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ABRSM ABRSM news and views

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

ABRSM: the exam board of the Royal Schools of Musicwww.abrsm.org @abrsm facebook.com/abrsm

Practice makes perfect

Experience shows that working towards an exam gives candidates an extra impetus in their learning.

ABRSM offers graded music exams for more than 30 instruments, singing, jazz and music theory, and a selection of other assessments to suit young learners and adults alike.

www.abrsm.org/exams

Practice makes perfect A4.indd 1 29/05/2013 11:43

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

www.abrsm.org facebook.com/abrsm @abrsm ABRSM YouTube

Spectrum albums are available for piano, violin, cello, clarinet, string quartet and, now, piano duet, from music retailers worldwide and www.abrsm.org/shop.

Discover a world of contemporary music• Created by pianist and teacher Thalia Myers• Repertoire for all abilities from the fi nest composers• Recordings by top performers

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COVER STORY

8 Winds of change A preview of some of the repertoire selected for our forthcoming Woodwind syllabus

FEATURES

11 Speedshifter mobileIntroducing the latest developments to our popular practice tool

12 Top tips from the NYONational Youth Orchestra members share their tips for ABRSM exam success

14 Motivation in music learningNigel Scaife, ABRSM’s Syllabus Director, explores some of the factors that affect motivation in music students

16 Making music: a lifelong passion Discover how modifiedstave notation from the RNIB helped one man continue to make music

18 Blended learningEducator Jacqui Chudleigh looks at ways to link instrumental and class teaching

REGULARS

4 NewsThe latest updates from ABRSM

21 InboxYour feedback and views

Welcome to Libretto and to my firstcolumn as ABRSM’s new ChiefExecutive. As many of you will know, I

am not new to the organisation, having workedin a number of roles previously – most recentlyas Executive Director: Syllabus and Publishing.So, I now look forward enormously to drawingon my knowledge and understanding of ABRSMas I take on this exciting challenge.

My focus in leading and guiding ABRSM willbe to ensure that we continue to offer the verybest music assessments, supporting productsand resources to teachers and learnersworldwide. This means both maintainingstandards and excellence while also looking tothe future to meet the developing needs of themusic education community.

Reviewing and refreshing our syllabusesand supporting resources plays an essentialpart here, and in this issue of Libretto wehighlight recent activities in this area. On page8 you can read about some of the wonderfulmusic in our new Woodwind syllabus – to bepublished in July. Then on page 11 we take alook at the latest updates to our Speedshifterpractice tool.

You’ll also find a focus on motivation, withtop tips from members of the UK’s premieryouth orchestra (page 12), an overview ofmotivation in music learning from ABRSM’sSyllabus Director, Nigel Scaife (page 14) andthe inspiring story of a violinist who overcamesight problems to carry on playing (page 16).

ABRSM aims to motivate music making andlearning in the widest sense, so I hope you find something here to inform, refresh andinspire your teaching and learning over thecoming months.

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Outlook

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COVER PHOTO: COURTESY THE NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN © KIRAN RIDLEY 2012

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Practice-a-thon is an annualevent for young musicians

designed to raise money forCLIC Sargent, the UK’s leadingcancer charity for children andyoung people. There are lots ofways to get involved in Practice-a-thon. Students can collectsponsorship for practising every day or hold afundraising concert, either selling tickets orasking for donations.

CLIC Sargent provides clinical, practicaland emotional support to help children and

young people, and theirfamilies, cope with cancer and get the most out of life.Currently CLIC Sargent isunable to support everyone who needs their help.

So, students taking part inthe Practice-a-thon will be

raising funds for this vital work, whilegaining an additional incentive to practise.

For more information and to sign up for the Practice-a-thon, visitwww.clicsargent.org.uk/practiceathon.

News4

Woodwind students can look forward to anexciting new set of syllabuses, out in July.

We will be publishing revised repertoire lists forall woodwind instruments – Recorder, Flute,Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Saxophone – foruse in exams from January 2014. There are nochanges to scales and arpeggios, sight-readingor aural tests.

The new repertoire lists include a widerange of attractive pieces, providing plenty ofappealing choices for students, and as usualwe are publishing supporting resources tocomplement the syllabuses. In July, books of

Flute Exam Pieces and Clarinet Exam Pieceswill be available for Grades 1 to 7 as part only(Grades 1 to 5), score and part, and score, part and CD. For Flute and Clarinet we willalso be issuing separate CDs for Grade 8 and recordings for all grades as individualdownloads. Saxophone CDs together withaudio downloads for Saxophone, Oboe andBassoon will follow in November.

For a preview of some of the repertoireselected for the new syllabuses, turn to page 8. You can also find out more atwww.abrsm.org/woodwind.

In July we will be publishing a set of revised assessment

criteria for our instrumentaland singing exams at Grades 1to 8, to be used worldwide fromJanuary 2014.

These are not new criteria,but rather a new way ofpresenting the criteria we havebeen using for many years, and our standards and the examexperience for candidates willnot be affected in any way.

‘Our marking criteria areused by all ABRSM examinersin assessing each section of a practical exam and arefundamental to the consistencyand integrity of our work,’explains ABRSM’s ChiefExaminer, John Holmes.

‘We have taken a long look atthe current criteria to see howwe can refresh and improvethem. We have retained whatworks well and have madechanges only where there wasan opportunity to bring greaterclarity and consistency. This will change nothing in terms of how we assess candidates,and our marking standards willnot change.’

The revised assessmentcriteria will be available fromJuly at www.abrsm.org/assessmentcriteria. In thefuture they will also appear inall syllabus booklets, startingwith Woodwind this year.

Look out for more onABRSM’s assessment criteria inthe next issue of Libretto.

Sign up for charity Practice-a-thon

SSyyllllaabbuuss uuppddaattee Revisedassessmentcriteria from2014

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Instrumental teachers involved in groupteaching have a chance to attend one of

our free Music Medals workshops being held around the UK this year.

Music Medals assessments from ABRSMmeasure and celebrate the achievements ofpupils at the early stages of learning aninstrument. Supported by award-winningrepertoire and teaching resources, theyrecognise the importance of the teacher inboth the learning and the assessmentprocesses. So, there are no externalexaminers and the initial assessment is made by the teacher in their role as aTeacher-Assessor.

Starting in August we will be running anumber of practical sessions designed foranyone interested in using these innovativeassessments in their teaching. Each three-hour workshop will introduce MusicMedals and include a Teacher-Assessortraining session. You’ll also be able to try outMusic Medals pieces, discover what’s involvedin an assessment and gain confidence inpreparing pupils.

To receive information about Music Medalstraining sessions near you, sign up to ournewsletter at www.abrsm.org/signup. For more information about Music Medals goto www.abrsm.org/musicmedals.

You can now buy the fullrange of ABRSM audio

downloads from Amazon,Google Play™ and iTunes.

Audio downloads offer asimple and economical way forteachers and students to listento ABRSM recordings ofsyllabus pieces. They provide auseful resource for choosingand preparing exam repertoire,as well as for discovering andexploring a wide range of musicby a variety of composers.

You can buy recordings ofindividual pieces from many of our current syllabusesincluding Piano, Violin, Viola,Cello, Trumpet and Guitar. Later in the year we will also be adding pieces from our newWoodwind syllabuses .

5News

Young musicians in theLondon area have an

opportunity to join up withmembers of the National YouthOrchestra of Great Britain (NYO)at their next Inspire Day.

Supported by ABRSM, thisfree event will take place on 30June at London’s SouthbankCentre, giving aspiring youngmusicians the chance torehearse, perform and learnwith NYO Principal Players andtutors. To take part, studentsneed to be aged 11 to 18 and ofGrade 6 standard or above.

You can find out more atwww.nyo.org.uk.

This year we have once again beensponsoring UK-based music education

charity Music for Youth (MFY), which givesthousands of young musicians free access toperformance and audience opportunitiesaround the UK.

ABRSM funding supports MFY’s annualRegional Festival Series, a two-month long

celebration of youth music in February and March involving more than 50,000instrumentalists and singers. The RegionalFestivals provide a unique opportunity forgroups to perform to new audiences, listen toother groups from their area and gain valuablefeedback from a team of MFY Music Mentors.

To find out more visit www.mfy.org.uk.

ABRSM sponsorsunique music festival

Free Music Medals training on offer

ABRSM audiodownloads:new ways to buy

NYO InspireDay coming to London

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News6

IN BRIEF

� Join our communityKeep up to date with all the

latest ABRSM news by signing

up to our newsletter. Regular

email bulletins include exam and

syllabus updates, tips and

advice, competitions and news

about our books and resources.

www.abrsm.org/signup

� Apply now for ABRSM sponsorshipOur International Sponsorship

Fund is open to individuals,

groups or organisations outside

the UK and Ireland engaged in

activities that inspire people to

take part in music making,

teaching or learning. We are

accepting applications for

current funding until 31 August

2013 and you can find out more

from ABRSM Representatives

and from our website.

www.abrsm.org/sponsorship

� Music Mark launchedMarch saw the launch of a new

association to support UK music

teaching. Music Mark (The UK

Association for Music Education)

is a charitable organisation that

aims to provide a unified voice

for all those involved in music

education. The launch of Music

Mark followed the merger of the

Federation of Music Services

and the National Association

of Music Educators and brings

together anyone who works in

music education, including

instrumental or vocal and

classroom teachers.

www.musicmark.org.uk

� Sir John BurghIt was with great regret that we

learnt recently of the death of Sir

John Burgh who was Chairman

of ABRSM between 1987 and

1994. Sir John was a huge

supporter of ABRSM and, in the

1980s, one of the architects of

our reconstitution as a charity.

We will be publishing a further

tribute to Sir John in our next

Annual Review, available in

September this year.

All those preparing for anABRSM Performance or

Teaching diploma can now benefitfrom our new volume of PianoSpecimen Quick Studies. Designedto help students and teachers getready for this important element of the exam, the book contains ten specimen quick studies atDipABRSM level and two each atLRSM and FRSM levels. Thestudies are written in attractive and approachable styles and arerepresentative of the technicallevels expected in the exams.

You can buy Piano SpecimenQuick Studies from music shopsand from www.abrsm.org/shop.

From September, ABRSM will be starting an excitingnew partnership with Sing Up, a UK-based

organisation which provides inspirational and affordablesinging resources and support for primary schools. Wewill be funding the Sing Up Awards, which giveparticipating schools a framework and incentive fordeveloping their singing activities. With awards atSilver, Gold and Platinum levels these awards offer aseries of goals to work towards and a wonderful way tomotivate everyone in the school to get singing.

‘We’re proud to be supporting Sing Up,’ said LeslieEast, ABRSM’s Chief Executive. ‘Since 2007 Sing Up has increased the opportunity for children across theUK to participate in music making and we are nowparticularly pleased to be associated with the Sing UpAwards. These celebrate the achievements of schoolsthat have made a commitment both to singing and togiving pupils the opportunity to develop their skills.’

The Sing Up Awards are available to UK primaryschools who are Sing Up members. To find out more,visit www.singup.org.

From June, our Speedshifterpractice tool, which allows

you to vary the speed of audiofrom CD or MP3 withoutchanging the pitch, will beavailable on Android™ andApple mobile devices. At thesame time we will also bereleasing an updated desktopversion – Speedshifter 3.

To find out more turn to thearticle on page 11 or visitwww.abrsm.org/speedshifter.

Speedshifter mobile on the way

Piano QuickStudies out now

ABRSM and SingUp to join forces

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Woodwind teachers and studentshave some wonderful repertoirechoices to look forward to in the

new syllabuses. Over many months our six teams of selectors have scoured thebroadest possible range of publications inthe search for exciting new exam material,while ensuring that a core of deservingfavourites also appear.

FluteFor all instruments we have expanded the number of fresh, appealing pieces for younger players from a wider range ofpublications. So, in the forthcoming ABRSMFlute Exam Pieces for Grade 1 you’ll find acool Brazilian bossa nova called GuanabaraBay in the style of Carlos Antonio Jobim and

a playful march, Lupin, the Pot-Bellied Pig,both of which we expect to be popularchoices with Grade 1 flautists.

Skipping ahead, in Grades 4 to 6 we’re featuring a very fine young Slovenecomposer called Blaz Pucihar, who writesexquisitely for the flute (slightly reminiscentof Poulenc) and who in the last year or twohas been creating quite a stir in the world offlute teaching.

Also exciting about the syllabus are three newly-commissioned pieces speciallywritten for our Grade 1 and Grade 3 FluteExam Pieces books by the jazz composers andperformers Nikki Iles, Dave Stapleton andDavid Gordon. Two other new commissionsare featured in the Grade 2 book: a traditionalfolk-tune, Off She Goes, arranged by Alan

Bullard and a catchy new piece written for us by Hywel Davies.

We’re also featuring two flautist-composers on the syllabus for the first time, both of whom have written prolifically and effectively for the instrument: the 19th-century French composer EugèneWalckiers, one of whose sonata movementsappears in Grade 6 List A, and thecontemporary American composer GarySchocker, whose vibrant Dances andDaydreams is also set at this grade.

ClarinetWith the new Clarinet syllabus we’ve takena similar approach, aiming for a freshappeal at the lower grades in particular. As for Flute – and in fact for all instruments– we’ve made sure that good albums areused consistently through the grades.

Looking at our own books of ClarinetExam Pieces there are some invitingchoices. For example, in the Grade 3 albumyou can find Nature Boy in List B, while List

Winds of change

Syllabus news88

July sees the launch of our new Woodwind syllabus. For use fromJanuary 2014, it features revised repertoire lists for all six subjects:Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Oboe, Bassoon and Recorder. ABRSM’sSyllabus Manager, Robert Sargant, offers a preview of what’s to come.

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A includes the Ascot Gavotte from My FairLady and Schubert’s ever popular AveMaria. The Grade 5 album features somelittle known gems of the repertoire –Loewe’s Scottish Pictures in List A and an invigorating Circle Dance in List B from a Hebrew Suite by the wonderful Jewish-Canadian composer, Srul IrvingGlick. Moving up the grades, the Grade 6book features Milhaud’s charmingScaramouche for the first time, as well asthe slow movement from the ClarinetConcerto by Leopold Koz̆eluh – Mozart’sBohemian contemporary.

SaxophoneOnce again, teachers and students will find a wealth of new choices, drawing onsome of the many saxophone albumsbrought out by publishers in recent years.

In the higher grades, a classic of the20th-century repertoire makes a welcomereturn to the syllabus – Milhaud’s delightfulScaramouche suite, whose beautiful slowmovement is one of the highlights of Grade 6, as it is in the Clarinet syllabus.

Other exciting French additions arePierre Max Dubois’ À pas de loup in Grade 6and a transcription of Saint-Saëns’ Oboe

Sonata in Grades 6 and 7. One of the first composers to write extensively for saxophone was the Belgian-born Jean-Baptiste Singelée and we’ve includedfive of his delightful recital pieces forsaxophone in Grades 7 and 8.

Finally, an exciting additional feature ofthe syllabus is the increase in the numberof set pieces for B flat saxophones so that,for the first time, there is the same amountof choice for them as in the E flat lists.

OboeThe new Oboe syllabus features a plethoraof wonderful pieces and albums – with thewhole syllabus feeling fresh, relevant andinspiring. Again, we’ve deliberately usedbooks to cross lists and grades frequently,providing an economic and sensible pathwayfor teachers and students. As well asseveral new books being issued by otherpublishers we have included plenty ofpieces from our own Time Pieces books,several of which have not been on thesyllabus before.

New to the repertoire lists is theLuxembourg composer Marco Pütz, who has a real gift for woodwind writing. We’ve set his imaginative Two Pictures onGrades 4 and 5: the expressive showcaseThe Dreamer followed by the wittily playfulThe Little Rascal.

Many of the great oboe works from theBaroque period appear on this syllabus, buta lesser known and very beautiful exampleis the Sonata in F by Gottfried AugustHomilius, a pupil of J. S. Bach; candidatescan choose from all four of the sonata’smovements over Grades 5 and 6.

In the List Cs we hope that students willenjoy James Rae’s intriguing book of oboestudies, Track and Field. Set at Grades 2 to 7, each study is an ingenious miniaturerepresentation of an Olympic sport.

BassoonFor Bassoon more than half of the pieceshave changed since the last syllabus, withsome excellent new albums from a varietyof publishers enriching the choices atGrades 1 to 3. In the first five grades the syllabus also draws on pieces fromABRSM’s popular Time Pieces for Bassoon.

Moving on to the later grades, at Grade 8 we’re featuring a 20th-centuryFrench classic for the first time: the openingmovement from Jean Françaix’s inventiveand witty Divertissement. Otmar Nussio’sVariations on an Aria by Pergolesi is

another popular concert hall work andselections from these variations are set forGrades 7 and 8.

An important bassoon work from theearly Classical period appears on thesyllabus at Grade 8, the Sonata in B flat by the Czech-born composer Reicha, alifelong friend of Beethoven; the noble andexpressive first movement is the set piece(its first time on the syllabus). Another ofBeethoven’s contemporaries appears in thesame list, Louis Spohr, whose Adagio in F showcases the lyrical possibilities of the bassoon.

RecorderWe’ve refreshed about half of the pieces inthe repertoire lists for both Descant andTreble Recorder. As well as introducingmany appealing newcomers, we’ve retainedsome of the most popular currently setchoices, including those from ABRSM’sTime Pieces for Recorder books.

Some fine Baroque repertoire forrecorder is explored in the List As, with anumber of exciting new discoveries for the syllabus. The exhilarating Concerto diCamera by Telemann appears for the firsttime (at Grades 6 and 7) while at Grade 8the second of Francesco Mancini’sappealing set of sonatas also makes its first appearance.

From the 20th century, a composer whowrites very idiomatically for the recorder is Elizabeth Cooper and two of her animal- and bird-inspired collectionsappear in the Descant and Treble earlygrades, while her Advanced Studies setexciting challenges for treble players atGrades 6 to 8.

Above all, with these syllabus lists we hope to motivate and inspire students asthey prepare for exams, discover newrepertoire and take their music making tothe next level. �

The new Woodwind syllabus will be available from 4 July atwww.abrsm.org/woodwind and as a printed booklet. Flute Exam Pieces and Clarinet Exam Pieces (books, CDs and audio downloads) will be available in July. Saxophone CDs together with audio downloads for Saxophone, Oboe and Bassoon will follow in November.

Books and CDs are available from retailersand from www.abrsm.org/shop.

99Syllabus news

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It’s long been a musician’s complaint,especially in the run-up to an exam – ‘I didn’t get enough time with the pianist’.

Well, nothing can beat a rehearsal with anaccompanist, but ABRSM’s Speedshiftercomes a pretty good second. It’s anapplication which lets musicians get used to playing with the accompaniment whilealso offering the facility to speed up or slowdown any recording as they develop fluency.

Speedshifter has been around for morethan two years now but this summer seesthe launch of the new Speedshifter mobile,for Android™ and Apple devices, and also anew version for desktop users (version 3).

As a practice tool, Speedshifter allowsyou to vary the speed of audio from a CD orMP3 without altering the pitch. You load atrack then turn the dial on screen to slow itdown or speed it up. If you load an ABRSMminus-one track Speedshifter knows thetempo of the track and positions the dialautomatically at the correct point on thetempo/beats per minute ring. It’s ideal forusing whenever a student might benefitfrom playing with the accompaniment at a

reduced tempo, whether practising alone orwith a teacher in a lesson.

Many hundreds of thousands of trackshave been played using Speedshifter withthe busiest times in the run-up to examperiods. ABRSM researchers, looking athow Speedshifter is employed, have seen it‘used all over the world, at all times of dayand night, to play all sorts of interestingmusic – much of it from ABRSM syllabuses’.They have come up with some fascinatingstatistics. It’s the violinists who make mostuse of Speedshifter followed by flautists andclarinettists, and the furthest away fromABRSM’s London HQ that the app has beenused is in New Zealand. It’s no surprise thatworks by J. S. Bach, Handel, Mozart, Vivaldiand Beethoven are the most played fromABRSM syllabuses, but little known SwedishBaroque composer Johan Helmich Romanalso features highly, with a piece on theGrade 1 Flute syllabus, as does that popularsyllabus contributor Christopher Norton.

Speedshifter was originally launched asa free desktop app in 2010 and has provedextremely popular ever since. ‘It’s been atremendous success,’ comments StuartBriner, ABRSM’s Digital Learning Manager.

‘We’ve had tens of thousands of studentsand teachers use it and along the waythey’ve been letting us know how we candevelop it further.’

One of the top demands was for aversion of Speedshifter that could be usedon mobile devices. This release brings allthe features of Speedshifter desktop version3, including a new and often requested loopfunction, to iOS and Android devices. AsStuart explains, ‘We’ve been told by a lot ofteachers that they don’t always have accessto a laptop in lessons, so with this new appon your phone or tablet it will be very easyto use Speedshifter wherever it’s needed.’

As with the desktop version, mobileusers will be able to slow down and speedup a track by tapping the desired tempo.Additionally, registered users – registrationis optional for Speedshifter mobile – will beable to save information and settings, suchas tapped tempos and loop points, andaccess them on any device on which theyhave Speedshifter installed, be it an iOS or Android device, Mac or PC. For ABRSM,having registered users gives them accessto valuable information which they can use to continually improve the service offered and develop exciting new features for future releases.

And finally, just a little extra which wasn’t strictly necessary but can be fun – ifyou need an A, simply give Speedshifter a shake!

Speedshifter desktop version 3 and themobile app – for Android and iPhone, iPadand iPod touch – will be available in June.The desktop version 3 will be available freeof charge. There will be two versions of themobile app: Lite, which will be free andallows users to slow down a track for 15seconds to see how it works, and a full paidfor version. The mobile app will be availablefrom Google Play™ and the App Store.

To find out more visitwww.abrsm.org/speedshifter.

1111Practice tools

As we launch the latest version of our Speedshifter practice tool, Rhian Morgan takes a look at how teachers and students around theworld have been using it and what’s on offer now.

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Speedshifter goes mobile

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PiecesMaking the most of the piecesJohn Tothil (16-year-old clarinettist): Try tochoose pieces that will showcase yourstrengths and talents. I’m not so good at fast,scalic passages and I always keep this inmind. Choose pieces you’re comfortable with.Jody Smith (15-year-old violinist): Thepieces offer a great chance to demonstratetechnique and musicality. You can show offall the technical things you’ve learned in thecontext of a piece.

Top tips on preparing exam piecesAlexei Watkins (17-year-old horn player): I listen to various recordings of the piecesand then like to choose different elements ofpeople’s interpretations, such as phrasing ordynamics, to influence my own performance.John: I don’t listen to recordings when I’m preparing. An interpretation needs to be your own. I don’t like to let otherinterpretations influence my performance.

Rehearsing with your accompanistAlexei: Rehearse lots before the exam! Youshould be very comfortable and relaxed withyour accompanist so you’re not thrown byanything in the exam.John: It’s helpful to have your teacher theretoo so they can advise in the rehearsals.

Making your performance stand outJody: Musicality is very important; play all

the dynamics and make your performanceinteresting. Put your heart and soul into it! Alexei: Particularly for the higher grades,it’s important to research the pieces and getto know the character of the music. Thismeans you will be able to communicatemore to the examiner.

Scales and arpeggiosMaking scale practice interestingJody: I write all the different scales on bits ofpaper, put them in a bowl and take out a fewto practise each day. Once I’ve taken them allout, I put them back and start again. Thismakes practising scales more interestingand random - and you cover all of them. John: Practice is key! I also do Jody’s ‘luckydip’ approach; that way you can’t avoid the more difficult ones. Make sure you’restrict with yourself and practise the tricky scales that you pick out at least three times. Alexei: I like to change the rhythm as Ipractise scales. It’s great to use funkyrhythms! Once I know all the scales, I alsolike to go up one scale and down another tomix things up a bit.

The value of scalesJohn: Scales are really important becauseall repertoire is based on them. If you’veworked on your scales you’ll find it easier toplay passages quickly and fluently, be betterat sight-reading and be able to play well in

lots of different keys. Scales can be yourbest friend!

Sight-readingPractising sight-readingJody: I used the ABRSM sight-readingbooks (Specimen Sight-Reading Tests) anddid an exercise or two a day. A little bit ofpractice often is a great way to get better. I also picked out random pieces from othergrades and tried sight-reading them.John: Join chamber groups and playthrough lots of repertoire. It’s fun if you cansight-read with other people. I also find lots of old pieces and play through those; sight-reading can be real music! Nearer theexam I would start to use the ABRSM booksto focus and prepare.

Sight-reading in the examAlexei: Check the key signature first. Afterthat, rhythm is the most important thing.Lock into the rhythm and the notes willfollow. Keep calm and don’t be afraid to playslightly under tempo.Jody: I always look at the key and timesignatures first. Then I scan it for thetrickiest parts and try them out. It’s good topick out any accidentals in advance and beaware of them.John: I do the same. Also, don’t stop and goback over bars if you make mistakes. Justconfidently carry on!

The value of sight-readingJody: Having to practise sight-reading hashelped me to be good at sight-readingorchestral music. It’s helped me not to stopwhen I’m playing and to always look ahead.

Top tips from a top Top tips from a top

Graded music exams1122

Looking for inspirational advice for your students? Three members of theNational Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, all with distinctions at Grade 8,share their tips for exam success.

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Alexei: When you start learning, you mightnot be doing much sight-reading so it’sgreat to do it through exams. Sight-readingis such a vital skill for musicians.

Aural trainingPreparing for the aural testsAlexei: Practise with your teacher. I wouldalso recommend the ABRSM books (AuralTraining in Practice and Specimen AuralTests) as they contain everything you needto work on for the exam. It’s important toknow what’s coming up! Aural tests areimportant as they test some of the basicskills you need as a musician.John: Buy the ABRSM books and CDs andwork with your teacher. Just keep practising.For me, this is the fun part of the exam!

Top tips on singing back a melodyAlexei: I just listen the first time it’s played,I don’t sing it in my head or anything. Thesecond time it’s played, I sing along or singin my head. John: Join a choir! Being in a choir atschool really helped me prepare for thesinging elements of the aural tests.

Preparation and on the dayPreparation focusJody: I prepared a lot. For me, practiceequals confidence. I tended to focus on thepieces but made sure I did some scales andpractised sight-reading and aural every day. Alexei: I spent most time on my pieces. Apartfrom anything, they are worth the mostmarks. I also spent a lot of time practisingscales, which helps with the pieces anyway.John: I tended to focus on the pieces and

put off practising scales. But, there comes atime when you have to tackle the scales!

What to do first in the examJody: I always did the scales first. Oncethey’re out of the way, I could relax andreally perform the pieces. John: Start with what you’re mostcomfortable with. When I did clarinet examsI always started with pieces but on the piano I always started with scales to get afeel for the instrument. Alexei: As a brass player, I did the piecesfirst because my lips would get tired if I didscales first. I also play the cello and alwaysdid the scales first in cello exams.

Presenting yourself in the examJody: Be friendly and smile at the examiner.They’re human and want you to do well. Alexei: Dress comfortably and try to relaxbefore the exam. When you go in, smile andsay hello to the examiner – this helps you tofeel relaxed. Try to be confident and play asif you’re on a big stage.

Aiming high – how to achieve extra marksAlexei: Focus on musicality and expression.Don’t just play the notes, think about thecharacter of the piece and communicateyour emotions. Most importantly, enjoy the performance! Jody: Musicality will help you to stand out in the pieces. Also, if you’ve practised thescales well, that will help. John: Try not to be scared. An exam is just aspecial kind of performance. A convincingmusical performance is the best way to gettop marks!

The value of examsHelping the developing musicianAlexei: Exams help you to developfundamental skills and to progress as amusician. They help build confidence andprovide good practice for coping with nerves.The more you test yourself and perform, themore confident you’ll be. It’s also good tohave something to work towards; exams aregreat stepping-stones and I like the feelingof progression as you move up the grades. Jody: Doing ABRSM exams has definitelyhelped me. I work well when I havesomething to aim for. Also, the exams arewidely recognised. They can help you to getin to orchestras and provide a benchmark of achievement.John: They’re really important! It’s good tohave small steps to work towards that testall-round musicianship, and the certificatesshow what stage you’re at as a musician. �

The National Youth Orchestra of GreatBritain (NYO) unites 165 of Britain’s mosttalented and dedicated teenage musiciansfrom diverse backgrounds.

ABRSM is currently supporting NYO’sInspire Days, which provide opportunitiesfor NYO members to share their musicalknowledge and skills with other youngmusicians around the country. The nextInspire Day takes place on 30 June atLondon’s Southbank Centre.

To find out more visit www.nyo.org.uk.

What are your top tips for exam success?Share them at libretto@abrsm.ac.uk.

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Why do some students practise with persistence andintensity and achieve their musical goals, while others with equal ability never fulfil their potential? Is successful

learning determined by the student’s determination to learn asopposed to innate skills and ability? What causes the motivationneeded to sustain a developing musician through hours of practice?What influence do exams have on motivation? How much can ateacher influence motivation?

These are just some of the questions that research into thefascinating but complex subject of motivation in music learning tries to address. There are no simple answers, but given theimportance of the subject they deserve investigation. If we canunderstand more about what motivates learning, then we can findways to help students at all levels to continue with, and enjoy, theirmusic making.

A student’s motivation and their response to learningopportunities are influenced by many things, including theirbackground, personality, sense of self and the way they think. Thisarticle focuses on some of the situational influences on motivation,such as the teacher’s methods and characteristics.

The role of the teacherWhen it comes to motivation, the onus tends to be on us as teachersto inspire and motivate our students. Our characteristics and theway we teach obviously have a major influence on how motivatedour students are. Much has been written about the traits of effectiveteachers, but research suggests that as well as the obvious things,such a good communication skills, more subtle factors, such as thesimilarity of the teacher’s personality to the student’s, may also playa part.

Do rewards work?One of the basic theories of motivation is that rewards encouragecontinued action while ‘punishments’ discourage it. The ‘nothingsucceeds like success’ maxim suggests that rewarding particularactions and responses through praise and encouragement willhave a positive effect on students’ motivation. However, thisapproach does come with potential problems. In group teachingsituations, for example, the reward of a few students may implysomething negative about the others.

Rewards also foster extrinsic reasons to engage with an activityand these can sometimes be at the expense of more beneficial,intrinsic reasons. Does the reward strengthen desired behaviour?Research has found that it is not the rewards themselves thatinfluence motivation, but the meaning of them to the learner.

Motivation in music learning

Teaching and learning1144

ABRSM’s Syllabus Director, Nigel Scaife reflects onaspects of motivation in music learning.

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For example, a reward can be seen as a form of control or, morepositively, as a way of providing information about an outcomewhich supports autonomy and encourages students to be incontrol of their own learning.

Expectations and commentsGood teachers communicate an expectation that their studentshave the potential to achieve and they provide encouragementthrough supportive comments. These comments can be directed at three things: the student, the process or the musical outcome. It is well worth thinking about which of these three things yourcomments are directed at, as they can either support or erodeconfidence and motivation. Focusing feedback on the process oroutcome, rather than on the individual, is far more effective insupporting motivation.

Encouraging a task-goal approachThere are various theories that focus on the objectives people set themselves. One theory splits goals into two types: task-goalsand ego-goals.

A task-goal orientated person will focus on mastering atechnique, learning something new or gaining personal insight and will link their effort and ability to the outcome. An ego-goalperson will focus more on their ability compared to others and howthey will be judged. They may see effort and ability as inverselyrelated: those with high ability don’t need to make so much effort asthose with less ability in order to achieve the same goal. So in theirview, the harder they have to try, the less ability they have. This canlead to a pattern of behaviour in which the learner avoids effort inorder to protect their sense of self-worth.

Encouraging students to adopt a task-goal approach will helpthem to practise consistently, whereas students motivated by ego-goals are less likely to persist when challenges arise and maythink that the need to practise is a sign they lack musical talent.

Teaching methodsThe methods and curriculum you use, the progression and variety oftasks, and the degree of challenge play a key role in establishingand maintaining motivation. The level of difficulty needs to bebalanced to a student’s current skills, providing enough challengeto maintain interest and develop new skills, without causing anxietyor other negative emotions.

The right level of challengeActivities at the correct level – challenging yet achievable – promotepersistence and satisfaction. They help students to develop theirsense of self-worth, as they succeed at an activity just beyond their reach, and can also lead students to experience ‘flow’ - theholistic sensation you feel when you act with total involvement. In this state, people can be so intensely involved in an activity that they lose awareness of time and space. They also tend to seek this state for itself, rather than for any reward – it is highly intrinsically motivating.

Introducing activitiesHow you introduce and present tasks in lessons will also have aninfluence on motivation. If the usefulness, relevance and meaning ofthe task are made clear, then students are more likely to give thetask a value, which will increase their task-goal orientation.

Transferring responsibilityResearch shows that if students are given choice and control over their learning, then their interest and enjoyment increase. The ideal amount of autonomy for any student will vary, butadopting this approach will help to ensure maximum engagementin learning.

You can transfer responsibility to students in simple ways, such as allowing them to choose a piece to learn or by providingopportunities to improvise, compose or play by ear. In this way you will help them fulfil their need for autonomy and enhance their intrinsic motivation. As a result, their musicianship and overall performance will improve as they take ownership of their musical development.

Assessment and competitionAssessment can have a significant impact on motivation.Approaches that focus on the ability of learners in relation to their peers will tend to encourage ego-goals, whereas a focus on each student’s own improvement will increase task-goals based on mastery.

Graded exams – which measure individual performance againstobjective, international benchmarks – take the second approach andprovide a means to support motivation. Exam success itselfdepends on many factors. The way students feel about the examand how confident they are about being able to do their best on theday are both important. Students need to feel that they are takingpart because they want to, rather than solely because their teachersor parents want them to.

Competitions and adjudicated festivals can be beneficial for some, while for others they can have a negative effect on self-esteem. If the competitive aspect of measurement againstothers is played down, this can help learners adopt a morebeneficial task-goal orientation, as opposed to an ego-taskorientation. Playing in a concert to a supportive audience of friends and family can be equally motivational.

The messages you send out in assessment contexts areimportant to student motivation. It’s far better to assess students on their improvement than on their overall ability. Focusing onoverall ability can imply that musical talent and ability are fixedentities and if students are less successful they might attribute this to internal factors over which they have little control.

Creating a motivational environmentUnderstanding how students think and feel about themselves, theirmusical goals and their performance is essential in creating amotivational learning environment. Reflecting on your students’personalities and being adaptive to them, devising effective practicestrategies, giving opportunities for students to measure themselvesagainst benchmarks, and focusing on task-goals rather than ego-goals all play an important part. Such a reflective approach willensure that any pressures that might lead to anxiety or negativeself-evaluations are minimised.

Ultimately, with an increased understanding of motivation, weare better equipped as teachers to influence our students’ choices,improve their engagement with music, their persistency and thequality of the musical results. �

How do you motivate your students? Share you ideas by contactingus at libretto@abrsm.ac.uk.

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Focus on access1166

George has been an enthusiasticviolinist all his life, taking his ‘bestfriend’ with him on his travels around

the world. His father gave him his firstviolin in 1925 when he was 10 years old.Still playing at 97, he says ‘it’s a great wayto keep young. It keeps your mind activeand improves your coordination.’

George has played second violin in theSolihull Symphony Orchestra since it wasfounded (as the Knowle Sinfonia) in 1990.

The orchestra rehearses weekly and givesthree concerts a year. For George ‘theorchestra is a great way to make friends’.

So when the damage affecting his eyes,due to age-related macular degeneration,began to take its toll, and George found the music really hard to read, he started his research into what could be done. Hefirst experimented with stand and pedestallights and this worked for several years.The lights, however, all had their

disadvantages and eventually they were nolonger adequate.

Enlarging the music photographically onto A3 sheets was the next step, choosingyellow-coloured paper and markingsymbols with highlighter pens. The largesheets needed a large music stand and hadto be bound in book form to facilitate pageturning, so out came the tape and glue.However, sometimes poor quality originalsmade even poorer quality enlarged copies

Making music:a lifelong passionViolin playing was a lifelong passion for 97-year-old George Newns. So, when failing eyesight made hisorchestral activities increasingly difficult he turned to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) for help. RNIB Music Adviser and violinist Sally Zimmermann tells his story.

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and the enlargement did not always makebar numbers and dynamic instructionslarge enough. Moreover, frequently therewasn’t enough space to include additionalsymbols, such as bowing and fingermarkings and instructions from theconductor. And the music itself had its ownproblems. For example, the notes and restsin fast runs remained too close togethermaking reading difficult.

Just when it seemed that the problemswere becoming too great for his failing sight, George was put in touch with RNIB’stranscription service which producesModified Stave Notation (MSN). This can turn ordinary printed music into tailor-madeenlargements.

‘A very helpful lady,’ reports George, sent him MSN samples with different sizes,different layouts and different colouredpaper. George then spent time imagininghow his orchestral music would look in each layout. Eventually, he contacted RNIB'sMusic Advisory Service (MAS) with hisanalysis. He described his eye problems andlisted the problems he had encountered. Healso went on to list the solutions to those hehad solved and made suggestions for furthermodifications that might help. These went

beyond changing the size and shape of themusic to editorial changes, such as leavingout some notes.

So from theory to practice. A page of theorchestra's repertoire, Mendelssohn'sFourth Symphony, was sent to MAS. Theteam at MAS not only modified it, takinginto account George’s requests, but alsosupplied a detailed description of thechanges made. George was pleased withthe new copy and said it was ‘without doubta great improvement on the enlargements Ihave hitherto been working on’. However,there were still plenty of things that couldbe improved – further enlargements orextra space – and additional versions were exchanged.

Eventually MAS produced a computerfile of the transcript, the orchestra’schairman (a computer expert) made thefirst print, the orchestra’s librarian piecedit together on A3 yellow-tinted paper and,finally, George stuck it together in bookform. The problem had been solved.

The enlargement necessitated morefrequent page turns but this was a minordisadvantage compared to the enormousadvantages of the MSN transcript. Thenanother problem arose. The librarian wasexperiencing difficulty over the legality ofmaking accessible copies – dealt with by alittle publicity about the Copyright (VisuallyImpaired Persons) Act 2002.

At last George played the Mendelssohnsymphony in a concert, using MSN for threeof the four movements. Afterwards Georgesaid the quick passages were ‘beautifullyspaced and clear’ and he ‘wasn't confusedby tail markings or double stopping’. Forhis next concert, George asked for a slightlylarger copy. As his preferred settings forindividual elements in the music had beensaved, it was a moment's work to executehis request. The next concert had more complicated music. Again scoreswere produced with discussion as tomodifications. After the concert Georgereported: ‘I was very pleased with my ownperformance because I did better than Ithought I might.’

The determination of George had paiddividends. Having clearer music on thestand is, though, only part of the musicmaking. George continues that ‘at 97 youhave on and off days and I think on theconcert day I had one of my on days.’ He sums up his playing: ‘I'm absolutelysure that because I didn't give up, mynimbleness and mental alacrity have lasted

longer than they would otherwise havedone and I’ve been able to benefit from thejoy and exultation of playing beautifulmusic with people of like minds. And this inone's old age is a wonderful thing.’

Sadly, George has now lost his sightcompletely, but still wanted his story to betold. May others be encouraged by George! �

For more information about the RNIB and the services they offer for blind and partially sighted musicians, visit www.rnib.org.uk/music.

HOW ABRSM CAN HELP

At ABRSM we aim to make ourexams as accessible as possible to all candidates, regardless of

sensory impairments. For blind and partially sighted

candidates taking practical gradedexams, we offer a number of specialarrangements, including extra time and alternative tests.

For sight-reading, partially sightedcandidates can opt for a large notationsight-reading or memory test, or amodified staff notation sight-reading ormemory test. Blind candidates canchoose from a Braille memory test or anaural repetition test.

We can also provide large or modifiedstaff notation for aural test B at Grades 4 to 8; for blind candidates we can makealternative arrangements for this test.

If modified staff notation is requestedwe can modify tests to suit individualneeds. For example, we can includelarger note-heads and beaming or alarger font for performance directions. Torequest modified staff notation, send acovering letter at the time of entry with a sample of the notation required.

In addition to standard arrangements,we are happy to consider candidatesindividually if their needs are notcovered. However, while we are able tomake provisions for the administration of the exam, we are not able to make any concessions in the marking – allcandidates are treated equally.

You can find out more atwww.abrsm.org/specificneeds or get intouch with our Access Coordinator bycalling +44 (0)20 7467 8298 or emailingaccesscoordinator@abrsm.ac.uk.

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Instrumental lessons versus class musiclessons – how do we make them worktogether? As both an instrumental and

class teacher based in the UK, this questionhas always bothered me.

I taught privately for many years andthen as a peripatetic woodwind teacher fora music service. In this latter role I saw the school music coordinator possibly atChristmas or whenever a performance wasneeded by my pupils. The scribbled noteasking if any of my students had anythingprepared for a concert was about the extentof our communication.

Wider OpportunitiesThen Wider Opportunities appeared – a UK-government initiative giving children the opportunity to experience instrumental

learning in a class setting. The musiccoordinator would sometimes lead the startof the session. Then each instrumentalteacher would take their group of childrenoff to another room to ‘prepare’ a piece toperform at the end of the lesson. Bearing in mind that the lesson only lasted onehour, with a 15-minute introduction and a 15-minute performance the pressure wason to produce a piece to play to the rest ofthe year group.

So, 30 minutes to assemble clarinets and flutes, fix reeds correctly and makesure that all 20 children have the correctposture and embouchure. Then with the lastchild checked, you look back at the rest ofthe class to see that they’ve now movedtheir bodies or instruments, but anyway, offwe go. With similar situations arising for

Teaching and learning1188

Blendedlearning

How can instrumental and class music teachers ensure that pupils enjoy ajoined up learning experience? Educator Jacqui Chudleigh shares her

thoughts on blending instrumental and class learning.

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1199Teaching and learning

strings and brass, was something suffering?Was the music education good enough?

Instrumental work in class music lessonsThis question, regarding the quality of themusic education on offer, led me and theschools I work with to move away fromwhole-class orchestral instrumental tuition.Instead we focused on instruments thatwere simple to handle and had little or noassembly time, were difficult to damage andcheap for parents to buy, and ultimatelywere easy to teach. This allowed us to focus on playing and learning about music,including reading notation, understandingdynamics and nurturing creativity.

The instrument range now includesocarina, recorder, harmonica, ukulele

and keyboards combined withtraditional class

percussion. The fullrange of instrumental

lessons is stilloffered to children,but the aim is toinspire and buildgood foundations,so that they are

ready to take onboard the

technicalities of theirchosen instrument.

Building linksWhether a child has instrumental

lessons at school or at home, it’s great toinclude their playing in a class musiclesson. This encourages the child who islearning by increasing confidence and self-esteem and developing performance skills.It can also inspire the rest of the class to goon and learn other instruments.

For school music coordinators, it’s agood idea to spend some time asking theclass about their extra-musical activitiesand identifying how many children haveinstrumental lessons, both in and out ofschool. For private music teachers andperipatetic staff the role needs to bereversed – trying to find out what happensin a class music lesson as well as lettingthe class teacher know, on a regular basis,what each pupil is playing.

Communication is keyAs instrumental teachers, the power is inour hands to change our pupil’s musiceducation, with both instrumental and class music teacher and pupils all workingtowards the same goals.

Ideally all instrumental teachers within a school should be communicating with the music coordinator throughout theschool year, rather than just when a school performance is looming! Once good communication is in place it’s theneasier to share good practice betweeninstrumental and class teaching.

In the schools where I work, we try tomeet regularly, although this is oftendifficult with instrumental teachers visitingso many schools. We also communicate viaemail and keep up to date with each other’slesson plans or units of work.

Creative opportunitiesThinking needs to be creative. A Grade 3clarinettist might want to play her piece tothe class. Can the piece offer an opportunityto involve the whole class? You couldintroduce a drone accompaniment, whichthe rest of the class can play. Or suggestideas for an introduction and coda.

ABRSM’s Music Medals books provide agreat resource for this kind of activity. Thepieces are ideal for blending into a classlesson, as the different parts can be usedand played by other classroom instruments.

You can use a section or bar as anostinato or some of the children can play adrone. Sections of the piece can also beused to form a ‘rhythm section’ to berepeated throughout the piece.

From beginners upwardsThe following ideas show how this type ofinstrumental class activity works equallywell with beginner and more advancedinstrumentalists.• As a sight-reading exercise, create a few pieces using the pentatonic scale.Initially, a piece might only contain threenotes. More experienced pupils, in the same class but playing differentinstruments, can take part using the whole pentatonic scale.• Within a group instrumental lesson, onepupil can play the drone and one can playthe melody, while others play an ostinatopart. Change the parts around as much as possible.• Share your activities with the class music teacher, who can create a similar

arrangement using the whole class onchime bars or glockenspiels, for example.• As an extension activity, suggest that theclass creates an introduction, interlude andcoda to accompany your pupils within theirclass music lesson.• To further extend this way of playing,more advanced pupils can improvise amelody to fit alongside all the above.• Put together an arrangement of the initial‘sight-reading’ piece, perhaps starting witha drone introduction, followed by theostinato pattern and gradually building upthe texture. This lets the class be creative in their understanding of structure.• Play the ‘conductor game’ – bringingdifferent instrumentalists or parts in andchanging the dynamics or tempo.

When I work in class music settings, wecreate many simple pieces that work well inthis way, using class percussion or the classinstruments mentioned previously. Thisgives scope for more advanced pupils toplay along with the rest of the class. It also creates opportunities for all children to achieve, so differentiation is no longer a problem.

Blended learningThe aim is that this method of naturallyblending class music and instrumentallessons will inspire all children to learn toplay an instrument. Being creative in theway in which both instrumental and classmusic lessons are structured and deliveredstops them being seen as two separatesubjects. Just as visiting a library andreading a book are linked to a literacylesson in school, so instrumental lessonsand playing should be linked to a classmusic lesson.

So, the hasty note asking if our pupilshave anything to play in the forthcomingschool concert should now never exist!Communication will be in place and pupilscan perform their pieces with the rest of the class.

The aim is to utilise the instruments toenhance ensemble skills and ensure thatmusic making is for everyone. Instrumentallessons versus class music lessons – it’sthe same thing isn’t it? �

Jacqui Chudleigh is an experienced privateand peripatetic woodwind teacher andmusic coordinator and subject leader forschools. Jacqui also runs Rhythmajig, an online, story-based music curriculum for schools.

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2211Your views

harmonic progression within an overallkey. Choosing a scale for each chord –even when these scales are relatedneglects the ability to hear your waythrough larger musical structures, whichis essential for developing a coherent solo.

The skill of learning tunes, chordsequences, licks and solos by ear andfrom recordings has been the basis of jazzmusicians' musical activities for decades,developing both the ear and a personalimprovising vocabulary led by theindividual’s listening preferences.

Rather than developing three-noteclusters and pentatonics into an increasingnumber of possible scales, students couldlearn how specific changes to a general keyare all that are needed to remain 'in touch'with the chord sequence. When to do this,along with everything else – melodicallysatisfying patterns, rhythmic and timbralsubtleties – can be learnt by listening and imitating the many examples ofimprovisation on recordings. This approachis not easy but in the long term developsvaluable musical abilities.

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

Jazz responseI read with interest Improvisation notes(Libretto 2012:3). Tim Richards does anexcellent job in elaborating the challengingquestion of how to teach improvisation.While the 'chord/scale approach' has somedevoted followers within jazz pedagogy,choosing from a palette of possible notes ona chord-by-chord basis can neglect twofundamental aspects of jazz improvisation –chord progression and ear training.

The vast majority of recorded jazz solos focus on articulating the detail of a

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Write to Lucy North, Editor, Libretto, with your views. You can emaillibretto@abrsm.ac.uk or send letters toLucy North, Libretto, ABRSM, 24 PortlandPlace, London W1B 1LU, UK. Letters andemails may be edited for publication.

Your views2222

ABRSM has done a great job of providinga graded framework for a style that is noless intellectually and musically demandingthan its classical counterpart. Let's hopethat we can also begin to create teachingtools that encourage students to exploretheir most valuable asset for learning toimprovise – their ears!

LAWRENCE DAVIES

wondering, after teaching this for over ayear, where the natural minor in Grade 1came from. It seems to have come fromnowhere! This scale sounds odd and I havefound that children are often confused andpuzzled by it, as are some parents. I amwondering what other people think and ifanyone continues with the natural minorpost-Grade 1. Have I missed the point?

JUDITH WEEKS

From ABRSMTim Richard’s article was designed toprovide help and guidance for a veryspecific element of our Jazz exams –how to approach and use the guidelinepitches given in the Tunes – rather thanto suggest a method for teachingimprovisation more broadly.

LUCY NORTH

LIBRETTO EDITOR

The point is, not to overcome your stagefright, but to learn to move through it.

JOHANNA MCWEENEY

Creative solutions to nervesUntil I was 12, I’d never suffered withnerves. It was a shock when it happened.Then, when I was 16, I was prescribed beta-blockers for performance anxiety. It’s takenme many years to start unravelling thedamage done. Not to take beta-blockersshould be a fundamental part of educatingyoung people about stage fright.

There are, however, many creativesolutions to nerves. Stage fright is a problem of expression and preparation,about which I’ve discovered the following:

•See nerves as a positive thing – a burst ofenergy. If you fight it and try to contain it, ofcourse it will make you shake. Embrace theenergy you have created and pour it intoyour playing.•Use images when practising. Creating afilm inside your head whilst you play helpsaccess the creative right side of your brain,which gives you a way to step out of criticalleft-brain thinking.•Play to the audience. Don’t imagine theyaren’t there or that they’re a field ofcabbages. Communicate with them. Younever know what you might be giving tosomeone who’s open to listen.• You have something to say. Each personwho has the desire to play music hassomething to say. • Practise being nervous. The moreexperience you have of performing, themore you find ways to channel the energyand communicate with your audience.

Flute memoriesI read with interest David Wright's article on

the history of ABRSM (Libretto 2013:1), in

particular the number of woodwind players

entering exams over the years. I passed

Grade 7 Flute in the early 1950s. After

leaving school I didn’t play the flute for

many years but took it up again in

retirement! I have always wondered when

Grade 8 Flute was introduced.

JUNE MACLEAN

From ABRSMFlute exams have been available since

ABRSM exams were first held in 1890,

although entry levels remained low until

the 1970s. The first ABRSM exams were

only available at two levels: Junior and

Senior. Over the years the levels were

extended, up and down, so that by 1929

we had eight levels of exam, starting at

Primary and finishing with Final. In 1933

these became the eight grades we

know today.

LUCY NORTH

LIBRETTO EDITOR

A minor pointMany of the revamped violin scales andarpeggios seem to represent good changes,such as the choice of even notes or longtonics and the introduction of more ‘flat’keys at Grade 3. However, I don’t recall anyconsultation over these changes and I am

From ABRSMBefore making any syllabus changes we always consult widely with teachersand specialists, and consider their viewsbefore making final decisions. Invitationsto provide feedback on proposedchanges are generally made throughLibretto, our enewsletters or the ABRSMwebsite. We welcome all feedback, so do look out for such opportunities in the future.

In 2012, following such consultationand research, we introduced the naturalminor for all Bowed Strings at Grade 1and as an extra option (in addition to the harmonic and melodic forms) for allinstruments at Grades 1 and 2, whereapplicable.

Before this, string players weren’tintroduced to the minor modality untilGrade 2, due to technical challenges.However, there are usually a few minorkey pieces in the repertoire from thestart, as finger patterns can be limitedappropriately. So while non-stringplayers covered major and relative minorscales at Grade 1, string players wereleft behind. It made sense to have aminor scale given the inclusion of minorkey pieces for Grade 1. We feel that byhaving the easiest and ‘plainest’ minorwithin the scales at the earliest grades, astudent’s understanding of the minormode in its various forms can begin tobe encouraged.

You can read more about the naturalminor and our reasons for introducing itat www.abrsm.org/naturalminor.NIGEL SCAIFE

SYLLABUS DIRECTOR

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