!"#$%!"##$%&THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER FOR MUSIC TEACHERS MAY-JUNE 2010

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Features 1 Introducing Overtones™: A Comprehen- sive Flute Series–Dianne Aitken and Jamie Thompson

3 Celebrate Teaching: Teacher as Student: A Lifetime of Learning–Dr. Jennifer Snow 5 Policy Reminder: Missing Spring Exam? Attention Teachers: All-new Flute Syllabus, 2010 Edition

Tips for Examination Day

Are You Moving? 6 Important Dates Introducing New Certificate and Diploma Designs 7 Mentor Memories with Barry Shi!man

8 Tempo Framing Systems O!er

Cont’d...p.2 ?You AskedWhen will results be posted for Spring Session 2010?

Results are posted online typically 2–4 weeks after the examination. An automatic email notification will be sent to the address listed in the student’s file.

Introducing Overtones™: A Comprehensive Flute SeriesBy Dianne Aitken and Jamie Thompson, Series Compilers

!e inspiration for developing a "ute series #rst came about in 2006 when RCM Examinations and Frederick Harris Music held a focus group inviting members of the "ute community to evaluate how the needs of "ute teachers and students could be better served. !e result was Overtones™: A Comprehensive Flute Series, a multi-faceted set of pedagogical materials designed to give students everything they need to prepare for examinations and to fully explore the wealth of music available for their instrument.

It is also hoped that the series will attract a larger audience, with the steadfast popularity of "ute in school band programs as well as private lessons. As a testament to this solid demographic: the 2009 National Flute Association (NFA) conference in New York broke the world record for the Largest Flute Ensemble with 1,989 "utes playing simultaneously. (By way of comparison, the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) conference attracted a total of 2000 attendees in 2009.)

RCM Examinations and National Music Certi!cate Program are divisions of The Royal Conservatory.

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!e studies in this collection will help students to build a solid foundation . . . while having fun along the way.

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Introducing Overtones™—cont’d from page 1

Traditional studies by Andersen, Drouet, Köhler, Soussmann, and Robert Winn are complemented by innovative “playful” pieces by Oliver Ledbury (Itchy Feet) and Philip Sparke (Party Piece) and lyrical works by Hilary Taggart and Astor Piazzolla. Students will be introduced to studies featur-ing graphic notation and an improvisatory style in Wil O$ermans’ One-Line Story and Kathryn Cernauskas’ Siren; the jazzy styles of Mike Mower, James Rae, and Russell Stokes; and contemporary techniques in the studies by François Veilhan and Endre Szervánszky.

!e studies in this collection will help students to build a solid foundation as they encounter and overcome speci#c technical challenges in a variety of styles while having fun along the way!

RecordingsRecordings of all the Repertoire pieces and Studies(packaged with each of the books) serve as invaluableresources for teachers and students. !e recordingsfeature performances by well-known "utists Dianne Aitken, Susan Hoeppner, Nora Shulman, Douglas Stewart, and Jamie !ompson, and pianists Robert Kortgaard and Peter Longworth under the direction of Artistic Consultant Leslie Newman and Producer/Engineer Anton Kwiat-kowski. !e accompanied pieces include a perfor-mance track as well as an accompaniment-only track for ease of rehearsal and to aid in preparation for examinations and auditions. !is may be the #rst time that many of the studies have ever been recorded.

Orchestral Excerpts Orchestral Excerpts (Grades 2–ARCT) is a unique compilation designed to introduce the novice "utist to the world of orchestral repertoire while o$ering more advanced players the essential works they will ultimately need for auditions. Covering a wide range of style and historical periods, the excerpts were chosen as much for their beauty as for theirtechnical challenges.

Overtones™ o$ers this sizable market something previously unavailable: an exten-sive collection of educational "ute materials progressively leveled and systemati-cally organized into one convenient series. Upholding !e Royal Conservatory’s tradition of creating high-quality, pedagogically sound, peer-reviewed, and well-researched materials, the series is intended to develop well-rounded musicianship and nurture the student from elementary to advanced levels of study. Overtones™ is truly groundbreaking and will help support teachers and students, whether in preparation for RCM Examinations, festivals, auditions, or merely in the search for fun new repertoire.

Repertoire At the core of the series is the Repertoire collection, spanning nine levels of study (Preparatory to Grade 8). Choosing from among the vast resources of "ute repertoire for inclusion in the series was a formidable task, but ultimately, these books display a wonderful balance between styles, eras, and techniques.

!ere are standard works—the “Classics” (Mozart’s Andante in C Major, Fauré’s Sicilienne); newer works, many written by "utists, (Ian Clarke’s Sunstreams, Kathryn Cernauskas’ Robo-Tic); old and new pieces from Canada (by Schafer, Freedman, Morlock) and around the world (by Noda, Amirov, Babadjanyan); pieces in contemporary styles (Gary Schocker’s Red Bossa, Robert Dick’s Sun Shower); as well as a broad representation of women composers (Elizabeth Raum, Susan Piltch, Sarah Levi-Tanai, Maya Badian and Leslie Uyeda).

A number of new arrangements were commissioned for the series, including fresh interpretations of traditional pieces at the earliest levels: She’s Like the Swallow and Greensleeves (Akiko and Forrest Kinney); new #gured-bass realizations of Baroque sonatas by Blavet, Marcello and Loeillet (Kathleen Wood); and excerpts from operas such as !e Magic Flute and Carmen (Stephen Chatman).

!e newly added List C for Grades 5–10 features solo repertoire from all eras such as Telemann’s famous Baroque Fantasias, Paul Horn’s Agra (which recreates his resonant solo from the Taj Mahal), and Louis Applebaum’s Essay and Robert Aitken’s Icicle, which explore contemporary extended techniques.

StudiesStudies have always been the cornerstone of every "utist’s development. !is technical journey depends on each individual’s learning style and personality. !e two volumes of Studies (Preparatory–4; 5–8) strive to make this a musical journey as well, by creat-ing a balance between studies in a traditional style and those in a more modern vein.

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From Haydn and Saint-Saëns to Beethoven, Ravel, Proko#ev, and Stravinsky, students can explore both familiar and less familiar works to grasp a better understanding of the "ute’s role within the orchestra. !ey can also use the book as a study guide to standard orchestral repertoire.

Although not required to perform orchestral excerpts as part of their examination until Grade 7, students are encouraged to incorporate them into their practice routines as early as Grade 2, where they can be included on an examination as a Group 3 Study. At the ARCT level, many players o%en double on piccolo; therefore piccolo works have been included as an optional substitute.

At the Advanced level, it is also useful to relate concepts discovered in the study of harmony to repertoire study. Imagine how much more expres-sively a student who is aware of the appoggiaturas will play a Mozart sonata, or how he or she will interpret a Chopin nocturne once in touch with the concept of harmonic tension and resolution?

It is easy to see that with just a little thought and planning we can all make the most of our lesson time and as a result encourage our students to think broadly and to develop into complete musicians.

TechniqueFlute Technique has been designed to assist "utists in building a technical foundation methodically from the very #rst stages (Preparatory) through to the advanced stages of musical development (Level 10). !is volume will allow students to develop stronger technique through a structured method, yet allow teachers to teach the requirements according to their own personal style. For example, although all three forms of the minor scale are included in the early grades, teachers may address di$erent scales in their lessons and candidates are given the choice of which form to prepare for their examination.

!e presentation of technical exercises encourages a cumulative acquisition of keys, range, tempo, #nger, and articulation patterns in consideration of the Repertoire and Studies of the corresponding grade (for example, dominant 7th chords are introduced in Grade 4).

O%en, many examiners and studio teachers encounter students who play too high, too soon and develop bad habits and poor support. To give students greater security in terms of range, Flute Technique gradually introduces keys and expands the pitch range and octave span until Grade 9, where "utists are required to play up to C4. Other

Introducing Overtones™—cont’d from page 2

Dianne AitkenDianne Aitken is a faculty member of !e Royal Conservatory and University of Toronto; a member of the College of Examiners and the National Flute Association’s New Music Advisory Committee; and a former member of the RCM Examinations Council of Examiners. She is a co-compiler of Overtones™: A Comprehensive Flute Series published by !e Frederick Harris Music Co., Limited.

innovations include #ve-note scales (from tonic to dominant) at the Preparatory level; and overlapping arpeggios beginning in Grade 7 (three-note patterns), and Grade 9 (four-note patterns) to provide some deviation from the standard “ascending and descending” patterns.

SyllabusDeveloping a large-scale series such as Overtones™ provided an opportunity to revisit the Flute Syllabus, which is now being o$ered as a stand-alone book (as opposed to being a component of the Woodwind Syllabus). Responding to requests from "ute teachers, the RCM Examinations "ute curriculum now represents all grades with the addition of Preparatory, Grades 3, 5, and 7. !is change will un-doubtedly facilitate a more incremental approach to learning that will bene#t both teachers and students.

For Preparatory and Grade 1, the Repertoire Lists are di$erentiated by character— List A: Rhythmic Repertoire and List B: Lyrical Repertoire, while the remaininglevels continue to be organized by historical style period. Additional features include the introduction of List C for Grades 5–10, comprising Unaccompanied Repertoire from all eras, and List D for the ARCT in Flute Performance, comprising 20th- and 21st-century Unaccompanied Repertoire.

For the Studies, while the emphasis is still on pieces in a traditional style, students are given more opportunities to explore modern-style works and play orchestral excerpts as studies in Grades 2 through 6.

Available Soon:Overtones™: A Comprehensive Flute Series will be o&cially launched at the National Flute Association’s Annual Convention, August 12–15, 2010 in Anaheim, California with a special showcase featuring Canada’s own Susan Hoeppner and the internationally renowned Jim Walker. Starting in July, workshops will be held throughout Canada and the books will be available at local music retailers. Look inside this issue of Music Matters for a special pre-publication o$er to teachers.

Jamie !ompsonJamie !ompson is a faculty member of !e Royal Conservatory and the College of Examiners. He is the creator of Urban Flute Project, a founding member of Urban Flute Ensemble, and a co-compiler of Overtones™: A Comprehensive Flute Series pub-lished by !e Frederick Harris Music Co., Limited.

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KEYBOARD PEDAGOGY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT 2010

Teaching is a vocation, a passion, a way of being and living. In our #eld, it is a rich life of sharing music and creating musical experiences with, and for others. We live a wonderful life in music that is intense and fully engaging. As teachers, we are primarily focused on our students and their needs. !eir development and success in studying music depends on our energy, involvement, and dedication as their mentors.

A%er a busy year of lessons, exam preparations, recitals, music festivals, group classes, and special events, we o%en feel ready for a serious battery “recharging.” Nothing is more rejuvenating and refreshing than participating in professional development. As dedicated teachers, it is key that we continue to grow in the art of teaching. In my new role as Director of Teacher Pedagogy at !e Royal Conservatory, one of my #rst projects was to create a valuable and meaningful pedagogy summit for teachers. !is renewed commitment to teacher education further supports our ability to be more e$ective and impactful teachers.

!is July on Saturday the 24th and Sunday the 25th, !e Royal Conservatory will host one of the most exciting teacher pedagogy events in North America: Keyboard Pedagogy Professional Development Summit 2010. Master clini-cians will focus on topics in areas that are most valuable and important to us as teachers. !e Summit has something for teachers of all levels of experience, from pedagogy students, to emerging teachers who are just developing, to well-established teachers who are looking for an exchange of ideas and infused creative experience. !e Summit’s core focus will be on Strong Foundations. In my own teaching, I constantly refer to the importance of strong fundamentals. !ese include the core concepts of how to play your instrument, how to engage with sound, how to think and process music, and how to engage in the spirit and joy of music making. !e Summit program will include foundational pedagogy, core areas of skills development, assessment, style, and a range of sessions. !e highly accomplished presenters will bring in–depth knowledge and a wonderful collaborative energy to the weekend.

We are especially excited to have Master Teacher Mr. Marvin Blickensta$ to lead the Summit. His insights and valuable experiences will enrich our pedagogical knowledge and illuminate the core of our teaching principles. As well, outstanding

presenters Dr. Andrew Hisey, Dr. Kent McWilliams, and Chief Examiner Emeritus Dr. Janet Lopinski will share their extensive knowledge as teachers and pianists. Session highlights include interactive workshops; Not Just in !eory: Making the Most of Repertoire Study, Nature’s Clues to Interpretation, A Creative Spark: Patterns, and Learning How To Learn. Leaders in their #eld will participate in engaging round table discussions on professional issues and on the value of meaningful assessment. In addition, there will be cutting-edge technology demonstrations that will expose us to new trends so we can keep up with our students!

!e weekend is structured so that new teachers and pedagogy students can also address their speci#c needs and professional concerns. More established teachers will bene#t from intensive sessions that facilitate the exchange and exploration of renewed perspectives. As I o%en say to my students, “It is not only how you apply a concept, it is how many di$erent ways you can approach the same concept that matters.” As committed teachers, who o%en #nd ourselves working independently, the Summit will give us a forum to share our thoughts and connect with each other.

With summer around the corner, I encourage you to think about yourself as a student. A lifetime of learning and musical growth is vital for successful teaching. Our enthusiasm for music is fuelled by the constant quest for excellence and the explora-tion of in#nite possibilities. As teachers, there is nothing more exciting than being inspired and re-motivated with innovative techniques, new materials and technologies, and knowledge for the coming year. I will look forward to meeting you in my new role as I travel across the continent and hope to see you even sooner in Toronto for the Keyboard Pedagogy Professional Development Summit 2010!

Nothing is more rejuve-nating and refreshing than participating in professional development. As dedicated teachers, it is key that we continue to grow in the art of teaching.

Celebrate Teaching: Teacher as Student: A Lifetime of Learning By Dr. Jennifer Snow, Director of Teacher Pedagogy, The Royal Conservatory

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Celebrate Teaching—cont’d from page 4

Dr. Jennifer SnowDr. Jennifer Snow is the new Director of Teacher Pedagogy at !e Royal Conservatory. She cur-rently serves as Co-Chair of Keyboard Studies at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music where she teaches piano, collaborative piano, and pedagogy. She has presented at conferencesincluding MTNA, EPTA, CMS, WPPC, NCKP, and numerous others. Dr. Snow is active as a judge and adjudicator, is a senior examiner for !e Royal Conservatory and the National Music Certi"cate Program, and is a clinician for !e Frederick Harris Music Co., Limited. Dr. Snow is a versatile performer and has appeared both as a soloist and collaborative pianist throughout Canada, the United States, Asia, and Europe.

Policy reminder: Is your student missing his/her exam in the Spring Session?Candidates who miss their Spring Session examination due to medical reasons or direct time con!icts with a school examination must submit a Credits or Refunds Request Form no later than July 10th, 2010. Download the form from our website and read it carefully before submitting. For Canadian candidates, please note that credits issued for a Spring Session examination cannot be used for Summer Session registration. Spring credits are valid for one year starting in September.

Attention, teachers! All-new Flute Syllabus, 2010 Edition The new and improved Flute Syllabus is being released this summer. Therefore, the crossover year from the Woodwind Syllabus, 2006 Edition (Flute section), to the new Flute Syllabus, 2010 Edition begins in September 2010 and ends August 2011. Both editions are valid during this period, however once the crossover concludes, only the 2010 Edition will be valid.

Tips for examination day Helpful advice to pass on to students:1. Plan to arrive 15 minutes early.2. Complete your Examination Program Form.3. Bring original copies of all the music being performed in the examination.4. Mark the pieces being performed with a paperclip or “sticky note.”5. Wear proper shoes (pedaling can sometimes be di"cult with some types of shoes).6. Add measure numbers to the #rst measure of each line of music if they are not already noted.

Are you moving?The best way to ensure that you continue to receive updates from The Royal Conservatory and Music Matters is to keep your contact information up to date. There are three ways to update your information: 1) Log in to Teacher Services and click Change Your Profile, 2) Contact Candidates Services by phone, or 3) Email candidateservices@rcmexaminations.org with your new and old information.

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2009–2010 CANADA USASpring Session 2010 Theory Examinations May 14 & 15, 2010 May 14 & 15, 2010 Practical Examinations June 7–26, 2010 May 10–June 6, 2010 Summer Session 2010 Registration Deadline June 1, 2010 Theory Examinations August 6 & 7, 2010 Practical Examinations August 9-21, 2010

Important Dates

2010–2011 Winter Session 2011 Registration Deadline Nov. 2, 2010 Oct. 19, 2010 Theory Examinations Dec. 10 & 11, 2010 Dec. 20 & 11, 2010 Practical Examinations Jan. 17–29, 2011 Nov. 29–Dec. 4, 2010 Spring Session 2011 Registration Deadline March 1, 2011 February 22, 2011 Theory Examinations May 13 & 14, 2011 May 13 & 14, 2011 Practical Examinations June 6–25, 2011 May 9–June 5, 2011 Summer Session 2011 Registration Deadline June 1, 2011 Theory Examinations August 5 & 6, 2011 Practical Examinations August 8–20, 2011

!e February certi#cate mailing is now complete, and you and your students have probably noticed that we have redesigned our certi#cates. A%er we introduced our 2007 designs, we received feedback from parents, teachers, and students regarding the choices we made. In January of 2010, our Academic and Marketing departments joined forces to assess the 2007 design and develop a new design in light of this feedback. !e most signi#cant changes in the new design include: • A return to the use of calligraphy for the candidate’s name (A)• Clearer, updated branding with our o&cial seal (B) and wordmark (C)• Signatures of three o&cials (D): - Dr. Peter Simon, President - Mr. Michael Foulkes, Board Chair - Ms. Angela Elster, Vice President, Academic

We hope you and your students will be pleased with the new certi#cates and diplomas. Please let us know what you think by emailing us at musicmatters@rcmexaminations.org.

Introducing Our New Certi!cate and Diploma Designs

Tempo Framing Systems O!er See page 8 for an impressive way to display students’ certi"cates at special savings.

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Mentor Memories is a special new feature in which we invite leading arts professionals to share memorable moments of inspiration and motivation. For this second installment, we are delighted to share a re"ective interview with celebrated pedagogue, performer and newly appointed Associate Dean and Director of Chamber Music of !e Glenn Gould School, Mr. Barry Shi#man.

MM: Over the course of your study, what instructions from previous teachers still ring in your head? BS: “More sound, more bow, less pressure, more vibrato . . . why do you vibrate so much? INTONATION! Don’t rush!! Don’t slow down, relax, use the natural weight of your arm . . .” and so it went. A constant stream of directions always delivered with a powerful message behind each instruction, but the message was simple: Do your best; this music de-serves nothing less.MM: An accomplished pedagogue yourself, is there a teacher who inspired you as a student and continues to inspire you today?BS: Leo Wigdorchik, my violin teacher, imparted his knowledge and musical tradition as though it was not a job, but his calling. !ere was an urgency and seriousness to his work, and for ninety minutes each week it seemed as though we were involved in the most important thing in the world. He came to Toronto from Leningrad and brought with him a connection to a violin tradition that was without parallel in Canada. Lessons were #lled with wonderful romantic stories of violinists, their personalities, their sounds, and their triumphs. I never met the great David Oistrach or Leonid Kogan, but I felt that I knew them and that somehow they knew me. I used these imaginary colleagues as sounding boards for my music making. I imagined they were in the room when I played. In Mr. Wigdorchik, or “Wiggy” as he was a$ectionately known

Barry Shi!manJUNO-winning and Grammy-nominated Canadian violinist and violist Barry Shi!man has a rich and varied career as a performer, recording artist and teacher. He studied at The RCM, University of Toronto, The Juilliard School, Yale University, and holds an honorary Doctorate from the Universityof Calgary. Mr. Shi!man co-founded the St. Lawrence String Quartet, and, during his 17 years with the ensemble, appeared in over 2,000 concerts in venues around the globe, and recorded severalcritically acclaimed discs under an exclusive contract with EMI Classics. He served as Artist in Residence at Stanford University from 1998 to 2006, has been Director of Music Programs at The Ban! Centre, Executive Director of the Ban! International String Quartet Competition, and was recently appointed Associate Dean and Director of Chamber Music of The Glenn Gould School at The Royal Conservatory.

Mentor Memories with Barry Shi#man

around my house, I was not studying with one person, but rather with an entire 100-year tradi-tion of violin playing.

MM: As teachers, we passionately profess that music is a way of life. How did lessons at the Conservatory change yours?BS: It was a wonderful escape from “normal” life. Eventually my normal life became my life at the “Con.” I was not the only student being transported back to another world or tradition in their lessons. !e more advanced students formed a tight–knit community and we shared stories from our teachers. We o%en played for each other and the mentoring we received in our formal lessons was multiplied by the eagerness with which we o$ered advice to one another. !is community that we created was the perfect environment for artistic growth. As I return to !e Royal Conservatory in the fall, I will hold these strong positive memories as guid-ing lights in my work with the students and faculty of !e RCM; the music deserves nothing less.

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!"#$%&!"##$%&'((!e O&cial Newsletter of RCM Examinations and the National Music Certi#cate Program.

'($)*&+,-.$/)0#1&Peteris Zarins, Training and Development!omas Green, Practical SubjectsMaria Case, !eoretical Subjects

Music Matters aims to provide pedagogical support and up-to-date information on !e Royal Conservatory, RCM Examinations and the National Music Certi#cate Program. Senior members of the teaching community o$er new perspectives and useful suggestions for managing a successful teaching studio and using the RCM curriculum. Current and back issues of Music Matters may be downloaded free of charge from the RCM Examinations and National Music Certi#cate Program websites.

'2/3-%3&"#1Article requests or questions about this publication? Change of address? Email us at musicmatters@rcmexaminations.org.

RCM Examinations and National Music Certi"cate Program are divisions of !e Royal Conservatory.

?YouaskedMy student didn’t pass his Spring theory exam. Can he register for Summer?

A special exception is made for students like yours. Visit our homepage, click on Special Registration for Summer. Register by June 23rd. (Canada only.)

National Music Certi!cate ProgramPO Box 1984 Bu"alo, NY 14240-1984 1-866-716-2224

RCM Examinations5865 McLaughlin Road, Unit 4Mississauga ON L5R 1B8 905-501-9553

Eight beautiful ways for students to display their certi"catesThe Royal Conservatory is excited to present an exclusive promotion from our friends at Tempo Framing Systems. With a wide selection of classic, elegant styles, Tempo Framing Systems o"ers students an opportunity to showcase their achievement in a high quality, Canadian-made frame; a worthy reminder of their hard work. Acid-free mats protect and preserve certi!cates so they won’t yellow over time. Look to your students’ certi!cate packages for a special #yer or call Candidate Services to receive a copy.

Above: The “Bostonian” wood frame is mahogany in colour and incorporates a gold trim accent on the inner wood edge. Features a double acid-free mat with The Royal Conservatory of Music logo stamped in gold.

Tempo Framing Systems O!er: Special RCM Examination prices