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ABRSM news and viewsABRSM news and views

Focus on Recorder and BassoonABRSM selectors choose favouritesfrom the new syllabuses

Inspiring adult learnersThere’s much to share and to learnwhen teaching older students

Writing amelodyExploring melody writing forGrade 5 Music Theory

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ABRSM: the exam board of the Royal Schools of Music Supporting andpromoting thehighest standardsof musical learningand assessmentsince 1889.

Supporting and promoting the highest standards of musical learning and assessment since 1889.

ABRSM: the exam board of the Royal Schools of MusicT (0)20 7636 5400E [email protected] @abrsm facebook.com/abrsm

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Develop sight-readingwith Alan Bullard’s Joining the Dots for Violin

Visit your local music retailer or buy online www.abrsm.org/joiningthedots Also available for Piano and Guitar

Engages students with creative, varied exercises

Encourages familiarisation with key signatures

Builds confi dence and skill in sight-reading

FEATURES

6 New for Recorder and Bassoon ABRSM syllabus selectors share their thoughts on favourite pieces from the new repertoire lists.

10 Opportunities to shineHow ABRSM fundingis helping talented young Londoners.

11 ABRSM stories We mark our 125th anniversary by celebrating the achievements of exam candidates around the world.

13 Music Medals ten years onFacts and figures from a decade of Music Medals.

14 The Grade 5 melody writing challenge ABRSM’s Syllabus Director, Nigel Scaife, explores this important Music Theory question.

17 Promoting your teaching, building your businessThe ISM’s David Smith offers promotional tips for teachers.

18 Standing up for music education Music Education Council chair RichardHallam on the need to secure the best music education opportunities for all children.

20 Inspiring adult learnersFlautist and teacher Elisabeth Hobbs outlines some of the challenges and benefits of teaching adults.

REGULARS

4 NewsThe latest updates from ABRSM

22 InboxYour feedback and views

This year marks an important anniversaryfor ABRSM: it is 125 years since we werefounded in 1889. Many things have

changed at ABRSM, and in music educationmore widely, since two conservatoires firstformed ‘The Associated Board of the RoyalAcademy of Music and the Royal College ofMusic in London’. But looking back, it is clearthat our aims have stayed the same, to providemusic assessments of the highest quality andto support and encourage musical learning and engagement.

We are marking our 125th birthday with aspecial anniversary logo and with a focus,through our website and social media, on ourhistory. In particular we’re asking people toshare their own ABRSM experiences – for ataste of these turn to page 11 of this issue orfind us on Facebook and Twitter.

While celebrating this milestone, however,we are also looking to the future. So ourpopular Speedshifter and Aural Trainerresources now sit alongside our books of exam pieces, and online tools such as On YourMarks complement face-to-face events and the wide-ranging features which appear inLibretto. To add to this, we are soon releasinga new online Melody Writer tool, as announcedon page 5.

Over the years ABRSM has touched thelives of many people who aspire to play aninstrument or to sing. We have also builtrelationships with teachers worldwide who,through their skills, passion and dedication,ensure that the ability to make and engagewith music is passed on to the next generation.Something to celebrate indeed!

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Outlook

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Editor-in-Chief Tony Pinkham Editor Lucy North

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Libretto

COVER PHOTO: COURTESY THE ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC

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This year ABRSM is 125 yearsold. And we’re proud to say that

after well over a century we’re stillfirmly committed to supportingmusic making, learning anddevelopment around the world andto producing high-quality andinnovative resources for teachersand students.

We’re celebrating with a specialanniversary logo, which will appearon certificates. We also have anonline and social media focus onABRSM past and present, and thepersonal experiences of all thosewith links to our exams. Find outmore at www.abrsm.org/125.

Piano teachers in Asia have theopportunity to attend one of

our teacher conferences duringAugust and September this year.During these events our ChiefExaminer, John Holmes, andpianist Gary Matthewman will beleading a series of inspiring andinformative presentations on theHallmarks of Distinction.

Taking place in Hong Kong,Indonesia, Malaysia, Singaporeand Taiwan, the conferences willgive teachers an opportunity toexplore music from the Pianosyllabus for 2015 and 2016, andgain a deeper understanding ofour marking criteria. They willalso look at ways to achieve evenbetter results in exams anddevelop aspects of performancewhich can lead to a Distinction.

Booking opens in April andyou can find out more atwww.abrsm.org/asiaconferences.

News4

Look out for news of our 2015 and2016 Piano syllabus in the coming

months. We will be releasing the newsyllabus in July, together with a rangeof supporting books and recordings.

Although we have revised andrefreshed the repertoire lists at allgrades, there will be no changes toany other requirements. For all thelatest syllabus updates, sign up forour regular newsletters atwww.abrsm.org/signup.

New Piano syllabuson the way

Piano eventscoming to Asia

We’ve now added a Grade 1 Oboe exam toour On Your Marks resource. Designed to

help teachers and candidates understand theassessment process, this online tool lets youwatch and mark an exam before comparingyour marking decision with that of our ChiefExaminer, John Holmes.

After watching each section of the exam youcan decide what level you think the candidateachieved, using our marking criteria forreference. At the end of the exam you can find

out the overall result and see John talkingabout the performance and outcome.

On Your Marks covers all elements of theGrade 1 Oboe syllabus – pieces, scales andarpeggios, sight-reading and aural tests – andjoins Grade 5 Piano in what will be anexpanding resource. Look out for On YourMarks for Grade 6 Clarinet and Grade 4 AltoSaxophone – both coming soon.

To find out what it’s like to mark an exam goto www.abrsm.org/onyourmarks.

Celebrating125 years

On Your Marks for Oboe goes live

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As part of our aim to support music learning around the world, we

recently awarded four new grants from our International Sponsorship Fund.

In Guyana funding went to a new wind andpercussion programme for thirty students aspart of the Guyana Musical Arts Festival, whilein South Africa we are sponsoring the HugoLambrechts Music Centre, which is runningdevelopment programmes for young peoplefrom disadvantaged communities. In HongKong we supported We Mah Music, a volunteer

organisation that provides free musicprogrammes for underprivileged children,while a donation to the Young JamaicaEnsemble funded masterclasses and musiceducation opportunities for ‘at risk’ youngpeople in Montego Bay.

Our International Sponsorship Fund is opento individuals, groups or organisations outsidethe UK and Ireland engaging in activities thatinspire people to participate in music making,teaching and learning. To find out more visitwww.abrsm.org/engagement.

As an awarding body for thenew Certificate for Music

Educators (CME) qualification,we are currently working with anumber of course providers inthe UK who are planning to offera CME course.

The CME is a qualification formusic educators who work withchildren and young people. It has been developed by the musiceducation sector, led by ArtsCouncil England and Creative & Cultural Skills, and is designedto help teachers improve their knowledge and skills and to support inspiring andmotivational learning.

We will not be running a CME course ourselves, but willbe working closely with approvedproviders – including musicservices, hubs, colleges andorganisations – who areinterested in running a courseleading to the ABRSM CMEqualification. To find out morevisit www.abrsm.org/cme.

5News

Melody Writer is a new online resource thathelps students improve their musical

understanding and skills, with a specific focuson the melody writing question in our Grade 5Music Theory exam.

We know from looking at exam results thatmany candidates find the melody writingquestion challenging and that they often losemarks through simple errors, such asmisplaced bar lines or inaccurate grouping ofnotes. That’s why we’ve developed MelodyWriter, to provide practical support forstudents as they build their music theory skills and prepare for their Grade 5 exam.

It’s quick and easy to write music usingMelody Writer. You can create a completemelody yourself or use the beginning of a realexam question, and the tool gives the samelevel of freedom you have when using pen andpaper, so it’s a realistic replica of what might

happen in an exam. Students are also free tomake mistakes, and when they play back atune, Melody Writer offers guidance on ways toimprove or correct their work. This feedback isbased entirely on the melodies students havewritten – they could be prompted to checkbeaming and grouping, the addition of beats inbars, the use of ties, the range of the choseninstrument and much more.

Once they are happy with their melodies,students can save them for later or share themwith a teacher (or friends). Teachers can thenkeep track of their students’ progress and a‘scorecard’ for each melody quickly showswhere students need extra help.

Melody Writer will be available soon as afree beta version, using Chrome or Safari webbrowsers, and we look forward to gatheringfeedback from teachers and students. Find out more at www.abrsm.org/melodywriter.

ABRSM workingwith CME courseproviders

Introducing our Melody Writer toolUniversity in NewZealand accreditsABRSM diplomas

DipABRSM and LRSM holdersstudying at New Zealand’s

University of Waikato can nowcomplete their undergraduatedegrees in less time. The universityhas accredited our DipABRSM andLRSM diplomas, allowingundergraduates to use credits fromthese diplomas towards certainparts of their degree courses. ADipABRSM is worth 30 credits andan LRSM 60 credits and typically afull-time student will enroll for 120credits per year.

Further information is availableat www.abrsm.org/accreditationand from the University of Waikatoat www.waikato.ac.nz.

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Recorder and Bassoon66

Descant RecorderGrade 1 – Andrew ChallingerList B, Alan Haughton: One Step at a Time or Calm Seas

These two pieces come from Fun Club for Descant Recorder,Grade 0–1 (with CD). Both have an attractively simple

melodic outline with plenty of repetition and anunfussy piano accompaniment. An even,

unforced tone and gentle tonguing is needed.The recorder should sing, with no rough edges in

the sound. Watch out for the quaver rests in CalmSeas, where the recorder must wait for the piano.

The same pieces also appear on the Grade 1 Treble list, taken fromFun Club for Treble Recorder, Grade 0–1.

Grade 2 – Andrew ChallingerList A, Holborne: The Night Watch or The Honie-suckleMany recorder players love these tunes from Holborne’s 1599collection. They can be found in First Repertoire Pieces forRecorder (Descant), a collection which also features at Grade 4.Here the two-in-a-bar feel of the dance is important. The notesneed to be lightly detached and the breath marks carefullyobserved to preserve the shape of each phrase. In some places alittle more weight is needed to make the music come alive, forexample on the tied notes in The Night Watch, but the effect shouldnot be overdone. The result should have a freshness about it – adelight for players and listeners.

With our new Recorder and Bassoon syllabuses nowup and running, we asked three of our selectors fortheir top picks from the new lists.

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77Recorder and Bassoon

in this book are presented without any editorial interference in theway of dynamics or articulations, making it possible for teachersto discuss the Baroque principle of adding character and dynamicsthrough varied articulation – a concept central to the instrument.

Grade 2 – Andrew ChallingerList B, Elizabeth Cooper: Sly Fox and Boasting BaboonTaken from Animal Antics for Treble Recorder, these two piecesrevisit the 18th-century dance suite. The Sly Fox takes the floor in aminuet and the Boasting Baboon struts his stuff in a bourrée. It isthe player’s job to bring out the two different personalities throughthe dance rhythms. The first piece covers a wide range and workwill be needed to maintain the tone-quality at both ends. Thesecond needs precise tonguing in the quaver runs, which shouldsound effortless. The same book is used for Grade 5, this timecalling for Chattering Monkeys and Leaping Lambs.

Grade 3 – Annabel KnightList A, Vivaldi: Largo cantabile from Concerto, RV 90This well-known piece is the middle movement of Vivaldi’s Concerto‘Il Gardellino’ (‘The Goldfinch’) and comes from a volume of VivaldiSlow Movements for Recorder (Treble) which also features atGrades 2, 4 and 5.

This siciliana in 12/8 time represents a good introduction to slowcompound time and makes demands on the soloist’s breath controland sense of phrasing and expression. There are plenty of otherthings to discuss, including the musical implications of themodulations and sequences in the second half, and some tricky tiesin the last line. This is a beautiful movement and it’s nice to be ableto introduce a short piece of core repertoire at a lower grade.

Grade 4 – Andrew ChallingerList A, Beethoven: CapriccioOriginally for solo piano, this arrangement is published in ConcertRepertoire for Recorder, a volume which also appears in the Treblelists for Grades 1 to 3. Some will know this by its popular title,‘Rage over a Lost Penny’, and though Beethoven may not have usedthe name, it is helpful in bringing out the character of this highlyentertaining piece. It is important to fit the semiquaver runs in themain section with the repeated piano chords and to use a marcatostyle on the quavers. The middle section should have lighterquavers to make a good contrast. The players need to communicatea strong sense of fun.

Grade 5 – Annabel Knight List A, Handel: Vivace, 2nd movt from Sonata in D minor,HWV 367aThe Handel Sonatas are no stranger to the syllabus but this is anewcomer to Grade 5. In the style of a hornpipe, this is arguably oneof Handel’s best sonata movements, leading us through manyharmonic and melodic twists and turns with dramatic, rhetorical

Grade 3 – Andrew ChallingerList C, Playford: ’Twas within a Furlong of Edinburgh TownThough publisher John Playford put this in The Dancing Master, the song is one of many written by Henry Purcell for the stage. It appears in 50 Graded Studies for Recorder, a book which features in List C for all five Descant grades. In the original songJocky’s amorous approaches to the spirited Jenny are given shortshrift. The lively character should come across in the playing, with the dotted rhythms given particular attention. Neat tonguing here is essential and the closing ‘Scotch snaps' should be suitably dismissive. Lots of work on G minor finger patterns will prove invaluable.

Grade 4 – Annabel KnightList B, Regner: Presto, 3rd movt from Pfiffikus (Clever Clogs)This short fast piece in 5/4 time comes from a collection by the20th-century German educational composer Hermann Regner. The Presto movement is reminiscent of a Greek folk dance andfeatures driving rhythms and modal harmony. Although the notesthemselves are not especially complex, the challenges here lie incapturing the feel and energy of the irregular time signature and inpaying attention to detail with articulation. A nice ‘serious’ option atthis grade.

Grade 5 – Annabel KnightList B, Colin Cowles: A Bright Spark This comes from Colin Cowles’s Power Up! for Recorder collection,which takes electricity as its theme and also provides Volting! atGrade 4.

A Bright Spark is a lively, crowd-pleasing concert piece incompound time with a memorable melody and an effective (but nottoo difficult) piano part. The piece has a surprisingly Classical feel,offering up plenty of material for discussing structure and form, aswell as some useful technical challenges including a few trickychromatic corners and a variety of different articulation patterns tokeep the player on their toes. The CD piano accompaniment is agood bonus for practice purposes.

Treble RecorderGrade 1 – Annabel KnightList A, Blow: AirJohn Blow’s straightforward Air comes from Easy BaroqueRepertoire for Treble Recorder – which also includes a Purcellminuet set for Grade 1 and two other pieces on the Grade 2 list.

This is a short piece in simple time, in which the only slightlyawkward corner involves a single CG – the rest is all within the keyof C major and mostly moves by step in crotchets and quavers.There is potential for exploring mood and character. All the pieces

corder and Bassoon

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Recorder and Bassoon88

gestures a-plenty. Although the notes themselves are relativelystraightforward, the whole piece needs careful planning in phrasingand breathing, especially in bringing out the many sequences. Also, the player will need to add their own articulation anddynamics to assist in communicating the emotional highs and lows hinted at in Handel’s melodic shapes.

Grade 6 – Andrew ChallingerList B, Nicholas Marshall: The Old Mole Nicholas Marshall has really shaken up the original Playford tune inthis exhilarating jig, to be found in A Playford Garland. The key of A major is not a natural one for the treble, but this piece shouldencourage useful scale practice. It won’t be possible to achieve thepace suggested straight away and it would be a mistake to push theOld Mole too hard until the tongued triplets are secure. Fitting withthe piano will take some work too, but it’s well worth the effort.

Grade 7 – Annabel KnightList C, Arnold Cooke: Allegretto, 1st movt from Little Suite No. 2This suite is published in Pieces for Solo Recorder, Vol. 3, with thethird movement, Allegro vivace, set for Grade 6. Arnold Cooke, apupil of Hindemith, wrote several idiomatic and high-quality piecesfor recorder. Harmonically, the Little Suite is interesting, appearingto be based on ‘quartal’ (fourth-based) harmony with frequentchromatic inflections, but still giving the sense of a strong tonalcentre. Therefore the player will need to confidently project thesyntax of the rhythm and phrasing, in order to make sense of the melodic and harmonic language. There are challenges inarticulation (some of the top notes under phrase/slur markings mayrequire discreet tonguing), and in breathing and finger technique, inthis serious little piece.

Grade 8 – Andrew ChallingerList C, Christopher Ball: The Pagan PiperThis can be performed on treble or tenor. Imagine it played in aremote mountainous landscape – it needs space and flexibility tomake its effect. The swirling runs are not easy and good breathcontrol is required to sustain the longer phrases, particularly on thetenor. In addition the player has to balance the many changingtempi and tonal variety with constant rubato. Players with anassured technique and a strong sense of performance will relish theopportunities offered here. �

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99Recorder and Bassoon

BassoonGraham SalvageGrade 1List B, Russell Denwood: LamentA new collection, 16 Progressive Pieces for Bassoon featuresarrangements and originals by Russell Denwood and providespieces on Lists A and B at this grade and on List A for Grades 2 to 4.At Grade 1 my choice is No. 5, an Andante Lament in 6/8 enjoying a lilt,with opportunities to show expression and detailed dynamic variety.Quaver rests at the end of many bars allow for easy breathing and thepredominant one-octave G to G range is fully used to give strongthematic material. This is an engaging piece for young learners.

Grade 2List B, James Rae: SundownIn the Groove for Bassoon by James Rae includes this Grade 2piece, as well as appearing at Grade 4. Sundown is a slow bluesmelody with swung quavers and a great piece to include at thislevel. Attention is needed for contrasting dynamics and the slurred quaver phrases, all moving by step. Breathing can beaccommodated every four bars and the piano accompaniment willdelight the bassoonist, with its harmonies and easy-to-achieve finebalance highlighting the solo instrument.

Grade 3List C, Philip Sparke: In the Black Mountains or Trumpet TuneThese two studies in contrasting mood and key are from the skilfulpen of Philip Sparke. They can be found in his Skilful Studies forBassoon, which also offers List C choices at Grades 4 and 5. Forthis grade, the Black Mountains study in G minor is mostly legatoand is marked Andantino. It has a lovely triple-time lilt. There willbe much to discuss in the dynamic detail and the near two-and-a-half-octave range is fun to explore. The Trumpet Tune is mainlydetached in articulation and will appeal to the player who enjoysboldly projecting the sound to capture the character.

Grade 4List A, Rameau: Danse des Sauvages from Les Indes galantesThis arrangement of Danse des Sauvages from Rameau's opera-balletworks well for the instrument and comes from 16 Progressive Piecesfor Bassoon (see Grade 1). It’s a welcome newcomer to the grade. Thearticulation detail and the ornamentation help the style and there arelots of off-beat accented quavers. One challenge is to keep a steadybeat. The direction ‘quavers can be played inégale’ is given at theoutset but even quavers also work well. The piano part is unobtrusiveand should be easily managed by teachers who play a little.

Grade 5List B, Alan Bullard: Blue BassoonI had been hoping to see this on the syllabus for some time and amso pleased to find it available again, published by Spartan Press.This bluesy number fits into the Grade 5 glove well in terms ofrange and technical difficulty, requiring good note recognition withsharp accidentals in the opening flat-key signature and the manyflat accidentals in the sharp-key signature of the middle section. A firm rhythmic grasp is needed in the dotted rhythm of the Lively

part and some rubato could be used in the outer sections. The styleis so well captured – a joy to play and for the examiner to listen to!

Grade 6List B, Graham Waterhouse: Imperial Echoes from Diplo-Diversions, Op. 44It’s wonderful to have something here by Graham Waterhouse and whobetter to understand the bassoon, with help perhaps from his father,the distinguished bassoonist William Waterhouse. Diplo-Diversionswas commissioned by bassoonist Jefferey Cox who worked for theForeign Office – hence the title and movement headings. This thirdmovement has the instruction Moderato nobilmente and is in a slow-moving 2/2 tempo. It begins with an expansive legato cantabiletheme and develops with some rhythmic complexities and manyaccidentals, finally returning with a reference to the opening materialto a more subdued ending. A delight to play.

Grade 7List B, Ravel: Pièce en forme de habaneraA beautiful transcription by Oubradous, here is a piece for thebassoonist who likes to portray the sunshine! This slow sultrySpanish dance, with its rubato and time and space, requires control,fine intonation and an ability to effectively contrast dynamics widely.Fast fingerwork demands are absent, apart from two bars ofdemisemiquaver movement where rubato is needed to shapemusically. A very beautiful little gem – I always want to play it twice!

Grade 8List B, Miroshnikov: ScherzoThis is an all-time favourite of mine. I love the excitement and itsslightly quirky nature. There are many technical challenges in theopening Allegro brillante and opportunities to be expressive in theslow middle section. This has a beautiful lyrical melody and someunaccompanied ad lib bars before returning to the opening Allegro,which is so well detailed in dynamics and articulation. The pieceends with an exciting Più mosso. The accompaniment is wellwritten making it easy to achieve a good balance. All in all, a mostattractive recital piece from a little-known composer and thoroughlyrecommended to go with other choices at this top grade. �

The new Recorder and Bassoon syllabuses are valid now andavailable at www.abrsm.org/woodwind or in the Woodwind syllabusbooklet. You can buy audio downloads of selected pieces from theBassoon syllabus from www.abrsm.org/audioshop.

Andrew Challinger has spent many years teaching young recorderplayers. He now works mainly with adults as a course and workshoptutor as well as performing, accompanying, conducting and composing.

Annabel Knight is a recorder practitioner with many years ofteaching experience. A performer with the Fontanella Quintet andPassacaglia Baroque ensemble, she is currently Head of Recorderat Birmingham Conservatoire. She also runs ensembles and courses for all levels and ages of players.

GGrraahhaamm SSaallvvaaggee was formerly principal bassoonist in the HalléOrchestra and has performed and recorded widely. He teaches atManchester University, the Royal Northern College of Music andChetham’s School of Music, and is an ABRSM examiner.

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There are so many things to be happy about when playingmusic,’ proclaims 11-year-old Esther from Greenwich, in London. Proud of her recent success in Grade 2

Trumpet, Esther says ‘playing my instrument makes me feel I can learn anything. It’s fun to do new things and it’s given me more confidence.’

Esther is one of the lucky ones; she is one of 12 talented youngLondon musicians to be awarded an ABRSM scholarship from theMayor’s Music Fund. She, like her fellow scholars, was identified asa ‘talented child, aged 7 to 11, who shows significant ability andcommitment to learning a musical instrument’.

‘Many families struggle to pay for ongoing lessons,’ says GinnyGreenwood, Chief Executive of the Mayor’s Music Fund, ‘andawarding four-year scholarships gives children the opportunity tofulfil their potential. We also fund partnerships between MusicServices and professional arts organisations, giving thousands ofaspiring young musicians the valuable experience of learning fromand performing alongside top professionals.’

A survey by the University of London’s Institute of Educationidentified the problem of large numbers of young instrumentalistsfalling by the wayside through a lack of money. And so the Mayor’sMusic Fund, a charity, was started in 2011 to address the middleground between group sessions at school and really developing as amusician, with individual lessons and access to ensembles.

ABRSM’s contribution of £12,500 a year - from 2012 to 2016 -funds 12 scholarships. All scholars receive up to four years oftuition, supporting sustained musical progress, through their MusicServices. ‘The Scholarship Programme offers young people anopportunity to shine,’ explains Lincoln Abbotts, ABRSM’s Director ofStrategic Development. ‘At ABRSM we see this as making a realinvestment in the next generation of performers, teachers, leaders

and listeners. We work with a number of organisations around theworld which help young people to develop their musical skills in aprogressive way,’ adds Lincoln, ‘so we’re delighted to support thisgreat initiative, which provides support for musical potential whereit’s really needed.’

‘These scholars are making outstanding progress,’ says Ginny.‘One has been accepted to The Purcell School and one has recentlyauditioned for the National Youth Orchestra, while a handful havegained scholarships to senior schools. We’re also encouraged by the diversity of projects the Fund supports,’ she continues, ‘from Bollywood to traditional brass, Ethno Contemporary to Urban Mix and everything in between. The sheer number of young people taking part in our programmes - 14,000 and rising - is phenomenal.’

Mayor of London Boris Johnson is hugely supportive of thescheme. ‘There’s no doubt in my mind that learning music hasprofound benefits for young people as well as for our society,’ hesays, emphasising the importance of ‘ensuring every youngLondoner has the chance to learn a musical instrument in school,regardless of their family's ability to pay’. He also sees it as aninvestment in ‘the talent of the next generation’ of Londoners.

These feelings are shared by the parents of the young musicians,says Ginny. ‘There is on overriding sense of pride shared betweenscholar, family and school at having been chosen for this award,resulting in the recipients’ increased self-esteem and desire to bethe best they can be.’

‘It makes me feel special,’ says 10-year-old trombonistEmmanuel from Camden, while for Keiley-Mae, from Hillingdon, thescholarship has ‘given me more confidence because I’ve alwayswanted to do this’.

‘Many children are for the first time engaging in school throughmusic,’ continues Ginny. ‘There is the knock-on effect of increasingtheir social and emotional wellbeing and in a significant number ofcases an improvement in academic work.’ It’s a marvellousaccolade for the scheme but, like most arts organisations, there isconstant pressure for more money.

Thanking ABRSM for funding the scholarships and underwritingworkshops, Ginny says her ambition is now ‘to raise enough moneyevery year to fund at least 100 four-year scholarships, acommitment of £400,000, so that by 2016, 500 students will bebenefitting from the scheme’.

Every one of the ABRSM scholars was asked to write about their involvement in the scheme, and every single young musicianused the words ‘happy’, ‘enjoy’ and ‘fun’. It’s a sentiment shared not only by the children and their proud parents but by GinnyGreenwood too. ‘Children are joyous at the best of times,’ she says.‘But a child making music is, to me, doubly joyous.’ �

For more information visit www.mayorsmusicfund.org.

In 2012 we began a partnership with the Mayor’s Music Fund,providing scholarships for 12 talented young musicians. Rhian Morgan reports on the impact of our funding so far.

Creating opportunitiesto shine

Giving1100

Lincoln Abbotts performing withMayor’s Music Fund scholarsLincoln Abbotts performing withMayor’s Music Fund scholars.

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1111Celebrating 125 years

Siti Fajriah Annisa FaisalI got a Distinction score onthis year's Violin examwhich had been postponedfor four years due to aninjury and having to finishmy bachelor degree. Yayy!!!

As we mark 125 years of ABRSM, many others have been sharing theirown musical milestones on Facebook and Twitter. Here are just a few.

Lim Kong SunI have playedthe piano for 14years and I tookmy first Pianoexam when I wasseven. Since then, I continued takingMusic Theory (Grades 2, 4, 5, and 6) andPiano exams (Grades 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8). Ittook a lot of practice to achieve this, themost challenging being Distinctions atGrades 7 and 8 Piano, and would havebeen impossible without my teacher'sguidance. I really feel that ABRSM hasmade an impact on my life ... and I stillhave a long way to go on my journey.

Tisa RahmanMy turn! This isthe last certificate Imanaged to achieve

(well, this and aGrade 5 Music Theory

one the year after). I stilllearned for a couple of grades

after that but never took another exam, whichstill makes me sad when I think about it ...anyway I'm in England now so I hope I can pickup where I left off and get the coveted Grade 8certificate one day!

Jan King I played the piano in myteens and decided torestart lessons againaround the time I wasretiring. I sat my veryfirst exam (Grade 5) andachieved a Merit!

Chihiro TakaTakeuchiI have been playingthe cello for 19years. I started my

lessons aftergraduation from

university and passedGrade 8 in 2013. I appreciate my teachersMr Honda, Mr Jeremy and Mr Martin.

Maria LowthueFive years ago I asked myself if I wanted to play thepiano again. The last time I touched the keys wasmore than 20 years ago. Who would have thought, thisyear I achieve a 143 in my Grade 5 exam! A special

thanks to my piano teacher, Cynthia Lee.

Lorraine LiyanageMy first ABRSM exam

certificate from 1985. I never guessed Iwould become a pianoteacher! I also now

have a lesser spottedGrade 8 Harpsichord

certificate – my first ABRSMexam in 21 years!

Harry MitchellHappy 125th anniversaryABRSM! Grade 8 Piano,Grade 8 Alto Sax, Grade6 Double Bass and whocan forget the Theory!!!!

Jane Syrett and Amanda BoltonAmanda and I joined Westerly Winds Yate, our local adult learner band,

in September 2012 and for some reason chose the oboe! It’s been achallenging year getting to grips with our instruments and learningto read music, but with the help of our wonderful band leader, Fran,and oboe teacher, Imogen, we took our Grade 2 exams in November

and we were over the moon when we both got Distinctions. We areloving it and have already started studying for our next go!

Gaik Gan Chong Three designs of certificate, three teachers. I stopped taking examsafter 1993 (Grade 8 Piano, Merit) and stopped Music Theory lessonsin 1995, but in 2007 I decided to complete my theory exams, so I tookmy Grade 8 Music Theory exam in 2008 and passed with Merit.

Your ABRSM stories

Echo MakMy DipABRSMcertificate is agift after yearsof dreaming.The CT ABRSMlessons are stillfresh to me. I waslucky to have EmyrRoberts, an inspiring andexperienced teacher, as my CTABRSM mentor and I took myDipABRSM in Teaching shortly after

completing the course.

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Accredited assessments and teaching resources from ABRSM.

These fl exible assessments for younger learners have been specifi cally designed to help teachers assess children in groups.

To fi nd a free training session near you visit www.abrsm.org/courses




www.abrsm.org

facebook.com/abrsm

@abrsm

ABRSM YouTube

Celebrating ten years of Music Medals

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Music Medals ten years onIn 2004 we launched our assessments for children who are just starting to learn an instrument. Offeringflexibility and choice in a familiar environment, Music Medals have never been more popular.

Joshua Hinh is 18 and has been playing the violin for nineyears. As an early user of Music Medals, we asked Joshua tolook back and share his experiences.

What were the benefits of Music Medals for you?They gave me a relaxed way to enter the world of exams. Theymade me feel at ease and prepared me for future graded exams.

What did you like most about doing Music Medals?One of the things I enjoyed was performing with my teacher in theensemble section. Also, being able to do the assessment in afamiliar environment – I was used to the acoustic in the room whichmeant the piece didn’t sound different – and the variety of piecesavailable to play.

How did Music Medals help your violin playing?Learning the pieces taught me to be patient and persistent becauseyou have to put the effort and time in.

What’s your favourite part of learning to play the violin?The thing I like most is perfecting a piece of music I’ve beenpractising for months and seeing the enjoyment in the faces in theaudience after I’ve performed it. Completing my Music Medalshelped me to appreciate and enjoy music! �

BBeeccoommee aa MMuussiicc MMeeddaallss TTeeaacchheerr--AAsssseessssoorr aatt oonnee ooff oouurr ffrreeee ttrraaiinniinngg sseessssiioonnss:: www.abrsm.org/courses.For more information visit www.abrsm.org/musicmedals.

Music Medals can help children enjoy music, almost from day one of learning aninstrument,’ says Penny Milsom, ABRSM’s UK Operations Director. In fact theseassessments were specially designed to meet the needs of pupils at the early

stages of learning, as well as the needs of their teachers. Since their launch a decadeago Music Medals have become increasingly popular, so much so that they now form part of the teacher training offered to undergraduate students at the Royal NorthernCollege of Music.

So what’s the secret of Music Medals? Pupils like them because they offer a wonderfulchoice of music to play and they can take the assessment in the same place they havetheir lessons at a time which suits them. They often play alongside their friends orteacher and their own teacher does the assessing. Teachers like them because they areflexible and provide opportunities to use their own skills and knowledge in assessingtheir pupils. With five levels of medal – Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum – and a syllabus that takes in a wide range of instruments and musical styles, we now have allkinds of teachers working in a variety of different environments who enjoy using MusicMedals with their pupils.

Around 72,000 children have taken a MusicMedal. If you stacked up all the medals we’veawarded they would be five times higher thanLondon’s tallest building – the Shard.

There are 12,863 fantastic pieces of music onour Music Medals repertoire lists.

We’ve sold over 7,000 award-winning MusicMedals books.

Brenda McAleer from Northern Ireland hasentered 1,045 pupils for Music Medals – themost by any one teacher. Congratulations!

289 schools, music services and hubs areregistered as Music Medals partners.

We’ve run 172 free Music Medals trainingsessions for teachers around the UK.

The first person to pass all five Music Medalswas Holly Elvidge. Well done Holly!

Music Medals in figures

Music Medals and me

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From strength to strength

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Music Theory1144

The melody writing question in our Grade 5 Music Theory examdraws on a wide range of skills and gives candidates anopportunity to demonstrate their musical insight. However, it

is also the question that many candidates find the most challenging.So what can teachers do to help their students with this importantarea of musical understanding?

Musical craftThis question is more about the craft of working with musical ideasto provide a convincing melody than it is about being creative orshowing artistry. It is more about ‘writing a tune based on a givenidea’ than it is about ‘composing a melody’ which, as a phrase, cangive the wrong impression – after all, we’re not all buddingcomposers! The idea behind this question is not so much toencourage composition as to enable learners to understand and‘get inside’ linear musical processes.

The importance of melody writingThrough the melody writing question examiners can assesscandidates’ abilities to internalise sound and to transfer what theyhear in their heads to an appropriate set of symbols. Can they takean idea and develop it to provide a convincing eight-bar melody witha sense of shape and direction, and which implies a plausibleharmonic foundation?

It also supports the development of skills which are best gainedthrough studying ‘real world’ musical practices and working onactivities based on them. These are skills which lead to musicalinsight, the development of which is the real rationale for the test. Learning grows from doing, and from learning developsmusical understanding.

Developing understandingWhile the melody writing test may be about musical craft, the abilityto write a good tune also depends on creative aural imagination. IL

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The Grade 5 melody writing challenge Nigel Scaife, ABRSM’s Syllabus Director, exploresways to help students with their melody writing skills.

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1155Music Theory

Next students could sing up and down these patterns in theappropriate key:

Having now got a firm sense of the key and its tonic chord, theycan sing in their head the primary triads of the key as brokenchords. To start with you could sing these with them out loud, usingthe right note names for the key:

While singing these shapes in their head, students can also thinkof how they would sound being played on the instrument they willbe writing for. Regular practice of this kind helps develop fluencyand makes writing tunes a much easier activity.

Students should now have a solid tonal orientation and can moveon to imagining how the opening idea sounds on the relevantinstrument. They should also sing or play the opening out loud andyou could ask them to make up different continuations, eithersinging or using their instrument, before writing down their endingto the melody.

Discovering the features Exploring the features that give the opening idea its character canhelp students to make decisions about completing the melody. Whatare the main rhythmic and melodic features? Which aspects of theopening are likely to influence the overall shape, or contour, of themelody – how the notes rise and fall throughout?

You could give your students a range of openings and ask themto write out the main features as separate rhythmic and intervallicitems, so they begin to think analytically. And by looking at a rangeof melodies in the pieces they are learning you can show how unity

We can encourage and develop creativity, but we can’t really teach itin the way that we can teach maths, grammar, or music notation.So it may be wise to focus on technical issues and on developingstudents’ abilities to hear mentally what they write. In this way theydevelop their understanding without having any limits placed ontheir imagination and creativity.

Mastering the techniqueAs with so many things in life, there is a technique that has to bemastered if success is to be achieved. For the melody writingquestion this technique has many elements. • Making sure the melody has an overall unity of style whichincorporates and adapts elements of the given opening.• Creating a clear phrase structure with awareness of the anacrusic nature of the opening if appropriate.• Including a tempo direction, suitable dynamics and otherperformance directions.• Having a basic knowledge of instruments, and writing a melodythat suits the chosen instrument and is within its compass. (Candidates need to know the lowest note of the instrument’s rangebut sophisticated idiomatic writing is not necessary.)

Audiation – an essential skillOne of the essential skills for this question is the ability to hearmentally what is written – an important type of audiation. Ideallythis is something that students develop from the very beginning oftheir musical studies, starting with rhythm and a limited range ofpitches and then building up step by step.

Training the ‘inner ear’ in this way, so that students can ‘think inmusic’ is essential to the development of musicianship and of vitalimportance in music education.

Using your students’ musicLooking at melodic aspects of the pieces your students are learningand using this as the basis for developing skills is a great way tolead into more exam-focused activities.

Asking students to write down tunes that they already know,perhaps giving some help with the opening or any tricky sections,makes melody writing an enjoyable and relevant activity. And once students have written the tune they should always play or

sing it. For younger learners you could use nursery rhymes such as Baa,

Baa, Black Sheep or This Old Man, a folksong, a song learnt in theclassroom or a favourite pop song. Well-chosen tunes – AmazingGrace is particularly useful if you’re looking at primary chords –also provide a rich source of linked activities.

Another idea is to take the start of a melody from a familiar piece and ask students to develop it differently or create twocontrasting versions. In this way the aural experience comes first,which is how it should always be: sound before symbol!

Thinking in the keyWhen tackling the exam question encourage students to think in thekey, before they even try to hear the given idea or think about itscharacter and potential for development.

Start by asking students to sing in their head a fairly low noteand imagine it as the tonic. Then ask them to sing up and down thescale slowly, thinking about each note and perhaps singing its letter name.


Music Theory1166

and variety are achieved. You can explore how tunes are madememorable through the repetition of an idea such as a rhythmicfeature, interval or pitch shape.

Phrase structureStudents also need to understand phrase structure and howcadences provide points of rest and breathing spaces. This leads tothinking about how eight-bar melodies can work: whether they havephrases that operate as 2+2+4 or 4+4, whether the end of bar fourindicates an imperfect cadence, and so on. There are no singleanswers, however, and it’s best to avoid a prescriptive approach, as this can limit personal responses and the enjoyment of tacklingthis challenge.

Shape and contourThe marking criteria for this question say that examiners look for a melody that has ‘good shape and direction’. So encouragestudents to think about the contour of their melody. Where is theclimax (high-point) of the tune? It can be useful for students to draw the physical shape of their melody. And remember, someoccasional leaps can be effective and may usefully extend the rangeof the tune.

The leading noteOne area that often causes problems – in major and minor keys – isthe use of the leading note. So try to spend some time on how theleading note resolves and also on how the 6th and 7th degrees workin the melodic minor scale. You could take some short melodicshapes in ascending and descending contexts to show how theywork. Here are two in A minor:

Again, looking at examples from the music students are learningwill show how ascending and descending movement can be usedeffectively. And, as Eric Taylor usefully points out in Music Theory inPractice (ABRSM), ‘try to avoid circling around the same few notes!’

The melodic challengeWriting a melody is a challenge to a student’s craftsmanship andaural imagination. Looking at melodies and thinking about howrhythms and pitches provide shape and expression will helpstudents when it comes to writing their own music. And always ask them to play their melodies or sing them out loud. In addition,nurturing your students’ ability to hear in their head what they havewritten is vital for success.

Developing the craft skills needed for the melody writingquestion helps students not only to succeed in their Grade 5 MusicTheory exam, but also to gain greater musical insight and deepentheir understanding of the way music works. �

Writing the tune – top tips for candidates• Remember the aim of the question: to produce a well-shaped tune with a good structure, straightforwarddynamics, phrasing and articulation.• When writing the tune, be ready to change things as you goalong. In the exam, use the rough sheet of manuscript paperprovided then copy your final answer onto the exam paper.• Refer back to the tonic triad in your mind to check intervals.This helps to keep everything on track in terms of pitch.• Make sure your melody balances the given music anddevelop it in a way that complements the opening idea.• Avoid simply using the material in bars 1 and 2 in bars 5 and 6, as this does not show a personal and creative response.• The rhythmic features of the opening are likely to be asuseful in developing the tune as the pitch shapes.• Use repetition of musical ideas – a rhythmic feature, intervalor pitch shape – to give a sense of unity and structure.• Add expression marks and performance directions for goodmusical reasons.• Is there an anacrusis? If so, you need to compensate for thisat the end. Sometimes candidates miscount the bars becausethey count the anacrusis as the first bar.• Check over the tune once you have written it. Does it matchyour intentions? Does it have the right number of bars? Haveyou named the instrument and are all the notes within theinstrument’s range? Have you added a tempo marking,dynamics, articulation and a double barline at the end?

Using the marking criteriaThe marking criteria for our Music Theory exams clearly showhow examiners award marks for each question. Try looking atthe criteria with your students and asking them to rate theirmelody themselves. How did they arrive at their mark? Thisself-evaluation is a learning activity in itself as it encouragesstudents to reflect on all aspects of their tune.www.abrsm.org/theorymarkingcriteria

Introducing Melody WriterMelody Writer is our new online resource that helps studentsimprove their musical understanding and skills with a specificfocus on melody writing. It provides practical support forstudents as they develop their music theory skills andprepare for our Grade 5 Music Theory exam. Melody Writerwill be available soon as a free beta version, using theChrome or Safari web browsers. www.abrsm.org/melodywriter


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Whether you’re an instrumental or vocal teacher of someexperience with more private teaching than you know whatto do with, or new to the business and looking to find more

pupils to increase your income, it’s always worth reviewing how youpromote your teaching business, because you can be certain thatother teachers in your area will be doing just that! Here are somestarting points to consider.

What are you selling?Start by defining the basics about your teaching and be clear withyour messages. What instruments or voice types or particular agegroups do you work with, do you use the exam system to motivateand measure progress (and at what levels), do you use anyspecialist teaching methods (such as Dalcroze) and where andwhen do you teach?

How much do you charge?Setting prices is as much an art as a science and is definitely partof your marketing. If the price is too high you’re unlikely to attractlots of pupils, no matter how great your website or leaflets are.

It’s advisable to research prices. To provide teachers with thelatest information the ISM conducts the only UK survey of musictuition fees, with the results published on our website. Have a lookat the range of fees charged and how much prices have increasedfrom the previous year.

Gather as much information as you can, but then make ajudgement on what you think you should charge based on yourincome needs and the local ‘going rate’.

Going solo or joining a groupA huge amount of private teaching is delivered by teachers workingalone; this is just one reason why belonging to a body such as theISM is important as it gives you access to a network of fellowprofessionals, as well as other benefits. There may also be localagencies looking for new private teachers to add to their lists, sosearch online to see what you find in your area, but bear in mindthat you won’t have control over fees, and they’ll probably take a cut.

Credibility and visibilityThe next steps are to establish credibility and raise visibility. Howcan you convince people that you’re a credible teacher? If you havequalifications then tell people about them. Testimonials are also

critical – ask your current or former students to write about yourwork, and use these alongside your own biography.

Getting out thereNow you’ve got the content you need, use it everywhere you can. Ifyou don’t have a website then start one – it’s how people expect tofind you now, and it must be kept up-to-date. Search online to seewhat other teachers are doing to get ideas. There are very simple(and free) set up packages online and more come along all the time– try Moonfruit or Weebly to get you going.

Social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and more), when used in a safe and professional way, is another essential. Connectwith local groups, music fans or parents’ collectives – haveconversations about music with them. Promote content from your website and link people back to it.

Generate content – write a blog or make a film offering practicetips or other materials, almost like a small free sample to enticepeople to come to you for lessons.

Add yourself to some online directories of teachers – ISMmembers are part of the widely-used ISM Music Directory. Printeddirectories, such as the UK’s Yellow Pages, are useful too.

Networking and word of mouthPersonal networking is hugely important to generate referrals, somake yourself known in local music shops, with other musiciansand in the music departments in local schools. Give them leafletsor business cards and keep in touch to remind them that you’rearound. Leave your leaflets or cards in local shops and libraries.

One of the best forms of promotion is, of course, word of mouthfrom your existing pupils and their parents. Do all you can toencourage them – they are your best advocates, so use them! �

The ISM is the UK’s professional body for musicians, with 6,500members who receive legal support and essential insurance cover, as well as access to our unpaid fee chasing service,professional advice, a listing in the ISM Music Directory, discountson Yellow Pages advertising, access to DBS enhanced disclosuresand much more.

EExxcclluussiivvee ooffffeerr ffoorr LLiibbrreettttoo rreeaaddeerrss:: if you are not an ISMmember, then join by 31 May 2014 to enjoy two months of freemembership in your first year. Find full details and join online at www.ism.org/abrsmoffer.

As a private music teacher you’re actually running a small business where promotion is essential to success.David Smith, from the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM), offers some advice.

1177Your teaching

Promoting your teaching, building your business

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Music has the power to transformlives. Many of us have experiencedthis personally or know it because

of the impact music has on the people wemeet. It is for this reason that so many ofus are passionate about everyone havingthe opportunity to discover the part musiccan play in their lives. Why then, I askmyself, are we still struggling to make this happen? What can we do differently or better?

Soren Kierkegaard, a 19th-centuryDanish philosopher, said: ‘Life can only beunderstood backwards, but it must be livedforwards.’ So, as I reflect on what we havetried to do in the past and learn from thoseexperiences to make things better in thefuture, I offer the following observations.

Music and the national curriculumWhen a national curriculum for Englandwas introduced in the late 1980s many of usfought for music to be included. Despite

music being a statutory requirement, 25years on, some children still do not get themusic education to which they are entitled.Music is still in the national curriculum andshould be part of a broad and balancedcurriculum even in those schools that canchoose their own curriculum. But too oftenit isn’t. Who is responsible for making thishappen? Headteachers and governors are.What can we do about it? Read on!

Striving for qualityJust having music is not enough. Musiceducation must be a quality experience.Research shows us that poor qualityexperiences can actively put people offmusic. It was with concern therefore that Iread in the most recent Ofsted report that‘headteachers … frequently over-estimatedthe quality of the musical activity in theirschools’. This, despite the previous Ofstedreport stating: ‘that schools, all otherfunded providers of music education and

providers of continuing professionaldevelopment should … strengthen seniorleadership of music in schools by increasingheadteachers’ and senior leaders’knowledge and understanding about the key characteristics of effective musicprovision, including the appropriate use ofmusical assessment and the importance ofteachers’ musical preparation, so that theycan more effectively observe and supportmusic in their schools.’

Too often a school is considered to bemusically successful because of the musicalachievements of a small minority – some ofwhom may even learn with private teachersor peripatetic musicians paid directly by parents.

We need to do something about this!

The role of schoolsIt was against this background that theNational Plan for Music Education tookforward the early work of the MusicManifesto and music education hubs wereformed in September 2012.

As well as setting out to fulfil four coreresponsibilities for all young people by2020, hubs were encouraged to challenge

Richard Hallam, chair of the UK’s Music Education Council, explainswhy we still need to fight for high-quality music education withopportunities for progression for all children.

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Standing up for music education

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and support schools. First access whole-class ensemble programmes weresupposed to build on the school’s ownmusic curriculum to give every child theopportunity to learn a musical instrument.Class teachers, learning alongside themusic specialist, would have weeklycontinuing professional developmentenabling them to gain confidence,knowledge and understanding. Somechildren would continue with music beyondtheir curriculum experience in school bytaking instrumental or vocal lessons,privately or through a music service orvisiting teachers to the schools. Othersmight join a community brass band or agospel choir. The hubs would sign-post young musicians to locallyavailable opportunities. At the same time,all children would continue with theirschool music curriculum through to theage of 14.

The concept was a simple one: schoolsare where every child should be able tohave a good basic musical education.Schools are funded to provide this and toensure their own staff have the knowledge,skills and expertise to deliver. For firstaccess programmes to slot meaningfullyinto the school’s own music curriculum,there needed to be a dialogue about whatcame before first access and what wouldcome afterwards. If this raised questionsregarding the content or quality of theschool’s own music curriculum, theopportunity was created to do somethingabout it. How else could hubs claim thatthey were providing value for money and a

quality experience with the limited funds at their disposal?

The importance of progression For young people to benefit from the life-changing powers of music they need to beable to access more than just the schoolmusic curriculum and to have more thanjust first access. They need to experience arange of instruments and musical stylesand to have the opportunity to progressthrough to excellence.

Available and affordable progressionroutes are as important as first access. Thepotential routes are too varied and diversefor any one individual or organisation tomeet these needs for all young people.Hubs, working in partnership with schools,local organisations and individual teacherswere to be the answer and, in many casesthey are succeeding. Passionate andcommitted teachers up and down thecountry daily inspire and motivate manyyoung people to achieve great success.

But we are still a long way fromachieving this for all young people. Ofcourse, there is not enough funding atpresent. This is why we must fight furthercuts and why we must stick to the 2020timescale of the National Plan.

What can we do?Earlier in this article I asked the question:what can we do about it? Through thepeople we meet in our work, throughextended families, pupils, friends andneighbours, most of us can ask about thequality of music education in our local

schools. By visiting the Arts CouncilEngland website (www.artscouncil.org.uk)we can find out who is responsible for thehub in a particular area. The hub should beproviding quality experiences withopportunities for progression. If we haveconcerns, we should bring these to theattention of the appropriate people.

Many of us also belong to professionalassociations. We can ask what they aredoing about it too. As chair of the MusicEducation Council I am committed toensuring we improve matters significantlyover the next two years.

Policies and plans are in place. Limitedfunding is in place, protected for music –but only until 2015. There is no better wayof making the case for increased funding asthe economy improves than by showing howwell we use the funds that have beenentrusted to us. Together, each and everyone of us can make a difference by standingup for and demanding quality andopportunities for progression. The childrendeserve no less. �

For more information about the Music Education Council visit www.mec.org.uk.

RRiicchhaarrdd HHaallllaamm MMBBEE has a lifetime'sexperience in all aspects of musiceducation as a teacher, advisor andinspector, Head of Music Service,professional trumpet player and conductor.He is currently President of theIncorporated Society of Musicians and chairof the Music Education Council.

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Teaching adults2200

Guiding adult students through thehighs and lows of their musicaljourney can be one of our most

inspiring experiences as teachers. Manyinstrumental teachers prefer not to take onadults, perhaps (we hope) because theirtimetable is already filled with eager youngmusicians. Often, however, it is becausethey lack confidence in dealing with adifferent kind of teaching challenge: how toteach, what to teach, and whether or not tocast aside the usual frameworks ofassessment can all be of concern whentaking on an adult student.

After many years of teaching as a flutespecialist, I have become a passionateadvocate for adult instrumental learning,and working with my many adult students –at all levels of attainment – has hugelyenriched my professional life.

A desire for creative expressionMature students come to the teachingstudio with widely varied levels of musicalexperience; some may be complete novices, while others hope to build on theachievements of their school days. My ownstudents include a retired surgeon who isnow happily contemplating Edelweiss fromABRSM’s new Grade 1 syllabus; anotherwho, when not practising for her diploma,holds down a high-level job with aninternational organisation; and a bee-keeper who insists that we do onlyBaroque repertoire and brings me honey.What they all have in common, though, is agenuine desire to express themselvescreatively through music. Adult learnerscome through the door driven by theiraspirations, and are willing to work towardsthose goals through the commitment ofprecious time and hard-earned money.Such a student brings deep motivation tothe learning process.

Conquering fearsOf course, the other side of the equation foradult learners can be a constant awarenessof their own perceived inadequacies,

creating a tension betweenaspiration and self-doubt.Successful professionalsmay have forgotten how to

give themselves permission to fail – andneed time to relearn that experimentationand failure can be a vital part of the musicaljourney. Childhood fears and humiliationsalso often present themselves afresh at themusic stand, causing nerves andembarrassment. Conquering those fears ina performance or exam can bring a hugesense of personal satisfaction (andsometimes even tears of release).

Similarly, a sense of the encroachingyears can lead students to worry that theirfingerwork will never be fleet enough; if theteacher approaches the repertoireintelligently, however, it is possible toovercome these concerns. ABRSM’s newbooks of Flute Exam Pieces are very usefulin this respect, providing a pleasingselection of pieces that can be used totackle musical and technical challengeswhether or not an exam is in sight.

Exploring the subjectI also find that adult students are willing,and even eager, to read around subjects likethe psychology of performance (The InnerGame of Music by Barry Green and TimothyGallwey is still invaluable here) orbodywork, and recommending books andblogs can be a good way to support astudent’s musical progress. Students alsobenefit enormously from playing withothers, perhaps in an amateur ensemble,on short courses or by joining a society forlike-minded players.

The value of examsMany adult students feel they benefit fromhaving their progress benchmarked orappraised by someone other than theirteacher, and an exam provides the idealopportunity for this. Ann Robertson, a

mature flute student from Aberdeen,decided to take an exam when she returnedto flute playing in her retirement. ‘I onlymanaged Grade 5 at school,’ she says, ‘anddecided that I would set the records straightand finally do Grade 8. Why? First of all Iwanted to make sure that my scales andarpeggios were firmly under my fingers, asthey are the building blocks of everythingwe play. Secondly, I wanted to put togethera programme, perform it, and havesomeone tell me what they thought. It wasone way of making myself practise a pieceto a performance level.’ Wisely, Ann alsonotes that, ‘although the experience was notwithout stress, isn’t this something that allperformers have to learn to deal with?’

The examiner viewpointABRSM examiner Zoë Booth is sensitive tothe fact that adult candidates may besuffering from nerves. ‘As examiners wetake great care to treat all candidates in thesame way, but we also understand thatadults may feel more self-conscious ornervous than some younger candidates.Whatever their age, we always do our bestto help candidates do their best and we’rerooting for them to do well.

‘There is no need for adults to beembarrassed if they feel shaky or wobbly,as we have seen it all before. No matterwhat happens, there could be lots ofpositive attributes an adult's maturity maynaturally bring to the performance.’

Adult candidates may also take longer tosettle down at the start of their exam,particularly if they feel anxious, and theexaminer will ensure there is no unduepressure to get started before they're ready.‘I like to offer time to try a few notes ontheir instrument and check the tuning,providing a few valuable moments to adjustto the situation,’ says Zoë, ‘and I alwaysoffer the option of taking the aural testsearlier in the exam, to allow some time forthe nerves to subside; often, this offer isenough to reassure an adult candidate that the examiner is sympathetic to the situation.

‘As examiners, we have all taken musicexams ourselves at some point, so we knowthat an exam is a significant milestone for

Inspiring adult learnersFlautist Elisabeth Hobbs uncovers the pleasureand inspiration of teaching adult students.

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each and every candidate. My hope is thatevery player who chooses to come throughthe door of the exam room will have anenjoyable experience. At the end of theexam there is usually time to exchange afew friendly words with an adult candidate,knowing what their exam represents, notjust in their efforts on the day but in themany hours of musical preparation too.’

Alternatives to examsSome adult learners feel, however, that theidea of being tested or assessed is at oddswith their experience of music as aliberating creative experience or leisure(and pleasure) activity. For such students,and for those who really struggle withnerves, ABRSM’s Performance Assessmentprovides another opportunity for feedbackoutside the traditional parameters of anexam. The Performance Assessment allowsthe student to receive constructiveindependent evaluation of a programme oftheir own choosing, without either the fearof failure or the worry about supportingtests. The student has the opportunity tochat to the examiner afterwards andreceives detailed written notes immediately.This low-stress option is popular with adultstudents and can provide a valuableperformance goal.

Sharing the journeyI often feel I learn as much from my adultsas they do from me: they bring dedication,motivation, and a real love for music. Theirlife experience and careers have honed theirintellects and tastes, given them opinions(not always easy!) and shaped theirinterests. I like to think of the way I teachadults more as a kind of cooperativecoaching, in which we work together touncover their inner musician. Whateverpath or process best suits your adultstudents, embrace the opportunity to sharean exciting musical journey with them. �

Flautist and teacher EElliissaabbeetthh HHoobbbbssruns specialist courses for adult fluteplayers of all levels. She conducts theOxfordshire Adult Flute Ensemble and isthe editor of PAN, the Journal of the British Flute Society.

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Write to Lucy North, Libretto editor,with your views. You can [email protected] or send letters toLibretto, ABRSM, 24 Portland Place,London W1B 1LU, UK. We may editletters and emails before publication.

Your views2222

Fundamentals of a fine accompanistCongratulations on the excellent article onaccompaniment (Am I too loud? Libretto2013:3). All the fundamentals of being a fineaccompanist are covered: tuning, sight-lines,active listening, balance, breathing, knowingwhere the melodic focus is, cueing and,importantly, knowing what to leave out!Perhaps it is also important to encourageaccompanists to charge fees that reflecttheir professional experience and not asthough they are working as volunteers for charity!DAVID MCNICOL

Accompaniment thoughtsIn response to your article, and as an experienced accompanist of allinstruments/voices and grades, I would like to add the following thoughts. It isessential for the pianist to have a completeknowledge of the solo part, not only interms of where breaths may be taken, but interms of entries after rests, tempo changesand how the solo and accompanimentinteract, especially in contemporary music

Inbox is the place to share yourviews and feedback on Libretto,ABRSM and music education ingeneral. We want to find out whatreaders think on a range of musiceducation topics, from exam tipsand experiences to ideas onteaching, resources and professionaldevelopment. Please get in touch!

INBOX

The benefits of a physical workout

I totally agree about use of a physicalworkout to disperse adrenaline. A clarinetstudent of mine was first up for an examafter a holiday weekend. Traffic was ‘a-jammin’ – an hour to go 3.6km was notlong enough. As I turned into the examvenue, two crazy high-vis-clad cyclistszoomed into the grounds. My student andher mother had left their car and leapt onbikes (clarinet in the back pack) to make itin time! I'm sure the extra cycles of breathhelped with my student’s clarinet tone. Byno means crazy, but very smart.

Must dash! Off to buy the latest must-have exam accessory: bike rack for car.B J SMILLIE

which is often less predictable. The pianistalso needs to know where to, almostimperceptibly, alter the speed, in order tohelp with breathing. However, if stepping in at short notice, all this might not bepossible, and the accompanist simply has to be completely alert.

An accompanist must also be preparedfor the unexpected. Even more advancedsoloists occasionally come unstuck inplaces where they have never before made a mistake, and the accompanist has to tunein instantly to what has occurred.

Once when I was accompanying a youngsinger, she completely forgot half the verseshe was singing, and I had no idea as towhether she would go back or continue,and, if so, where from! Only by listening and quickly scanning both pages, was I ableto find where she was ... it was a very nerve-wracking experience for me, but thecandidate was given credit for carrying on,and achieved a Distinction overall!ROSALIND BRIAN

On Your MarksI was surprised at the mark given to the candidate for sight-reading in On Your Marks(www.abrsm.org/onyourmarks). The lad made a really good fist of it, getting the keysignature without problem and getting the rhythm, which wasn’t straightforward. I thought it was quite impressive. But he only got a bare Pass.

In our little music school here, we’ve had well over 100 candidates in graded Pianoexams and no one has been any better at sight-reading than this lad. The vast majorityare not on the same planet. Yet we’ve only had two exam failures, most got a Pass at sight-reading and a good few got Merit standard marks. Does this mean that one of the effects of the recent revision to the marking criteria will be stricter marking at sight-reading?STEVE FOLEY

ABRSM respondsAlthough we have revised our marking criteria, to make them as clear and accessible aspossible, the assessment levels themselves have not changed and our standards remainthe same for all the exam elements. In our On Your Marks resource, the Grade 5 Pianocandidate does show some strengths in the sight-reading which point towards a Merit,but reservations relating to control of rhythm and pulse are significant enough to make aPass the correct result. Conflicting signals like this from a candidate’s playing are notuncommon, and it is the examiner’s job to assess all aspects of the musical outcome indeciding on the correct overall result. The examiner’s comments then account clearly forthe mark awarded.

Consistency of marking is, of course, a fundamental aim of our exams and we paygreat attention to this, from training through to continuing professional development forall our examiners. We also have rigorous and extensive monitoring processes whichensure that ABRSM marking is as consistent as it can possibly be. Inevitably, teachers,candidates and parents are occasionally surprised by an exam result, as they may becomparing this with what takes place in lessons or practice. But at the heart of ABRSMexams is the basic principle of live performance to an examiner, and so our marking isbased solely on the candidate’s performance in the exam room on the day.JOHN HOLMES, CHIEF EXAMINER, ABRSM

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