abrsm libretto 2010:1 - jp.abrsm.org · are learning the piano and violin. through them, i’ve...

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2010:1LibrettoIt takes twoNigel Scaife, ABRSMSyllabus Director, exploresthe challenges associatedwith playing piano duets

Joining the DotsAlan Bullard offers a freshapproach to piano sight-reading

Music and the mindProfessor Susan Hallam’s researchinto the benefits of music making

Avery warm welcome to my first Outlook column asthe new Chief Executive of ABRSM. It is my greatprivilege to be taking over from Richard Morris, and

to build on the wonderful success that he and theABRSM team have achieved – it is quite a legacy! I joinABRSM from London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts(ICA), where I was Managing Director from 2005. As aformer solicitor and banker looking for new professionaland personal challenges, I worked with the ICA’s ArtisticDirector in setting a new vision and strategy for theorganisation. It was quite a change from my previous life,but also a wonderfully exciting and fulfilling one! I’mcertain that if I was to return to the world of bankingtoday, my experience in the creative sector would nowmake me a much better banker. I learnt that we, as acreative community, have a great deal to offer not just tothe wider education world, but also to the commercialsector. Since ’crossing over’, I’ve often been intrigued, notto say a little depressed, at the strong demarcation thatmany see between the creative and commercial sectors.The commercial world is only just beginning to embracecreativity and acknowledge that aspects of creativeendeavour might prove beneficial when integrated intotheir own business models. Having immersed myself in awealth of different art forms at the ICA, I haveexperienced what a force for good the arts (and musicspecifically) can be. Not only do I share with you anabsolute passion for music and music education, I alsobelieve in the positive influence that both can exert onindividual learners and the wider community. ProfessorSusan Hallam’s article in this issue (see page 10) makesexactly this point. Helping me along my own musical path(as a beginner clarinettist) are my children, both of whomare learning the piano and violin. Through them, I’ve seenthe benefits that an active involvement with music canbring. I look on with great joy when watching themperform with others, and seeing how that experiencegives them confidence and a sense of shared purposethat is unique to music making.

All of us involved in music education know the powerthat music brings, and we all have a part to play indisseminating that message beyond the musiccommunity. As I take on the role of Chief Executive, I lookforward to working with colleagues and music educatorsto ensure that music education receives the recognition itdeserves and that teachers and learners around theworld can rely on ABRSM to support them as they strivefor excellence in musical achievement.

Guy PerriconeChief Executive

ContentsNews ABRSM developments worldwide

Joining the Dots A glimpse inside the covers of ABRSM’s new sight-reading books

Focus on Uganda As Kampala Music School looks to the future we examine its achievements so far

Music and the mind How music making can enhance a wide range of skills in children and young people

Opinion Håkan Lundström, President of the International Society for Music Education, on aiming for equality in music education

It takes two The art of playing piano duets and what it can teach you and your pupils

A helping hand Past and present scholars reveal how ABRSM scholarships have shaped their lives

Teachers’ corner Top tips on sight-reading

Diary dates Your essential run-down of forthcoming events

Clara’s comment Ideas from our Chief Examiner to provoke and inspire plus a chance to share your views

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Editor-in-Chief Tony Pinkham Editor Lucy North

Insert & advertising salesMichaela Duckett T +44 (0)121 429 4362 E [email protected]

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© The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. All rights reserved. Unauthorisedreproduction in whole or in part is prohibitedwithout permission. The views expressed inLibretto are not necessarily those of ABRSMneither are the products or services appearing inadvertisements and inserts endorsed by ABRSM. CO

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IN BRIEF

n Last call for online courseWe still have a number of placesavailable on the first fully onlineABRSM course, Being an EffectiveTeacher. Designed for instrumental andvocal teachers who are keen todevelop their teaching skills and gainnew ideas, the course will run for 15weeks commencing March and April2010. Participants complete over 30hours of study during this period underthe guidance of an experiencedABRSM mentor. They will also be ableto interact with other participatingteachers worldwide via an onlineforum. To find out more and to takeadvantage of a special introductory feeof £150 (reduced from £295), visitwww.abrsm.org/ecourse.

n New music for violinistsSpectrum for Violin, the latest additionto our award-winning Spectrum series,is now available from music shopsworldwide and from our website.Featuring 16 specially commissionedpieces from some of today’s leadingcomposers, the publication hassomething for violinists of all ages andabilities. It comes complete with a CDof all the pieces featured, and recordedaccompaniments for the two workscomposed for violin and soundtrack.The Spectrum series was established byABRSM and Thalia Myers in 1996 andnow includes volumes for piano, cello,clarinet and string quartet.

n Entry form changesAs of this month we will be askingapplicants in the UK and Ireland toprovide candidates’ dates of birth whenmaking an exam entry, rather thansimply asking for their age. This is tohelp us when we submit exam results,in confidence, to other bodies forverification, such as the Universitiesand Colleges Admissions Service(UCAS) and UK government. Gradedmusic exams are already included inthe government’s Achievement andAttainment Tables, providingrecognition for candidates’considerable achievements in gaininggraded exams alongside other studies,and UCAS includes candidates’ resultsat Grades 6 to 8 within its pointsrecommendations for UK universityand college entrance. Knowing acandidate’s date of birth will also helpus to check relevant Theory results for higher-grade practical entries.

Teachers and students preparing for their trumpet examswill now be able to listen to pieces from the new syllabus on

a set of recently released ABRSM CDs. Featuring five highlyrespected trumpeters, the CDs include all the pieces at Grades 1 to 5 and a selection at Grades 6 to 8. For theaccompanied pieces we have also included piano-only versionswhich are ideal for practising with an ‘accompaniment’ when apianist is not available.

These CDs are designed to provide inspiration andguidance for all those preparing for an ABRSM Trumpet,

Cornet or Flugelhorn exam and join similar sets of CDs for piano, violin, cello, guitar, flute, clarinet,oboe, bassoon and saxophone. The trumpet CDs are available now from music shops worldwide andfrom www.abrsm.org/publications.

from 2010

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GRADE 5

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NewsTrumpet pieces now out on CD

A re your pupils looking for a new challenge?Would you like to introduce them to jazz but

are not sure how to begin teaching them? Thenlet us help you! There’s still time to enrol on oneof our 2010 jazz courses in the UK for piano,woodwind and brass teachers. Our IntroductoryJazz Course is open to anyone interested inexpanding their teaching repertoire andexploring the genre with their students. At theend of this four-day course teachers will havethe skills necessary to prepare pupils for theirfirst jazz exams, as well as a wider knowledgeand understanding of jazz concepts.

For those with some experience of jazzteaching, our residential Intermediate Course

provides guidance on how to move up a level.Upon completion of the course, teachers willhave further developed their jazz teachingstrategies and improvisation skills, and gained a greater insight into teaching andperforming different jazz styles. The coursefinishes with the opportunity to take a Grade 2or 3 Jazz exam.

ABRSM’s Introductory Jazz Course starts inLondon on 7 February and in Leeds on 28February. The Intermediate Course takes placeover two weekends, in July and August, at theBenslow Music Trust in Hertfordshire. For moreinformation, visit www.abrsm.org/teachers oremail [email protected].

Help at hand for aspiring jazz teachers

The ABRSM Songbook was named BestClassical Publication at the 2009 Music

Industries Association (MIA) Awards. Thecompilers of the series, Ross Campbell, RobertForbes and Lilija Zobens (pictured right),collected the award at the trade association’saward ceremony at London's Park Lane Hotelin October.

Also present were Ken Blair, producer of the CD recordings that accompany theseries, Michael Pilkington, who created manyof the fresh editions for the collection, andLeslie East, ABRSM's Executive Director:Syllabus & Publishing.

'Singing has become one of the fastest-growing subjects for ABRSM and we aredelighted that our support for teachers andlearners has been recognised by this award,’said East.

This highly successful series of five booksincludes over 100 art songs and 60 authenticunaccompanied traditional songs, suitable forGrades 1 to 5 of the ABRSM Singing syllabus.

Each volume comes complete with a CD featuringrecordings of piano accompaniments forrehearsal purposes, as well as recordings of all ofthe song texts, narrated by native speakers.

'The ABRSM Songbook became one of ourmost complex projects and its realisationrepresents a huge achievement for all involved,’East added. The ABRSM Songbooks areavailable from retailers worldwide and fromwww.abrsm.org/publications.

Songbook wins Music Industries Association Award

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ABRSM has strengthened its relationshipwith CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading

children’s cancer charity. We are once againsponsoring Practice-a-thon Music, anationwide fund-raising event, co-organisedby CLIC Sargent and Arts Council England’sTake It Away team, that encourages people ofall ages and abilities to practise and raisemoney for the charity. ‘Practice-a thon hasbeen inspiring young musicians across theUK for several years now, and has raised wellover £0.5m for children with cancer,’ RachaelGroom, National Events Manager, Music &Dance, at CLIC Sargent, told Libretto. ‘We’redelighted to have ABRSM’s support and lookforward to developing this exciting initiative.’In addition to receiving a fund-raising pack,participants in the scheme are given accessto a series of online tutorials of popularsongs. Using multiplayer software, each trackhas been stripped down into separate parts

‘providing a unique and simple approach tolearning’. ‘Participants can also play as part ofa group to get the full effect,’ Groom added.

ABRSM will also be sponsoring Music forYouth’s Regional Festival Series this year.‘We’ve already received thousands ofapplications for these events and areplanning 70 festivals to be held betweenFebruary and April,’ Lincoln Abbotts, ChiefExecutive of the London-based educationalcharity, said. ‘Our festivals are aboutperforming, inspiring, learning andcelebrating, so there’s a real synergybetween MfY and ABRSM. Anyinstrumentalist or singer can get involved inthe Regional Festival Series just so long asthey’re under 21 and perform in a group ofmore than two people.’ To find out moreabout both initiatives visit the CLIC Sargentand MfY websites at www.clicsargent.co.ukand www.mfy.org.uk.

July sees the publication of a revised ABRSM Organ syllabus, whichwill come into effect from January 2011. Anne Marsden Thomas,

Director of St Giles International Organ School and a member of thesyllabus review panel, highlights some of the major changes here.

‘The introduction of a Grade 1 exam brings Organ in line withother ABRSM syllabuses. Its key role is to provide a goal forbeginners – those who have never played a keyboard instrumentbefore, or who have forgotten the skills they once possessed. Thereis a growing demand from adult starters and I hope they will enjoyselecting from the wide range of pieces in the new syllabus.

‘Throughout the grades there are now more items from theorganist’s standard repertoire, plus a few transcriptions, such asGrieg’s Norwegian Dance and Clarke’s Prince of Denmark’s March,and a smattering of jazz-inspired pieces. Good new anthologies andpublications are well represented and we have retained some of thepopular items from the old syllabus, such as Bach’s ‘Ich ruf’ zu dir’and Guilmant’s Magnificat. Although pedals are not compulsory untilGrade 4, early-grade candidates wanting to demonstrate theirdeveloping skills can choose pieces with very simple pedal parts.

‘We have worked hard to find the best editions and havesearched for pieces that demonstrate features easily identifiable byall examiners – pieces that suit a relatively limited hand-stretch,and books whose overall contents justify their cost. We have alsoavoided items whose style is hard to guess from their titles, to helpcandidates and teachers who live far from music shops order musicthat suits their tastes, and their instruments.

‘We have completely refreshed the technical requirements, with amuch greater level of pedal activity. Students generally want to beginpedalling at the earliest opportunity, and it is important to establish– and test – a thorough, useful pedal technique as soon as possible.Grade 3 candidates now have the option of presenting pedalexercises, and from Grade 4 there are pedal solos as well asLH/pedal exercises, many of which we have taken from real music.To make room for the extra pedal work we have reduced the numberof manuals-only exercises; for example, candidates play manualscales a third (Grade 7) and a sixth (Grade 8) apart, but within a

limited range of keys, and arpeggios disappear after Grade 3.With the sight-reading we have aimed to provide pieces that the

candidate can engage with musically. Sight-reading should be fun!The new pieces are attractive and idiomatic and students shouldcertainly enjoy trying out the examples published in the forthcomingbook of specimen tests. The pieces are for manuals only in Grades 1to 3, with pedals introduced (gently at first) from Grade 4.

‘Finally to the transposition test, which for Grade 6 isunchanged, but for Grade 7 now requires pedals (as in Grade 8).However, the Grade 7 test is shorter than it is currently, and inGrade 8 the music will now be printed on two staves, as in a hymnbook, like the Grade 7 test.’

The new ABRSM Organ syllabus will be available in July, when we will also be publishing new supporting publications – OrganScales, Arpeggios & Exercises (from 2011) and Organ Specimen Sight-Reading Tests (from 2011).

In partnership

All change for organists

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This year we will bepublishing a new suite of

aural support materials – fullyrevised Specimen Aural Testsand a new edition of AuralTraining in Practice. Thesebooks were commissioned

following a major review of theexisting materials. For sometime teachers had been tellingus that they needed moreexamples, especially of thetests dealing with musicalfeatures, and that it would beuseful to have all of theexamples recorded. As well as responding to these points,we took the opportunity thiscomprehensive revision offered to make some minormodifications to the tests.

‘These have come aboutthrough the experience ofexamining and the feedbackwe have had from teachersand learners,’ Nigel Scaife,Syllabus Director at ABRSM,told Libretto. ‘We went through

all the examiner rubrics (theform of words used to presentthe tests) in detail, and madesure that everything wasconsistent across the variousbooks. The new SpecimenAural Tests will include theserubrics, so teachers will beable to use the tests with theirstudents in a way that mirrorsthe exam experience.’

The modified aural testswill be used from January2011, with the Specimen AuralTests (from 2011) available inJuly this year and the newAural Training in Practicefollowing later in the year. Fulldetails of the aural testmodifications will be given inthe next issue of Libretto.

Aural Trainingin PracticeRevised Edition

Aural Training in Practice WITH CD4&5

NEW MATERIALS FOR AURAL TESTS

5News

In 2008 we asked applicants in the UK andIreland for their views about how we deal

with practical exam results. The responsesindicated that teachers understand whyresults need to come to our offices forchecking, and that our rigorous qualityassurance checks are greatly appreciated.However, some teachers were unhappy thattheir pupils sometimes had to wait for up tofour weeks to receive their results. In light of this feedback, we have been working hardto reduce waiting times, whilst checking

mark forms as carefully as ever. For webusers, the option to view a breakdown ofresults online provides a quicker way to findout how your pupils have done. However, lastsummer the vast majority of results (postaland online) reached applicants around twoweeks after the exam. We now look forwardto maintaining this level of service, whereverpossible, starting with the results from theNovember/December exam period.

This year sees the next key development inour online service provision for applicants in

the UK and Ireland. The aim is to give teachersthe opportunity to view and process as muchexam information as possible via our website.Where practical exams are concerned,applicants can now indicate that they are happyto view appointment details via the web ratherthan receiving a paper copy by post. Applicantswill receive an email as soon as appointmentsare available to view online. Those who preferto receive details by post will also be sent aletter, as they have been previously.

‘Many teachers already prefer to use theironline account to check exam information anddo not need duplicate information by post,’Penny Milsom, UK Operations Director atABRSM, explained. ‘This development not onlyreduces paper usage and unnecessary postagebut also saves on printing and posting time. We know from feedback that receivingmaximum notice of the exam date is valuedhighly by both teachers and students, and intime, as more and more teachers opt for theonline-only route, we hope to be able to publishappointments sooner.’

IN BRIEF

n New for pianistsPiano teachers and their pupilsshould look out for the new Pianosyllabus in July of this year. Valid for2011 and 2012, the syllabus will becomplemented by a range ofsupporting materials, includingSelected Piano Exam Pieces, CDs,and Teaching Notes. Moreinformation will follow in the nextissue of Libretto.

n Theory marking becomesweb-basedOur Theory markers are starting tomark exam papers online beginningwith exams in the UK. The newsystem will improve marking qualityand security, and potentially reduceturnaround times. A number of UKcandidates and teachers may havenoticed the smallest of changesduring C period last year: the examentry label included a barcode, andthe mark form was typed rather thanhandwritten. This will now be extendedto all UK Theory exams, with othercountries to follow suit over thecoming years.

n Representative updateA warm welcome to all new ABRSMRepresentatives worldwide. InAustralia, piano teacher ElizabethPulsford takes on the role of ourRepresentative for Canberra, while inthe UK we have new Honorary LocalRepresentatives for Ayr (NormaKelly), Brighton (Jackie Chase,Practical), Cardiff Central (Peter Fry),Craigavon (Darren Canmore),Kettering (Derek Miller), NottinghamCentral (Barbara Burton), Streatham(Robert Webb, Theory), and Yeovil(Kathryn England). We look forwardto working with you all.

n A chance to learn Over 100 teachers attended ourrecent courses in Barbados, Jamaicaand Trinidad. Entitled 'Inspiringsuccess', the two-day events coveredlesson planning, creating an inspiringlearning environment, musictechnology, aural skills, sight-reading,improvisation and much more. Therewere also plenty of opportunities fornetworking with like-minded teachers.We are planning similar courses inCyprus, Portugal and the USA duringthe coming year.

On target with results

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New online options now available

On target with results

Joining the Dots

Sight-reading can be the aspect of learning that pupils findmost difficult and frustrating, and which fills them with mostfear when exam-time comes along. We all know that the skill

of playing at sight is one of the most useful – and time-saving – forany musician, but helping our pupils to progress with theirsight-reading, rather than merely undertaking tests in it, is achallenge to which there is no easy answer.

Having been one of the team involved in preparing the currentABRSM Piano sight-reading tests, and working as an examinerand teacher, I often found myself re-considering how we learnto sight-read. There are many interrelating reasons why the moreexperienced sight-reader manages to ‘keep going’ but amongstthese must surely be a reliance on an inbuilt knowledge ofthe different keys, and the finger patterns and musical shapeswithin them.

Joining the Dots embodies this approach by not only joining themusical ‘dots’ but also joining together different aspects of musicmaking – knowledge of keys, technical exercises, improvisation andplaying at sight. The aim is to enable more efficient and effectivelearning of new music by developing a greater awareness of

keyboard geography. It is a resource for regular use within lessonsand at home, between exams as well as in preparation for them.

The five books in this new series for the piano cover the keysfound in ABRSM’s sight-reading tests at each of Grades 1 to 5, witha separate section for each key used within the tests at thecorresponding grade. Imagine, for example, that your pupil islearning a piece in the key of G major. He or she will already haveexplored the key to an extent by playing the G major scale andarpeggio/broken chord, and will be starting to develop a feel ofwhere that F sharp falls under the fingers and on the page. Joiningthe Dots will help to reinforce that sense of key, and the G majorsection will provide technical exercises and warm-ups,opportunities for creative work, and short pieces to sight-read, all inthat key and therefore with a starting-point in common.

Similar activities are presented at an equivalent level in each key,so that your pupil can jump in to any section, using the varied butlogically organised material, alongside pieces, scales andarpeggios/broken chords that are being learnt in that key.

Looking in more detail, there are usually four activities ineach section.

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This month sees the publication of Joining the Dots, a new series of books from ABRSM

designed to help piano teachers and their pupils with sight-reading. Here, author

Alan Bullard reveals how these books can bring benefits not only in sight-reading but

also in the development of all-round musicianship.

A fresh approach tosight-reading

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A Fresh Approachto Piano Sight-Reading

Joining the Dots: Book 5

Alan Bullard



Alan Bullard



Alan Bullard



Alan Bullard

7Joining the Dots

Key FeaturesThese are short exercises for each hand separately, provided forthose keys that are new to the sight-reading requirements at therelevant grade. They are designed to help the pupil establish basichand shapes and the feel of each key under the fingers. Thus theyform a supplement to scales and arpeggios and, like them, can bea good way to begin a practice session. Within each book, thesame patterns are used for each of the different keys, which helpsto introduce the concept of transposition, without making a featureof it at this stage.

WorkoutsNext come hands-together exercises for warming up the fingersand hands, and which explore a range of techniques and styles.There are two for each key: the first is the same throughout eachbook (transposed for each key to help reinforce key familiarity),while the second is different for each key.

Make MusicThis provides an opportunity for your pupil to build confidence in (andthrough) creative and imaginative work, and to develop their auralskills. Like the activities above, these will also help to familiarise thepupil with the geography of the keyboard and the feel of the key, butusing an approach that is not primarily notation-based. They rangefrom simple teacher-pupil echo responses to more creativepossibilities.

All of these ideas have titles to help stimulate the imagination,and both teacher and pupil can approach them together in the waythey both find most comfortable: for most pupils this will involveexploring the keyboard with some trial and error! In time, thisexperimentation will develop greater confidence and a closer senseof oneness with the keyboard, benefiting the learning andperforming of all music.

Read and PlayHaving established the feel of a specific key with technicalexercises and exploratory improvisation, your pupil isequipped to apply that knowledge to reading at sight in that key.Read and Play is the goal of each section – a number of short,characterful pieces with titles, to be played at sight or aftera short practice time, with the focus on keeping going. In termsof technical requirements, these lead up to and include thestandard to be found in the sight-reading for the grade, and willprovide a useful extra source of sight-reading material for thosepreparing for exams.

The final section of each book includes more solo pieces(of varying lengths, characters and moods) and a duet.Although in most cases longer, these are broadly of a similartechnical standard to the Read and Play pieces earlier in the book.They can be used as additional sight-reading practice or as piecesto learn quickly and play through for fun.

With its eye-catching design, and range of approachable musicalstyles with descriptive titles, Joining the Dots will appeal to thoselooking for a wider range of sight-reading specimen tests. However,the purpose of the books is more extensive than that, seeking toencourage joined-up-thinking betweeneye, brain and hands in the interests ofdeveloping an all-round senseof musicianship. I’ve really enjoyedwriting these books. By imaginingmyself in the position of a novicepianist, re-living the excitement ofexploring the keyboard, it has beena voyage of discovery for me, and Ihope that it will be for you and yourpupils as well. �



Alan Bullard

TO ORDER

� All books in the Joining the

Dots series are available from

your local retailer or online at

www.abrsm.org/publications.

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2008–2013

complete syllabus

Fluteexam pieces

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grade

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from 2010

including cornet repertoire

GRADE 8

Trumpetselected exam pieces

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from 2010


GRADE 6


grade

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from 2010

complete syllabus

GRADE 5

Trumpetexam pieces

grade

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complete syllabus

GRADE 5

Trumpetexam pieces

from 2010

complete syllabus

GRADE 2

Trumpetexam pieces

grade

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GRADE 1

2008–2011

complete syllabus

Violinexam pieces

1grade

1 from 2009

complete syllabus

GRADE 7

grade

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Guitarexam pieces

from 2010

complete syllabus

grade

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from 2010

complete syllabus

GRADE 1

Trumpetexam pieces

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9Focus on Uganda

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KMS

Kampala Music School (KMS) buzzeswith musical sounds from earlymorning until late evening. Since

opening its doors in 2001, nearly 2,000students have benefited from its lessonsand almost 1,000 have passed an ABRSMexam there, including 40 ABRSM diplomasin both teaching and performing. Thanks tothe school, some 25 teachers now earn aliving from their music.In 1998, three Kampala-based

musicians, Fiona Carr, Simon Yiga andMichael Johnson, launched Pianos forUganda, a charitable appeal that aimed tobring pianos from Europe and elsewhere toa country where good quality instrumentsfor educational purposes were a rare luxury.It was Yiga who first brought the appeal toABRSM’s attention. For in addition to histeaching activities, he has been ourRepresentative in Uganda since 1995.Publicity in Libretto also helped to

ensure the ongoing success of the appeal.In the end more than 80 pianos andnumerous wind, string and brassinstruments were donated to the project.These found homes in schools, colleges andchurches and the effect on classical musiceducation was dramatic. With theavailability of good quality instruments,standards in teaching and learning rose.The need for a dedicated music school also

emerged. Thus KMS was born and Yiga wasappointed its Director.In the intervening years many more

instruments have been donated to KMS, aswell as sheet music and CDs. In addition,numerous creative fund-raising initiatives inthe UK have helped to keep its doors openand provide bursaries. All departmentswithin the school are now flourishing andhave benefited from masterclasses andlessons from visiting musicians. Sixinstrumentalists from the school have wonawards to study overseas and KMS teachersare now in demand from students inneighbouring Kenya and Malawi.Equally important to the school, however,

is the positive impact the project has on thelives of ordinary young people. For mostfamilies in Uganda there is no moneyavailable for music lessons, but KMS is ableto provide daily music-making opportunitiesfor them. This in itself can be a life changingexperience. In addition, the school has setup a bursary scheme linking talented,motivated students who couldn’t affordlessons to a sponsor. Many have been able tolearn an instrument, or even two, and it’sthese students, past and present, who formthe core of the ever-expanding KMSOrchestra. The school marked its eighthbirthday last year with three days of charityconcerts featuring the ensemble and choir.

While these celebrations were takingplace the school was looking forward to anuncertain, but potentially exciting future. Asreported in our last issue, the lease on thebuilding that KMS has occupied since 2001expires in March 2011. The school is nowlooking to buy land and build a purpose-builtschool on the site. This would provide itsstudents and staff with more rooms, biggerlibrary facilities and a performance hall. Thenew building might also include basicaccommodation to house overseas studentswho are now keen to help at the school; lastyear three woodwind students from the RoyalWelsh College of Music spent their summerholiday at KMS, as did three the previous year.KMS has developed an enviable reputation

as a centre of excellence in the teaching ofclassical music, and as an organisation thatreaches out to all young people, including themost disadvantaged. To help carry on thiswork and build the new school, organisersare seeking substantial gifts, includinglegacies. Some £500,000 is needed over thecoming months, of which a proportion hasalready been raised.The Friends of Kampala Music School is

now a registered UK charity. If you would liketo find out more about the project or make adonation, please contact Fiona Carr [email protected] or telephone +44(0)1844 290000. �

From small beginnings, Kampala Music School has gone on to be a great success story for classical musiceducation in Uganda. Lucy North takes a look at the past, present and future of the school.

Classical music comes to Kampala

Research round-up10

MusicDoes making music enhanceother skills? ProfessorSusan Hallam, Dean of theFaculty of Policy and Societyat the University of London’sInstitute of Education,examines the evidence.

11Research round-up

Recent advances in the study of thebrain have increased ourunderstanding of the way that active

engagement with music influences otherskills. Although our knowledge of the waythe brain works is still in its infancy, some ofthe fundamental processes involved inlearning have been established. We nowknow that the cerebral cortex changes inspecific ways as we engage with a range ofactivities including music. The changesbrought about through participation in musiccan also enhance skills in other areas.

Active engagement with music can impacton motor skill development and have positivehealth benefits. Rhythmic accompaniment tophysical education enhances thedevelopment of gross motor skills, whilelearning to play an instrument improves finemotor co-ordination. Particular healthbenefits can also be derived from singing,which can impact on the functioning of theimmune system, breathing, posture, mood,and stress. Admittedly, most of the researchrelating to singing has been carried out withadults but there is no reason why thesebenefits should not also apply to children.

SpeechSpeech and music have a number of sharedprocessing systems. Musical experiencesthat enhance aural perception can thereforesharpen the brain’s early encoding oflinguistic sound. Eight-year-old children withjust eight weeks of musical training showedimprovement in perceptual aural skillscompared with those without training.Speech processing requires similarsensitivity to contour as perception ofmelody. As a result children as young aseight who have had musical trainingoutperform those without training on musicaland language tests. Learning to read musicseems to transfer to improved phonemicawareness which contributes to thedevelopment of literacy skills, while learningto play an instrument enlarges the leftcranial temporal regions of the brain leadingto a greater capacity to remember words.Musically trained participants remembered17% more verbal information than thosewithout musical training. There is also

evidence that children experiencingdifficulties with reading comprehensionimprove following rhythmical training insimultaneous stamping, clapping andchanting while following simple notation.

MathsResearch exploring the relationshipsbetween mathematics and active musicalengagement has had mixed results, in part,because not all mathematics’ tasks shareunderlying processes with those involved inmusic. Transfer is dependent on the extent ofthe match, for instance, children receivinginstruction on rhythm instruments scoredhigher on part-whole maths problems thanthose receiving piano and singing instruction.

Intellectual developmentLearning an instrument has an impact onintellectual development, particularly spatialreasoning. One review of 15 studies found a‘strong and reliable’ relationship, the authorlikening the differences to one inch in heightor about 84 points on standardised schooltests. A study contrasting the impact ofstandard keyboard or Kodály music lessonswith drama tuition or no lessons found thatthe music groups had reliably largerincreases in IQ. Children in the drama or notuition groups had average increases of 4.3points while the music groups had increasesof 7 points. On all but 2 of the 12 subtests themusic group had larger increases thancontrol groups. Over time it has been notedthat there has been a consistent relationshipbetween active engagement in music andgeneral attainment. However, it has not beenpossible to assert that participating inmusical activities is the cause of the higherachievement as there are many confoundingfactors. A recent study, adopting moresensitive statistical modelling was able toovercome these difficulties. Two nationallyrepresentative data sources in the USA withdata from over 45,000 children found thatassociations between music and achievementpersisted even when prior attainment wastaken into account. Measured creativity isalso enhanced by participation in music,particularly when the musical activity itself iscreative, for instance, improvisation.

Personal and social developmentThe impact of music participation on generalattainment may result from its impact onpersonal and social development. Playing aninstrument can lead to a sense ofachievement, an increase in self-esteem,increased confidence, persistence inovercoming frustrations when learning isdifficult, self-discipline and provide a meansof self-expression. These positive benefitsmay increase motivation for learning ingeneral thus supporting enhancedattainment. There are a range of socialbenefits that can develop throughparticipating in musical groups. Being in anorchestra, band, choir or other type of grouppromotes friendships with like-mindedpeople, and a wide range of social andpersonal skills in addition to providing anoutlet for relaxation. Research in the USA onthe benefits of band participation found that95% of parents believed that participation ina band provided educational benefits notfound in other classrooms.

Emotional intelligenceAdolescents spend many hours each weeklistening to music. The type of music thatthey listen to makes a major contribution tothe development of self-identity and is seenas a source of support when young peopleare feeling troubled or lonely. Music also hasthe capacity to increase emotional sensitivity.The recognition of emotions as expressed inmusic is linked to measured emotionalintelligence, the capacity to understand one’sown emotions and those of others. Increasingthe amount of classroom music within thecurriculum can increase social cohesionwithin class and lead to greater self-reliance,better social adjustment and more positiveattitudes, particularly in low ability,disaffected pupils. However, the positiveeffects of actively participating in musicmaking on personal and social developmentwill only occur if, overall, it is an enjoyableand rewarding experience. The quality of theteaching, the extent to which individualsperceive that they are successful, and whetherin the long term it is a positive experiencedetermine the extent of the benefits. �

To read the full version of Susan Hallam’spaper, ‘The power of music: its impact onthe intellectual, social and personaldevelopment of children and young people’,please visit the University of London,Institute of Education’s website atwww.ioe.ac.uk/Year_of_Music.pdf.PH

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and the mind

Opinion12

In the current discourse music isincreasingly understood as a humanright and as an important factor in

cultural diversity and sustainability. This isencouraging and necessary, for even if thereis music everywhere, and consequentlymusic learning everywhere, organisedmusic education is very unevenlydistributed. And this is not simply a north-south or industrialised-unindustrialiseddivide. Differences exist everywhere.

This is one of the major concerns of anorganisation like ours - the InternationalSociety for Music Education (ISME), whichconsists of music educators from allpossible contexts and levels, from all overthe world. The following examples highlightthe work of just some of these educators.

In East Timor, the Hadahur MusicSchool provides learning opportunities, inindigenous and international music genres,to all those interested. Established by theMary MacKillop East Timor Mission inconjunction with Tekee Media Inc., theschool aims to prepare musically committedTimorese for a life in the music profession.Opened in July of last year, the school wasawarded the 2009 ISME-Gibson CommunityMusic Education Award.

Another ongoing project is theAfghanistan National Institute of Music,which offers talented young people,regardless of gender, ethnicity or socialcircumstances, the chance to study in aworld-class music institution. This newinitiative, established by Afghanistan’sMinistry of Education in conjunction with theMonash Asia Institute (Monash University,Australia), offers an academic educationcombined with comprehensive training inAfghan and Western music, and is helpingto rebuild music education in Afghanistan.The greatest need here is for teachers whocan teach Western classical music.

The circumstances are different inVietnam, where developments are in placeto provide music training for teachers inschools and specialist educationopportunities for music teachers. Incontrast, a Vietnamese Institute ofMusicology project is focussing onrevitalising the music of a number of ethnicminorities via out of school classes led byperformers working in the oral tradition.

These examples serve as models andencouragement to those around the worldin similar situations, but also bringperspective to music educatorseverywhere. We know that even wheremusic education is well-established it canbecome severely marginalised. Take myown country, Sweden, as an example.There is no guarantee that access to musiceducation is equal or democratic or goodenough. Or if it is, there is no guaranteethat it will remain so. In this light,increased interest in music educationand recent discussions in the UK, and arecent focus by the US Department ofEducation on equal rights to musiceducation in state schools, arepointing the way forward.

Evidently music education provisionchanges all the time and therefore needscontinuous evaluation. In this context,ISME’s network of music educatorsprovides an important resource, andcommunication between members iscrucial. One way that ISME encourages this

is through its World Conferences, heldevery two years. The next one takes placein August this year in Beijing, with theChina Conservatory of Music and ChineseSociety for Music Education as hosts. Theseven ISME Commissions meet in Chinathe week before the conference but willalso stage sessions during the event. Theydeal with research, community music, earlychildhood, performer education, musicpolicy, schools and teacher education andspecial education respectively. New this

year is the ISME Forum for Instrumentaland Vocal Teaching, which will also havesessions during the conference.

So, the conference covers a wide varietyof themes. However, it’s not just aboutpresenting papers. It is more like a tradefair: there are presentations and manyround-table symposia, workshops,demonstration lessons, concerts andexhibitions of instruments and teachingmaterials. Participants are representativeof every possible area of music education,at every possible level, and are united by asincere engagement and belief in theimportance of music and music educationin people’s lives. Attending and beingactively involved in this conference willbring about wonderful developmentopportunities for all music educators. �

ABRSM will be attending ISME’s 29th WorldConference in August. For more informationabout the event, please visit www.isme.org.

Equal rights tomusic education

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Håkan Lundström, Presidentof the International Society forMusic Education, reflects onmusic education provisionfrom a global perspective andhighlights the value of ISME’swork in this context.

‘There is no guaranteethat access to musiceducation is equal ordemocratic or goodenough. Or if it is,there is no guaranteethat it will remain so’

Enhancing yourteachingAll musicians need good teachers to nurture and develop their talents – and good teachers endeavour to enhance their professional skills. We support their continuing professional development through our innovative courses and online learning.

We provide for the needs of teachers at all stages in their careers and reflect the latest developments in music education.

www.abrsm.org/teachers

Piano duets

The natural place for the piano duet is in the home. Despite afew notable exceptions, such as Stravinsky’s Rite of Springtranscription or Leighton’s Sonata, the duet is not primarily a

medium for the concert stage. Normally duettists play for their ownpleasure, rather than for an audience, and in many ways the musicshould not be so much heard as overheard. It is an ideal mediumfor piano teaching purposes and has much to offer in thedevelopment of all-round musicianship. So why not introduce moreduets to your pupils – or perhaps explore the repertoire yourselfwith a colleague?

Sound and balanceThe musical issues involved in piano duet performance are bothinteresting and challenging. They all centre around questions ofensemble, sound and balance. Much of the art of duet playing isabout reducing the dynamics of the less important ‘background’parts, rather than increasing the level of the ‘foreground’ melodicmaterial. There is a tendency to play everything too loudly, whichcan destroy the clarity of expression. The general dynamic range ofa duet should be virtually that of a piano solo.

Achieving a good balance can be a considerable challenge,especially in the early stages. While the soloist has control over theentire texture of the music and makes adjustments instinctively,duettists have to make a conscious effort to balance and blend theirsound. This is especially difficult as they have to counteract thenatural tendency to voice the music as though it were a solo piece.Ingrained muscular habits lead pianists to generally place the topright hand part uppermost in dynamic, followed by the bass andthen finally the ‘filling’ in the middle of the texture as the quietestpart. In a chordal passage of a duet however, the secondo playerwill have to reverse this situation to maintain the same texture,making sure that their left hand is stressed above the right – theopposite of their usual inclination. The key to achieving a goodsound and balance in a piano duet, as in all music, is to listenacutely and continuously.

RepertoireIn the teaching and learning context, both the original music forfour hands at one piano and the popular standard arrangements oforchestral and chamber music should be played. While the lattertends to be less pianistic (the arrangers themselves sometimeslacking the genius or imagination of the original composers),exploring the great masterpieces through duet reductions is one ofthe best ways of having direct contact with this music. In the daysbefore recordings were readily available, it was really the only way

to engage with concert repertoire outside the concert hall. The19th-century arrangers made an important contribution to musiceducation when they made the great symphonies, overtures andstring quartets available to pianists.

Benefits in teachingThere is often a certain amount of healthy rivalry between childrenwhen playing duets. A competitive spirit can produce great efforts,as no one wishes to be the ‘weaker’ part! This motivation can bedrawn upon to good effect, benefiting many aspects of a pupil’splaying, including rhythmic stability, tonal awareness, physicaldexterity and stylistic expression.

Playing duets forces the student out of the ‘soloist’ mentality, asthe ability to balance one’s own volume within the overall texture isessential. Listening to another part and adjusting accordinglyprepares the student for other kinds of ensemble performance,whether as an accompanist, chamber musician or conductor.

Many teachers use duet playing as an enjoyable and highlyeffective means of developing sight-reading skills. The student isforced to look ahead and to keep going, it is a good way ofimproving the ability to read treble clef with the left hand and thebass clef with the right, and finally it is an ideal way to developone of the most practical of all music-making skills – the abilityto ‘fake’!

There are many books of easy duets that can be used for thispurpose, including some with a more demanding ‘teacher part’ andan easier part for the pupil, as well as ‘pupil-pupil’ duets. As withall sight-reading, it is important not to set the level too high and tochoose pieces that the pupil can more or less get through and enjoy.A good tune always helps!

Duet playing demands that the performer becomes a reflective,analytical musician. Relying on intuition alone is not enough.Questions such as ‘Where is the melody in this section?’ ‘Shouldthis articulation match the other part?’ or ‘Is the balance correcthere?’ have to be considered. Players need to discuss all kinds oftechnical and musical issues, such as when to release a note thatthe other player might need, negotiate the extent of a ritardandoor accelerando, or how best to articulate a phrase. So co-operation,leadership and problem solving skills are all honed in thelearning process.

Playing piano duets is immensely rewarding and educationallyhighly effective. Additionally, it also provides the key to a relativelylittle known repertoire of great richness and diversity – somethingI will explore in a further Libretto article on this subject. �

14

In the second in his series of articles on piano duets, ABRSM Syllabus Director Nigel Scaife exploressome of the challenges associated with playing duets and outlines the benefits to teachers and learners.

It takes two

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15Piano duets

‘co-operation,leadership andproblem solving skillsare all honed in thelearning process’

TAKING A PIANODUET EXAMABRSM Ensemble exams provide opportunitiesfor duettists, as well as other chambercombinations, to take a formal assessment.These exams are set at three levels, Primary,Intermediate and Advanced, and involve theperformance of at least two contrasted items.These can be chosen from the suggested listsfound in the syllabus or can be works of thecandidates’ choice, subject to approval byABRSM. Please visit www.abrsm.org/examsfor more information.

ABRSM scholars

One of the most significantways in which ABRSMsupports musical

endeavour is via its scholarshipscheme, a programme thathas a real impact on youngmusicians’ lives.

Take young Australianpercussionist Oliver Blake,currently studying at the RoyalCollege of Music in London. Fouryears ago, Blake was living inMelbourne, Australia. Musicwas important, but so was thefitness game. ‘I wanted to be apersonal trainer! Then one daymy mother called up apercussion store to order mesome sticks. She got talking toa guy called Joel, who told herhe was studying at the RCM onan ABRSM scholarship.’

Blake dared to imagine andafter a painless applicationprocess, the dream becamereality. His ABRSM scholarship,which goes towards tuition feesand living expenses, has beencrucial. ‘My dad died when I was14, so my mum and I would be ina very tough financial positionwithout ABRSM’s support. I reallydon’t think I’d be at the RCMotherwise.’

Oliver’s teachers include DavidHockings, Daniella Ganeva andRalph Salmins - to mention just afew! ‘All of them are workingprofessionals around London, soone thing I’m learning is how tobe an employable musician.’

Harpist Elfair Grug Dyer,from a small village on the LlynPeninsula in Wales, had

everything going for her as shereached the end of school year -Eisteddfod successes, studieswith leading harpist ElinorBennett and three years with theNational Youth Orchestra of GreatBritain. Yet applying for a place atthe Royal Northern College ofMusic in Manchester brought itsmoney worries: ‘I was reallyconcerned about the amount ofdebt I’d be in after finishing mydegree,’ she admits.

‘However, a few weeks afterthe college offered me a place, Iheard I’d won a four-year ABRSMscholarship. It’s the best letterI’ve ever had, as it meant I coulddefinitely go to the RNCM! Mystudies are going great!’

Meanwhile, the SacconiQuartet’s career is up and

running. Viola player RobinAshwell bubbles with enthusiasmabout current projects - amongthem a Canterbury FestivalBeethoven string quartet cycle (‘areal milestone for us’), thequartet’s chamber music festivalat Folkestone and SacconiRecords, the quartet’s ownrecording label.

ABRSM scholarships forAshwell and Sacconi violinist BenHancox meant both were able todevote two years of postgraduatestudy to immersing themselves inquartet playing with violinistHannah Dawson and cellistCara Berridge. ‘Without thescholarship I’d have had to takeon professional work to pay myway - and maybe the quartetwouldn’t be together now or at

16

A helping hand

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Lisa Ueda

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Each year ABRSM awards scholarships to students at four Royal Schools of Music in the UK.Andrew Green speaks to past and present scholars to find out how this funding has affected their studies and careers.

least we’d be playing at a verydifferent level,’ commentsAshwell. ‘Teachers such asLevon Chilingirian and FelixAndrievsky gave us so manyinsights into quartet playing.They really pushed andencouraged us. They made usfeel we could do this!’

New Zealand tenor StephenChambers is on the threshold ofthe profession. An ABRSMscholarship brought him onto theRoyal Scottish Academy of Musicand Drama’s highly praisedMMus (Opera) course afterstudies at the University of Otagoand Boston Conservatory. ‘I’vebeen absolutely thrilled with thecourse in Glasgow,’ he says. ‘It’svery intensive ... all the classesprovide just what I need as an

aspiring opera singer.’Crucially, Chambers is

getting plenty of performingexperience just when he needsit. ‘I’ve been given roles in allthree operas at the RSAMD thisacademic year and in DecemberI’ll take part in the publicworkshop presentations of OperaScenes, by which time I’ll havesung a Messiah in Lanark. ‘Iconsider myself extremely luckyto have been the RSAMD’spostgraduate recipient of anABRSM scholarship.’

Japanese violinist Lisa Uedaoffers another perspective. Shecame to London to study violinwith Richard Deakin at the RoyalAcademy of Music in 2005, withthe assistance of an ABRSMscholarship. Ueda enthuses

about the quality of tuition whichhas been a key factor in herwinning various other awards. Atthe time of writing she is alsoabout to make a professionalconcerto debut in Japan. Yet onecrucial bonus of being enabledto come to the UK, she believes,is that it made the cultural life ofLondon available to her. ‘Violinplaying isn’t all about practising.There’s so much more to learnand London is such a vibrant citywith so many things to see andabsorb – the history, concerts,opera, museums, theatre, and thesheer multi-cultural diversity –all of this has fed into my music.’

As their college coursesdevelop, Oliver Blake and ElfairDyer’s ambitions are flowering.‘I want to go for it.’ says Dyer. ‘I’d

like to do a postgrad course,followed by a career as a soloistand in orchestras. I just wantto perform!’

‘I’d love to play in West Endshows,’ Blake adds. ‘I’d neverhave dreamt of doing that before.My scholarship has changed mylife and playing more than I couldever have imagined. �

We award 20 scholarshipsannually to UK and internationalstudents studying at the RAM,RCM, RNCM and RSAMD, atundergraduate, postgraduateand junior levels. Scholarshipfunding is provided by ABRSM,but applications for study andrecommendation for ascholarship are handled by theindividual colleges.

17ABRSM scholars

Sacconi: Ben Hancox, Hannah Dawson,

Robin Ashwell, Cara Berridge

Each year ABRSM awards scholarships to students at four Royal Schools of Music in the UK.Andrew Green speaks to past and present scholars to find out how this funding has affected their studies and careers.

Stephen Chambers

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Teachers’ corner

Claire Lavery, piano teacherSight-reading is one of the most effective ways to improve your playingproficiency. I find the following tips help pupils to get the most out oftheir practice. I encourage them to look through the piece of music andthink STARS to check the Sharps and flats, Time signature, Rhythm, andStyle and dynamics. They must then remember the three golden rules:never stop, keep going; look a bar ahead; and look at the music and notat your hands. Finally I always say to my pupils, ‘When you practise tryreading something new every time’.

Jackie Frost, clarinetand saxophone teacherSight-reading is often viewed as something to be feared. However, amethodical approach can work really well to change a pupil’s perceptionand can be applied to any new piece of music. I always adopt thefollowing technique:

� Gain an understanding of pupils’ difficulties, asking for total honesty.

� Remove any time restrictions, such as the 30-second preparation timerequired in an exam.

� Break the task down into manageable chunks.

� Analyse the music with your pupil. Look at the contours of the musicand identify any scale, arpeggio, notation or rhythm patterns.

� Exercises using flash cards with rhythm patterns or notation patternscan help.

� Use pulse games to establish a strong sense of pulse. Encourage arealistic pulse when sight-reading.

� Ask pupils to play the relevant scale and arpeggio first, identifying anynotes affected by the key signature.

� Encourage pupils to keep playing despite any mistakes.

� Only attempt the playing of the passage when, after thoroughpreparation, it is fail proof. Successful attempts will build confidence.

Helen Tudor, flute and piano teacherand music theory lecturer‘Look at this score, you have 30 seconds, now play’ is a daunting phrase.Some teachers fail to set aside the time to develop the necessary skills andthe result is a rushed, last minute introduction to sight-reading prior to anexam. It is vital to regularly include sight-reading activities in the lesson.

Rhythm and pulse often prove most challenging. I have thereforecreated rhythm flash cards where the student claps to a set pulse on themetronome. Many musicians have found this to be effective. You can alsouse such flash cards for counting, voicing aloud the divisions.

Alongside the rhythm and pulse activity, extracts of new music canbe used in order for the pupil to practise pitch, phrasing, dynamicsand expression. �

18

To coincide with the publication of our new series ofsight-reading books, Joining the Dots, we askedthree teachers to share their own top tips with you.

On sight-reading

Inspiring all pianoteachers, performers

and enthusiasts

in the UK

experienced teachers

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

Tel: 08456 581 054

Joiningthe Dots

A Fresh Approach to Piano Sight-Reading


Alan Bullard

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email: [email protected] web: www.norvis.org.ukN

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The objective of the association is to advance the education of the public in the arts of early music and dance. Charity No 10148

Developing musical potential in young string players and pianists aged 8-18 from all over the world.

Bursaries available for UK pupils.

If you wish to come along to our next Open Day on Saturday 23rd January 2010 please telephone the Headmaster’s

PA to register your interest or visit our website atwww.yehudimenuhinschool.co.uk

To find out more please write to

Nicolas Chisholm, HeadmasterThe Yehudi Menuhin School, Stoke d’Abernon

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Tel: 01932 864739

The Yehudi Menuhin School is a registered charity and exists to educate gifted young people

Registered Charity no. 312010

at Gregynog near Newtown, Powys, Mid Wales

First Prize: £1,000 and the Peter Garbett-Edwards Trophy

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Entry submission deadline: Monday 1 February 2010Final competition and concert: Saturday 24 April 2010

• Any orchestral instrument eligible including piano, guitar, recorder or percussion.

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For further details and entry forms visit:www.gregynogyoungmusicianscompetition.co.uk

or contact us on 01686 650105Competition President: Lady Davies

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FEBRUARY

High Scorers’ Concert

Stroud, UK, 6 February

Introductory Jazz Course begins

City of London School for Boys,

London, UK, 7 February

UK CT ABRSM fast-track

course begins

Bournville, Birmingham, UK,

13 February

Introduction to Instrumental and

Vocal Teaching workshop

ABRSM, London, UK, 14 Februar

y

Professional Development Workshop

Radley College,Oxford, UK, 20 F

ebruary

Teaching Music Effectively (weekend 1)

ABRSM, London, UK, 20 & 21 Fe

bruary

Music Learning Live!

Royal Northern College of Music,

Manchester, UK,

25 & 26 February

Come and meetus at the ABRSM

stand.

www.musiclearninglive2010.net

Introductory Jazz Course begins

The Grammar School at Leeds, Le

eds, UK,

28 February

MARCH


The Red Maids’School, Bristol, U

K,

6 March


Royal Northern College of Music,

Manchester, UK,7 March

High Scorers’ Concert

Sunbury-on-Thames, UK, 7 March


Glasgow Academy, Glasgow, UK,

13 March


St Mary’s MusicSchool, Edinbur

gh, UK,

14 March

At First Sight seminar

Intercontinental Hotel MidPlaza, Ja

karta,

Indonesia, 22 March


Bumi SurabayaHotel (formerly t

he Hyatt

Regency), Surabaya, Indonesia,

24 March


The Young Musician’s Society,

Singapore, 26 March



Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Key

nes,

UK, 27 March


ABRSM, London, UK, 27 March

CT ABRSM Plus Taster

HKU SPACE, Hong Kong, 28 Ma

rch


Bentley Music Auditorium, Petali

ng Jaya,

Malaysia, 29 March


Beverly Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, Mal

aysia,

31 March

APRIL



RSAMD, Glasgow, UK, 17 April

Teaching Music Effectively course

(weekend 1)


K,

17 & 18 April


(weekend 2)

ABRSM, London, UK, 24 & 25 Ap

ril

MAY


ABRSM, London, UK, 8 May

Music Masters’ and Mistresses’

Annual Conference

Brighton College, Brighton, UK,

14-16 May

Come and meetthe ABRSM team.

www.mma-online.org.uk



ABRSM, London, UK, 15 May

JUNE

Federation of Music Services

Annual Conference

Hilton Hotel, Belfast, UK,

16-18 June

Come and meetus at the ABRSM

stand.

www.thefms.org


(weekend 2)


K,

19 & 20 June



Leeds College of Music, Leeds,

UK,

26 June

JULY

Intermediate jazz course

(weekend 1)

Benslow Music Trust, Hertfordshi

re, UK,

9-11 July

AUGUST

Intermediate jazz course

(weekend 2)

Benslow Music Trust, Hertfordshi

re, UK,

13-15 August

International Society for Music

Education 29th World Conference

Beijing, China, 1-6 August

Come and meetthe ABRSM team.

www.isme.org

Closing date for the CT ABRSM Plus

course in Hong Kong

31 August

For more information about

ABRSM courses and events, please

visit www.abrsm.org.

Diary dates –

A round-up of forthcoming

ABRSM courses and

events, plus conferences

where you can meet

members of the

ABRSM team

21Diary dates

Interpreters in examsMost of us have had the experienceof being unable to communicate whenin another country. It’s frustrating enoughwhen on holiday, but a real obstacle in anexam. We want the exam experience to be asstress-free as possible, so examiners areoften delighted if candidates bring aninterpreter into the exam with them. However,the guidelines are slightly different in the UKto those overseas and only in Hong Kong andMacau is an interpreter service offered. In allother regions, candidates must make theirown arrangements. I regularly listen torecordings of diplomas, to check that allaspects of the examining are correct beforeany results are issued. It’s particularly sad tohear a potentially able candidate struggling toanswer the viva voce in English, and theexaminer unable to find out what knowledgethe candidate may have. An interpreter canoften make all the difference. In graded musicexams, the aural tests can obviously be aproblem, and better marks could be achievedwith accurate interpretation of questions andanswers. You will note that for obviousreasons interpreters may not be teachers orfamily members, as the temptation to helpcandidates may prove too strong!

Piano fingeringFingering is an issue that often raises theblood pressure of piano teachers. Pupilscommonly can’t see the importance offollowing exact fingering, and causethemselves uncomfortable problems byinsisting on their own gymnastic butimpractical choices. Often it seems it’sa case of whichever finger or thumb happensto go down first is fine – except it usuallyisn’t! Do you have any tips to help pianopupils learn sensible fingering, especiallyin scales? Sometimes a trouble shared is atrouble halved.

Write to Clara at the usual postal address orsend an email to [email protected].

CLARA’S COMMENT

22

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A proud moment

You ask for stories about students who stay in your mind. Perhaps youmight like this story about a young student of mine. Megan came to herfirst singing lesson, aged seven. To say she was wary would be anunderstatement. Even adopting my most gentle, encouraging tone, I couldbarely get a peep out of her. Still, she seemed prepared to give it a go, hereyes flicking forward and back to mine for reassurance at every step.

For the next few months, I changed tack, focussing on rhythminstruments and some early theory books, to build the relationship andinspire confidence. The singing progressed slowly, and Megan had abeautiful, sweet voice, very much in tune and enchanting to listen to. About18 months later, I suggested she might like to try a local competition, and, toher mother's astonishment, Megan was quite interested.

I couldn't make the competition, but Megan arrived at the next lessonwith a highly commended certificate. Her mother filled in the details.Apparently, Megan had been whey-faced with terror but got up and sangher song. On returning to her mother, obviously deeply relieved, she confided,‘It won't be so hard the next time’. I have never had a prouder moment!

I am now preparing another batch of students for their ABRSMexams and Megan will be taking her Grade 1! Thank you for all that youdo and keep up the good work.

AINE MULVEY, DUBLIN, UK

LETTERS

Frustrations and joys

I read with interest your recent comments regarding adult learners and

achievement by those not naturally gifted in music. I have had

experience of both. I shall never forget the look of sheer joy on the face of

my first adult pupil when he discovered that he had achieved a Pass in

his Grade 1 Piano exam. This was particularly poignant because he had

taken up lessons following the tragic death of his teenage son – a

talented musician – in a road accident.

My other example is a nine-year-old girl who never seemed to make

any progress. It transpired that she had dyslexia. Fortunately I

happened to read an article in Libretto on teaching pupils with dyslexia

and started to put some of the author’s ideas into practice with my

pupil - that of learning passages by the finger patterns they made.

What a difference it made – to both of us. At last she was able to

make headway.

My 30 years of teaching have taught me that no two pupils are alike

and that each requires a method geared specifically to them. Along

with my frustrations have come countless joys! My favourite example is

of a young boy who, upon completing a downward scale, declared ‘I

seem to have run out of fingers!’

EILEEN UNSWORTH, STONE, STAFFORDSHIRE, UK

For further information call +44 (0)1625 266899 or email [email protected]

www.pianosummerschool.com

Chetham’s International Summer School & Festival for PianistsArtistic Director: Murray McLachlan

Part One: 20-25 August 2010Part Two: 25-30 August 2010

Faculty includes: Joseph Banowetz, Philippe Cassard, MarcellaCrudelli, Peter Donohoe, Douglas Finch, Philip Fowke, Adam Gorb,Joan Havill, David Horne, Leslie Howard, Leon McCawley,Murray McLachlan, Michael Roll, Graham Scott, Martino Tirimo

With daily concerts, masterclasses, lectures, intensive one-to-one coaching, composition, duets, improvisation, jazz, organand musical appreciation.

The Friendliest Piano Summer School in the World!

Compose a Christmas Carol for SATB voices

Judging panel for shortlisted entries:Bob Chilcott • James MacMillan • Simon Woods

£500 cash prize • Entry fee £25

Competition guidelines and application pack from:www.waverleycare.org

0131 556 9710

Closing date for entries: Friday 21st May 2010

Sponsored by:Sir Tom and Lady Farmer

Christmas Carol Writing Competition

Scottish Charity No. SC036500

MusicMedalsWe provide music teachers and their students with different types of exams and assessments, all of which nurture and evaluate learners’ performance and progress. Music Medals assessments and teaching resources introduce essential musical skills and encourage playing together.

Flexible, inclusive and fun, Music Medals provide a suggested teaching format and resources. Assessments are marked by the teacher in normal lesson time and then moderated by ABRSM.

www.abrsm.org/musicmedalsMusic Medals assessments are available in the UK, and the ensemble publications are available worldwide

abrsm libretto 2010:1 - jp.abrsm.org · are learning the piano and violin. through them, i’ve...

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