Librettoww

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brs

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2012:3

ABRSM news and views

Piano delight

Best of brassExploring the new syllabus

Outside the boxWays to bring breadth

to your teaching

Highlights from the new repertoire lists

Piano delightHighlights from the new repertoire lists

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New Piano syllabus now availableFeaturing over 150 brand new pieces across all 8 grades, the syllabus will be valid from January 2013 and is supported by a set of teaching resources, including:• 8 new volumes of Piano Exam Pieces, available with or without CD• A book of Teaching Notes for all pieces featured in Grades 1 to 7• Recordings of every piece available on CD or as audio downloadsAvailable from music retailers worldwide or www.abrsm.org/shop

For further information on the 2013 & 2014 Piano syllabus visit www.abrsm.org/piano2013

ABRSM: the exam board of the Royal Schools of Music

Grades

1–7Teaching Noteson Piano Exam Pieces

2013 & 2014

Grade

Recordings of the complete

2013 & 2014 syllabus

Exam PiecesPiano1

COVER STORY

8 Piano delightAnthony Williams takes a personal journey through the new Piano repertoire lists

FEATURES

11 Best of brassHighlights from the new Brass syllabuses

12 Jazz notesTim Richards provides advice on interpreting the suggested notes when improvising in ABRSM Jazz exams

14 Outside the boxWhat can you do to broaden and enrich your students’ musical experiences? Richard Smith makes some suggestions

16 A history in four handsABRSM Syllabus Director Nigel Scaife explores piano duets through the ages

19 Routes to successABRSM Chief Examiner John Holmes looks at the element of choice when preparing exam pieces

21 Music therapy explainedWhat’s involved and how this can work as a career option

REGULARS

4 NewsThe latest updates from ABRSM

21 InboxYour feedback and views

Since the last issue of Libretto, ABRSMhas been busy publishing newsyllabuses for a range of instruments:

Piano, Horn, E� Horn, Baritone/Euphonium andTuba. Fully refreshed and renewed, the newrepertoire lists are available now and will takeeffect from January 2013.

You can read more about these syllabusesin this issue. On page 8, Anthony Williamsshares his personal favourites from the newPiano repertoire lists - a selection hedescribes as ‘the most varied, imaginative andmotivating you could ask for’. Then, on page 11we look at some of the changes we have madeto invigorate our Brass syllabuses, while onpage 19 our Chief Examiner, John Holmes,explores the element of choice in selecting andpreparing exam pieces.

At ABRSM we believe there is much more tomusical learning than graded music exams,however. With this in mind, Richard Smithsuggests simple ways to introduce new ideasand skills into lessons (page 14), and ABRSM’sSyllabus Director, Nigel Scaife, highlightssome of the wonderful piano duet repertoirethat can help to enrich musical knowledge,understanding and enjoyment (page 16).

Alongside such wide-ranging musicalactivities, exams have an important role to playin motivating and rewarding students. So, theABRSM team is already hard at work on thenext round of syllabuses, and in 2013 we willbe publishing new repertoire lists forWoodwind, for use from 2014. As witheverything we do, the aim is to help support high-quality music making by providing thebest possible teaching and learning resources.

Guy PerriconeChief Executive

Outlook

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Libretto

COVER PHOTO: CHRIS CHRISTODOULOU COURTESY OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC

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Agifted young pianist from Hong Kong has been awarded the first ABRSM

scholarship for study at the Hong KongAcademy for Performing Arts (HKAPA).Seventeen-year-old Andy Chung Hok-chun began his undergraduate studies at theAcademy’s School of Music at the beginningof September and will receive funding viathe ABRSM scholarship for all four years of the course. Andy, who lists Mozart,Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev as some of his favourite composers, will be studyingwith the Academy’s Head of KeyboardStudies, Professor Gabriel Kwok, who alsotaught Andy on the Academy’s Junior Music Programme.

ABRSM already provides scholarships forstudents at conservatoires in the UK, butthis is the first time we have offered one at

a conservatoire elsewhere. Our HKAPAscholarship was established to mark 60years of ABRSM exams in Hong Kong andcelebrates our close ties with the localmusic education community.

The award will be available annually to ayoung musician from Hong Kong – pianist,instrumentalist or singer – applying for anundergraduate place at the Academy andshows the seriousness of ABRSM’s supportfor music making in Hong Kong. ‘We aredelighted to be supporting Andy as hecontinues with his studies,’ commented GuyPerricone, ABRSM’s Chief Executive, ‘andlook forward to helping many more youngand talented musicians from Hong Kong inthe years to come.’

For more information about the HKAPAvisit www.hkapa.edu.

The latest addition inour acclaimed

Spectrum series ofbooks featuringcontemporary pieceswill be published in October.

Spectrum forPiano Duet is acollection of 21newly-commissionedpieces ranging indifficulty from Grade3 to diploma level.

Some of the manyspecial features of this volume are:seven duets with an easier Secondoand a harder Primo part – great forstudent–teacher and mixed-level pairs;a set of six variations on a theme byHoward Skempton, each by a differentyoung, up-and-coming composer; and three pieces for piano duet and soundtrack.

To help bring the music to life there is a CD packaged with the bookfeaturing recordings of all the piecesperformed by Spectrum creator ThaliaMyers with either Timothy Salter orEdward Liddall. The CD also includessoundtracks for the pieces written forpiano duet and soundtrack.

Spectrum for Piano Duet will beavailable in October from retailers andfrom www.abrsm.org/shop.

News4

New syllabuses for Piano and selectedBrass instruments are now available

online and in two newly-publishedbooklets. The syllabuses are valid from 1 January 2013 and include entirely newpieces for Piano and refreshed andexpanded repertoire lists for Horn, E � Horn, Baritone/Euphonium and Tuba.All other requirements remain unchanged.

We have also produced a range ofrelated publications and resources to helpsupport teachers and students as theyprepare for exams. Our Shining Brass

and Principal Horn books contain specially-commissioned repertoire for therevised Brass syllabuses, while books andrecordings of Piano Exam Pieces, and theTeaching Notes for Piano Exam Pieces arealso available. In addition, our conferencesin Birmingham, Manchester and Londonwill include sessions on the new Brass andPiano syllabuses.

You can find all syllabus information atwww.abrsm.org/exams, while publicationsand recordings are available from retailersworldwide and from www.abrsm.org/shop.

To read more about our Piano and Brasssyllabuses turn to pages 8 and 11.

Syllabus update

First HKAPA student awarded newABRSM scholarship

Spectrumfor Piano Duetcoming soon

Andy Chung Hok-chun with Benedict Cruft, Dean of Music at the HKAPA

04-06 Lib3-12 Asia News-2.qxd 11/9/12 11:38 Page 4

New for pianistsTo complement the new ABRSM Piano syllabus for

2013 and 2014 we have published a range ofresources for teachers and students. Our books ofPiano Exam Pieces feature a varied selection for eachgrade, with 18 pieces included in each of the volumesfor Grades 1 to 7 and 12 pieces in the Grade 8 book. ThePiano Exam Pieces are available with or without CDrecordings of all pieces selected for the grade. You canalso buy audio downloads of individual tracks fromwww.abrsm.org/audioshop or buy the CDs separately.

In addition, our popular Teaching Notes on PianoExam Pieces, Grades 1-7, provides information on whatexaminers are looking for and how to achieve a secureand musical performance. Written by experiencedteachers and ABRSM examiners, this guide provides awealth of valuable advice.

It’s worth noting that there are no changes to Piano scales and arpeggios or sight-reading,apart from the addition of the natural minor option at Grades 1 and 2, introduced in Januarythis year. All new Piano publications are available now from www.abrsm.org/shop.

Anew edition of our best-selling guide to

researching and writingabout music will beavailable in November.Fully updated andrevised, this invaluablereference tool covers everything youneed to know to write effectivelyabout music, while the companionwebsite will offer additional adviceand resources. From programmenotes to university essays, Music inWords is an essential handbook forwriters at all levels.

Music in Words will be availablein November from retailers andfrom www.abrsm.org/shop.

5News

Our recently established InternationalSponsorship Fund is one way in which we

are supporting music learning around theworld, and this year our first sponsorshiprecipients have been busy putting theirfunding to use within their localcommunities. The Indian National YouthOrchestra has used its grant to give 20underprivileged young musicians a chance toattend its annual workshops, while inJamaica the Providence Heights CommunityBand has been able to set up a recitalprogramme, repair instruments, buy newones and pay for professional tuition.

In Malaysia, we are supporting MusicaSinfonietta’s five-day ‘camp’ which providescoaching, lectures and workshops withprofessional musicians and teachers, and in

the Philippines the Mandaluyong Children’sChoir are using their funding to put onconcerts, a competition, workshops andseminars, and a choral fiesta.

Finally, we’ve been sponsoring twoschools in Uganda. Through the UK-basedcharity Musequality we are supporting theTender Talents Magnet School near Kampala,which provides an all-round education, with aspecial focus on music, for disadvantagedchildren. Meanwhile, ABRSM funding ishelping the Kampala Music School tointroduce a development programme forteachers, both at the school and in thesurrounding region.

It’s inspiring to know that ABRSM fundsare helping to encourage and support youngmusicians from all backgrounds and from allover the world. Look out for more on thesestories in the next issue of Libretto.

Early next year wewill be publishing

the latest book inour ExtraordinaryLives series ofbiographies. In thisnew volume,Beethoven scholarBarry Cooperoffers a fascinatingsummary of key moments inBeethoven’s life.

Cooper, who recently workedon ABRSM’s critically-acclaimededition of the completeBeethoven piano sonatas, offers fresh insights intoBeethoven’s personality andmotivations while challengingmuch of the mythology thatsurrounds him.

In common with the otherbooks in this series – on Bach,Elgar, Mozart and Purcell –Beethoven: An ExtraordinaryLife will provide essentialreading for anyone with aninterest in the life and work ofone of the great composers.

Beethoven: an extraordinarylife will be available in early2013 from retailers and fromwww.abrsm.org/shop.

A new look at Beethoven

ABRSM reaching out

Music in Wordsupdated

The Musica Sinfonietta camp, Malaysia

04-06 Lib3-12 Asia News-2.qxd 11/9/12 11:38 Page 5

News6

IN BRIEF

� Meeting the examinerin MalaysiaTeachers throughout Malaysia

have been benefiting from a

series of meetings with ABRSM

examiners. During each

hour-long event an ABRSM

examiner provides valuable

feedback on recent exams in

the local area and answers

teachers’ questions. Examiners

also talk about the assessment

process, discuss how teachers

and students can get the most

from the comments on the

mark forms and suggest ways

to achieve higher marks in

exams. This year we organised

six successful meetings across

Malaysia, in July and August,

and we are now planning to

run more meetings, together

with some in-depth seminars,

during 2013. Look out for

further details next year at

www.abrsm.org/

malaysiameetings.

� Get ready for 2013New Exam Information &Regulations booklets for 2013are now available, in both UK & Ireland and Internationaleditions. These invaluablebooklets are packed with theinformation you need to entercandidates for exams and areavailable from music shops,ABRSM representatives and by request from ABRSM. You can also find the complete regulations online at www.abrsm.org/exams.

� Scale speeds now onlineWe have created a new section on our website which gives up-to-daterecommended minimum speeds for scales and arpeggiosfor the majority of instruments.We hope this will be a useful resource for teachers as they help students to prepare for this importantelement of their exams. You can find out more atwww.abrsm.org/scalespeeds.

More than a thousand pianoteachers from Singapore,

Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kongattended our recent ProfessionalDevelopment Programme (PDP)events presented by VanessaLatarche, Gary Matthewman and Loo Bang Hean. Each of thesepopular one-day seminars focusedon pieces from the new ABRSMPiano syllabus for 2013 and 2014,providing an invaluable introductionto some of the wonderful and variedrepertoire on offer.

Erolment is now open for our nextCertificate of Teaching course in

Singapore. The course, which begins inMarch 2013, combines the highly respectedCT ABRSM qualification with studiestowards our DipABRSM Teaching diploma.It gives instrumental and singing teachersthe opportunity to expand their knowledgeand understanding, develop new skills andreflect on their teaching.

The CT ABRSM course takes place oversix months and consists of 11 study days,held in Singapore, together withdistance/online work and support. Thestudy days include general, or whole-group,sessions alongside instrument-specific

sessions. This allows teachers to examine broad issues, such as learning styles, lesson planning, music technology and preparation forperformance while also exploring issuesrelated to their own instrument, such asdeveloping techniques, tone production and repertoire.

At the end of the course, teachers will be able to review their own teaching,make judgements about what works and what doesn’t, and introduce newtechniques and approaches in their lessons

To find out more about the CT ABRSM coursein Singapore visit www.abrsm.org/ctabrsm.

Enrol now for Singapore teaching course

PDP seminars put piano centre stage

Teachers at a PDPseminar in Kuala Lumpur

Above: Presenter Loo Bang Hean

04-06 Lib3-12 Asia News-2.qxd 11/9/12 11:38 Page 6

Discover ABRSM’s shop: everything you need in one place

• Select your exam using our exam music fi nder.

• View and choose repertoire from us and other publishers.

• Add scales, sight-reading, aural, theory or any other books you need

• Add to basket and let us take care of the rest.

To get started, simply visit

www.abrsm.org/shop

Providing an extensive range of publications, exam materials and resources, our online shop offers a straight-forward solution to fi nding everything you need in 4 easy steps:

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An early grade highlightAt the other end of the spectrum is one ofmy youngest pupils. Having taken Grade 1last year, he is now preparing for Grade 3.He has happily (if temporarily, I suspect)ditched his Star Wars theme for one of myfavourite pieces – In the Bay by Swinstead(Grade 3, List B). I know that this studentcan project a line and his pedalling, even fora small boy, is really quite advanced so hewill be able to control the legato changes onthe bass notes well.

Some attractive arrangementsAlan Bullard's cheeky arrangement ofSullivan's The Policeman's Song (Grade 3,List C) will also prove popular, I hope. I ama real fan of arrangements. Although thereis suitable original music for the lowergrades, it’s not always appealing and can berather sophisticated for younger students.Attractive arrangements can motivatestudents to practise more technicallychallenging repertoire while introducingthem to compositions beyond those of theirown discipline.

An entertaining and refreshingarrangement is Meet the Flintstones(Grade 2, List C). It might, I know,encourage students (or us) to spend toomuch time on the cartoon channel, but thisarrangement had to go in.Teachers of mygeneration will love it and be practisingtheir ‘yabba dabbadoos', whereasstudents will beworking on their

Syllabus news8

Piano delightThe new ABRSM Piano syllabus is now available. Here, ABRSM Pianosyllabus selector Anthony Williams takes a journey through therepertoire on offer and highlights some personal favourites.

One of my students recently said tome: 'I don't want to play that, it's anexam piece.’ As if setting Pride and

Prejudice for an A level English literatureexam suddenly makes the story dull anduninteresting. But why should he know that ABRSM exam repertoire is the result of more than 18 months’ work? A processthat involves playing through hundreds ofcomposers, collections and submissions as well as consulting with teachers to findthose musical gems, old and new, that will captivate, motivate and enthuse young pianists while developing theirmusicianship and technique. A superbpiece was cast aside simply because itfeatured in an exam book; his 'prejudice'had hurt my 'pride'.

But I am a teacher, first and foremost,and share with other teachers and studentsthe passion for a colourful, varied,imaginative and inspiring list of repertoirethat will provide them with wonderfulmusic to explore. If you can also use it foran exam, that’s a brilliant added bonus!

There are some truly fabulous pieces in the 2013 and 2014 lists; a veritable feast of ‘culinary’ delights. There is the amuse-bouche, the cordon bleu, the roastdinner, the sophisticated olive or exoticfruit and, dare I say it, even the occasionalcandyfloss and burger. The breadth ofrepertoire covers not only a variety of tastesbut also a defined span of ability withineach grade. In fact, almost every piece hasbeen chosen with a current or past studentin mind. I’m sure I’m not alone though inhaving favourites – pieces which naturally excite me and that I know will inspire my students.

Highlights at Grade 8For Grade 8 students, my choice on List Chas to be the Lili Boulanger D'un vieuxjardin. It is unusual, evocative, colourfuland so wonderfully moving when performedby a sensitive pianist. The imagery drips

from the printed notes and the challengesof colour, balance and descriptive sense ofline reap huge musical rewards.

The Skryabin Poème may not immediatelyappeal to some but I have a student who Ihope will play it next year – he's interestedin composition and relates instinctively topieces a little less tonal. The feelings thispiece evokes with its variety of touch,articulation and abrupt changes of moodwill test his control but above all I know thepiece will live with him for years to come.

In List A, I'll be looking at the J. S. BachPraeambulum for those with a good fingerfacility. It’s a great introduction to the BachPartitas and exciting to play. It does requirecareful planning of dynamics andarticulation though, and needs a firmlyestablished three-in-a-bar from the start as the opening catches many out! By contrast, the haunting and elusiveShostakovich Prelude and Fugue in D withits delicate melodic Prelude and naggingFugue subject works well with a rathernaïve, simplistic approach.

Two of Beethoven's early Op. 10 sonatasfeature in List B. Their typical mood swings,absorbing drama, persuasive lyricism andinventive, restless development sectionsprovide a backbone to a musically engaginglist of Classical repertoire. I am alsoentranced by the haunting Sonata in E� minor by Pinto, an obscure butwonderful English composer.

‘There is somethinghere for everyone ... a selection of the mostvaried pieces youcould ask for’

08-09 Lib3-12 PIANO SYLLABUS.qxd 22/8/12 12:51 Page 8

control and variety of detached chords(slightly voiced to the top) with a precisesense of rhythmic control and dynamicshape, yet loving every note. And there’salso Chopin's Wiosna (Spring) on Grade 3,List B, a rare arrangement of a Polish folksong – and it’s beautiful.

Other gems not to missA lovely expressive Scarlatti Sonata in G minor features at Grade 4 (List A). It is avery special piece needing musical shading,subtle balance, a vocal expressiveness andharmonic awareness, and would make anexcellent contrast to Emmanuel Oriol's Ne tirez pas sur le pianiste! (Grade 4, List C)– a fun rag requiring humour and quite a lotof control in the left-hand jumps. Thenagain, you ignore the seductive Carl VineSemplice (Grade 4, List C) at your peril as it’s easy note-wise and a joy to play and perform.

MacDowell's To a Wild Rose (Grade 5,List B) never ceases to engage the moresentimental of students. It’s relatively easynote-wise, yet challenges abound in thebreadth and balance. Personally I love theTárrega Adelita (Grade 5, List B), but I havea soft spot for Spanish music. I’m also a bitof a rebel when it comes to choosing piecesfrom ABRSM’s Piano Exam Pieces booksand prefer to look outside for gems such asArne's Presto from his Sonata in A (Grade 6,List A), an attractive, engaging and cheekypiece of Baroque music.

Grade 7 choicesFinally, I must mention the List C selectionat Grade 7. From the desolate anguish ofSchoenberg's Leicht, zart, the fantasy of theShostakovich Allegretto and the excitingrock groove of Christopher Norton's SturdyBuild, through to the seductive Gershwinsong Do It Again, the gorgeous Ginastera(Danza de le moza donosa) and causticProkofiev (Con vivacità) – there’s the mostdelicious and exciting choice to make here.

Of course, there will be pieces you and yourstudents love and those you don’t. We willalways have different favourites and tastes,but there is definitely something herefor everyone. Here is a selection ofthe most varied, imaginative andmotivating pieces you could askfor and I, for one, can’t wait toteach them.

Oh, and by the way, did Imention you could also perform them for an exam if you wish? �

Anthony Williams is a pianist, teacher,ABRSM examiner and ABRSM Pianosyllabus selector. He is co-presentingseminars on the new Piano syllabus at ourUK conferences this year.

The new Piano syllabus is valid for 2013 and 2014. It is available atwww.abrsm.org/exams and in bookletform. We have also produced a range ofsupporting resources available to buy atwww.abrsm.org/shop.

To comment on this article, please email libretto@abrsm.ac.uk.

9Syllabus news

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Supporting brass players

www.abrsm.org

ABRSM have just launched new syllabuses for French Horn, E Horn, Baritone / Euphonium and Tuba. In support of the syllabus launch, we have also published books containing new pieces, commissioned from some of the fi nest composers of brass music working today:

ABRSM: the exam board of the Royal Schools of Music

For further information on the new brass syllabuses, visit www.abrsm.org/brass2013

Principal Horn• A single collection of

pieces and studies, covering Grades 6-8.

• Score and part book with CD

Shining Brass• A new series for any brass

player, covering Grades 1-3 and 4 & 5.

• Two part books including CDs, with piano accompaniments in B , E and F available separately.

Now available from music retailers worldwide or www.abrsm.org/shop

11Syllabus news

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French horn music has been avoided on theE� Horn syllabus.’

These are big changes which will bringvariety and vigour not only to exams butalso to lessons, performances and the waystudents think about their music. ‘Above all,our aim was to compile repertoire lists thatwould offer as wide and varied a choice ofmaterial as possible,’ concludes Robert. ‘We want to allow the students’ developingabilities to be tested and showcased, whileoffering accessible, attractive andmotivational repertoire choices.’ �

Rhian Morgan is a music educationjournalist and runs a media training company.

I’m sure brass players must occasionallyfeel neglected when it comes to exams.There are the pianists, violinists, flautists

and clarinettists spoilt for choice and able totake their pick from lists containing a hugevariety of pieces. But the poor brass players.Sometimes just half a dozen pieces tochoose from – and a single list to work from,if you happen to be taking Grade 8 E� Horn.

But no more … a new and exciting ABRSMBrass syllabus, which comes into effect inJanuary 2013, offers players more varietyand choice. For the first time since 2004, thelists for Horn, E� Horn, Baritone/Euphoniumand Tuba have all been thoroughly refreshedand expanded, bringing them into line withthe size of ABRSM’s syllabuses for otherbrass, as well as woodwind, instruments.

There were extensive consultations withteachers before decisions were made onthe new syllabuses. ‘We’ve really listenedto what brass teachers want from us,’ sayssyllabus consultant Nicky Daw. ‘We’vetaken in feedback, looked at statistics and extended the repertoire to includemore choice as well as developingpublications which can be used overseveral grades.’

There’s a broadening of the syllabus too,with movement into the world of brass bandmusic. ‘There are a lot of brass learnerswho, if they perform outside the classroomenvironment, tend to play in brass bands,’explains Robert Sargant, Syllabus Managerat ABRSM. ‘For example, on our syllabus forTrumpet, Cornet and Flugelhorn, nearly aquarter of candidates enter on the Cornet, apopular brass band instrument, so when werevised the Trumpet syllabus, along withTrombone and Bass Trombone in 2010, we

ensured there were plenty of cornet-specificpieces, as well as some flugelhorn ones.’

And so, for these latest syllabuses it wasequally important to include solo repertoirefrom the brass band – rather thanexclusively Western classical – tradition, tobroaden the lists of pieces. But it’s notentirely out with the old and in with the new.Plenty on the old syllabus was deemedworth keeping. ‘A very popular current piece is Lionel Bart’s Where is Love? fromOliver!,’ says Robert. ‘It’s set at Grade 2 forE� Horn and Tuba, and the candidate take-up is around 45%. It’s a popular choice froman excellent album that gets used widely, sowe felt this piece should be retained.’

Nicky Daw is a French horn player. Shechooses Richard Bissill’s My Lady Fair(Grade 6) and John Frith’s The Pearl(Grade 8) as her top favourites on the newsyllabus, while Reinecke’s Notturno (Grade7), Gliere’s Concerto (Grade 8), and the YorkBowen and Trygve Madsen sonatas (Grade 8) are also tipped to be popular.

In selecting for the syllabuses, great carehas been taken to ensure that listedpublications can be used in a way that ishelpful to candidates and teachers. Manybooks, especially for beginners, cover atleast two or three grades, and very often twoor three lists in a grade. Attention is given tocost, keeping most titles under £12.

The syllabus also aims to aid thoseteaching cross-brass, in groups, withcertain publications set on all foursyllabuses, particularly in the early grades. ‘We’re also pleased that moreinstrument-specific music will be featured,’says Nicky ‘so fewer trombone titles appearon the Baritone/Euphonium syllabus, and

WHAT’S NEW� Shining Brass is a cross-brass seriesfrom ABRSM covering Grades 1 to 5.

� Principal Horn is an ABRSM book ofpieces and studies for horn, to support thenew syllabus at Grades 6 to 8.

� Other important cross-brass publicationson the new syllabus are by eminent brasscomposers, including Philip Sparke, PeterGraham and Jock McKenzie, as well asthose associated with Robert and DavidChilds, Gordon Higginbottom and Steven Mead.

� Titles from Salvationist Publishing areused on the syllabus for the first time.

FIND OUT MORE� The new Brass syllabuses can be usedfrom January 2013.

� You can find all syllabuses atwww.abrsm.org/exams. New Brass syllabusbooklets are also available from musicshops, ABRSM representatives or directlyfrom ABRSM.

� You can buy Shining Brass andPrincipal Horn from retailers and fromwww.abrsm.org/shop.

� Nicky Daw will be presenting sessions on the new Brass syllabuses at ABRSMconferences in Birmingham, London and Manchester.

In July we published revised syllabuses for Horn, E� Horn,Baritone/Euphonium and Tuba. Rhian Morgan takes a look at what’s new.

Best of brass

11 Lib3-12 Brass SYLLABUS.qxd 22/8/12 16:32 Page 1

A ll ABRSM jazz exams featureimprovisation as an integral part of each piece, which can be an

unfamiliar task for those not used toproviding creative input of this nature. To help with this process, theimprovisation sections in the piecesfeature a selection of notes in a box,implying that the player can choose fromthese notes for as many bars asnecessary, until another box comes along,or the written material reappears.

One of the first things to bear in mindis that the suggested notes, or scale, arenot compulsory, and the examiner will notbe marking candidates on whether theyuse them or not. As long as the result iscoherent and musical, you are free to playany note you like. In the Jazz Pianoexams, the same goes for the left-handaccompaniment given in these sections.As it states on the inside front cover ofevery graded ABRSM Jazz Tunes book:‘these are given solely as a starting point,or to indicate the style.’

Identifying the scaleAn important aspect of the improvisationboxes is that they often contain scales,arpeggios or pentatonic scales. Theteacher should always make sure theseare identified, and if possible tie them inwith the scale section of the syllabus.

On occasions it may not be obviouswhich scale is being suggested, as itmight be incomplete or start on a noteother than the root. Take a look at theexample (Figure 1) from the solo sectionof Bag’s Groove (Jazz Piano Grade 1).While the scale may at first look like akind of pentatonic scale on D, closerinspection will reveal that it is in fact a‘flat 3’ pentatonic on G, as found in theGrade 1 Jazz Piano scales. In root positionthis scale has the notes G, A, B�, D, E, but

it is given here with the notes in a differentorder, starting on D.

Why has the scale been disguised inthis way? It’s not to deliberately confuseteachers and students, but to encourageyou to avoid always starting these scaleson their root. Because the scale is to beplayed over three chords (the last fourbars of a blues in G), not all the notes willsound equally good in every bar. Playing aG on the first beat of the D7 bar can soundlike quite a clash if the left hand plays aD7 chord at the same time!

This brings home the desirability ofgetting to know the pentatonic scalesstarting on any note, perhaps by practisinghand positions, such as the four-notegroups shown in Figure 2.

For younger students, or those withsmaller hands, similar three-note groupscan be played, starting on each note of thescale in turn. Each hand position providesa viable choice of notes for building yourown phrases. Being fluent with all fivepositions allows you to choose a differentgroup of notes each time you perform theimprovisation, thereby giving your solosmore spontaneity.

Thinking about modesThe concept of starting a scale on a noteother than the root is akin to generatingmodes of the major scale by going up thewhite notes on the keyboard, for example:the Dorian scale on D is like a C majorscale starting on D, the Mixolydian scaleon G is like a C major scale starting on G,and so on.

However, it is usually more helpful tothink of the Mixolydian on G as a scale inits own right, instead of relating it to Cmajor. The important thing to rememberabout Mixolydian scales is that they fitdominant 7th chords and can be formed byflattening the 7th note of the major scaleon the same root. Figure 3 shows anexample of the Mixolydian scale on C, withfour simple phrases generated from it,following the same rhythmic template asthe previous example.

Note how none of the examples start on C. In fact, the notes they finish on aremore important than where they start –

from left to right the last notes are B� (7thof the chord), C (root), E (3rd), B� (7thagain) – all notes of the chord itself, asdefined by the chord symbol.

Top tipsAlthough we are using a scale to generateour phrases, it is not necessary to alwaysplay consecutive notes. The last thing youneed is for your improvisation to soundlike a scale exercise! Here are a few othergeneral points which may be useful toimplement with your students.� Play the notes in any register, an octave

higher will often sound even better.� Start on any note (not necessarily the

first one given) and play the notes in any order.

� Go outside the box.� Omit some of the notes, even if a whole

scale is given, you don’t have to use all of it.

� Don’t be afraid to repeat notes, simple ideas are often good ones.

� Play the same group of notes with different rhythms.

� Don’t always start on the first beat of the bar, try starting on ‘one and’ or ‘two’.

� In a swing piece try to play some swing quavers – a few triplets will sound good too.

� Try singing the notes in the box before playing.

The value of singingSinging is important, no matter how goodor bad your voice is. If you’re not hearingphrases in your head, then even if youfollow the notes in the box it can soundlike you’re just moving your fingersrandomly. Singing the notes with yourstudents is an important step to help themcreate phrases built on those notes. Thisis particularly true with pentatonic scales– because they only have five notes theyhave a distinctive sound which is easy to remember.

Look out for alternativesFinally, as the teacher, use yourknowledge to point out alternatives,particularly if the suggested notes don’tseem to be working. For a minor 7th

Jazz exams12

ABRSM Jazz examiner Tim Richards looks at ways to interpret the suggested notes boxes found in the Jazz syllabus pieces.

Improvisation notes

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113Jazz exams

chord, for instance, any of the suggestionsshown in Figure 4 could be possible. Tryeach of these over the left hand fromEddie Harvey’s popular Blue Autumn fromthe Grade 1 Jazz Piano syllabus.

The last example, featuring anarpeggio, reminds me of a basic tenet ofjazz improvisation that is often overlookedin the face of the scale-based methodsgiven in so many books, and that is: themost foolproof way to improvise over anychord sequence is to play the notes ofeach chord as it comes by. Always beaware of the chord symbols! �

Tim Richards is a jazz pianist, composer,ABRSM examiner and author of severalbooks on jazz, blues and Latin piano. Healso teaches short courses for pianoteachers based on the ABRSM Jazz Pianosyllabus, currently in London (November)and Leeds (March). You can find out moreat www.timrichards.ndo.co.uk.

To comment on this article or share your improvisation tips, please emaillibretto@abrsm.ac.uk.

&D7 C7 G7

œ œ œ œ œb

44&Major pentatonic on C

1 2 3 5 1 2 3 41 2 3 5

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

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4444

&Mixolydian scale on C

b7

C7

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&Dorian scale on DD‹7

b3 b7

Minor pent on D Blues scale on D

b5

Flat 3 pent on D Arpeggio

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Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

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Musicianship14

Opportunities abound for teachers to broaden and enrichstudents' activities in their lessons, at the same timeenhancing the enjoyment of learning. The following

suggestions may not be first choice for all teachers, but each canfulfil a unique and memorable role, and if at first they look daunting,a little thought and preparation can make their inclusion arewarding experience for both teacher and student.

CompositionMany a young student comes to an early music lesson proudlybrandishing a composition written at home. No doubt the teacherlistens with interest and responds appropriately. But very often thispractice stops after a few weeks. Why? Why should such a basiccreative activity die just when particularly relevant skills start todevelop? This kind of creativity can be kindled, even if the teacher isnot a fluent composer.

A rewarding place to start is to analyse the structure of the earlytunes that a student is learning; for example, Old MacDonald had a farm starts with a two-bar melody fragment, followed by a two-bar answering phrase (see Figure 1). The next four bars simplyrepeat the opening four bars. Bar nine (starting 'With a quack quackhere ... ') introduces the simplest counter melody – one repeatednote! This kind of analysis can help students to give a similarstructure to the tunes they write at home, helping to makeconsequent compositions more rewarding

When such well-known tunes have been learned, the teachercan encourage students to write their own variations on them!

ImprovisationIt can be a liberating experience to play without written music.Try clapping a rhythm for the student to copy, as in one of theABRSM Prep Test listening games. After two or three variations,ask the student to clap a different rhythm in response. Then addpitch to that rhythm and an improvised melody results. UsingABRSM’s book of Jazz Piano Quick Studies for Grade 1, studentscan practise playing a two-bar phrase then devising a two-baranswer. I have found both books useful starting points forintroducing improvisation.

TranspositionWhen a student has completed an early simple tune, try playing it in another key. For example, Three blind mice can be transposedfrom C major into G major, which is not only a very effective way of introducing F# , but can also serve as a teaching aid to learn the T - T - S - T - T - T - S structure of the major scale.

Row, row, row your boat can be played in both C major and G major without any accidentals at all. Then play it starting on A and the student will almost naturally play it in A minor, and be ableto hear the typical minor mood created with no apparent differencein note sequence (see Figure 2).

Playing by earI think I am not the only music teacher to despair on seeing some ofthe sheet music to students' favourite pop songs. Frequently they arewritten out in three lines with the vocal part (tune) separated fromthe accompaniment which consequently excludes the melody and iseither too easy or too hard for the student to play. Often students findthe dotted-crotchet–quaver–crotchet rhythm of the bass drum on apop recording difficult to replicate in a written bass line. The result isa frustrating few weeks in which student and teacher try to makesense of what may be in any case a fairly lacklustre arrangement.

All too often the result is reluctant abandonment of the piece and theselection of a replacement which may not be as musically appealing tothe student as the favourite pop song but is at least playable. Working outan arrangement by ear is a happy medium. Recently I have found theAdele song Someone Like You an accessible introduction, for Grade 2-level students, to the A major scale.

For the teacher a useful starting point to practise playing by ear is to analyse the chord sequences of well-known pieces – Bach'sPrelude No. 1 in C is straightforward but with very colourful chordsand Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag has some interesting inversions.Beethoven’s ‘Für Elise’ is a simple tonic–dominant–tonic chordsequence in a minor key which is then repeated in the relative major.

Allegretto

c&two bar melody fragment

&two bar answering phrase

œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

œ œ œ œ ˙ ™ œ

68

68

68

&# G major

&C major

&A minor

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Outside the box ... inside tcomfort zone

Figure 1: Old MacDonald had a farm

Figure 2: Row, row, row your boat

Richard Smith presents practical tips to fire students’ imsome fun to instrumental lessons.

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15Musicianship

Pianists often use lead sheets but they can beequally effective for other instruments.Clarinettists, flautists, violinists and players of

monophonic instruments can get together and playchords in the same way that a brass or woodwindsection might do in a band or orchestra.

Building on the basicsThe importance of learning the basics should neverbe overlooked and the responsible teacher will seekto ensure that students receive a comprehensivegrounding in playing techniques, as well as music

literacy, listening skills, sight-reading/-singing andthe other necessary ingredients covered by the ABRSMexam syllabus. However, there should always be timefor some extra fun, imagination and flair.

If these suggestions are new, start simply. Takeeach concept step-by-step, practising every idea byitself to build confidence.Then introduce itinto a lessonwith a

receptivestudent,perhapsworking asequals on ahithertounknownarea. Many

studentsrelish

theprospectof workingon a par withthe teacher in this way,discovering together a newcolour in the sonic kaleidoscopeof music. They respondpositively and creatively tosuch stimuli and appreciatethe added dimension to their lessons! �

Richard Smith is a pianoteacher, songwriter andmember of ABRSM’sprofessional developmentpanel. Richard will bepresenting ABRSM’sPlay by Ear workshopsin 2013. Find out moreat www.abrsm.org/cpd. To comment on thisarticle, please emaillibretto@abrsm.ac.uk.

C F C G7 G‡…‹ G7Allegretto

D‹ G7 C C G/D C7/E

F C E7

A‹ D7 G7 C

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&

&

&

w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ# w

w ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œb

˙ ™ œn œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙

w ˙ ™ œ ˙ ˙ w

Figure 3: We shall not be moved

thes’ imaginations and add

Writing out an arrangementThis can be an alternative to working out apiece by ear and may ameliorate the frustrationof the purchased sheet music experienced above.The printed melody line of the pop song may be whatthe student plays on the violin or flute and a friend

who plays the cello or bass may like to play the bottom line of the accompaniment as a bass part.

The teacher can help by writing out the two salient parts on manuscript paper or perhaps with the help of a musicalsoftware package – a surprisingly quick undertaking.

Reading lead sheetsTake a look at We shall not be moved presented as a lead sheet, inwhich the tune is written out in traditional notation and theaccompaniment consists of a series of chords (see Figure 3). The notes of the chord of G7 are the same as those for thedominant 7th arpeggio of C major (G B D F � ).

14-15 Lib3-12 out of the box-1.qxd 31/8/12 08:35 Page 15

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USIC

The piano duet repertoire is rich anddiverse, offering high quality music forplayers at all levels. Exploring new

repertoire is one of the great joys of duetplaying, and I hope that as a result ofreading this short article you will beinspired to make some new discoveries!

The earliest duetsThe limited compass of early keyboardsmeant it was difficult to have two playersplaced in front of them, especially given thevoluminous clothing of the 16th century.Nevertheless, the English virginalistcomposers Thomas Tompkins and NicholasCarlton were among the first to writekeyboard duets – Tompkins’s A fancy isprobably the earliest keyboard duet to showa real appreciation of the medium.

The Classical periodThe next appearance of published duets wasnot for another 100 years, with Jamelli'sSonata, Haydn’s The teacher and the pupiland Mozart’s little C major Sonata, K. 19d.This last piece was probably written for thevery first keyboard duet recital. This tookplace in 1765 when the nine-year old Mozartand his sister Nannerl played together inLondon on a two-manual harpsichord. Withthe publication of Charles Burney’s Foursonatas or duets for two performers of 1777,the medium was finally put on the map.

As the compass and sonority of keyboardinstruments increased during the 18thcentury, duet playing was made morefeasible and attractive. With the growth ofmusic publishing and the rise of a middleclass, an environment was established thatwould make composing and publishingduets increasingly profitable. Many teacher-pupil duets were soon beingpublished, including those of J. C. Bach and Clementi. But one of the greatestwriters of piano duets was to outshine them all – Mozart.

Mozart and SchubertMozart used duets in his teaching andperformances throughout his life and wrote

many pieces for the medium including four sonatas, of which the Sonata in F, K. 497, is widely considered a Classicalmasterpiece. After Mozart’s well-publicisedperformances, the popularity of duet playingbegan to grow. Fashion also played its part,as the move away from wigs, rigid corsetsand hooped skirts to simpler attire madeduet playing easier.

Schubert was the second great Classicalcomposer of duets and the most prolific. Hewrote over 70 duets throughout his lifeincluding the challenging Grand Duo in C, D. 812, Lebenstürme, D. 947, and Fantasiein F minor, D. 940. He also wrote manyeasier but rewarding pieces that provideexcellent teaching material – his numerousMarches, Waltzes and Polonaises, largelywritten during visits to Count Esterhazy’ssummer home, in 1818 and 1824, where hetaught the count’s two daughters.

The RomanticsAs the piano evolved to become the pre-eminent instrument of the 19th century,duet playing became the favourite social and musical pastime in every affluent livingroom. It also provided an ideal opportunity foryoung people to meet, at a time when suchopportunities were more limited and socialconventions entirely different from our own.

The political and economic situation at thestart of the 19th century indirectly contributedto the growth of the piano duet. High taxeslevied by Napoleon led wealthy families toabandon the hiring of chamber orchestrasand to substitute the piano duet as analternative form of entertainment. As soon asa new opera, symphony or chamber workwas premiered, the publishers would issue aduet version of it for an insatiable market.

Weber’s three sets of duets are mainlyinstructional but contain fine music, as dothe duets of Mendelssohn and Schumann.Liszt was an enthusiastic duettist and oftenwrote his pieces, such as the MephistoWaltz, in various versions: for piano solo,duet, and orchestra. Even Chopin composeda set of youthful variations – known today asthe Carnival of Venice.

Brahms’s duet music, however, is moresubstantial and significant. His Waltzes, Op. 39, and Hungarian Dances, WoO1, arewell known in every sort of arrangement,but were originally conceived for piano duet.The Liebeslieder, Op. 52, and NeueLiebeslieder, Op. 65, while originally beingfor voices with duet accompaniment, werealso published in a version without voices.

French repertoireLess well known are the duets of Bizet, thefirst of a long line of French duet composersincluding Fauré (his Dolly Suite, Op. 56,being a perennial favourite), Debussy, Satie,Ravel, Poulenc, Koechlin and Milhaud.Bizet’s Jeux d’enfants, Op. 22, is a set of 12pieces that describe children’s games and is well worth exploring, although technicallychallenging. Pieces about childhood (ratherthan for children) have a special place in the history of French piano music andinclude Ravel’s Ma mere l’oye, whichoriginated as a piano duet. Ravel’s Rapsodieespagnole also began life as a duet and in1910 he transcribed Debussy’s Prélude àl’après-midi d’un faune for piano duet.

The modern eraIn the early 20th century the popularity ofthe piano duet began to wane, the result ofsocial, economic and musical factors,including the introduction of recorded musicand the rise of Modernism.

Stravinsky wrote a fiendishly difficult duetversion of his Rite of Spring, but also two setsof duets for beginners – the 3 Easy Piecesand 5 Easy Pieces. There are also duets byother well-known 20th-century composers,such as Hindemith, Percy Grainger (includingCountry Gardens) and George Crumb, as wellas less familiar ones such as Ernst Toch,Arnold Van Wyk and Casella.

There is also an English tradition of duetwriting. Walton’s two volumes of Duets forChildren are easy enough for talentedstudents around Grade 5 and there aremany examples of fine duets by composerssuch as Warlock (including the CapriolSuite), Lambert, Rawsthorne and

Piano duets16

A history in four handsIn the third of his series of articles on piano duets Nigel Scaife, ABRSM’s Syllabus Director, explores the history of the form and how the repertoire has evolved.

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lesser-known figures, such as LordBerners, Percy Young and York Bowen. Morerecently, Thea Musgrave, Richard RodneyBennett, Edward Gregson and KennethLeighton have all written for piano duet.

Teaching materialWe now have many specifically educationalduet books to choose from includingChristopher Norton's Microjazz, MarthaMier's Jazz, Rags & Blues, Pauline Hall'sDuets with a Difference, Mike Cornick'sClever Cat, and Pam Wedgwood's AfterHours. Some contain teacher-student duets alongside student-student ones and all provide resources to supportstudents with stimulating and challenging

repertoire that will motivate and instil a loveof making music with others.

FinalePlaying duets has significant value indeveloping musicianship skills for pianists,so why not introduce more duets to yourstudents, put a few duets into your students’concerts, prepare them for a duet exam, orexplore the repertoire yourself with anotherteacher? After all, playing duets has to beone of the most enjoyable and rewardingways to make music! �

Do you have any favourite piano duets?Send your recommendations tolibretto@abrsm.ac.uk.

17Piano duets

SPECTRUM FOR PIANO DUETSpectrum for Piano Duet is the ninthpublication in our Spectrum series ofcontemporary albums for players of all ages.This volume of newly-commissioned pianoduets features 21 pieces ranging in difficultyfrom Grade 3 to diploma level.

Leslie East, ABRSM’s Executive Director,Syllabus and Publishing, sees the book asan ideal introduction to contemporary music.‘Playing piano duets is one of the best waysto discover new music,’ comments Leslie.‘With the new music of today, there are oftenno recordings and the music is not oftensuitable for the beginner or developingperformer. This new volume provides a wayin to a range of styles, at a variety oftechnical levels, so that student and teacheror student and student can discover the richlandscape of today's music.’

Pianist and teacher Thalia Myers created theSpectrum concept and has been closelyinvolved in the commissioning of the series.In introducing Spectrum for Piano DuetThalia describes ‘a feast of chamber music’offering the ‘delights of shared music-making’ and ‘riches of a different order’. This reflects our aim to extend, broaden and invigorate the piano duet repertoirewhile also inspiring teachers and students to explore the world ofcontemporary music.

Spectrum for Piano Duet, with CD, will beavailable in October from retailers worldwideand from www.abrsm.org/shop.

16-17 Lib3-12 16-17 history in four hands.qxd 22/8/12 11:02 Page 17

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Choosing new pieces is always exciting,rather like setting out on a journey tosomewhere you haven’t been before.

As a teacher you are presented with anopportunity to match your students’ skillsand preferences to the right music for them, while also making use of yourteacherly expertise to ensure the rightdegree of ‘stretch and challenge’ – as they say in schools!

In fact, the choice of piece is only thefirst in an almost never-ending series ofchoices which become the learningjourney. A whole range of decisions –conscious and subconscious – willneed to be made in order for thedeveloping musician to arrive attheir destination, in this case, theexam performance. Tempo, touch,fingering, phrasing, pedalling ... thelist of choices goes on, so perhaps itwould be helpful here to talk abouthow the decision-making processmight be approached.

It is crucial to note that there is no‘ABRSM way’ of playing any of our exampieces, although of course there is an‘ABRSM way’ of assessing how they areplayed. This is by considering the overallmusical outcome – in effect, the cumulativeresult of all the various musical and technicaldecisions that will have been made inpreparing the performance. For example, in ABRSM exams, examiners don’t markfingering, but we do comment on andevaluate its effects, such as evenness of tone or regularity of delivery, which are sooften partly the result of fingering choices.Examiners are listening and looking for the degree of skill a candidate shows incontrolling the various elements of musicalperformance, which develop gradually duringtheir learning and practice prior to the exam.

As musicians we are often presented witha range of authoritative sources, and it canbe a puzzle to establish what the ‘truth’about each piece really is. In the case of thenew Piano syllabus we have the printedscores, ABRSM recordings and the TeachingNotes on Piano Exam Pieces, and in fact,there is ‘truth’ in all these sources.

Each presents a different perspective on thesame thing; the scores being a notatedrecord of what was written by the composerand later published in our edition, therecordings presenting realised performancesof the music, and the Teaching Notes adding

various ideas relating to interpretation.There may well be differences between whatthe scores imply, what the recordingspresent and what the Teaching Notesrecommend – but in reality they do not somuch contradict as complement each other.

That’s the excitement of every musicaljourney – there will always be a variety ofroutes to a successful musical result, andour examiners do not assess candidatesaccording to any particular one; instead they

judge the combined effectiveness of thevarious musical performance decisions youand your student have made, taken as awhole. This means that every candidate canplay to their strengths, not only in theirparticular choice of pieces, but also in theway that they interpret them. For example,there is a range of tempos at which anygiven piece can successfully be played. Forsome pieces this is wider than for others,

but even where a metronome mark isgiven, there is usually room for some

flexibility of approach. The examinerwill not be assessing the speed ofplaying absolutely or in isolation, but rather in conjunction with otherelements of performance, such as note accuracy and rhythmiccharacter. The right tempo choicefor each student is best determined

as part of a comfortable balancebetween this and other elements,

so that one element is not sacrificed to another; precision sacrificed to

speed, for example. Between them, the various ABRSM

publications and resources are intended toopen a variety of doorways to interpretation.Although these are the result ofconsiderable research, drawn fromcontributors with a wealth of experience,none of our resources can portray andcommunicate everything within the music.We would like to encourage you to inspireyour students to play with creativity andindividuality, leading them to achievesuccessful performances that suit andreflect their particular skills, strengths andenthusiasms. In effect, there needs to be acollaborative partnership between you andeach of your students, as they learn howbest to portray the composer’s musicalideas in their own personal way. �

This is an edited extract from theintroduction to ABRSM’s Teaching Notes onPiano Exam Pieces, 2013 & 2014, availablefrom retailers and www.abrsm.org/shop.

To comment on this article, please emaillibretto@abrsm.ac.uk.

19Graded music exams

Routes to successAs with all music, there is no single correct way to learn or play an ABRSM exam piece.Instead it’s all about making choices, as John Holmes, ABRSM’s Chief Examiner, explains.

‘It’s crucial to note thatthere is no ‘ABRSM

way’ of playing any ofour exam pieces’

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21Working with music

My interest in musictherapy began when Iwas just 16 years old.

Following a degree in music,however, my love of teaching ledme to train as a secondaryschool teacher. In 2002 I startedmy first job as a music anddrama teacher in a school inEssex, while still keeping up myinstrumental teaching work.

BeginningsAfter three years I had developedan interest in the pastoral side ofteaching – working with studentsto ensure that they achieved theirfull potential. I had also acquireda wider knowledge of what mightprevent this. This motivated meto look towards music therapyagain and how music can beused to promote change andgrowth within individuals.

A change of directionIn 2005, I made a career shift and

gravitated towards a musictherapy course where I couldmarry my teaching skills with alove of helping others throughbeing creative together.

I had always worried aboutthe performance aspect ofauditioning for music therapycourses but realised it was onlymy lack of confidence that washolding me back. I was drawn tothe music-centred emphasis thatNordoff Robbins offered but also felt that the course waswell-rounded and suited myaspirations. So, I applied,auditioned and got through to apanel interview which ultimatelyled to a place on the course. I have now been practising as a music therapist for morethan five years.

About music therapyMusic therapy uses music in acreative way to help engagepeople with the world around

them. It can be hugely effectivein assisting people who areisolated or limited by theircondition as a result ofcognitive, emotional,physiological or socialdifficulties. When music reaches these people, it can betremendously powerful. It canliterally transform lives. Musictherapy helps people in so many different ways. For some it has physical benefits,for others emotional or social ones. It encourages people to be more motivated, social and self-confident and gives themthe opportunity to enter into a shared and creativerelationship.

PracticalitiesI work with children and adultsin a range of settings, whichprovides a wonderfully variedwork pattern. Music therapywork often involves playingdifferent instruments, but it canalso incorporate singing,listening and movement. As atherapist, it is my responsibilityto give meaning and purpose tothe music created – oftenthrough improvisation.Experiences can range fromtraditional one-to-one sessions,to groups, and performances.

All newly-qualified NordoffRobbins music therapists aretrained, to Masters degree level,to become skilled in using musicto help all kinds of people, in allkinds of places. The profession isregulated in the UK by theHealth Professions Council andis represented by the BritishAssociation for Music Therapy.

An incredible journeyPersonally, music therapy allowsme to take the aspects ofteaching that I love – the makingand sharing of music – andmarry them up with therapeuticinsight into the way we asindividuals develop throughoutour lives. I would encourageanyone with an interest in thisfield to consider applying for a

course – and to have a go. Inever thought I would have theprivilege to train with NordoffRobbins, but here I am. Recently,I have been able to continue myacademic interests as a tutor onthe Nordoff Robbins Master ofMusic Therapy course. I havecome full circle, from studentback to teacher. It’s been suchan incredible journey of self-discovery, allowing me tomerge all the things that I lovemost. Music is my life and music therapy is the ideal career combination.

Nordoff Robbins coursesIn September 2011, 21 studentsjoined a new Nordoff Robbinsnational training programme –the Master of Music Therapy(Nordoff Robbins): Music, Health,Society – validated by CityUniversity London. This two-yearcourse was designed to makemusic therapy training asaccessible and flexible aspossible. Now, up to 12 studentseach year can train at sites inLondon (the Nordoff RobbinsCentre) and Manchester (the Royal Northern College of Music).

The programme givesstudents a practical andacademic training that providesup-to-date preparation fortoday’s music therapy professionin health, education and socialcare contexts. Nordoff Robbinsalso runs a PhD programme anda range of short courses andpractical workshops. �

Alison Hornblower is a SeniorMusic Therapist for NordoffRobbins South West.

Nordoff Robbins is nationalspecialist music charity,delivering music therapy to abroad range of people in a broadrange of places including schools,hospitals, care homes andprisons across the UK. Their aimis simple – to transform livesthrough music. To find out more,visit www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk.

Alison Hornblower shares her experience as a teacherwho turned her passion for music therapy into a career,with the help of UK charity Nordoff Robbins.

Music therapy and me

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was to start woodwind, brass,lower strings and percussion fromthe age of 11 (only upper stringswere taught in primary schools).From about 1990, the starting age gradually lowered, and morerecently I have found myselfteaching children in Year 3, thesame age as Jonathan's son.

Jonathan is pleased to have themyth of starting the horn tooearly ‘debunked’, and I am gladhis son is progressing well. Hisson's grandfather was none otherthan Norman Del Mar, arguablythe world's greatest horn player!Hopefully Norman's grandson willinherit his aptitude for theinstrument, and will, of course,have supportive and musicallyexpert parents to encourage him.

There is, however, another worldwhere families have little musicalexpertise. In my experience,children from these backgrounds,who start at the age of seven oreight, are often ill-equipped todevote themselves to learning aninstrument. Even with naturalability, it's likely these youngchildren will indeed ‘have a go’,reach no discernible standard,give up, and move on to the nextactivity. However, these samechildren, if given the chance tolearn when they are ready (11seems a reasonable compromise)are likely to make the sameamount of progress in six monthsthat they would have achieved inthree years had they started atage eight. ROBERT PARKER

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

In praise of playing from memoryCarole Jenner-Timms’ helpfularticle on 'Preparing forperformance' [Libretto 2012: 2]touched on the value of playingfrom memory. While sheencouraged it as a means ofimproving presentation, musical understanding andcommunication, she warnedagainst students being 'pushedinto memorising before they are ready'. When I was takingperformance workshops atHuddersfield University, Iregularly told my students thatthey 'must be able to play or singfrom memory in their exams'. This was, of course, greeted with amixture of shock and horror untilI made it clear that while they

must be able to, they didn't haveto! There is a middle way.

If students are shown how tolearn to play from memory, usingthe various techniques CaroleJenner-Timms implies –visualising notation and finger-patterns on the instrument,playing by ear, microscopicanalysis, at and away from theinstrument, and simply trainingfingers to move automatically –as they practise they can focusintently on the sound of themusic itself rather than itsprinted symbols. For run-throughsand the exam itself, they canplace the stand within sight andrefer to the score if they sense anydoubt about what comes next.The improvement in presentationand communication is immense.

During my many years as anABRSM examiner, I always senseda special depth of musicalinvolvement, understanding andabove all communication fromperformers who, while reassuredby the nearby 'dots', were notdependent on reading them.

GEORGE PRATT

The age-old debateThe Libretto 2012:2 letters pagebrought together the crucialfactors for playing an instrumentsuccessfully – what instrument,when and how to learn. JonathanDel Mar wrote of the doommongers who told him not to allow his seven-year-old son tostart the horn before his adultteeth were in place, and KathrynBright exhorted teachers to letchildren ‘have a go’ on ‘anyinstrument’ even if bad habits develop.

My first instrument is the hornand I have been a brass teacherfor more than 30 years. For 10years, my Music Service's policy

Your views22

Write to Lucy North, Editor, Libretto, with your views. Emaillibretto@abrsm.ac.uk or send letters to Lucy North, Libretto, ABRSM, 24 Portland Place, London W1B 1LU,UK. Letters and emails may be edited for publication.

INBOX

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