LIBRETTO

From forums to concerts: online friends take to the stage

Mozart: an extraordinary life – extract from the new book

Chief Examiner’s report

Music Medals: using the Repertoire Lists

Music and the internet

Issue 2006:1

Woodwind teachers will already be familiar with the newrepertoire lists for oboe, bassoon and saxophone, and many of you will want to take advantage of the recordings from ABRSMPublishing which will be available from May. Following the normalcyclical pattern, the new Selected Piano Exam Pieces for the 2007 – 2008 piano syllabus will be published in mid-July,accompanied as usual by both Teaching Notes and recordings, and with the additional resource of MIDI files for Grades 1 to 5.Alongside these, we will be publishing a complete set ofpublications for Grades 1 to 5 jazz flute, for which exams will beavailable from 2007. Another newcomer planned for the end ofthis year, after a long period of consultation and in response tostrong demand, will be singing anthologies covering Grades 1 to 5.Meanwhile, work will continue on the development of new testsfor candidates with sensory impairment and these will also bepublished this year for implementation in 2007.

Much will happen also on the Music Medals front. As well asnew ensemble books for brass, there will be extensions to all theRepertoire Lists and new exemplar recordings will be created anddistributed to the 1,500 or so teachers who are already trained asTeacher-Assessors. We anticipate that this number will continue to grow during the year as more partnerships are established with Music Services and other groups of instrumental teachers. We also expect that there will be more and more visitors to theSoundJunction website (www.soundjunction.org) during 2006, asschools and young people throughout the world become aware of this remarkable resource for both classroom and individualexploration of music.

Following the enthusiastic response at the end of last year toour new introductory courses for aspiring music teachers, we willbe offering many more of these across the UK in 2006, whilemaintaining both the CT ABRSM one-year, part-time course and its fast-track version in their established formats. We will beconducting many professional development activities overseasthroughout 2006, with a particularly strong focus on the Far Eastand on certain European countries including Germany, Italy,Portugal and Spain. We expect that 2006 will also witness a strong expansion of our work in China.

There will be new features too in Libretto. From the next issue,we are planning to introduce a series of staff profiles so that youcan read at first-hand different impressions of life at PortlandPlace. Balancing this, we plan a series of country profiles,illustrating the Associated Board’s work in different parts of theworld. So, all-in-all, there is a lot to watch out for from theAssociated Board in 2006. I end as I began by wishing you a veryhappy and successful year ahead.

ContentsLibretto 2006:1

3 Exams

Chief Examiner’s reportThese Music Exams: now in ItalianNew music for saxMusic Medals: using the Repertoire ListsMusic Medals for electronic keyboardSummer school for young

keyboard playersExam results onlineSpecial Visits: a date to avoid

9 Features

Mozart: an extraordinary lifeJulian Rushton

From forums to concerts: online friends take to the stage

14 Professional development

Book now for Fast Track CT ABRSM course

CT ABRSM Open MorningsCourses for new teachersJazz in 2006Inset: Cornwall and beyondCT ABRSM in Hong KongHong Kong alumni newsCourses in Italy

16 News

Spectrum 4: new piano miniaturesSpectrum inspirationSoundJunction goes liveSmartMusic special offerFunding for blind and partially sightedCompetition winnersSouth Africa: an eventful yearGreece: working with the Chief ExaminerItaly: seminars and performancesHong Kong: rewarding success

22 Forum

Over to you and onwardsClara Taylor

Music and the internetBrian Ley

Outlook

The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music24 Portland Place, London W1B 1LU, United Kingdom

telephone +44 (0)20 7636 5400email abrsm@abrsm.ac.uk

www.abrsm.org

Registered Charity No. 292182

© 2006 by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of MusicAll rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction in whole or inpart is prohibited without permission.

Editor-in-Chief Leslie EastAssistant Editor Lucy NorthInsert & advertising sales Dominic Sewell

telephone +44 (0)20 8861 0848Design Tamasin ColeCover illustration Jean-Manuel DuvivierPrint Headley Brothers LtdPrinted on 100% de-inked, recycled paper

The views expressed in Libretto are not necessarily those of theAssociated Board neither are the products or services appearingin advertisements and inserts endorsed by the Associated Board.

A very happy New Year to all Librettoreaders! And, as our minds move fromthe festive season towards the yearahead, let me give you a glimpse ofsome of the new developments whichwill be emerging from the AssociatedBoard during 2006.

Richard Morris Chief Executive

3

EXAMSChief Examiner’s report

For many years teachers, parentsand candidates have benefitedfrom the practical advice andguidance to be found in TheseMusic Exams. This invaluablebooklet written by the AssociatedBoard’s Chief Examiner, ClaraTaylor, has now been translatedinto Italian. The Italian edition,Questi Esami Musicali, is availableto view and download atwww.abrsm.org

Refreshing the piano syllabusSo much of the music teacher’s professional lifeinvolves the ability to keep essential repetitionfresh and stimulating. The supporting tests mustbe regularly revisited in lessons to achieverounded musical skills, so it’s particularlyenjoyable to be able to bring you news ofimprovements in these areas. As part of thecontinual re-evaluation and refreshment of allparts of the syllabus, the Associated Board hasconsulted many teachers, as well as examiners, inorder to bring piano technical requirements andsight-reading firmly into this millennium.

Are we dumbing down? Absolutely not.Rationalisation of the demands plus valuablefeedback from applicants are at the heart of thesedevelopments. Full details of all these welcomeadjustments will be given well before they appear in the new piano syllabus for 2009. At themoment I can reassure you that many of the keysfor the current scales and arpeggios will remain,but unnecessary duplication will be removed and a few unpopular patterns will be re-graded.There will be some additional items but alwaysfrom a logical and realistic angle.

Sight-reading is a much more positiveexperience when the melodies are easy on theear. With this in mind we have commissioned anew set of piano tests which will be greeted withenthusiasm by teachers and candidates. Thesewill come into use at the same time as the newtechnical requirements in 2009. Specimen bookswill be available in good time to give everyone achance to get used to this musically logical and

These Music Exams: now in Italian

user-friendly approach. And a note for singers –sight-singing tests are also being reviewed as partof this process.

Looking backThis is all for the future, but what have the trendsbeen from the last year? The average mark of 117has remained constant, despite a large increase incandidates worldwide, so standards remain secure.

Candidates can, of course, do the elements ofthe exam in any order and some instrumentalists,arriving with their accompanists, decide to startwith scales, which entails the pianist immediatelyleaving the room again to be called later. Whilstthis is fine in theory, it can cause delay if a wholerun of candidates makes this choice and someexaminers have mentioned late running as a result.

It is very helpful for the timings of pieces orsongs to be carefully checked when choices aremade, as a combination of three long items (orfolksongs with endless verses) can put unwelcomepressure on an examining day and may lead to apiece not being heard in its entirety.

Could I also remind you that examiners aredelighted to receive copies of the music forGrade 8 and it is a welcome trend that morepeople are bringing a set for the examiner.

The value of feedbackYour comments and suggestions are a muchvalued part of the process of change and it is thiscombining of resources that has brought us all tothe present healthy situation, which consolidatesthe best of our long tradition whilst movingforwards with each generation of candidates.

You can see the new piano technicalrequirements as well as specimens of thenew sight-reading tests across all gradesat www.abrsm.org/pianoreview

We would welcome your comments on the proposed improvements. Pleasenote that we are unable to respond toyou individually. To share your viewscontact us by the end of March at:

e pianoreview@abrsm.ac.uk

To request a free printed copy ofQuesti Esami Musicali, contactyour local Representative in Italy:

MilanMartin Biggs

t (02) 210 941e mbiggs@libero.it

RomeRobert Hix

t (06) 308 0045e music@stgeorge.school.it

Alternatively, send an email,giving your name and addressand with ‘Questi Esami Musicali’as the subject, to:

e sroyle@abrsm.ac.uk

Translations of These Music Exams intoGerman, Spanish and Portuguese are alsoplanned. Look out for announcements atwww.abrsm.org and in forthcoming issuesof Libretto.

Clara Taylor looksahead to someimportant changes to the piano syllabusand reflects on a year of exams.

EXCITING NEW SAXOPHONE REPERTOIREMusic Medals Saxophone Ensemble Pieces are five volumes of enjoyable and accessible repertoire for the developing ensemble. Progressively graded -Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum - they contain original pieces and imaginative arrangements for duets, trios and quartets from beginner levelupwards.

• fun pieces and arrangements in a variety of styles

• ideal for group teaching and classroom work

• five progressively graded volumes

• all pieces selected for the Associated Board's Music Medals

• practice material for Music Medals options

publishing@abrsm.ac.uk www.abrsmpublishing.com www.musicmedals.org

5

EXAMSNew music for sax

The newly published books of Music Medalsensemble material are proving popular withteachers and pupils, who benefit from the challengeof working on new pieces in a wide variety of styles.

Understandably, some teachers entering pupilsfor Music Medals may prefer to use existingpublications which contain ensemble material andit’s important to remember that by consulting theonline Music Medals Repertoire Lists you can extendsignificantly the repertoire for your group or, ofcourse, prepare for a Music Medals assessment on an instrument for which we haven’t yet publishedany ensemble books.

Importantly, teachers find the Repertoire Listseasy to use. Jenny Brown from Milton Keynes MusicService praised the range of material covered by thelists: “It’s great to see the Associated Boardincluding such a diverse range of string tutor books– I can always find an appropriate piece for theMusic Medals assessment.” Similar comments weremade by Karen Frost of Cornwall Music Service: “The lists include such a broad range of tutors ormethods you use as a teacher. This is a greatteaching resource.” And Ian Green, a teacher withSouthampton Music Service, highlighted the way inwhich the lists reflect and fit in with his teaching:“All the tutor books I use in my group lessons havebeen included in the flute, clarinet and saxophonerepertoire lists.”

The Music Medals Repertoire Lists are also aninvaluable source of information for all teachers inthat they help to identify the level of a particularpart, enabling the teacher to feel more confident injudging the pupil’s progress against Music Medalslevels. A visit to www.musicmedals.org/repertoirewill reveal all!

So, do remember that you don’t need to have abook of Music Medals Ensemble Pieces in order toenter candidates for a Music Medal.

Five volumes of Music Medals Ensemble Pieces are now available forsaxophone. Packed with specially-commissioned pieces, the books providerepertoire for use in Music Medals assessments but are also a valuablesource of new ensemble material for all those teaching the saxophone in groups.

The books, at Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels,accommodate ‘fixed’ and ‘mixed’ groups, with the inclusion of a few itemsin each book that combine E flat sax parts with B flat parts. Popular andjazzy styles form the heart of these volumes with contributions from JamesRae, Mark Lockheart, Malcolm Miles and Jeffrey Wilson, amongst others.However, with plenty of music from other genres, from Baroque to Africantownship and Spanish folk, there’s hopefully something for everyone!

Music Medals Ensemble Pieces for saxophone are available from music retailers or at www.abrsmpublishing.com

For information about Music Medals visit www.musicmedals.org

Music Medals: using the Repertoire Lists

Music Medals Ensemble Pieces

Flute ■Recorder ■Clarinet ■OboeSaxophone ■BassoonViolin ■ViolaCelloGuitar ■Trumpet ■Cornet ■Flugelhorn ■E flat horn ■French horn ■Baritone (treble clef) ■Baritone (bass clef)Euphonium (treble clef) ■Euphonium (bass clef)E flat Tuba (treble clef) ■E flat Tuba (bass clef)Trombone (treble & bass clefs)

Music Medals availabilityOptions Practice Books and Repertoire Lists,providing everything you need to prepare for aMusic Medals assessment, are available for allinstruments listed in this table. Books of MusicMedals Ensemble Pieces are available whereindicated.

For more information about Music Medalsand to view the Repertoire Lists visitwww.musicmedals.org

EXAMS6

Music Medals for electronic keyboard:moving forward

Last year teachers around the UK tookpart in a pilot study of Music Medalsmaterials for electronic keyboard. Here Nigel Scaife, Syllabus Principal,reports on the outcomes of the study.

Electronic keyboard will be the first newinstrument included in our syllabuses since theintroduction of percussion in 1990. Perhaps more significant, however, is the fact thatthrough this instrument we will be publishing forthe first time music in commercial and populargenres. It is these genres that draw youngmusicians to the electronic keyboard and whichsuit the characteristics of an instrument foundedon the auto-accompaniment feature. While, for copyright reasons, we were not able to usearrangements of well-known tunes for the pilot,we look forward to including a wide range ofsuch tunes in the final publications.

Feedback from the pilot was extremelydetailed and, with 82% of the teachers involvedhaving at least ten years of teaching experience,immensely valuable.

Ensemble and solo piecesThe newly commissioned ensemble pieces werepopular, with 84% of teachers reporting thattheir pupils responded ‘enthusiastically’ or ‘veryenthusiastically’. One teacher encouraginglycommented that “all those I tried were popular…there is so little well-written, intelligent musicspecifically for keyboard ensemble that thecontrast between these pieces and our usualrepertoire was striking”.

The solo repertoire selections and the levelsthat pieces were assigned to were consideredrealistic and we received useful suggestions foradditional tutor books which could be included inthe Repertoire Lists. There was a mixed responseto the inclusion of books containing note lettersin the note heads, with 40% not wanting themincluded at any level. To be inclusive of those who prefer to use these books we have decidedto list them, but only to the second Music Medallevel – Bronze.

Some topics caused controversy, such as the useof dynamics and the volume control, but generallywe were given a clear steer from teachers.

Musicianship mattersMany helpful comments were made regardingthe Options tests. We are now considering adifferent approach to the Make a Tune tests,involving left-hand chords. The Sight-Readingwas considered too hard overall and especially athigher levels. We are trying out a slightlydifferent format, with the Gold and Platinumtests including fully fingered chords but with amore logical progression in terms of keys andchords. The use of a drum beat in the Sight-Reading was felt to be too demanding and thespeeds too ambitious. Playing with a pre-set beatalso confuses the issue in terms of assessment andparity with other instruments, so this is nowunder review.

The challenge to comeThe challenge is to make expectations clear sothat teachers know that single fingered or fullyfingered chords in the ensemble and solo piecesare acceptable at all levels, that pieces may beplayed one octave higher than written if this suitsthe particular sound selected, and that alternativeregistrations and auto-accompaniments thatwork within the musical context may be used.

Looking forwardMany thanks to all those who contributed to this pilot! There is still much to be done:commissioning the ensemble pieces, running‘mock’ assessments, dealing with issues arisingfrom the pilot study and making the finalselections for the publications.

We plan to have a full set of Music Medalsmaterials for electronic keyboard ready in late2007. In the meantime, look out for furtherupdates at www.musicmedals.org and in Libretto.

The first ever UK National Keyboard Summer Schoolis being held this year for electronic keyboardplayers between the ages of 10 and 18. CourseDirector Nancy Litten, also an Associated Boardexaminer and Music Medals consultant, says: “Therewill be a wide range of tuition and performanceopportunities, and students can also learn aboutrecording techniques – Roland are providing CD-2s,their latest CD burning equipment.”

The summer school, which is supported by theAssociated Board, will take place between 15 and 18August at New Hall School, Chelmsford, Essex. Set in

magnificent grounds, the school has excellentfacilities including a heated indoor swimming pool.In addition to the tutors and recording technicians, ateam of supervisors will be on hand to ensure thatall students get the most from the course.

For more information contact the National Keyboard Summer SchoolAdministrator, Vanessa Smyth:

t +44 (0)1634 242964e info@keyboardcourses.com

www.keyboardcourses.com

Summer school for young keyboard players

Exam results online 7

EXAMS

publishing@abrsm.ac.uk www.abrsmpublishing.com

Collections of papers set for

2005 theory of music exams

are now available.

One volume per grade at

Grades 1 to 8, each volume

provides four theory papers

offering a wealth of practice

material for everyone

preparing for Associated

Board theory of music exams.

2005 Theory Papers

Grade 1 978-1-860966-50-7

Grade 2 978-1-860966-51-4

Grade 3 978-1-860966-52-1

Grade 4 978-1-860966-53-8

Grade 5 978-1-860966-54-5

Grade 6 978-1-860966-55-2

Grade 7 978-1-860966-56-9

Grade 8 978-1-860966-57-6

These and additional practice papers are available from music retailers worldwide

Applicants in the UK and Ireland can now takeadvantage of a further development to our onlineexam services. You will be able to view your owncandidates’ exam results by following the Onlineentry & services link at www.abrsm.org and usingyour applicant number and confidential password.

Key features■ The online results service is available to all

applicants. All you need is your applicant number,confidential password and an email address.

■ You will receive confirmation of your candidates’results slightly earlier. An email will go out tonotify you that the results are available online as soon as they have been checked and are in the post.

■ You can access your candidates’ results when youare away from home, simply by logging on towww.abrsm.org

■ The online results service will build up and store acumulative record of your candidates’ results from2006 onwards. You can view these at any time.

■ Your candidates’ results are password protectedand can only be viewed by you, the applicant.

Making the most of the service

Remind yourself of your confidential passwordEvery registered applicant has a password. If you do not know yours log on to www.abrsm.org withyour applicant number, follow the Online entry & services link, open the online form and click onRetrieve password to ask for your password to besent to your registered email address.

Keep your password confidentialOnline information about results is available only tothe registered applicant and you should neverdisclose your password to anyone else.

Change your password if you wishYou can change your password at any time byclicking on Change my password on the online form.

Make sure we have the correct email address for youClick on Update my details on the online form tocheck or update your registered email address. If youdo not have an email address registered with us,contact us by telephone or email so that we canarrange this for you.

Please note that the Associated Board’sAnnual Lunch, attended by examiners,Honorary Local Representatives and staff,takes place on Tuesday 25 July. You arekindly requested to avoid this date for yourSpecial Visit.

If you have any queries aboutyour summer Special Visit contactthe Special Visits Office:

t +44 (0)20 7467 8221e specialvisits@abrsm.ac.uk

Special Visits UK & Ireland: a date to avoid

Theory results in Malaysia

The online resultsservice, for theory examsonly, is also available toapplicants in Malaysia.Go to www.abrsm.organd follow the Onlineentry & services link formore information.

250TH ANNIVERSARY

Mozartan extraordinary life by Julian Rushton

How did an 18th-century child prodigy become a modern-day icon?

Was Mozart a drink-fuelled gambler and womanizer, murdered by his rivals?

or ...

a loving husband and hard-working genius?

Julian Rushton’s fascinating and readable history takes up the debate,dispensing with the myth and conjecture which cloud our notions ofMozart and his times.

A more human and believable portrait emerges, challenging our preconceptions and deepening our understanding of this extraordinaryman and his music.

Available from music retailers worldwide

publishing@abrsm.ac.uk www.abrsmpublishing.com

Sonatas for Pianoforte in 2 volumes

Highly acclaimed two-volume edition of Mozart's completeSonatas for piano

‘An excellent edition’MUSICAL TIMES

The Sonatas are also available in separate editions

Mature Piano Pieces

A selection of keyboard piecesfrom 1777 to 1791

‘A fine addition to any pianist'sshelves.’ PIANO

Other Mozart titles

Fantasia and Fugue in C K 394

Ten Variations on 'Les hommespieusement' K 455

Nine Variations on a Minuet byJean-Pierre Duport K 573

A Performer's Guide to Music of the Classical Period

A stimulating book with CD to helpstudents and teachers achievestylish performances of music ofthe classical period

Mozart First Discovery - Music

An illustrated book with CD forchildren which introduces the life of Mozart in pictures, musicand words

ISBN 1-86096-419-2

MOZART2006

Also available

9

TFEATURESMozart: an extraordinary life

Mozart in retrospect: romanticism and beyond

Every age understands, or misunderstands, greatart in its own way. To understand Mozart’sposthumous fame, we must remember thateighteenth-century society and culture,hierarchical in politics but open to enlightenedthought, yielded soon after his death to an ageof lesser certainty and confidence. The Frenchrevolution and subsequent wars, just beginningwhen Mozart died, dominated European politicsfor some 25 years. Political hierarchies werequestioned and some institutions (such as theHoly Roman Empire) were overthrown.Manifestations of freedom were oftensuppressed by a revival of monarchicalgovernment (it was in Vienna that the policestate came into being). But the revolution couldnot be forgotten, and with the possibility ofchange came cultural urges, towards nature andreligion. Perhaps these were partly a reaction togrowing industrialization.

The political and cultural shift was seismic,and the world when Beethoven died in 1827 borelittle resemblance to the world in which Mozarthad lived. The artistic outcome is usually summedup in the word ‘romanticism’. One element in thismovement was nostalgia, a strong sentiment forthe past, manifested in music partly by thediscovery and revival of the music of J.S. Bach.Mozart also benefited from this sentiment, sincehe appeared as an emblem of a more innocent,even a golden, age. Where the romantic artiststruggled with intractable material (witnessBeethoven’s sketchbooks), Mozart was perceivedas a model of fluency, natural ease, and grace.The fact that many of his contemporaries foundhis music ‘tough meat’ (as the emperor allegedlysaid of Don Giovanni) was quickly forgotten.

What was also forgotten was the alreadydistant context in which Mozart had composed.With respect to the eighteenth century, anynotion of art for art’s sake is a romanticanachronism. Equally the product of the romanticnineteenth century, and heavily underlined in theanxious twentieth, are conceptions of Mozartbased on sentiment (or gossip) rather than therealities of his time. Like the portraits paintedafter his death, such conceptions still find theirway into popular representations of Mozart,which often distort details of the complex web of

his life into generalizations about his personalityand art. Although Mozart’s nineteenth-centurybiographers tried earnestly to base their accountson historical sources, facts were scarce, andinvention stepped in to fill the vacuum. Some ofthis was wishful thinking, some may even havebeen malice, and some was just a simplisticperception of what the story of such a man oughtto have been like. With Mozart there is amplefood for sentimentality, and for debunking: thepretty wonder-child charming the courts ofEurope, and the possibly over-emphasizedelegance of his style, can and should becontrasted with the gross language of a fewletters, the breakdown of the close-knit family,and the money troubles. But what this leaves outis the maturity and complexity of the adultMozart: the one whose music really counts.

The acceptance of Mozart into the canon ofgreat music would not have occurred, and hiswife Constanze’s activities would have been of no lasting use, if discerning musicians had notrecognized the special qualities of his music, andwillingly shared their delight. Mozart’s reputationwas spread by friends in the musical profession.The Storace connection produced Englishperformances, and Haydn, who was in Londonwhen he heard of Mozart’s death, freely praisedhis younger colleague. Beethoven wasdespatched from his Rhineland home by CountWaldstein with the mission to ‘receive Mozart’sspirit from Haydn’s hands’. France and Italyneeded more time, but in the next centuryrepresentative romantic composers such asCharles Gounod and Giuseppe Verdi rated Mozarta supreme master.

For most of the nineteenth-century public, hisreputation rested on the operas, which continueto hold a dominant position in the repertorytoday. The most neglected part of Mozart’soutput is still the church music, perhaps becausemost of it is relatively early, and was bound byrestrictions imposed by the church authorities.And of course what should have been his twomature masterpieces of church music, the C minor

Mozart’s reputation was spread byfriends in the musical profession

Julian Rushton

To mark the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, ABRSM Publishing has brought out a new history of hislife by Julian Rushton. In the following extract from thefinal chapter of Mozart: an extraordinary life, Rushtonexplores how public opinions and perceptions of Mozart and his music have developed since his death.

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10

FEATURES

Mass and the Requiem, were for different reasonsboth left unfinished. For many years Mozart’ssymphonies and concertos were overshadowedby Beethoven’s supreme achievements, andwhereas the chamber music was no doubtacceptable to those who couldn’t swallowBeethoven’s late quartets, public concerts ofchamber music were a rarity until the twentiethcentury, and Mozart’s works were better knownto performing musicians than to the public. Thepiano sonatas began to seem elementary once hiscontemporaries had disappeared from view andthe stormier sonatas of Hummel, Weber, andespecially Beethoven were published. One of themore interesting changes in the twentiethcentury was the view, still prevalent, thatMozart’s sonatas are only simple to a beginner,whereas a mature musician will find them almosttoo difficult for public performance: such is theirclarity that every note must be calculated to anicety (because every note will be heard), withoutlosing the effect of spontaneity. Much the sameapplies to the piano concertos. Like the violinconcertos, they were quickly exceeded inbrilliance by the next generation, but theturbulent emotions in the least (apparently)‘pretty’ concertos – those in minor keys – allowedthem to survive: K. 466 in D minor was honouredby cadenzas written by Beethoven, while Hummeladded ornamentation to K. 491 in C minor. Oncemore the twentieth century, with the advantageof readily available published editions, andeventually of recordings, recognized theoutstanding quality and equal complexity of themature major-key piano concertos.

In the concert-hall repertoire, the nineteenth

century accepted the last few symphonies as theworthiest predecessors of Beethoven. Eventuallythe earlier symphonies were tried out and somebecame standard repertoire for smallerorchestras. It requires historical perspective torecover the strangeness of some of Mozart’sworks. A central composer of early romanticism,Robert Schumann, rather surprisingly describedthe late G minor symphony (K. 550) as ‘filled withHellenic grace’. Yet one passage has beenconsidered to anticipate twentieth-centurymodernism, also prophesied in the so-called‘Dissonance’ quartet, and elsewhere. The lastsymphony, in C major (K. 551), acquired thesobriquet ‘Jupiter’ in Britain early in the

nineteenth century, and with it an aura of thedivine. Its courtly grandeur is suffused withbrilliance in counterpoint, and yet it is sometimesstartlingly dissonant, a combination persuasivelyrelated in recent criticism to concepts of the sublime.

Mozart today

If what matters about Mozart is his art, we needto dismiss not only the more absurd legendsabout his life, but still more the misunderstandingthat results from superficial attention to hismusic. Unfortunately his iconic status, natural in a period so obsessed with ‘celebrity’, inducesmisleading conceptions of Mozart: that he is theperfect representation of eighteenth-centuryVienna, for instance, and that his music isuniformly delightful, agreeably relaxing, theepitome of ‘smooth classics’, and a model ofperfection. These ideas are as mythical as the chocolate-box Rosenkavalier image ofeighteenth-century Vienna. However it may haveappeared through the rose-tinted spectacles of alater age, Mozart’s Vienna was a place and timeof considerable stress. If he is its prototypicalcomposer, it must be because his music balancestensions with the orderliness to which society stillaspired. To the serious musician, the image ofMozart as all sweetness and charm, promoted bythe lazy habit of taking legend for truth, isinsufferable. But then legends (about poisoning,or crude behaviour) are more amusing thanseriously to consider the stresses of his life, nevermind the tensions in his music.

Yet today we have the good fortune topossess unprecedented resources for hearing hismusic, and sources of information about him andhis work. The complete edition of the music isavailable in print, and most of it can be heard ingood recordings. Besides continuing to producehis operas and perform his greatest instrumentaland vocal works, opera companies havepresented his earliest works and performers haveengaged seriously with the orchestral juvenilia.Not all admirers of Mozart consider hisreputation is helped by performing thesymphonies written as a child in London, theearliest operas, the simpler songs, or the zanierparty-pieces, often with coarse texts. But at leastwe can view him whole, if we choose to do so.Unfortunately some contemporary commentatorsdecline the invitation.

I have recently, more than once, read thecurious claim (unsupported by references) thatMozart’s admirers lack all discrimination,considering his most trifling output to be oftranscendent quality, and performing everythinghe wrote without recognizing that it is ofunequal value. But nothing by a creator of thehighest calibre (a status few, if any, deny toMozart) can be completely unimportant, because

for many years Mozart’ssymphonies and concertos were

overshadowed by Beethoven’ssupreme achievements

Win a copy of Mozart:an extraordinary life

Win one of five copies of Mozart: anextraordinary life byanswering the followingquestions:

■ What was themaiden name ofMozart’s wifeConstanze?

■ Who is the author ofthe first book fromABRSM Publishing inthe ExtraordinaryLives series?

Send your answers on a postcard, with yourname and full postaladdress, to:

ABRSM Publishing24 Portland PlaceLondon W1B 1LUUnited Kingdom

You can also enter byemail, inserting ‘Mozart’in the subject box:e competition@

abrsm.ac.uk

The closing date forentries is 30 June 2006.

11

FEATURES

of the light it may shed on the artist. The onlyway fully to evaluate music is to perform andhear it. The idea that his admirers consider everynote of Mozart to be equally inspired is an ‘AuntSally’, a notion proposed by those planning toknock it down. In fact no one thinks anything sodaft. Childhood compositions are usually crude,not only in their unthinking symmetry andapplication of formulae, but in the technicalsense, so that the teacher in me reaches for theblue pencil. This even applies to Mozart. He wasnot divinely gifted with the rock-hard techniqueof his maturity; he achieved technical competenceof the highest order through hard work as well astalent. Many of his teenage pieces are no betterthan those by a host of composers whom weneglect because they never did anything thatapproaches Mozart’s best work in quality. Sinceall eighteenth-century composers were prolific,this isn’t surprising. But while the revival of workby his contemporaries is to be welcomed, it is notreprehensible to privilege the minor work of anartist like Mozart who also did major work. This isnot just a question of valuing his later musicabove his juvenilia. We may quite reasonablyneglect to venerate the Masonic cantatas, andenjoy Eine kleine Nachtmusik as delightfulentertainment of no great depth, and agree thatthe horn concertos, while highly enjoyable, arenot on the same artistic level as the pianoconcertos, the later symphonies and chambermusic, and the great operas.

The more damning charge is that Mozart’smusic is all just blandly pleasant. To modern ears,accustomed to late Beethoven and all that hasfollowed, Mozart may have leaned too far in thedirection of pleasing the amateur, but he hardlydeserves that his popularity at the turn of themillennium should be ascribed to his being ‘theleast demanding of the great composers’ and ‘the natural choice for a shallow, passive,ignorant age’ (as claimed in a letter to BBC MusicMagazine, June 2004). Whether the early twenty-first century deserves these epithets is beyond the scope of our book. But Mozart’s image as apurveyor of musical sweetmeats must bechallenged – and not only because he also wrotepassages, even whole movements, of ruggedintensity or fantastic complexity, like the finale ofthe ‘Jupiter’ symphony in which five themes arecombined. Plenty of passages in Mozart are ofsurpassing elegance and lyrical beauty, but toregard him as mostly bland or pretty is truly afailure to hear him. I have mentioned that theinfluence of J.S. Bach led to some pretty grittycounterpoint. But Mozart’s boldness, andattraction to risky dissonance, should be familiarto any pianist tackling, for example, the slowmovements of some of his sonatas, for instance K. 333 in B flat, K. 533 in F, and K. 576 in D. And in the operas, it is not only the notes – even thestatue music of Don Giovanni – which distance

Mozart from the merely agreeable, for theseworks raise just the kind of social, political, andgender issues that are brought out in moderncriticism. Sometimes the search for hiddenmeaning stretches credulity, as when Figaro istaken as a revolutionary manifesto, or childsacrifice in Idomeneo is supposed to reflectMozart’s relations with his father: the subject wastraditional, and not Mozart’s choice. But theoperas have much to say about the imperfectionsand virtues of humanity, and not only, or evenmainly, through their words. Die Entführung cantell us something about Viennese perceptions ofa dangerous Turkish neighbour. Figaro is aboutclass distinctions, while Così fan tutte can beheard as an allegory of misogyny or, alternatively,female empowerment. Don Giovanni and Cosìplace the characters in situations potentiallydestructive of developing relationships and bothend (as does Figaro) with a sung moral thatcynically or kindly closes the door on furtherconsideration of these tangled lives. DieZauberflöte is perhaps the most argued over ofall. For some it is a pantomime, in which beautiful

music is wasted on a ridiculous plot; thisviewpoint was expressed even before Mozart’sdeath. For some it remains a moral tale, for somea metaphor of Freemasonry, and it can beinterpreted to shed light on alchemy or on powerpolitics. Fortunately Mozart’s operas are bigenough to survive the most eccentricinterpretations, whether presented in criticalwritings or as newly conceptualized productionsin the theatre or on film. But this is only sobecause the music – even the duets for the twosisters in Così – is, under the most beguilingsurface of lyricism, hard-edged, concentrated,and in most cases more complex than its exteriorsuggests. To call Mozart undemanding is, in short,to reveal one’s limitations of musicality. A sharpinsight of the novelist Kingsley Amis, apropossome piano concertos, ascribed to Mozart an‘intolerable pessimism, his loading of the ordinaryallegro with more blistering tragic content thanit’ll stand’.

Perhaps the single most remarkable aspect of Mozart is not just that he composed music ofsurpassing beauty, whose originality is the moreapparent the more we study it, but that he canmove his listeners, in dramatic and instrumentalmusic, both to a sense of beauty and thenuminous, and also with passion. Yet he appears

Mozart’s image as a purveyor of musical sweetmeats must be challenged

Mozart: an extraordinary life and its companion volume Bach: an extraordinary life are available from music retailers,bookshops and online at www.abrsmpublishing.com

12

FEATURES

to have been hardly the tormented artist ofromantic imagination; ‘working stiff ‘ suits himbetter. He was politically realistic, cultivatingthose who could and would pay for his services.He may represent a stage of development, in hisfreelance years, that appeals to a progressive

theory of history – a new type of independent(bourgeois) artist, succeeding the artistic servant.But while he valued freedom, and admired theEnglish partly for that reason, he was norevolutionary. We know little of his literaryunderstanding, but that is not to say that there islittle to know. Leopold may have been right inbelieving that his son was more compliant or

careless than was good for him, at leastfinancially. His sister Nannerl’s comment, manyyears after their last meeting, that exceptmusically he was never more than a child, nodoubt reflects the way she remembered him. Themore recent idea that he was a giggling clownexcept when absorbed in music is manifestlyfalse, but music did occupy him to an extent thatmost people would find intolerable (the same,however, is probably true of Haydn andBeethoven). Music was always in his thoughts,even when playing billiards, and it is not hard toimagine him working out musical problems as headjusted his cue. The notion of Mozart as adivinely inspired idiot arises from the fact that hisintellect was fully engaged with music, itscomposition and performance, rather than withwords, the medium of philosophy and literature.But thanks to his musical works, Mozart deservesto be considered one of the great intellects of his age.

Mozart deserves to be consideredone of the great intellects of his age

Julian Rushton studied at both Cambridge and Oxford, and taughtat the Universities of East Anglia and Cambridge before coming toLeeds as Professor of Music in 1982. He was President of the RoyalMusical Association from 1994 to 1999. His books include ClassicalMusic: A Concise History, handbooks on Mozart’s Don Giovanniand Idomeneo, and studies of Berlioz and Elgar.

For some dedicated members of the forums, 2005was a landmark year. Not content with simplydiscussing music, they decided to get together tomake their own! In February, forums memberKatyjay organized the first ever Adult Learners’Concert in Chertsey, Surrey. A second concert foradult learners followed in July, this time master-minded by Sbhoa and held in Stalybridge,Manchester. And in September, forums members ofall ages gathered for a concert in Woodford Green,Essex, organized by Jo.clarinet.

The performer’s taleSo, what was it like to take part in one of theseunique concerts? Ros, who performed in theWoodford Green concert, shares her experiences.

■ “But I’d pictured you as a blonde” and “I thoughtyou were a man” were some of the greetings thatcould be heard as participants arrived. Readingonline posts can lead to a certain amount of licencewhen it comes to picturing fellow forums members.

People had come from as far a field as Scotlandand Northern Ireland to take part in the concert,

From forums to concerts: online friends take to the stage

which included solos, duets and trios as well as achoir, a recorder ensemble and a grand finalefeaturing all performers, and some percussion-playing audience members.

Despite pre-concert nerves, the standard ofplaying was excellent; several players could be seenmunching bananas as they followed advice offeredon the forums to eat a banana before performing to combat nerves!

Behind the scenesTo find out how and why these unique concertscame about Christine Morris, the Associated Board’sMarketing Manager, talked to organizers Katyjay,Sbhoa and Jo.clarinet.

KatyjayandSbhoa

Jo.clarinet

Since their re-launch in 2003, the discussion forums atwww.abrsm.org have evolved into a vibrant onlinecommunity of over 4,800 teachers, students, parents,composers and performers – all keen to share theirlove of music and to learn from one another.

FEATURES 13

Congratulations on three successful concerts. What made you want to organize one?

■ Katyjay: Some younger forums members weretelling us about concerts they were doing and thesolos they were performing. A number of the adultlearners were a little envious of that opportunityand felt a bit left out. By following a weblink I’ddiscovered an adult learners group in the US thatputs on concerts for members. I thought it was agreat idea and put a speculative message on theforums asking if anyone was interested in startingsomething similar here. No one answered for 24 hours. Then I was swamped with responses, and the concert was on!■ Sbhoa: When I read about Katyjay’s concert Ithought it would be good to have something similarin the Manchester area. My teacher said “why notgo ahead and organize one?” So I did!

What were the challenges involved?

■ Katyjay: It was a little daunting to start with, but Ihad some fantastic advice, particularly from DaCapoand MaggieMay on the forums. I set up a website toadminister the concert, despite the fact I’d never setone up before and had almost no idea how to do it!Then there was the challenge of finding a venuewith a piano and a decent acoustic. Shortly beforethe concert I discovered that the piano hadn’t beenmoved off the stage or tuned, so we brought alongmy Clavinova for people to play if they preferred.■ Sbhoa: As someone who just lets things happenand leaves things until the last minute, I found it achallenge. Finding an affordable venue was thehardest part. Not many places have pianos and theones that do don’t always look after them. AtStalybridge Methodist Church we had the use offour rooms for rehearsals and a hall with a goodacoustic for the concert.■ Jo.clarinet: The biggest challenge was organizingthe day so that soloists had time to practise withaccompanists and so that the recorder group, choirand grand finale ensemble could rehearse. Everyonemet for the first time on the day so there was a lotto do in a very short time.

What has the feedback been like?

■ Katyjay: Everybody enjoyed the chance tosocialize and meet other adult learners, as well asthe opportunity to perform to a friendly audience.Amber had the brilliant idea of setting up ‘feedbackenvelopes’ for all the participants so that theaudience could send messages of appreciation.■ Sbhoa: Very positive. Most people have showninterest in making it a regular event.■ Jo.clarinet: Everyone thoroughly enjoyed

themselves. The various ensembles were particularlyappreciated. Several people who played in therecorder group have now started to play regularly inrecorder ensembles as they enjoyed it so much.

What were the highlights of the day for you?

■ Katyjay: The whole day was one long highlight!There were some super performances and a lot ofpeople conquered their nerves brilliantly. There was such a buzz – no one wanted to go home.■ Sbhoa: I feel privileged to have made it possiblefor everyone to get together and share their music.During the rehearsals it felt as though the wholebuilding was alive.■ Jo.clarinet: I was delighted by how good thegrand finale sounded, considering the unusualcombination of instruments and the range of playersinvolved. It was lovely to see forums memberschatting like old friends when a lot of them had only just met in real life!

So, are there plans for any more concerts?

The answer? A resounding ‘yes’ from all threeorganizers. Concerts are already planned for Surrey(18 February), Leicester (22 April), Manchester (July)and Essex (September). There’s even talk of a virtualChristmas concert!

What would you say to anyone reading this who isinterested in coming along?

■ KatyJay: It’s a brilliant opportunity to meet otheradult learners. We can feel isolated when a lot ofthe focus of music making in the UK is child-centred.And, of course, there’s the opportunity to play infront of the most supportive audience imaginable.■ Sbhoa: If you are nervous about coming along toplay then this is the right place for you. It’s notabout virtuoso performers showing off their talentsbut about adults at all levels sharing experiences.■ Jo.clarinet: Do come and join us. You can alwayswatch or take part in an ensemble if you don’t wantto do a solo. The atmosphere is always friendly andextremely supportive.

Joining the discussion forumsIf you’re not a forums member already, why not take a look now. Registration is free and you can:

■ make contact with other teachers,performers and students

■ discuss your musical interests with othersand share tips and ideas

■ find out about future forums concerts

To visit the forums go to:http://forums.abrsm.org

Stalybridge performers

The grand finale

14Book now for CT ABRSM Fast Track course

PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT

Introduction to Instrumental and Vocal Teaching

The Introduction to Instrumentaland Vocal Teaching workshop isfor musicians considering a careerin teaching. Focusing on generalteaching and learning issues, thisone-day workshop deals with thepracticalities of starting to teachand looks at options within theteaching profession. Perhaps youhave a pupil who might beinterested?

Course dates 2006London 11 March London 12 March

Edinburgh 20 May Leeds 15 July

Teaching Music Effectively

Teaching Music Effectively is forteachers at the beginning of theircareers who are looking forsupport with general and subject-specific teaching issues. Thecourse is built around four studydays over two weekends andtopics covered include curriculumplanning, Dalcroze and Kodálymethods, and improvisation, toname a few.

Course dates 2006Bristol 28–29 January and 18–19 March

Edinburgh 11–12 February and 1–2 April

It’s not too late to sign up for the third CT ABRSM Fast TrackResidential course which starts in February. This intensiveversion of the CT ABRSM course takes place over six monthsand includes three residential study sessions held during theUK school holidays at the Woodside Conference and TrainingCentre, Warwickshire.

The CT ABRSM (Certificate of Teaching) course, alsoavailable in a one-year, part-time format, has now attractedover 1,800 students. Suitable for instrumental and vocalteachers who work from home, in schools or in communitysettings, the course encourages you to explore your currentteaching practice and provides the ideas and support to makeit more effective.

Places on the forthcoming fast-track course are stillavailable for string, woodwind and singing teachers andthere is a reserve list for piano teachers.

“I feel proud of my achievements. I havelearnt professionally and personally morethan I could ever have imagined.”Maureen Mather CT ABRSM Fast Track Residential student 2005

CT ABRSMOpen Mornings

“The CT ABRSM Open Morning wasinformative, and I was particularlyappreciative of the chance to talkto the other teachers attending.”Stephanie Bartlett CT ABRSM student 2004–2005

Open Mornings are a fantastic opportunityto find out what it’s like to be a CT ABRSMstudent. Each Open Morning is held at acurrent CT ABRSM centre where you willbe able to work with Course Leaders andmentors, just as you would on the course,and meet current CT ABRSM students.

The next Open Mornings will take place between 9.30am and 1.00pm onSunday 26 March in Exeter, London andSheffield, and on Sunday 2 April inManchester and Oxford. The cost ofattending is £10.00.

Courses for new teachers

In October last year we launched two new courses: An Introduction to Instrumental and Vocal Teaching and TeachingMusic Effectively. Both were very popular, with centres running in Bristol and London, and over the coming months we have further courses running in Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds and London.

Your course guide

How to contact us

For more information about theprofessional development courses and events referred to on this page,including CT ABRSM Open Mornings, visit www.abrsm.org/teachers/courses or contact Louisa Thomas, Course Co-ordinator:

t +44 (0)20 7467 8257e profdev@abrsm.ac.uk

Information about all AssociatedBoard professional developmentcourses running in 2006 – 2007 willbe published in the new Guide toProfessional Development,available from February.

To request a copy visitwww.abrsm.org and click on Guide to ProfessionalDevelopment or contact LouisaThomas, Course Co-ordinator:

t +44 (0)20 7467 8257e profdev@abrsm.ac.uk

Teaching Music Effectively comes to Singapore

Teachers in Singapore will soon be able to attend the Teaching MusicEffectively course when it is launched there later this year. Furtherdetails, including dates, venue, presenters and booking information,will be announced in future issues of Libretto and atwww.abrsm.org/teachers/courses

15PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT

Jazz in 2006 Inset: Cornwall and beyond

Would you like to introduce jazz into your teaching?Would you like to find out more about theAssociated Board’s jazz syllabus?

This year we are running a new programme ofcourses around the UK focusing on the jazz syllabus:learning to play the repertoire, introducingimprovisation to instrumental lessons and gainingan understanding of the exam requirements.

To register your interest and receive moreinformation visit www.abrsm.org, click onthe Jazz Professional Development logo andenter your details. Alternatively, contactVicki Wright, Development Manager:

t +44 (0)20 7467 8832e vwright@abrsm.ac.uk

The Development Department delivered two action-packed days of professional development toall instrumental staff at Cornwall Music Service inSeptember last year. This was a follow up to the in-service training provided last January. So farworkshop leaders and keynote speakers haveincluded Professor Keith Swanwick, Dr Charlie Beale,Paul Harris and Penny Stirling. We are very muchlooking forward to our third visit to Cornwall inJanuary 2006 working with the instrumental stafffor a further two days.

The Associated Board offers a range ofcontinuing professional development for MusicServices and schools covering a wide spectrum oftopics such as composition and improvisation ingroup teaching, keeping your pupils motivated, andintroducing jazz to your teaching. We can provideanything from a one-off session or one-day courseto an entire year’s programme.

To discuss your Inset requirements, contactVicki Wright, Development Manager:

t +44 (0)20 7467 8832e vwright@abrsm.ac.uk

CT ABRSM in Hong Kong

The next Certificate of Teaching course for pianoand string teachers in Hong Kong starts in June2006. During the course, which takes place over ayear, students will find out how to make theirteaching more effective, gaining from the manynew ideas and experiences encountered during the course.

The course is led by distinguished musicians andeducators from the UK who are all members of theAssociated Board’s Professional DevelopmentMentor Panel, and the course venue, SPACE at theUniversity of Hong Kong, provides a stimulating andconvenient environment for students.

Interested in finding out more?Why not come to the next CT ABRSM Taster. Lastyear over 90 teachers attended a similar event led by the Associated Board’s Development Director,Richard Crozier, and CT ABRSM Course Leader BrianLey. Both will be returning to Hong Kong to presentthe 2006 Taster. Come along to experience sessionsfrom the CT ABRSM course, meet other teachers andtalk to experienced music education professionalsabout your development as a teacher.

The Hong Kong CT ABRSM Taster will take place on Thursday 13 April between10.00am and 12.45pm at SPACE, Universityof Hong Kong. Places at the Taster costHK$150.

For more information and a booking formvisit www.abrsm.org or contact one of ourCT ABRSM administrators in Hong Kong:

Petina Lawt 9105 6217e gwi1@netvigator.com

Dorcas Wongt 9038 0408 e docwhk@netvigator.com

More than 80 teachers attended the second HongKong CT ABRSM Alumni Association workshop ledby the Associated Board’s Head of InternationalOperations, Tim Arnold, in November.

The Hong Kong CT ABRSM Alumni Association is open to all CT ABRSM holders in Hong Kong.Membership benefits include free professionaldevelopment workshops, vouchers to spend atParsons Music shops and discounts on AssociatedBoard events.

Hong Kong alumni news

Dr Charlie Bealeleading a jazzworkshop

The Associated Board’s Centenary Travel Grant Fundsupports a programme of professional developmentcourses around the world. This year the funding willprovide instrumental and singing teachers in Italywith an opportunity to attend a two-day course inMilan or Rome.

The course is designed to help participantsrefresh and revitalise their teaching methods as wellas providing an overview of current thinking inmusic education and guidance on a wide range ofexam-related topics.

Further details and dates will be availableonline at www.abrsm.org/teachers/courses or from our Representatives in Italy:

Martin Biggs in Milant (02) 210 941e mbiggs@libero.it

Robert Hix in Romet (06) 308 0045e music@stgeorge.school.it

Courses in Italy

16

NEWS Spectrum 4: new piano miniatures

Spectruminspiration

The Spectrum series has inspiredprojects at the Royal College ofMusic (RCM) and the RoyalAcademy of Music (RAM).Composition students from bothcolleges have written pianopieces for workshops with ThaliaMyers and on 21 January youngpianists from the RCM JuniorDepartment will give a concert of pieces on which they haveworked with the undergraduateand postgraduate composers.Later in the year, there will be asimilar concert at the RAM.

For more informationvisit:www.rcm.ac.ukwww.ram.ac.uk

Spectrum 4 is an exciting collection of 66 newly commissionedminiatures for solo piano, each by a different composer.

The composers took up the challenge of writing a short piece thatcaptures their own sound world and could be mastered by pianistsat Grade 1 to 4 standard. Five of the pieces have accompanyingsoundtracks, provided on a CD that comes with the book.

The volume is a perfect introduction to the music of today anda rich collection for pianists of all ages and abilities.

World premieresThe publication of Spectrum 4 was celebratedwith a special performance on 21 November atthe Royal Academy of Music, London. Worldpremieres of 38 of the 66 pieces were performedby professional, amateur and student pianists infront of many of the composers.

Thalia Myers, the driving force behind theSpectrum series, and Daniel Becker were joinedby amateur pianists Alan Rusbridger, Editor ofThe Guardian, and Judith Serota, ExecutiveDirector of the Spitalfields Festival. EdwardLiddall, James Long, JennieRose Linder, GrahamRoss and Nathan Steele were the piano studentstaking part.

Workshops for teachers and studentsThalia Myers will be giving a series ofpiano workshops focusing on piecesfrom Spectrum 4 during the comingmonths. The workshops, which areaimed at young pianists and theirteachers, will take place in Birmingham,Cardiff, Glasgow, London, Manchesterand Southampton and there is a fee of£5.00 per person.

If you are interested inattending a Spectrum 4workshop contact Laura Gordon:

e lgordon@abrsm.ac.ukt +44 (0)20 7467 8286

SoundJunction goes live

SoundJunction, the new interactive website for exploring,discovering and creating music, was launched to greatacclaim in October last year. Since the launch event at LSO StLuke’s in London, which was attended by press and specialguests, SoundJunction has received much praise and has beenrecommended by www.bbc.co.uk and the Independent onSunday and Times newspapers.

Produced by the Associated Board and commissioned byCulture Online, SoundJunction brings musical learning alivethrough interactive experiences and a wealth of rich andwide-ranging musical content.

To find out how SoundJunction can inspire andmotivate your pupils visit www.soundjunction.org

Pupils from Elliot School,

Putney, exploreSoundJunction

with Phil Clapp, Head of Arts at the

Department forCulture, Media

and Sport

New Honorary Local Representatives

Richmond, N YorksTim Jacksont 01748 821343

HerefordRhian Morrist 01432 351570

Watford (Theory)Richard Norwoodt 01923 227145

Kirkcaldy (Theory)Julie Scanlont 01592 207746

Hartlepool (Practical)Stephen Sildt 01429 221087

Ripon (Practical)Jean Willimottt 01765 601125

WarringtonCatherine Poolt 01925 763241

High Scorers’ Concerts

12 February ChippenhamSunbury-on-Thames

7 MarchNorthampton

6 MayTaunton

20 JuneNorthampton

Thalia Myers, front rowcentre, with Spectrum 4composers at the launch

Pianists at the launch:standing, left to right:Graham Ross, AlanRusbridger, Daniel Becker,JennieRose Linder, NathanSteele, Edward Liddall, James Long; seated, left to right: Judith Serota, Thalia Myers

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17

NEWSSmartMusic special offer

publishing@abrsm.ac.uk • www.abrsmpublishing.com

an international collection of 66 miniatures for solo piano • compiled by Thalia Myers SPECTRUM 4 is a stimulating collection of specially commissioned

miniatures by 66 contemporary composers. With the pieces rangingin standard from Grade 1 to Grade 4, this volume is a perfect introduction to music of today; equally it is a rich collection forpianists of all ages and abilities.

Especially notable is the inclusion of five pieces with accompanyingsoundtracks, which are provided on the CD with this book.

The CD available on Usk Recordings,performed by Thalia Myers, contains all 66 pieces in SPECTRUM 4. USK 1227CDD

Also available

SPECTRUM • 20 contemporary works for solo piano ‘An unmissable investment’ MUSIC TEACHER

SPECTRUM 2 • 30 miniatures for solo piano ‘This is truly a must-have!’ PIANO

SPECTRUM 3 • an international collection of 25 pieces for solo piano ‘A brilliant original idea reaching new heights of excellence’ PIANO

SPECTRUM and SPECTRUM 2 are available on a double CD from NMC Recordings (NMC D057)

SPECTRUM 3 is available on CD from Metronome Recordings (MET CD 1053)

All are performed by Thalia Myers

CD

CD

CD

SPECTRUM 4

In the last issue of Libretto we announcedour recently established partnership withthe makers of SmartMusic, a computer-based accompaniment tool that listens andreacts to you as you play or sing. Sincethen, several hundred readers have takenout a subscription and initial feedback hasbeen positive.

The SmartMusic software containsaccompaniments for over 30,000 piecesacross a wide range of instruments, styles and levels, and almost 500 of theaccompaniments in the library are forpieces featured in current Associated Board syllabuses.

Associated Board applicants can stilltake advantage of a special offer price of£21.99 for a one-year subscription – savingover £50.00 on the normal price.

Visit www.abrsm.org/smartmusic where you can:

■ find out which Associated Boardsyllabus titles are available foryour instrument

■ download a trial version of the SmartMusic software

■ order a subscription at the specialprice of £21.99

Do you know of or teach any gifted musicians who are blindor partially sighted? The Elizabeth Eagle Bott Memorial Fundmakes annual awards of up to £20,000 to individuals to helpsupport their efforts to become professional classical musicians.

Applicants must be British citizens and partially sighted orblind to apply and the next interviews and auditions will takeplace in May. The closing date for letters of application is 30 March 2006.

For more information about the fund contact SallyZimmermann, Secretary to the EEB Memorial Fund:

t +44 (0)20 7388 1266e sally.zimmermann@rnib.org.uk

www.rnib.org.uk

Funding for blind andpartially sighted

In the Libretto 2005:2 competition we asked which Britishconductor wrote the introduction to A Performer’s Guide toMusic of the Romantic Period, and which composer firstcoined the term ‘idée fixe’? The answers are: Sir RogerNorrington and Berlioz.

Congratulations to the winners who each receive a copy of A Performer’s Guide to Music of the Romantic Period:

Vivian Yeung Yan, Kowloon, Hong KongAntigoni Tsalla, The Hague, NetherlandsMary C Russell, Edinburgh, UKT Yeoh, London, UKAnn Golding, East Sussex, UK

Turn to page 10 for the latest competition and a chance towin ABRSM Publishing’s new book on the life of Mozart.

Competition winnersFree offer: mobile phone holder

Join the ABRSMPublishing onlinemailing list and receive a free mobile phoneholder (while stockslast). Visit www.abrsmpublishing.com

18

NEWS South Africa: an eventful year

Over 50 teachers took advantage of anopportunity to meet Clara Taylor, theAssociated Board’s Chief Examiner, at aseminar in Athens last September.Organized by our Represenative in Athens,Eftichia Adilini Bobis, the seminar focusedon sight-reading and aural tests, with Claraworking with a number of young musiciansto demonstrate different ways to preparefor these important technical requirements.

The seminar was valuable for both theteachers and for the students taking part.Eftichia commented that “Clara’s workwith the students really boosted their

confidence. She managed to sort out anyproblems they might be having withoutmaking them feel uncomfortable orintimidated in any way”.

And for Clara the seminar was arewarding and enjoyable experience. “The enthusiasm and friendliness of theteachers in Athens says much about theircommitment and attitude to their work.Eftichia Adilini Bobis was so helpful andefficient, making my brief trip extremelyenjoyable. I hope we may build on this visitand meet again before too many moreexam sessions have passed.”

In issue 2005:2 of Libretto we reported on a trip that took Tim Arnold, Head of International Operations, and Ben Selby,ABRSM Publishing Marketing Manager, to South Africa for arepresentatives’ conference, teachers’ seminars and some inspiringHigh Scorers’ Concerts. Here we catch up on other South Africannews from the last year.

Festivals and seminarsSupporting the work of teachers and studentshas always been a priority for the AssociatedBoard, and in May last year we were able to dothis by providing prizes for the junior and seniorcategories at the Bloemfontein Free StateEisteddfod. Later, in September, we held ateachers’ seminar in Gauteng. Visiting examinerBronwen Naish worked with students andteachers, answering questions on the markingcriteria and giving helpful advice on a range of exam-related topics including how to dealwith nerves.

As we move into 2006 we look forward to another eventful and rewarding year for music education and the Associated Board in South Africa.

For further information about theMatric accreditation, contact yourAssociated Board Regional Co-ordinatorlisted at www.abrsm.org and in theinternational edition of the Examination Regulations & Information booklet.

Then and nowSouth Africa was the first country outside the UKwhere the Associated Board held exams. TheUniversity of the Cape of Good Hope, now theUniversity of South Africa, first invited theAssociated Board to conduct music exams on itsbehalf in 1892. Over 100 years later, manythousands of young South African musicians takeAssociated Board exams each year during twopractical and three theory exam sessions.

Official recognitionIn a recent development Associated Board exams have been accredited by South Africa’sQualifications Authority and Joint MatriculationBoard – a step that attracted the interest ofSouth Africa’s ClassicFM radio station. In aninterview for the station, examiner Paul Arnelland Regional Co-ordinator Meg Twyford stressedthe importance of the accreditation for musiceducation in South Africa. Meg described howstudents at schools where music is not availableas a Matric subject can now use their AssociatedBoard qualifications to obtain a Matricqualification in music.

Young people studying music have a furtherincentive to continue their musical studies, theopportunity to acquire an additional Matricsubject and the recognition they deserve for their musical achievements.

Buskaid successThe accreditation has already benefited manystudents including some supported by Buskaid, aSouth African charity that enables less privilegedstudents to study stringed instruments. At theend of 2005, 14 Buskaid students took practicalexams. All were awarded Distinctions and, as aresult of the recent accreditation, two qualifiedfor Matric music. By combining their Grade 6theory and Grade 8 practical results these twostudents will receive an A in Music Higher Gradefor Matric. Both attend a school that doesn’toffer music as a curriculum subject and tookmusic as a sixth subject option.

Greece: working with the Chief Examiner

Students at theseminar withexaminer BronwenNaish, centre, and Regional Co-ordinator Meg Twyford

Teachers at the seminar in Gauteng

New InternationalRepresentatives

GreeceEftichia Adilini Bobist 6944 554676e eadilini@yahoo.com

NorwayLirica Yamaset 6676 2709e lirica_yamase

@yahoo.com

19

NEWSItaly: seminars and performances

At the seminar in Milan, teachers observed ‘mock’exams to see at first hand what happens in anexam whilst gaining a better understanding ofhow examiners award marks. This was madepossible by two brave pupils who took on theroles of ‘mock’ candidates in front of an audienceof teachers – their efforts were rewarded with agift of music from ABRSM Publishing.

The following day, the Valdagno Music Schoolin Vicenza was the venue for another one-dayseminar for local teachers, who were joined forthe afternoon session by parents and pupils. Andfinally to Rome, where the seminar was followedby a celebratory High Scorers’ Concert during

which 23 young musicians performed for anaudience of teachers, relatives and friends.

These popular seminars were attended byover 150 teachers, many of whom were new toAssociated Board exams. The seminars offered the opportunity to find out more about what’sinvolved in preparing for and taking an examwith plenty of time to share experiences and ask questions.

Tim summarized by describing how “it was agreat thrill to visit Italy, meeting representatives,teachers, pupils and parents. I was so pleased tobe able to explain more about the AssociatedBoard’s work to such enthusiastic teachers”.

Tim Arnold, back rowright, and Rob Hix,Representative forRome, with some ofthe High Scorers’Concert performers

A series of seminars in Milan, Rome and Vicenza formed the focus of arecent visit to Italy by Tim Arnold, Head of International Operations, andDebbie Butler, ABRSM Publishing’s Assistant Marketing Manager.

Hong Kong: rewarding success

Successful diploma candidates and their guests attended the annual Hong Kong diploma awards ceremony at theMarco Polo Hotel last November.

Tim Arnold, Head of International Operations, and AlanTait, Regional Manager & Deputy Head of InternationalOperations, were both present at the ceremony togetherwith the Associated Board’s Regional Consultants for HongKong, Professor David Gwilt and Shirley Gwilt. Davidexpressed his great pleasure at welcoming both Tim and Alan to Hong Kong to celebrate the talent and dedication of musicians who achieve success in these well-regardedqualifications.

Before the presentation of certificates three students, who received particularly high marks in their diplomas, gave a short recital – a reminder of the skills and musicianshiprequired to take and pass one of these prestigious exams.During his speech, Tim Arnold emphasized what atremendous pleasure it was to all at the Associated Board to see so many musicians in Hong Kong achieving such high standards.

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FORUMOver to you and onwards21

The internet can be an outstanding creative musicalresource for both teachers and learners. In additionto sites specifically related to music education, thereare also thousands of sites that enable the visitor to explore, research, manipulate and rearrangemusic or use it as the basis for improvisation andcomposition. The internet allows access to relevantmaterials that are flexible enough to be adapted toboth the requirements of the instrumentalcurriculum and to reflect the needs of the learner.

Internet resources can enrich the instrumentalcurriculum by:■ providing a wealth of audio and MIDI examples

that encourage students to listen to a widevariety of music and, more specifically, providingmodels for performance or practical activity;

■ encouraging and stimulating the developmentof performing, improvising and composing;

■ extending musical knowledge andunderstanding.

A number of websites provide free software, which

can be a valuable resource for teachers and learnersalike. The following are particularly useful.

iTunesMany will be familiar with the Apple iPod, aminiature audio player capable of storing andplaying thousands of tunes. iTunes is a softwareprogram that can be freely downloaded and whichprovides a library resource for all audio needs.Whole CDs or individual tracks can be transferredfrom disc to computer and then stored and played atwill. Information about the discs and tracks can alsobe stored and the program allows the creation ofseparate playlists or categories: classical, jazz, soloperformances and so on. One useful feature is thedirect access to the iTunes store where whole albumsof individual tracks can be purchased anddownloaded.

iTunes is a useful resource for instrumentalteachers because it is available for both Apple Macand PC. It also stores audio files in an MP3 formatrather than as a WAV file, which means that each

Clara Taylor, the Associated Board’s ChiefExaminer, responds to recent letters and emails.

A big thank you to all Libretto readers who wrote with suggestions forfuture Forum pages. Some of the topics you would like to have explored indepth are:■ presentation and performances skills■ falling in love (or not) with an instrument■ difficulties in teaching very young children to sing■ resources for teachers

The last suggestion is the subject of this issue’s article by Brian Ley whoshares valuable information about fascinating websites, which will enrichteachers’ work and extend the scope of their lessons.

The internet has captured most of us in its web by now but if you arestill resisting, this article might be the incentive to abandon reservationsand go for it.

It will be important to have your responses to this approach, so pleasedo continue to write with further requests for future topics. Colleagues willshare their particular areas of expertise, which will deepen the pool ofshared knowledge. All letters will be considered for inclusion in futureeditions of Libretto and, as ever, all will receive an individual reply.

Please also let us know what you think of the websites mentioned inBrian’s article or tell us about any other internet resources that you findparticularly useful in your teaching.

Write to Clara Taylor, marking your envelope Libretto Forumor send an email to chiefexaminer@abrsm.ac.uk with Libretto Forum as the subject.

Music and the internet

Brian Ley, former Head of Gloucestershire MusicService and a CT ABRSM Course Leader, highlightsthree websites that provide valuable musiceducation resources.

22

FORUM

Eighth International Piano Festival

23 - 30 July 2006

For more details and to obtain a Festival brochure, please contactOxford Philomusica, Templeton College, University of Oxford, OX1 5NY

Tel: 0870 60 60 804 e-mail: pianofestival@oxfordphil.com

www.oxfordphil.com

"Oxford's masterclasses turn piano lessons

into performance art" (The New York Times)

"A Training Camp for pianists" (International Herald Tribune)

"a banquet of lectures, masterclasses, and recitals"

(The Times)

The Oxford Philomusica

2006 Faculty to include:

Gary Graffman, Vladimir Krainev, John Lill,

Melvyn Tan, Roger Vignoles

Patron: Alfred Brendel KBE

President: Andras Schiff

Artistic Director: Marios Papadopoulos

file is compressed, without losing its quality, andthat several hundreds of tracks can be storedwithout taking up too much space on a computer’shard drive.

■ www.itunes.com

AudacityMost teachers now record their pupils’ work atvarious stages. The recordings can be made on tapeor mini disc, the latter being of better qualitybecause it records digitally. However, the computercan also record information from the built-inmicrophone, though better quality is achieved froman external microphone. Almost all computersrunning Windows will have a Sound Recorderprogram, but this is rather limited in its scope.

Audacity is a free program that offers a moresophisticated record facility. Recordings ofperformances can be made easily from a user-friendly screen and, when complete, can be edited.For example, the gap that often occurs betweenstarting the recording and the actual sound playedcan be cut, extraneous sound can be minimized andmusic can, if required, be faded in and out. The final recording can be saved as a WAV file on thecomputer’s hard drive. It is then possible to burn aseries of recordings on to a CD, provided thecomputer has that facility. CD labelling kits enablethe creation of individualized covers. This, togetherwith the actual recordings of pupils’ musical

achievements, can be a real motivation for future performance.

■ http://audacity.sourceforge.net

vanBascovanBasco is another free software program thatplays MIDI files (recordings created directly from anelectronic keyboard). These recordings can be madeeither by the teacher or accessed from the millionsof MIDI files that are available on internet sites. Theadvantage of this program is that it can be used toplay backing tracks. The tempo and pitch of therecordings can be altered and instrumental ‘voices’on the recordings can be muted or highlighted, thusenabling a learner to hear his or her part clearly or,alternatively, to create ‘music minus one’ by mutingthe track that he or she is practising.

The advantage of MIDI information is that it takes very little space on the hard drive; itsdisadvantage is that the sounds are electronic.Nevertheless, the program can provide anotheruseful resource for both pupils and teachers.

■ www.vanbasco.com

These websites can be easily accessed and clearinstructions enable the download to be achievedrelatively simply. The on-screen help topics willprovide all the information that is needed to run theprograms and gain the maximum benefit from them.

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Every month in Music Teacher :• Read the most comprehensive music reviews for every instrument type.

• Discover new teaching methods to enthuse your pupils.

• Receive teaching notes on new exam board set pieces.

• Keep up-to-date with developments in private practice and in schools.

• Find out how to enhance your career prospects in Jobwatch.

• Obtain expert advice on how to buy a new instrument.

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