories of teachers and free listings where you can post detailsof your lessons. Directories often do all the work for you. Our ownISM directory at www.ism.org is used by thousands of potentialmusic pupils and their parents to search for local teachers.

Once you have some pupils, make sure you take things forwardin a business-like manner. Before starting any classes, you willneed a written contract with your client – the parent/guardian orstudent. This should include your agreed fee, the number of classesto be taught, the dates and length of sessions, where the classeswill be held, and termination provisions, so that you are entitled to fees if a pupil stops lessons without giving you proper notice. PH

OTO:

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7Business tips

Keeping proper records is fundamental to running yourpractice. In theUK the profit orloss made onself-employedearnings must be disclosed to HM Revenue and Customs(HMRC). Theserecords need to be kept for six years to ensure thatyou can answer any questions HMRC might have about your tax return. More information about this can be found atwww.hmrc.gov.uk. You may also need to pay National Insurancecontributions. A useful source of National Insurance and tax information for the self-employed can be found atwww.businesslink.gov.uk.

As a private teacher you need to ensure that you protect yourpractice against accident and misfortune. You will need publicliability insurance to cover situations where you cause injury toanother person, or damage their property, in the course of yourwork. Similarly you should obtain employers’ liability insurance ifyou employ anyone. Joining an organisation such as the ISM meansyou will get these insurances as part of your membership, makingthem considerably cheaper. A final but important part of protectingyour business is ensuring you have access to legal support.

Lastly, keeping up-to-date with developments in musictechnology will help you maintain that competitive edge and keepyour students coming back. There are many online help pages and resources available for music teachers. Additionally, the ISMwebsite is a good place to find information on what’s going on in the music sector. All this should help to point you in the rightdirection and ensure that you have an efficient and successful teaching practice. �

ISM MEMBERSHIP

ISM members benefit from guidance oncreating contracts (with access to freetemplates), help with chasing fees, a taxhelpline, discounted insurance, one-to-oneadvice and representation from in-house legalprofessionals, and much more.The ISM is offering UK Libretto readers a 20%discount on new membership. To apply, visitwww.ism.org, click on the ‘Join ISM’ tab andenter ‘ABRSM’ as the promotional code, or callthe ISM on +44 (0)20 7629 4413. This offercloses on 30 September 2011.

Deborah Annetts, Chief Executive of the IncorporatedSociety of Musicians, outlines ways to make yourteaching practice a thriving one

Success in private

practice

07 Lib2-11 private practice.qxd 18/4/11 14:19 Page 1

News6

IN BRIEF

� Share your views ABRSM is running an online surveythis month as we look to furtherdevelop our communications in orderto better meet your needs. Participantsin the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore andMalaysia are being asked how theycurrently keep up to date with newsfrom ABRSM, and how best we mightcommunicate with them in the future.We will also be asking for views onLibretto as part of the survey. Yourresponses will help to ensure that it isan informative and enjoyable read forall ABRSM customers. If you would liketo contribute, and are from one of thefour countries listed above, the surveycan be found at www.abrsm.org/survey.All respondents will be entered into a prize draw, with the chance ofwinning £200 (or the local equivalent)of ABRSM publications.

� Improve your jazz skillsTeachers looking to improve their jazzskills can do just that at our DevelopingJazz Techniques course. Over four daysour presenters will help you to developyour playing and deepen yourknowledge of the idiom, giving youmore confidence when exploring jazzwith your students. The course is forteachers of all instruments who alreadyuse jazz in their lessons, enter studentsfor ABRSM jazz exams or who haveattended an ABRSM Let’s Teach Jazzcourse. This is a residential coursetaking place in Bournville, Birmingham,UK, from 2 to 5 August. To find outmore, visit www.abrsm.org/teachers.

� UK CT ABRSM Plus tastersThere’s still time to enrol on one of our CT ABRSM Plus taster sessionsin the UK. These events introduce thelesson observation element of the CT ABRSM Plus course and provideinformation about the course ingeneral. Places are available inBirmingham (28 May) and London (12 June). For more information, please visit www.abrsm.org/ctplus.

� Hong Kong CT ABRSM PlusThe closing date for our CT ABRSMPlus course in Hong Kong, starting in October, is 5 September. To enrol on the course, contact Petina Law([email protected]) or DorcasWong ([email protected]), our Administrative Associates in HongKong, or visit www.abrsm.org/ctplus.

The first two volumes in the new Aural Training

in Practice series, coveringGrades 1 to 5, are nowavailable. These books,

with accompanying CD, aredesigned to help teachers andstudents prepare for the auralelement of ABRSM exams andreflect the revised tests whichcame into use this year.

These invaluable resourcescontain information on whateach test involves and whatthe examiner is looking for,together with plenty ofguidance and advice. Here youwill find teaching tips, warm

up material and ideas forintegrating aural into yourlessons, as well as practiceexercises and answers, bothrecorded and printed, whichprovide a guide to the types of response that would besuccessful in the exam.

Aural Training in PracticeGrades 1–3 and Grades 4 & 5are available to buy fromretailers and fromwww.abrsm.org/shop.

Help at hand for aural tests

CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading cancercharity for children and young people,

is calling on schools and groups to perfecttheir music skills while taking part in itsPractice-a-thon campaign.

Practice-a-thon is a national fundraiser for young singers, dancers and musicians.Schools and groups are encouraged to holdsponsored events and raise money to helpchildren and young people with cancer, andtheir families. Participants have an option tokeep 25% of the funds raised to develop theirown activities and CLIC Sargent provides a

free pack with everything you need toorganise an event, including fundraising andpublicity advice, and template certificates.

ABRSM has been a long term supporter of Practice-a-thon, which, as CLIC SargentNational Events Manager Emily Felix-Daviestold Libretto, is about ‘getting the best out ofyoung performers and helping CLIC Sargentgive the best support possible to familiesaffected by childhood cancer.’

For more information and to sign up, visit www.clicsargent.org.uk/practiceathon or telephone +44 (0)845 120 6340.

Practise and perform to raise money

From January 2012, there will be somechanges to the minor scale requirements

for candidates at Grades 1 and 2. In recentyears we have been discussing the role ofthe natural minor in teaching and learningand in 2009 we invited teachers tocontribute to the debate. It was clear thatmany teachers already begin with thenatural form when introducing minor scalesand would welcome its appearance at theearly grades.

For Nigel Scaife, ABRSM SyllabusDirector, the natural minor provides an idealplace to begin understanding the logic of keyrelationship: ‘Through learning this, theeasiest minor, a student’s understanding ofthe minor mode can begin to be encouragedboth aurally and theoretically.’ So, from nextyear, candidates at Grades 1 and 2 only may

present either the natural or harmonic or melodic form for their minor scales, where applicable. Syllabus materials will beupdated to reflect this change as and whenthey come up for reprint or revision.

Where there is a choice of minor formsin the exam (Grades 1 to 5), we expectcandidates to perform all minor scales inthe same form. If a candidate wishes topresent different forms for different keys,then they should tell the examiner whatthey have prepared at the start of the exam.This is to avoid confusion over whether ascale has been played correctly, asintended, or not.

These small changes come into effect for all instruments from 1 January 2012. To read more about the natural minor visitwww.abrsm.org/naturalminor.

Natural minor coming soon

04-06 Lib2-11 News.qxd 3/5/11 15:03 Page 6

What do cellist Julian Lloyd Webber,clarinettist Julian Bliss, pianist JohnLill and classical guitar master Julian

Bream have in common? They all spent part oftheir youth studying at the Junior Departmentof the Royal College of Music (RCM), andarguably owe much of their success to theexceptional teaching and guidance theyreceived there. They are also just four of manythousands of students to have passed throughthe school since it opened in 1926.

Up until two years ago, the opportunity toattend this Saturday school was decided bycompetitive audition and an ability to paytermly fees. However, a remarkable newscheme known as Sparks Juniors, part of theRCM learning and participation programmeand supported by EMI and the J Paul GettyJnr Charitable Trust, is now giving groups ofchildren from four local state primaryschools the chance to experience the RCMJunior Department for free.

Sparks Juniors currently involves 20children, aged eight years and upwards,chosen from schools with a higher thanaverage number of pupils eligible for freeschool meals, and where there is a highproportion of children for whom English is a foreign language. The children areselected to participate on the schemethrough a series of classroom workshops,rather than by audition. They are picked not only for their musical potential –demonstrated through their musical recall,creative input and enthusiasm – but also fortheir ability to commit to the project.

Hayley Clements, RCM Learning andParticipation Manager, has been working on

Sparks Juniors from the beginning. Sheexplains the idea behind the project: ‘Wewanted to offer to a group of children, whowouldn’t normally have the opportunity tocome to a place like the College, the chanceto benefit from some intensive musicaltraining. It seemed appropriate to tie it in to the Junior Department as it is alreadysuch a fantastic programme for youngmusicians.’ Peter Hewitt, Director of theJunior Department, agrees: ‘It’s wonderfulto expose different groups of people to themarvellous things that go on here, at thesame time as challenging establishedpractice and developing relations with thelocal community.’

Every Saturday the RCM buzzes withexcitement as more than 300 students arrivefor their day at the Junior Department.Among them, the 20 Sparks Juniors attendclasses for three hours in the morning,which include a musicianship lesson andsinging in a training choir (with othermembers of the Junior Department). Theyare also each assigned an instrument tolearn – percussion, guitar or the Kinderhorn(a small version of the French horn) – andare taught in groups by RCM professors.

Each group is accompanied by a studentmentor, an undergraduate from the RCM,who acts as an important role model. Thementors share the same instrument as thegroup they are attached to and are there toprovide constant support. Ruiari Glasheen isa third year undergraduate percussionstudent who has been mentoring one of thegroups. ‘I really believe that playingpercussion is one of the most fun and

rewarding activities anyone of any age canbecome involved in,’ Ruairi told Libretto. ‘Theopportunities for creativity are limitless andto give these youngsters a step on to theladder is something I believe to be soimportant. Without education andopportunity, the musical possibilities ofstudents are limited, and I feel the SparksJuniors programme covers these vital areasof becoming a musician.’

So, what do the students think of theproject? Nine-year old Oliver, who is in hissecond year of the programme and islearning percussion, particularly enjoysplaying the snare drum and xylophonebecause of ‘all the different sounds you canmake.’ Ellie, also nine years old, loves herFrench horn lessons although she finds itquite hard to muster ‘enough puff’ to play forlong periods of time. She performed in frontof her friends at a school assembly last term,which she describes as ‘a little freaky’, butwas pleased her friends were so impressedwith her playing.

For the programme to succeed, it was imperative to gain the trust andcommitment of the parents. ‘Whenrecruiting for the scheme it was reallyimportant to involve the families as it doesimpact on their time,’ explains Hayley. ‘Wealso invite the parents to come into theCollege and sit in on lessons so they feelinvolved in their child’s progress.’

Iman, mother of second year SparksJunior Aya, told Libretto how much herdaughter enjoys coming to the JuniorDepartment. Originally from Sudan, theycome from an artistic family (Iman’s father

Reaching out8

PHOT

OS: ©

SHE

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ETT

Hitting all the right

An exciting new programme at the Royal College of Music is enabling groups of talented children toaccess the outstanding tuition offered by its JuniorDepartment. Katherine Smith finds out more aboutthe project and the young people involved

08-09 Lib2-11 hitting the right notes.qxd 18/4/11 14:20 Page 1

What do cellist Julian Lloyd Webber,clarinettist Julian Bliss, pianist JohnLill and classical guitar master Julian

Bream have in common? They all spent part oftheir youth studying at the Junior Departmentof the Royal College of Music (RCM), andarguably owe much of their success to theexceptional teaching and guidance theyreceived there. They are also just four of manythousands of students to have passed throughthe school since it opened in 1926.

Up until two years ago, the opportunity toattend this Saturday school was decided bycompetitive audition and an ability to paytermly fees. However, a remarkable newscheme known as Sparks Juniors, part of theRCM learning and participation programmeand supported by EMI and the J Paul GettyJnr Charitable Trust, is now giving groups ofchildren from four local state primaryschools the chance to experience the RCMJunior Department for free.

Sparks Juniors currently involves 20children, aged eight years and upwards,chosen from schools with a higher thanaverage number of pupils eligible for freeschool meals, and where there is a highproportion of children for whom English is a foreign language. The children areselected to participate on the schemethrough a series of classroom workshops,rather than by audition. They are picked not only for their musical potential –demonstrated through their musical recall,creative input and enthusiasm – but also fortheir ability to commit to the project.

Hayley Clements, RCM Learning andParticipation Manager, has been working on

Sparks Juniors from the beginning. Sheexplains the idea behind the project: ‘Wewanted to offer to a group of children, whowouldn’t normally have the opportunity tocome to a place like the College, the chanceto benefit from some intensive musicaltraining. It seemed appropriate to tie it in to the Junior Department as it is alreadysuch a fantastic programme for youngmusicians.’ Peter Hewitt, Director of theJunior Department, agrees: ‘It’s wonderfulto expose different groups of people to themarvellous things that go on here, at thesame time as challenging establishedpractice and developing relations with thelocal community.’

Every Saturday the RCM buzzes withexcitement as more than 300 students arrivefor their day at the Junior Department.Among them, the 20 Sparks Juniors attendclasses for three hours in the morning,which include a musicianship lesson andsinging in a training choir (with othermembers of the Junior Department). Theyare also each assigned an instrument tolearn – percussion, guitar or the Kinderhorn(a small version of the French horn) – andare taught in groups by RCM professors.

Each group is accompanied by a studentmentor, an undergraduate from the RCM,who acts as an important role model. Thementors share the same instrument as thegroup they are attached to and are there toprovide constant support. Ruiari Glasheen isa third year undergraduate percussionstudent who has been mentoring one of thegroups. ‘I really believe that playingpercussion is one of the most fun and

rewarding activities anyone of any age canbecome involved in,’ Ruairi told Libretto. ‘Theopportunities for creativity are limitless andto give these youngsters a step on to theladder is something I believe to be soimportant. Without education andopportunity, the musical possibilities ofstudents are limited, and I feel the SparksJuniors programme covers these vital areasof becoming a musician.’

So, what do the students think of theproject? Nine-year old Oliver, who is in hissecond year of the programme and islearning percussion, particularly enjoysplaying the snare drum and xylophonebecause of ‘all the different sounds you canmake.’ Ellie, also nine years old, loves herFrench horn lessons although she finds itquite hard to muster ‘enough puff’ to play forlong periods of time. She performed in frontof her friends at a school assembly last term,which she describes as ‘a little freaky’, butwas pleased her friends were so impressedwith her playing.

For the programme to succeed, it was imperative to gain the trust andcommitment of the parents. ‘Whenrecruiting for the scheme it was reallyimportant to involve the families as it doesimpact on their time,’ explains Hayley. ‘Wealso invite the parents to come into theCollege and sit in on lessons so they feelinvolved in their child’s progress.’

Iman, mother of second year SparksJunior Aya, told Libretto how much herdaughter enjoys coming to the JuniorDepartment. Originally from Sudan, theycome from an artistic family (Iman’s father

Reaching out8

PHOT

OS: ©

SHE

ILA

BURN

ETT

Hitting all the right

An exciting new programme at the Royal College of Music is enabling groups of talented children toaccess the outstanding tuition offered by its JuniorDepartment. Katherine Smith finds out more aboutthe project and the young people involved


9Reaching out

was the Dean of the College of Fine Arts inKhartoum) but Aya had never received formalmusic lessons before. She is now learningthe guitar, and is even teaching theinstrument to her younger sister too.

Tammy, mother of French horn playerEllie, believes her daughter had alwaysshown signs of being musical: ‘Ever sinceshe was a baby, even before she could walk,she used to rock to the music from side toside. She gets so much out of her day hereand it’s really great that they allow me andher grandmother to sit in on the lessons.’

So what does the future hold for SparksJuniors? Well, the programme runs forthree years, at which point the children can audition for the Junior Department if they have achieved the appropriate level of accomplishment. If successful, a bursary will enable them to continuetheir studies. But if the Junior Departmentisn’t the right path for them, there areother opportunities available. RCM Sparks,the College’s learning and participationprogramme, for example, organises avariety of projects in the local borough ofKensington and Chelsea, which they areencouraged to join.

Overall, everyone involved in the project isincredibly enthusiastic about the children’s

progress. Peter Hewitt hopes ‘the experienceof working with our wonderful teachers and alongside our excellent young musicians will inspire them to achieve great things for themselves.’ �

notes

To find out more about the RCM’s ground-breaking learning andparticipation programme, visitwww.rcm.ac.uk/sparks or call +44 (0)20 7591 4300 to speak to a member of the Sparks team.


OUR AIM IS TO GIVE THE FINEST SERVICE AND VALUE FOR MONEY

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Buy Direct from Piano Maker and Concert PianistRent from only £7 a week with the option to buy

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Aural Training in Practice

Available from music retailers worldwide, and online at www.abrsm.org/shop

The new editions of Aural Training in Practice for Grades 1–5 are now available.

These volumes offer valuable support to teachers and students preparing for the modified ABRSM aural tests.

Both volumes include:

• information on what ABRSM aural tests involve, and what the examiner is looking for

• teaching hints and strategies

• practice exercises, with CD recordings

• written and recorded model answers

Aural Training

in PracticeABRSM Grades 1–3

John Holmes and Nigel Scaife


Grades

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Aural Training in PracticeABRSM Grades 4 & 5



Grades

4&5with CD

NEW EDITION

Lib2-11 Libretto ads.qxd 14/4/11 17:00 Page 1

OUR AIM IS TO GIVE THE FINEST SERVICE AND VALUE FOR MONEY

WE AIM TO MAKE TOP QUALITY PIANOS – AFFORDABLE TO ALL

Telephone: 0845 070 3833

www.pinkhampianos.com

Pinkham Pianos

Buy Direct from Piano Maker and Concert PianistRent from only £7 a week with the option to buy

All the money paid in rent may go towards the buying price


Available from music retailers worldwide, and online at www.abrsm.org/shop

The new editions of Aural Training in Practice for Grades 1–5 are now available.

These volumes offer valuable support to teachers and students preparing for the modified ABRSM aural tests.

Both volumes include:

• information on what ABRSM aural tests involve, and what the examiner is looking for

• teaching hints and strategies

• practice exercises, with CD recordings

• written and recorded model answers

Aural Training

in PracticeABRSM Grades 1–3



Grades

1–3with 2 CDs

Aural Training in PracticeABRSM Grades 4 & 5



Grades

4&5with CD

NEW EDITION


When I applied for the CT ABRSM fast-track course lastyear I didn’t know what to expect, since it was my firstever music teaching course. I had previously taken early

retirement from Human Resources Management in the HomeOffice, and was looking forward to developing my skills in my newself-employed status as a piano teacher. In setting up my businessI had managed to secure work as a peripatetic teacher for one daya week in a state secondary school and also had 11 private pupils.

I soon discovered that my fellow course members came from a variety of teaching backgrounds, some with lots of experience. I was a little daunted by my lack of experience and how much Iwould have to do to achieve the certification in a relatively shorttime. I can recall a photograph that was shown to us on our firststudy weekend. It was of a group of successful CT ABRSMstudents at their award ceremony. I often thought of that picturewhen trying to juggle coursework, teaching, and my personal life.

I loved the sheer variety of activities on offer, from action-packed residential study weekends and teachingobservations to projects and written assignments. I was impressed at how everything was clearly linked to helping mebecome a better teacher and I quickly gained the skills that I needed to improve my teaching.

My personal mentor was very supportive, continually assessingmy work so that I knew how I was doing and what I could improveon. She was very clear about the standards expected, and this keptme on track. The written assignments were also of great value,with the background reading material providing useful insightsand the requirement to draw on my own experience making methink about how I could enhance my teaching.

I particularly appreciated the networking opportunities withfellow students. We were always swapping ideas on what workedwell in our teaching and what didn’t. I also found it helpful that we could support each other with the challenges presented by the coursework.

Throughout the course I was eager try out everything I hadlearnt. It was wonderful to see my pupils' positive reactions to themusical activities I was feeding into my lessons. I submitted DVDrecordings of my lessons to my mentor for assessment and sheadvised me to watch them periodically during the course andcompare how I was doing. I was encouraged to see a markedimprovement in my teaching from my initial attempts. My lessonswere becoming more creative and less rigid and my pupils wereclearly benefitting from my new-found skills. The result has been ongoing - a learning experience that has forever changed the way I teach.

When I finally received my CT ABRSM certificate it was with a great sense of achievement and satisfaction. The effort involvedin undertaking the fast-track course was certainly worth it and theaward ceremony at London’s Wigmore Hall was a wonderful day ofcelebration that I shall never forget.

As a CT ABRSM holder I am now a member of the CT ABRSMAlumni Association and enjoy keeping up-to-date via the latestnewsletters and workshops, and keeping in touch with othersuccessful students.

For me, the experience of gaining this qualification has beenlife-changing, so much so that I have signed up for the study days on the CT ABRSM Plus fast-track course this year. These will prepare me for the ABRSM Principles of Teaching diplomaexam in December. With 15 private pupils, work continuing at the secondary school and further opportunities emerging in local schools, I look forward with excitement to the next stage of my career. �

The CT ABRSM Plus course is available to teachers in the UK,Hong Kong and Singapore. It combines the Certificate of Teaching with preparation for the Principles of Teaching diploma (DipABRSM). ABRSM also provides a wide range of other courses to support music teachers. For information about all ABRSM professional development opportunities, visit www.abrsm.org/teachers. Alternatively, you can contact the Professional Development team on +44 (0)20 7467 8832 or at [email protected].

11Opinion

Ken Virgin, a self-employed music teacher fromthe UK, shares his experience of the CT ABRSMcourse – one that will help to shape his teaching forever

The CT ABRSM course and me

11 Lib2-11 opinion.qxd 18/4/11 14:21

In periods of austerity, there is a tendencyfor music education to be seen as anoptional extra, something which can be

easily cut without damaging pupils’ overallattainment. Nothing could be further fromthe truth.

Making music in the early and primaryyears increases listening and concentrationskills, and enhances a child’s ability todiscriminate between sounds. In addition tothe musical benefits, this improves phoneticawareness and helps to develop languageand literacy skills. There is also a positiveimpact on spatial reasoning, which is linkedto mathematical thinking, and on physicalco-ordination, which supports handwritingskills. Music making in small groups

promotes teamwork and the development of leadership skills, while pupils’ confidencecan be enhanced if they are givenopportunities to perform. In addition tothese benefits, making music provideschallenge, opportunities to succeed and is an enjoyable activity.

In the UK, the inclusion of music in the National Curriculum has ensured that schools have a duty to provide musiceducation, although some give music agreater priority than others. The SpecialistSchool Programme led to a number ofschools adopting music as a specialism,while at primary level the WiderOpportunities scheme ensured that everychild was given the opportunity to learn to

play an instrument free of charge for alimited period of time and Sing Up created a nation of ‘Singing schools’ and a bank ofmaterials that they could use. Schools havehad opportunities to work with a wide rangeof professional musicians on specificprojects enriching children’s experiencesand the three In Harmony projects inNorwich, Liverpool and Lambeth havedemonstrated the benefits that can accruewhen children in the most deprived areasare immersed in music making. The Musical Futures Programme has exploredinnovative approaches to music education at Key Stage 3, starting from the interests and existing knowledge of the students,enhancing motivation and encouraging

Education in the UK12

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A future for musicIn the light of a recent change of UK government and subsequent policy reviews, Sue Hallam looks at what thefuture might hold and asks if music education in the UK is secure in the long term

12-13 Lib2-11 music ed future.qxd 18/4/11 14:25

In periods of austerity, there is a tendencyfor music education to be seen as anoptional extra, something which can be

easily cut without damaging pupils’ overallattainment. Nothing could be further fromthe truth.

Making music in the early and primaryyears increases listening and concentrationskills, and enhances a child’s ability todiscriminate between sounds. In addition tothe musical benefits, this improves phoneticawareness and helps to develop languageand literacy skills. There is also a positiveimpact on spatial reasoning, which is linkedto mathematical thinking, and on physicalco-ordination, which supports handwritingskills. Music making in small groups

promotes teamwork and the development of leadership skills, while pupils’ confidencecan be enhanced if they are givenopportunities to perform. In addition tothese benefits, making music provideschallenge, opportunities to succeed and is an enjoyable activity.

In the UK, the inclusion of music in the National Curriculum has ensured that schools have a duty to provide musiceducation, although some give music agreater priority than others. The SpecialistSchool Programme led to a number ofschools adopting music as a specialism,while at primary level the WiderOpportunities scheme ensured that everychild was given the opportunity to learn to

play an instrument free of charge for alimited period of time and Sing Up created a nation of ‘Singing schools’ and a bank ofmaterials that they could use. Schools havehad opportunities to work with a wide rangeof professional musicians on specificprojects enriching children’s experiencesand the three In Harmony projects inNorwich, Liverpool and Lambeth havedemonstrated the benefits that can accruewhen children in the most deprived areasare immersed in music making. The Musical Futures Programme has exploredinnovative approaches to music education at Key Stage 3, starting from the interests and existing knowledge of the students,enhancing motivation and encouraging

Education in the UK12

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A future for musicIn the light of a recent change of UK government and subsequent policy reviews, Sue Hallam looks at what thefuture might hold and asks if music education in the UK is secure in the long term

12-13 Lib2-11 music ed future.qxd 18/4/11 14:25 Page 12

independent learning, while Youth Musichas funded Music Action Zones prioritisingearly years, singing, transition, youngpeople at risk and workforce development.Overall, this is an impressive record.

Concerns about the impact on musiceducation of the change of government, todate, have been unfounded. The coalition iscommitted to every child receiving a strong,knowledge-based, cultural education andhaving the opportunity to learn and play amusical instrument and to sing. DarrenHenley, Managing Director of Classic FM,has carried out a review of music educationin England, which has celebrated itssuccesses while indicating the need forgreater consistency nationwide. To addressinequity, a National Plan is to be developedto set out a way forward and outlineexpectations. The government hasresponded positively to the review. This might lead us to believe that music

education is secure in the long term.However, this is not necessarily so.

A review of the National Curriculum istaking place with the emphasis on slimmingit down. There is no guarantee that musicwill be included. In addition, the governmentis committed to increasing the autonomy ofschools, specifically through the creation ofAcademies and Free Schools. These will nothave to follow the National Curriculum. TheEnglish Baccalaureate, against whichschool performance will be assessed,requires students to attain GCSE grades ofA* to C in mathematics, English, science, amodern or ancient language and a humanity(history or geography). At time of writing,the arts are not included. There is alreadyevidence that schools are changing optionssystems to ensure that more pupils takethese subjects, reducing the numbersopting for music with a possible subsequentimpact on music in Key Stage 3. The Officeof Qualifications and ExaminationsRegulation is to be tasked with ensuringthat examination standards in the UK arecomparable to the highest performingsystems internationally. Such comparisonsfocus on a few core subjects, mathematics,the home language and science. Thecombination of these measures means thatat secondary level, in particular, music islikely to become increasingly marginalised.

Teacher education is to become school-based. In primary schools, this maymean that trainees have no opportunities to observe high quality music teaching,

worsening the already far from satisfactorysituation where time spent on training toteach music is inadequate. At secondarylevel, the announcement that in theacademic year 2011–2012 there will be a31% reduction in the number of secondaryschool music teachers to be trained andthat no bursaries will be available for those studying music, reinforces the

notion that music, along with a number of other arts and humanities subjects, is being marginalised.

While schools will have more controlover their funding, it is clear that in thelonger term they are going to have lessmoney. They will be required to make publichow they are allocating their funding - theidea being that parents will hold headteachers to account for spending decisions.This could impact on music education,depending on the areas that parentsperceive should be given priority. Theinequality in funding for students attendingschool sixth forms or Further Educationcolleges has been removed, but this hasbeen achieved by reducing school funding.This reduction is likely to mean that someschools will be unable to afford to offermusic A level, unless large numbers ofstudents wish to take it. State funding forthe study of music in higher education hasbeen removed completely.

Music has the potential to develop a widerange of transferable skills in those whoengage with it, including those which areparticularly desired by employers, forinstance, team work, independent working,leadership and creativity. Despite this, musicis still perceived by many people as lackingrelevance for future employment. If music is to to thrive, the musical community needs to take steps to change this perception and promote musical skills as usefulpreparation for a wide range of employmentopportunities. Musicians need to raise and sustain awareness within their owncommunities of the considerable benefitsthat music participation offers throughout life- in respect of health and personal, socialand emotional well-being - and be preparedto engage in advocacy activities to promoteand protect music education and musicmaking in the community. Music education in the UK is world leading. It is incumbent on those of us involved with it to make everyeffort to ensure that it remains so. �

Professor Sue Hallam is Dean of the Facultyof Policy and Society at the Institute ofEducation, University of London. She is a former professional musician who haswritten extensively on music education. Her latest book (co-edited with Dr AndreaCreech), Music Education in the 21stCentury in the United Kingdom:Achievements, analysis and aspirations, was published by the Institute of Educationin July 2010.

13Education in the UK

‘Musicians need toraise and sustainawareness within their own communitiesof the considerablebenefits that musicparticipation offers’

12-13 Lib2-11 music ed future.qxd 18/4/11 14:25

The rolling programme of improvementsto the technical elements of our examshas, in recent years, resulted in new

requirements for Piano, Harp, Guitar and Organ, together with a revised set of sight-singing tests. So it was withexcitement – as well as some trepidation –that we turned to the sight-reading andscales for the four Bowed Strings. It was aslong ago as the mid-1980s that the presentscale requirements were introduced, withrevised sight-reading coming a decade later.

Our first task was to assemble an expertgroup from among the examiner panel,complemented by several eminent teachers

working in the field. Realising that thiswould be a lengthy process, we held ourfirst meeting back in October 2007. Duringthe months that followed, every aspect of the current sight-reading and scalerequirements for Bowed Strings wasscrutinised. The group paid particularlyclose attention to the progression inlearning and the demands of assessment at each stage, as well as considering theneed for parity and equivalence betweeninstruments wherever possible.

By early 2009 we were ready to see what the teaching community thought of ourproposals. Several hundred teachers, in the

UK and internationally, trialled the newideas with their students and sent us muchhelpful feedback – so many thanks if youwere one of them! For the last stage of thereview, the near-finalised requirementswere posted online and some welcomeadditional refinements emerged from this.

Sight-reading With the new parameters finalised, our next task was to commission some 900sight-reading tests for the forthcomingspecimen books, as well as for use in theexams themselves.

It was essential that the tests wereidiomatic, so when choosing our team ofnine composers one of the main criteriawas that they all had longstandingexperience of the bowed string world, notonly as composers but as teachers and/orplayers too. Some, such as Sally Beamish,are well-known composers for the concerthall while others are familiar names in theeducational world, such as Kathy Blackwell,Mary Cohen and Tony Osborne.

So, what’s new in the tests? First of all,there’s now a wider variety of styles,ranging from pastiche Baroque, Classicaland Romantic right through to more playfulpieces in jazzy and other styles, such as folkand Latin. We hope you will find the melodiccontent more immediately approachableand musically satisfying than theirpredecessors. They all work as successfulminiature pieces of music rather thansimply as tests.

Another important element is that the tests are somewhat shorter than the current set, particularly in the earliergrades. For example, all Grade 1 tests willnow be either four or six bars in length. This new departure will, we hope, allowcandidates to focus more closely on themusical details and, so, achieve a bettermark in the exam.

We’ve added descriptive titles to all thetests at Grades 6 to 8 to help candidatesconnect with the mood and style of the

Syllabus update14

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ABRSM Syllabus Director Nigel Scaife previews the revisedsight-reading and scale requirements for Violin, Viola, Celloand Double Bass which take effect from January 2012

All change

14-15 Lib2-11 Bowed Strings.qxd 18/4/11 15:14

The rolling programme of improvementsto the technical elements of our examshas, in recent years, resulted in new

requirements for Piano, Harp, Guitar and Organ, together with a revised set of sight-singing tests. So it was withexcitement – as well as some trepidation –that we turned to the sight-reading andscales for the four Bowed Strings. It was aslong ago as the mid-1980s that the presentscale requirements were introduced, withrevised sight-reading coming a decade later.

Our first task was to assemble an expertgroup from among the examiner panel,complemented by several eminent teachers

working in the field. Realising that thiswould be a lengthy process, we held ourfirst meeting back in October 2007. Duringthe months that followed, every aspect of the current sight-reading and scalerequirements for Bowed Strings wasscrutinised. The group paid particularlyclose attention to the progression inlearning and the demands of assessment at each stage, as well as considering theneed for parity and equivalence betweeninstruments wherever possible.

By early 2009 we were ready to see what the teaching community thought of ourproposals. Several hundred teachers, in the

UK and internationally, trialled the newideas with their students and sent us muchhelpful feedback – so many thanks if youwere one of them! For the last stage of thereview, the near-finalised requirementswere posted online and some welcomeadditional refinements emerged from this.

Sight-reading With the new parameters finalised, our next task was to commission some 900sight-reading tests for the forthcomingspecimen books, as well as for use in theexams themselves.

It was essential that the tests wereidiomatic, so when choosing our team ofnine composers one of the main criteriawas that they all had longstandingexperience of the bowed string world, notonly as composers but as teachers and/orplayers too. Some, such as Sally Beamish,are well-known composers for the concerthall while others are familiar names in theeducational world, such as Kathy Blackwell,Mary Cohen and Tony Osborne.

So, what’s new in the tests? First of all,there’s now a wider variety of styles,ranging from pastiche Baroque, Classicaland Romantic right through to more playfulpieces in jazzy and other styles, such as folkand Latin. We hope you will find the melodiccontent more immediately approachableand musically satisfying than theirpredecessors. They all work as successfulminiature pieces of music rather thansimply as tests.

Another important element is that the tests are somewhat shorter than the current set, particularly in the earliergrades. For example, all Grade 1 tests willnow be either four or six bars in length. This new departure will, we hope, allowcandidates to focus more closely on themusical details and, so, achieve a bettermark in the exam.

We’ve added descriptive titles to all thetests at Grades 6 to 8 to help candidatesconnect with the mood and style of the

Syllabus update14

PHOT

O: ©

ALE

KSAN

DAR

ANDJ

IC/D

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STIM

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ABRSM Syllabus Director Nigel Scaife previews the revisedsight-reading and scale requirements for Violin, Viola, Celloand Double Bass which take effect from January 2012

All change

14-15 Lib2-11 Bowed Strings.qxd 18/4/11 15:14 Page 14

pieces. And in response to feedback from teachers, we’re also providing somefingering and bowing indications from themiddle grades onwards. Although there are often different ways to finger any givenpassage, we hope that the small amount of fingering in the tests will help candidatesorient themselves and make the most of the preparation time in the exam.

The two examples shown here will give you an idea of the new tests. We will be publishing books of Specimen Sight-Reading Tests in July, allowing youand your students time to get to know theshape and styles of the new tests beforethey come into use in the exams fromJanuary next year. We’re also offering a freeresource - a set of downloadable tests, oneper grade for each instrument. These comefrom the new books, and will be availablefrom June at www.abrsm.org/bowedstrings.

ScalesAs with sight-reading, we reviewed thescale requirements jointly across all fourinstruments rather than considering eachseparately. This approach has enabled us toachieve more consistency across thegrades. Violinists and violists in particularwill notice a drop in the number of tasks required overall, especially in the highergrades. Significantly, the workload is nowpretty much comparable between the four instruments.

While many grades will seem familiar, as they have changed very little, some newapproaches have been adopted. The first ofthese is the inclusion of a minor-key scale at Grade 1 for all four instruments, bringingthe Bowed Strings into line with the otherABRSM Grade 1 exams. Candidates oftenencounter minor-key pieces in the Grade 1repertoire and it is educationally beneficialto make the aural connection between majorand relative minor. The E natural minorscale for Grade 1 Violin is shown above.

The beauty of the natural minor for Grade 1 string players is its comfort underthe hand compared with the other minorforms. The natural minor will also beretained, as an option, for the minor scalesat Grade 2 for Bowed Strings. At the sametime, from January 2012, the natural minor

will be introduced as an option alongside theexisting minor requirements for all otherinstruments at Grades 1 and 2 (see page 6).You can read more about the natural minorat www.abrsm.org/naturalminor.

Candidates at all grades will now have achoice of rhythm patterns when playing their scales, using either even notes or thelong-tonic pattern familiar from the currentsyllabus. This flexibility was given anoverwhelming endorsement by teachers inour pilot. While some prefer scales in evennotes, as the long-tonic pattern can lead torhythmic instability - too much time spenton the tonic and then a chase to catch up onthe ensuing quavers - others are happy withthe sense of a firm foundation that the long-tonic pattern provides.

The next notable change to therequirements is that, at Grades 6 to 8,we’re making a more holistic use of tonalcentres than in the current syllabus. Thismeans that the starting notes of theselected chromatic scales and dominantand diminished sevenths will always matchthose of the scales and arpeggios in eachof these grades. This will support goodpractice in teaching and learning andprovide greater coherence for students as they absorb the various tasks of thehigher grades.

15Syllabus update

SUPPORTING PUBLICATIONS

New ABRSM books of Specimen Sight-ReadingTests and Scales & Arpeggios for Violin, Viola,Cello and Double Bass will be available in Julyfrom retailers and from www.abrsm.org/shop.

OVERLAP PERIODS

There will be no overlap period for the newsight-reading and scale requirements, whichtake effect for all candidates from 1 January2012. However, the usual overlap period willapply for the new Violin repertoire lists, alsobeing published in July.

for Bowed Strings Grade 1 Violin sight-reading

Grade 4 Cello sight-reading

Grade 1 Violin E natural minor

And finally, for the first time we’representing suggested minimum speeds, forthe various requirements in the new scalebooks. In the past the guidance was simplyto allow the bowing to dictate the tempi,which some teachers found too vague.These metronome marks are optional andoffered only as a guide. Teachers are free toinclude them in their teaching as they seefit. This also applies for the fingering givenin the new books. �

14-15 Lib2-11 Bowed Strings.qxd 18/4/11 15:14

Ask a dozen futurologists to predictglobal economic trends or this decade’sbreakthrough technologies and you will

receive at least two dozen different answers.There’s one subject, however, on whichtoday’s forecasters hold strikingly unanimousviews. India has become the surest candidatefor positive, sustainable change - a SouthAsian marvel ascending world league tablesin everything from gross domestic product tothe size of her working age population. Forall India’s complex social problems andembedded inequalities, the nation’s presentexpansion and future prospects amount to acompelling tale of confidence, determinationand creativity.

Rising interest in western classical music,in demand from the mountainous Nagalandin the north to the tropical southern states ofKerala and Goa, may not be India’s biggestnews story. But it does contain the makingsof a revolutionary advance in high qualitymusic teaching, one in which ABRSM isdetermined to play a leading part.

Tim Arnold, ABRSM’s InternationalOperations Director, speaks of the passion and optimism of the organisation’s Regional Co-ordinators in India. He is convinced theirenergy can fuel the strategy to developpartnerships with teachers, students, schoolsand colleges, and build the infrastructurerequired to deliver excellence in westernclassical music. ‘There’s a wonderfullypositive feel about India in general and theway it is embracing western classical musicin particular,’ says Tim.

The online news magazine Outlookindiarecently reported how many young peopleare coming to western classical music fromethnic groups rarely touched by the genre inthe past. It noted how India’s latest cohort ofclassical musicians is not confined to ‘the usual suspects’, the Anglo-Indians,Christians and Parsis traditionallyencouraged to study European art music.Today’s ABRSM exam candidates are just as likely to be Marwaris, Punjabis, Tamils,

ABRSM in India16

PHOT

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/DRE

AMST

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COM

Making musAs a growing interest in western classical music takes hold acrossthe country, Andrew Stewart finds out how more young people aregetting involved and what this means for India’s music teachers

‘There’s an exciting possibility for us toprovide the training that teachers in India

tell us they need. There’s a hunger forpractical knowledge and skills’



16-17 Lib2-11 India.qxd 18/4/11 14:35

Ask a dozen futurologists to predictglobal economic trends or this decade’sbreakthrough technologies and you will

receive at least two dozen different answers.There’s one subject, however, on whichtoday’s forecasters hold strikingly unanimousviews. India has become the surest candidatefor positive, sustainable change - a SouthAsian marvel ascending world league tablesin everything from gross domestic product tothe size of her working age population. Forall India’s complex social problems andembedded inequalities, the nation’s presentexpansion and future prospects amount to acompelling tale of confidence, determinationand creativity.

Rising interest in western classical music,in demand from the mountainous Nagalandin the north to the tropical southern states ofKerala and Goa, may not be India’s biggestnews story. But it does contain the makingsof a revolutionary advance in high qualitymusic teaching, one in which ABRSM isdetermined to play a leading part.

Tim Arnold, ABRSM’s InternationalOperations Director, speaks of the passion and optimism of the organisation’s Regional Co-ordinators in India. He is convinced theirenergy can fuel the strategy to developpartnerships with teachers, students, schoolsand colleges, and build the infrastructurerequired to deliver excellence in westernclassical music. ‘There’s a wonderfullypositive feel about India in general and theway it is embracing western classical musicin particular,’ says Tim.

The online news magazine Outlookindiarecently reported how many young peopleare coming to western classical music fromethnic groups rarely touched by the genre inthe past. It noted how India’s latest cohort ofclassical musicians is not confined to ‘the usual suspects’, the Anglo-Indians,Christians and Parsis traditionallyencouraged to study European art music.Today’s ABRSM exam candidates are just as likely to be Marwaris, Punjabis, Tamils,

ABRSM in India16

PHOT

O: ©

JAR

NOGZ

/DRE

AMST

IME.

COM

Making musAs a growing interest in western classical music takes hold acrossthe country, Andrew Stewart finds out how more young people aregetting involved and what this means for India’s music teachers





16-17 Lib2-11 India.qxd 18/4/11 14:35 Page 16

Kannadigas and Malayalis. ‘In a sense,’wrote Outlookindia’s Sugata Srinivasaraju,western classical music’s expansion ‘isabout new India’s confidence – unshacklinghistory and democratising the arts.’

Surging national pride has certainlyhelped redefine India’s relationship to thecultural legacy of her former colonialmasters: western classical music, once thepreserve of a ruling elite, is seen today asaccessible to all. The educational value ofthe genre has meanwhile attracted theattention of countless Indian parents, andthe demand for high standards of musictraining has inevitably grown faster than the supply of qualified teachers.

Tim has visited India four times since2001. He returned this year to leadseminars for instrumental and vocalteachers, offering advice on the subject of developing musical skills, in six centresacross the country. ‘The dramatic growth in our work in India reflects wideningrecognition there of what ABRSM represents,’he notes. ‘There’s an exciting possibility for usto provide the training that music teachers inIndia tell us they desperately need. There’sa hunger for practical knowledge and skills.Teachers realise that it’s in their interest tobe known for their expertise and abilities.’

Thanks to the power of grapevinemarketing, the best music teachers havebeen swamped by requests from students.Gita Chacko, pianist and ABRSM RegionalCo-ordinator for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka,notes that every classical music teacher inChennai, Bangalore and beyond operates a waiting list for new students: ‘Anyone canset up as a music teacher, with or without aqualification. But we can see already how ouroutstanding young musicians are determinedto pass on their skills to the next generation.’Gita mentions a gifted former pupil who optedto study medicine and is about to qualify asa doctor. ‘She intends to teach music in herspare time, because it is her passion. I’msure there will be many other fine musicianswho make careers in other professions butwho also want to perform and teach music.’

Gita suggests that the Indian diaspora,able to access high quality music educationin Europe, the Gulf States and the United

States, is influencing teaching standards in the mother country. The speed of onlinecommunication and social networkingmedia, she says, mean that familiesseparated by continents can compare notes about their children’s educationalexperiences within seconds. In addition,recessionary pressures overseas and the lureof job opportunities in India have attractedmany migrants to return home, bringingexperiences gained overseas with them.

‘Many non-domiciled Indians havereturned to India, especially to Bangalore,’Gita observes. ‘They want their children tocontinue with the music studies they startedabroad and to take ABRSM exams. Theseparents expect to find good music teachersin India, producing a demand that did notexist before.’ It has also propelled nationwideinterest in accredited exams and benchmarkstandards. ‘Parents see music as anadditional qualification for their children;studying music has grown alongside the riseof middle-class income that has followed theIT revolution, especially in Bangalore andother fast developing parts of India.’

Western classical music, as Timsuggests, is gaining credence as a careerpath. ‘While most parents still encouragetheir children to become doctors, lawyersand engineers, music is now becoming anacceptable profession,’ he explains. ‘That hasbeen coupled to a dramatic increase in thenumbers now entering for ABRSM exams.Sales of western classical instruments andsheet music are also expanding.’

ABRSM’s Regional Co-ordinator fornorth-east India, Tony Braganza, notes howChinese imports have introduced goodquality, affordable instruments into themarketplace. The liberalisation of India’simport laws, and resulting access to globalproducers, has placed instruments and sheetmusic within reach of a potentially massivedomestic market. Tony’s Kolkata-basedmusic retail business operates a hirescheme that delivers instrumentseverywhere from inner city districts toremote hill villages. ‘The hills of Darjeeling,Kalimpong and Gangtok are literally alivewith the sound of music,’ he enthuses. ‘Allthree towns are centres for ABRSM exams

and have a large number of boarding schoolsthat teach music as part of the curriculum.’

Tony notes how western classical music,long established in parts of northern India,is flourishing in the far north-eastern stateof Nagaland. ‘We’ve worked hard tointroduce formal music training in the cities of Dimapur and Kohima,’ he observes,citing the Crown Centre for Music and Hope Centre for Excellence as examples of beacon schools in the area. ‘These havebecome great centres for ABRSM exams.The Patkai Christian College has alsodeveloped a music department and offers aBA degree in music.’ Tony adds that childrenfrom underprivileged backgrounds areamong those swelling the ranks ofNagaland’s music students.

ABRSM examiner Charles Barnes firstvisited Nagaland in 2003, returning in 2009.He was inspired by his experience of theHope Centre for Excellence in Kuda village.The school was established by ZubenoMozhui to provide performing arts tuition.‘You might assume that, musically speaking,this little village was stuck in the back ofbeyond,’ Charles recalls. ‘But the HopeCentre for Excellence is run by a dynamiclady. Zubeno and her colleagues areshowing what can be done even in smallvillages. Around two thirds of the students I examined achieved distinctions and theiroverall standards were remarkable.’

Two Hope Centre violinists, native Nagas,were recently chosen to join the ViennaUniversity Orchestra’s India Youth Orchestraproject for its Kolkata string workshop. They and other Hope alumni are forgingwhat Charles Barnes describes as a‘fantastic nucleus of excellence’. ‘Wherevera school of this quality and vision appears,we can expect to find a youth orchestra andensembles within 10 years. The fact that the Hope Centre is in Nagaland, on India’sremote north-eastern border, shows whatcan be achieved far from the commercialcentres of Mumbai and New Delhi.’

India holds a prominent place in ABRSM’sdevelopment plans and Tim Arnold citesABRSM’s presence in regions such as Keralaand Nagaland as evidence of its long-termcommitment. ‘We can help raise the quality ofmusic teaching throughout India,’ he says.‘The demand and enthusiasm are alreadythere. Our key strategy now will be to supportthe work of India’s music teachers. We existto help develop the quality of music making,and by helping Indian teachers, we believewe can make a lasting contribution.’ �

17ABRSM in India

sic in India

16-17 Lib2-11 India.qxd 27/4/11 12:11

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PHOT

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IS A

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NDER

In David Lean’s classic movie A Passage to India, much mirth is generated by theportrayal of a ‘bridge party’, a patronising

garden fête-like device of the British Raj tobridge social and ethnic divides. Well, plentyof smiles surround the Bridge Project runby music education specialists LondonMusic Masters (LMM), but it’s never going to be the butt of anyone’s joke.

The problem it addresses? ‘London is filled with amazing musicians andensembles,’ says Bridge Project managerRobert Adediran, ‘but the performers andaudiences don’t reflect the diversity of thecity itself.’

The aims of the project are simple, butdaunting: to build bridges between the worldof classical music and socio-economicallychallenged, ethnically-divided areas of innerLondon. As a minimum, the programmelooks to stir a passion for classical music inchildren and their families, while nurturingthe qualities of ‘discipline, concentration and confidence’, as LMM founder andphilanthropist Victoria Sharp puts it.

Longer term, the goal is to produceprofessional music-makers who therebybecome role models for continuingaspiration. Assisting in the setting ofstandards is the project’s link to ABRSM’sMusic Medals, of which more below.

In 2008 two schools in Lambeth began topilot the Bridge Project: Ashmole Primary inKennington and Jessop Primary in Lambeth.Well over 300 children are participating overseveral years. ‘The foundation of learning

from age four is a weekly class of singingand movement which introduces theelements of pitch, rhythm, notation readingand ensemble awareness,’ says Robert. ‘Atage five, the children start playing the violinin small groups, with parents attendingpost-school sessions to learn how to helptheir children practise.

‘Obviously the violin isn’t right foreveryone, but we start there because theskills learned are highly transferable and thechildren can start playing it when they’requite young, unlike many wind or brassinstruments. After two years children areencouraged to explore other options if theywish. We’re just launching our firstexperiment with lower strings, wind andbrass. The prospect of a Bridge ProjectOrchestra is very exciting!’

The Bridge Project approach used bytutors and workshop leaders integrates a range of teaching methods, from thetraditional to Kodály, Dalcroze and Suzuki.Song, story-telling, imagery, play andmovement are incorporated to stimulatelearning and make it fun. Promising violinpupils will be offered one-on-one tuition.‘Our tutors are an international bunch withstrong performing backgrounds,’ saysRobert. ‘Because of their own rigoroustraining, they have high expectations of the children.’

This summer sees the first cohort ofyoung violinists being entered for ABRSMMusic Medals after two years of lessons.These assessments focus on teaching in

Andrew Green reports on a project that is successfully bringingclassical music to children in London’s inner-city schools

Building bridges groups, aiming to promote both individualand ensemble playing, with plenty ofemphasis on interpretation as well astechnique. ‘I can’t wait to see how the Bridge Project children respond!’ saysRobert. ‘External benchmarks are vital, butequally important is that the Music Medalswill be valued by the children as somethingwhich validates their efforts and becomes a tangible goal.’

Underpinning the music appreciationelement to the Bridge Project are formalconnections with musical bodies in London -the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO),for example. ‘The LPO is delighted to be apartner,’ says the orchestra’s EducationOfficer Anne Findlay. ‘We support the projectby offering participants opportunities to sit-in on rehearsals and attend schools and family concerts. The project underlinesimportant aspects of our education work.’

Meanwhile, the Bridge to the Communitydimension to the project offers children thechance to perform in local hospitals,nursery schools and care homes, enjoyingthe pleasure of playing in public andobserving its effect on others. As one staffmember at a children’s hospital puts it: ‘I see daily the therapeutic benefits that arts input like this can have on us all.’

The LMM blog hums with news of theBridge Project. Mayor of London BorisJohnson likes what he sees. News isexpected of a new partnership with a primaryschool in Westminster. Victoria nonethelesshas her feet firmly on the ground: ‘The goalisn’t to produce a clutch of super soloists. If one child went on to study at the RoyalCollege of Music’s Junior Department, that would be the icing on the cake.’ �

For more information about the BridgeProject visit the London Music Masterswebsite at www.londonmusicmasters.com.

19Early learning

19 Lib2-11 BuildingBridges.qxd 18/4/11 14:39

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EPTA UK

Enquiries to The Administrator, 6 Ripley Close, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire SK7 6EX

European Piano Teachers Association (UK) Ltd

Inspiring all piano teachers,performers and enthusiasts

12 original and attractive pieces for beginner tointermediate cellists

Range of traditional styles from around theglobe, including Chinese pentatonic,

klezmer, and the Argentinean Tango

Fascinating background informationand tailored warm-ups for every piece

Includes cello accompaniments for ateacher or more experienced pupil

Enhanced CD containing PDF pianoparts for printing, along with recordedperformances and play-along tracks

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MAY

Music Masters and Mistresses

Association Conference

King’s College and St John’s College,

Cambridge, UK, 20–22 May,

www.mma-online.org.uk.

Come and meet the ABRSM team.

Introduction to Instrumental and

Vocal Teaching course

Exeter Phoenix, Exeter, UK, 21 May.

CT ABRSM Plus taster session:

Looking at teaching

Beeches Conference Centre, Bournville,

Birmingham, UK, 28 May.

Introducing improvisation workshop

ABRSM, London, UK, 28 May.

JUNE

European String Teachers

Association International Conference

Falun Conservatory of Music, Falun,

Sweden, 1–5 June,

www.estastrings.org.uk.


Play by ear workshop

ABRSM, London, UK, 4 June.

Play by ear workshop


High Scorers’ Concert

Northampton, UK, 7 June.

National Primary Headteachers’

Annual Conference

The Holiday Inn, Stratford-upon-Avon,

UK, 8–9 June,

www.primaryheads.org.uk.

Come and meet the ABRSM team

CT ABRSM Plus taster session:

Looking at teaching


Teaching Music Effectively course

taster session

SIM Music School, Selangor,

Malaysia, 14 June.

Federation of Music Services

Annual Conference

MacDonald Manchester Hotel & Spa,

Manchester, UK, 17–18 June,

www.thefms.org.


Introduction to Instrumental

and Vocal Teaching course


AUGUST

Developing jazz techniques course

Beeches Conference Centre, Bournville,

Birmingham, UK, 2–5 August.

Professional Development

Programme

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 24 August.


Programme

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 25 August


Programme

Penang, Malaysia, 26 August.


Programme

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, 28 August.


Programme

Kuching, Malaysia, 29 August.


Programme

Singapore, 31 August.

SEPTEMBER


Programme

Singapore, 1 September.

ABRSM conference

Inspiring success: new ideas

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Manchester Central Convention

Complex, Manchester, UK,

3–4 September.

Closing date: for the CT ABRSM

Plus course in Hong Kong

5 September.

ABRSM conference


in music teaching

Hilton London Metropole, London, UK,

10–11 September.


Plus part-time course in the UK

19 September.

National Association of Music

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Yarnfield Park Training and Conference

Centre, Stone, Staffordshire, UK,

23–24 September, www.name.org.uk.


OCTOBER


York, UK, 1 October.

ABRSM conference


in music teaching

Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, UK,

29–30 October.

NOVEMBER

ABRSM Hong Kong

anniversary conference

Motivating achievement,

building success

Intercontinental Grand Stanford Hotel,

Hong Kong, 4–5 November.

Hong Kong anniversary


Youth Square, Hong Kong, 6 November.

ABRSM conference


in music teaching

Hilton Birmingham Metropole,

Birmingham, UK, 26–27 November.

DECEMBER


Plus fast-track course in the UK

5 December.

For more information about ABRSM

courses and events, visit

www.abrsm.org.

Diary dates –

A round-up of

forthcoming ABRSM

courses and events

21Diary dates

21 Lib2-11 Events.qxd 18/4/11 14:42

All change for InboxLook out for a new Inbox

section in the next issue of Libretto.

We will be dedicating a whole page to

your letters, emails and feedback and

opening up the scope of the page to

include not just topics covered in Libretto,

but also your views on everything ‘ABRSM’

and on music teaching and learning

in general. So, whatever the issue, as

long as it has a music education flavour,

please share your views with us. Write to

Libretto at [email protected] or at

ABRSM, 24 Portland Place, London,

W1B 1LU, UK.

More on adult learnersWe were overwhelmed with responses

to the article on adult learners in the last

issue of Libretto and John has only been

able to refer to a fraction of the interesting

comments sent in. For more views

on this fascinating subject, visit

www.abrsm.org/librettoadultlearners.

Music for everyoneI read the article concerning chamber music in schools with greatinterest.I admire these people who gointo schools and communities and show what a gift music is and how much joy can come from simply playing.I hope that when I’m older suchprogrammes are still run. Music isreally magical and can open doors formany people from many backgrounds.JAMES WAND (AGED 14), UK

Looking backCongratulations to the Sacconi

Quartet in bringing chamber music

to schools in Kent; but maybe they

aren't the first in the field. In 1959,

aged 19 and totally untrained, I was

for two terms the only music teacher

in a Gravesend secondary school. One

of my friends, also a former student

at the Kent Junior Music School,

was Philip Langridge, then not the

superb operatic tenor he became,

but a violinist, studying in London,

singing being his second-string. We

decided to give the boys a recital.

The headmaster was none too sure

how this would go down with the

oldest pupils but he said, 'You go

ahead - I'll fix it.' On the day, he

addressed the whole school, explaining

that the recital would take place after

the assembly, and that attendance

would be voluntary. ‘If you'd like to

attend, stay seated. If you don't want

to, stand up now … ' (sound of many

chairs scraping as boys get to their

feet) ' ... and go to Room 3 for maths

with Mr ... ' (sound of boys hastily

re-seating themselves). We got almost

100% attendance. The recital went

so well that we did another one the

following term!

DAVID COLE, UK

We received much

feedback following

the last Libretto,

especially about adult

learners. It was very

interesting to read

responses from two

different perspectives, adult learners themselves and their

teachers. Some of you make the point that adult learners often

need a gentler approach, something as examiners we too are

very aware of. ‘I have to work really hard to convince him that

a few mistakes don’t have to be a major setback,’ writes Jenni

Alliss. ‘It’s important to connect with why they want to play,

and to be flexible enough to try and fit in with what they are

able to do,’ says Karen Mortin. ‘If they can get to the point

where they are playing with pleasure, they invariably find it

a wonderful therapy,’ according to Jean Routley.

The whole question of motivation among adult learners

is interesting too, and prompted various insightful comments.

This, from piano teacher Jenni Alliss who took up the harp

later in life: ‘My harp teacher tells me many of the same things

that I tell my piano pupils, and I have found the real truth

about the importance of demonstrating what is to be played.

I knew this, of course, but it has really been brought home

to me.’ Catherine Till writes: ‘It is amazing to be able to learn

something from scratch when you are middle-aged and feeling

rather jaded by life! It has opened up a whole new range

of experiences for me, and given an inordinate amount of

pleasure; I would recommend learning a new instrument

to everyone!’ Karen Mortin again: ‘I find learning new

instruments, and putting myself in for some exams, is a good

way of staying in touch with what my pupils are feeling.’

The matter of adult learners taking exams seems to divide

opinion. There are those who decide that they just want to play

and progress simply for pleasure, or perhaps to fulfill a

long-held ambition, and there are others who do want to take

exams along the way, perhaps for a further sense of personal

achievement and satisfaction. Finally, Jenni Alliss highlights

an aspect of teaching adults which clearly has benefits for both

teacher and learner: ‘One of the things I really enjoy about

teaching adults is that they nearly all turn into good friends –

the disadvantage of this being that I have to factor chatting

time into the lesson.’

It’s never too late to learn!

22

PHOT

O: ©

CHR

IS C

HRIS

TODO

ULOU

CALL & RESPONSE Write to John Holmes

with your questions and views. Email [email protected] or send

letters to: Chief Examiner, ABRSM, 24 Portland Place, London, W1B 1LU, UK

INBOX

22 Lib2-11 John letters.qxd 27/4/11 12:12

All change for InboxLook out for a new Inbox

section in the next issue of Libretto.

We will be dedicating a whole page to

your letters, emails and feedback and

opening up the scope of the page to

include not just topics covered in Libretto,

but also your views on everything ‘ABRSM’

and on music teaching and learning

in general. So, whatever the issue, as

long as it has a music education flavour,

please share your views with us. Write to

Libretto at [email protected] or at

ABRSM, 24 Portland Place, London,

W1B 1LU, UK.

More on adult learnersWe were overwhelmed with responses

to the article on adult learners in the last

issue of Libretto and John has only been

able to refer to a fraction of the interesting

comments sent in. For more views

on this fascinating subject, visit

www.abrsm.org/librettoadultlearners.

Music for everyoneI read the article concerning chamber music in schools with greatinterest.I admire these people who gointo schools and communities and show what a gift music is and how much joy can come from simply playing.I hope that when I’m older suchprogrammes are still run. Music isreally magical and can open doors formany people from many backgrounds.JAMES WAND (AGED 14), UK

Looking backCongratulations to the Sacconi

Quartet in bringing chamber music

to schools in Kent; but maybe they

aren't the first in the field. In 1959,

aged 19 and totally untrained, I was

for two terms the only music teacher

in a Gravesend secondary school. One

of my friends, also a former student

at the Kent Junior Music School,

was Philip Langridge, then not the

superb operatic tenor he became,

but a violinist, studying in London,

singing being his second-string. We

decided to give the boys a recital.

The headmaster was none too sure

how this would go down with the

oldest pupils but he said, 'You go

ahead - I'll fix it.' On the day, he

addressed the whole school, explaining

that the recital would take place after

the assembly, and that attendance

would be voluntary. ‘If you'd like to

attend, stay seated. If you don't want

to, stand up now … ' (sound of many

chairs scraping as boys get to their

feet) ' ... and go to Room 3 for maths

with Mr ... ' (sound of boys hastily

re-seating themselves). We got almost

100% attendance. The recital went

so well that we did another one the

following term!

DAVID COLE, UK

We received much

feedback following

the last Libretto,

especially about adult

learners. It was very

interesting to read

responses from two

different perspectives, adult learners themselves and their

teachers. Some of you make the point that adult learners often

need a gentler approach, something as examiners we too are

very aware of. ‘I have to work really hard to convince him that

a few mistakes don’t have to be a major setback,’ writes Jenni

Alliss. ‘It’s important to connect with why they want to play,

and to be flexible enough to try and fit in with what they are

able to do,’ says Karen Mortin. ‘If they can get to the point

where they are playing with pleasure, they invariably find it

a wonderful therapy,’ according to Jean Routley.

The whole question of motivation among adult learners

is interesting too, and prompted various insightful comments.

This, from piano teacher Jenni Alliss who took up the harp

later in life: ‘My harp teacher tells me many of the same things

that I tell my piano pupils, and I have found the real truth

about the importance of demonstrating what is to be played.

I knew this, of course, but it has really been brought home

to me.’ Catherine Till writes: ‘It is amazing to be able to learn

something from scratch when you are middle-aged and feeling

rather jaded by life! It has opened up a whole new range

of experiences for me, and given an inordinate amount of

pleasure; I would recommend learning a new instrument

to everyone!’ Karen Mortin again: ‘I find learning new

instruments, and putting myself in for some exams, is a good

way of staying in touch with what my pupils are feeling.’

The matter of adult learners taking exams seems to divide

opinion. There are those who decide that they just want to play

and progress simply for pleasure, or perhaps to fulfill a

long-held ambition, and there are others who do want to take

exams along the way, perhaps for a further sense of personal

achievement and satisfaction. Finally, Jenni Alliss highlights

an aspect of teaching adults which clearly has benefits for both

teacher and learner: ‘One of the things I really enjoy about

teaching adults is that they nearly all turn into good friends –

the disadvantage of this being that I have to factor chatting

time into the lesson.’

It’s never too late to learn!

22

PHOT

O: ©

CHR

IS C

HRIS

TODO

ULOU

CALL & RESPONSE Write to John Holmes

with your questions and views. Email [email protected] or send

letters to: Chief Examiner, ABRSM, 24 Portland Place, London, W1B 1LU, UK

INBOX

22 Lib2-11 John letters.qxd 27/4/11 12:12 Page 22

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Edition Peters titles are available from all good music shops, or visit www.editionpeters.com

…I hope to see it used everywhere! Emma Kirkby

Italian songs and arias of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries have for many years been essential repertoire for anyone learning to sing. But this music is principally known in romantic adaptations which the original composers would barely recognize.

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“

abrsm libretto 2011:2

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