LIBRETTO - ABRSM

LIBRETTO

Linking sound with symbol Jazz: the latest news Paul Harris on practice The accompanist’s tale

Issue 2003:1

Contents Libretto 2003:1 1 Exams The real deal for jazz UK and Ireland jazz dates Singing Prep Test Candidates take centre stage Diplomas by distance-learning Online update UK closing dates Second chance for theory Examiner recruitment Making theory clearer Goodbye and welcome 4 Features Practice makes perfect – the final connection Paul Harris Linking sound with symbol 8 Professional development A taste of the CT ABRSM CT ABRSM Hong Kong CT ABRSM Singapore 9 Publishing 13 News Website wonders Juniors at the Royal Schools of Music 2003: a jubilee year Portuguese promise Spanish jubilee concert A winning world Supporting music makers Australian accreditation All change in Southern Africa and Switzerland Working with Representatives Chief Examiner on tour 16 Forum Accompaniment

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+44 (0)20 7636 5400 +44 (0)20 7637 0234

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[email protected] www.abrsm.ac.uk

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Editor Michelle James Assistant Editor Lucy North Insert & advertising sales Dominic Sewell t 020 8861 0848 Design Tamasin Cole Cover illustration Anne Kristin Hagesæther Print FS Moore Ltd, London The views expressed in Libretto are not necessarily those of the Associated Board neither are the products or services appearing in advertisements and inserts endorsed by the Associated Board.

Outlook Jazz is back as headline news at the Associated Board in 2003

Ever since the launch of our ground-breaking jazz piano syllabus and publications in 1998, we have been hard at work researching and developing equivalent materials at Grades 1 to 5 for four instruments at the heart of the jazz tradition: clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and trombone. In this issue of Libretto you will find an article about the new AB Real Book by our Lead Jazz Consultant, Charlie Beale, as well as full information on a plethora of linked publications created by ABRSM Publishing. The scale of this new project is prodigious: over 300 pieces have been arranged and moderated, including 25 new ones commissioned by ABRSM Publishing, and the publications, embracing graded albums, real books, scale manuals, quick studies and aural tests, contain over 2,500 pages of music. Copyright clearances have been obtained on almost 300 jazz tunes. In addition there are 27 CDs and a new supporting book for teachers, Play Jazz from Scratch by Charlie Beale. The Associated Board will be mailing information about the launch of the new jazz syllabuses to all UK teachers of the relevant instruments as held on our database. Information can also be obtained at www.abrsm.ac.uk/jazz2003 where you can join the mailing list. While jazz exams will initially be available only in the UK, Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand, the publications will be on sale worldwide. We hope to extend access to the exams in years to come and it is particularly encouraging that much interest has already been expressed from key figures in the homeland of jazz, the USA. The new jazz syllabus provides an excellent example of the dynamic nature of the Associated Board’s work. Because of both our longevity and the scale of our operations, it is easy to think of the Board as an unchanging institution. The reality is that there is a constant evolutionary process as regards syllabuses and services for teachers and students. Much of this work is unseen and unsung because it takes place in the years before a syllabus comes to public attention. Where this work has been well done, it is likely that the syllabus will endure (albeit with regular repertoire refreshment) over a large number of years. Against this background, I would like to pay tribute to the Associated Board’s Syllabus Secretary, Martin Teale, whose retirement after no less than 34 years’ service is announced in this issue of Libretto. After what he himself terms ‘a chequered career’, including study of design, acting and teaching classical guitar, he was recruited by my predecessor, Dr William Cole, in 1969. It is illuminating to recall that, during his period of tenure, new syllabuses have been created from scratch for: saxophone, recorder, harpsichord, ensembles, percussion, choral singing and practical musicianship, in addition to jazz; additional grades have been established (within the eight-grade framework) for all woodwind and brass instruments, organ, viola, double bass, guitar, harp and singing; Prep Tests have been created for most subjects, Advanced Certificate and subsequently DipABRSM and FRSM for all subjects, and Performance Assessment have been introduced. Also during this period there have been regular revisions to aural tests, theory of music and sight-reading for all subjects, let alone the setting of a countless number of LRSM written papers. Thank you, Martin. It is hard to think of anyone who has better earned their retirement!

Richard Morris Chief Executive

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The real deal for jazz Charlie Beale, Lead Jazz Consultant, introduces The AB Real Book

In May the Associated Board will be launching a set of jazz exams and publications for clarinet, saxophones, trumpet and trombone. Included will be albums of jazz tunes, minus-one CDs and piano accompaniments, scales and supporting tests. These publications are set to transform the repertoire available for wind and brass pupils at Grades 1 to 5 and at their heart will be the most innovative publication of all – The AB Real Book. A real book is a collection of around 100 charts or lead sheets – useful jazz tunes written in single line melody with changes (chord symbols). Originally hand-written and illegally copied, real books (also sometimes confusingly known as fakebooks) supported the aural tradition of jazz and were referred to by jazz musicians as an aide-mémoire, ensuring a tune was played consistently. The information in real books is raw material. Musicians interpret the lead sheet as they feel, adapting the material to suit their own needs and style of playing. In the past 10 to 15 years a number of real books have been produced legally by publishers around the world. The AB Real Book will be a world first, including only tunes that have been set at Grades 4 and 5 – ideal for the intermediate-level performer and for mixed-ability group playing. Like all real books, ours will be available in C, B flat, E flat and bass clef, which also makes it perfect for school combos or small bands. The tunes appear in the keys which are commonly used by jazz musicians, together with the lyrics, where relevant, and so by using the real book you are developing jazz skills and knowledge that will stand you in good stead for life. There is a huge range of repertoire included from early jazz and standards to newly composed

EXAMS

tunes and the related listening suggestions provide a useful shortcut to finding performances to listen to. The real book can be used for any instrument not just those in the Jazz Syllabus. So violinists, flautists and guitarists, for example, can make fine use of The AB Real Book too. For less experienced jazz players and those working on their own, each chart contains the option of a fully written out arrangement with a short solo section – an example of a complete performance, if you like. And for those interested in the jazz exams, the one real book contains all the tunes set in the new jazz syllabuses at Grades 4 and 5. So the tunes you play in your band can also be the ones you play in your exam. Since launching the jazz piano and ensembles syllabuses in 1998, the Associated Board has won plaudits all over the world for producing well researched and teacher-friendly publications in jazz education. With this expanded syllabus and The AB Real Book, we believe we’ve done it again!

The syllabus and full range of jazz publications for clarinet, saxophones, trombone and trumpet will be available in May. We are also running a series of launch events in the UK from May to July. UK teachers of these instruments who are on our database will be sent information about these events shortly. Or you can join the mailing list at www.abrsm.ac.uk/jazz2003. The new jazz exams will be available for the UK and Ireland in C Period 2003 and for Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia in the exam sessions at the end of this year. For Singapore and Malaysia the 2003 exam session will also see the first jazz piano exams taking place.

UK and Ireland jazz dates We regret that there is an error in the UK & Ireland Examination Regulations and Information for 2003. The table of dates on page 18 gives the B Period dates for jazz exams in England and Wales incorrectly as 16 – 21 June. The correct dates are 9 – 14 June. Please also note that jazz exams for clarinet, saxophone, trumpet and trombone will not now be available until C Period 2003.

For more on the new jazz publications turn to page 10

Singing Prep Test A new book for the Singing Prep Test is in preparation and will be available in May. The current Prep Test for Singing can be used until the end of December 2003.

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EXAMS Candidates take centre stage Philip Mundey, Director of Examinations, turns the spotlight on candidates and their achievements

In previous issues of Libretto we have discussed repertoire choice, examiner training and examining philosophy. Here I would like to feature those on the receiving end of our service – the candidates – and to share with you some facts and figures about them. Let’s take Grade 5 candidates as an example. The typical Grade 5 practical candidate is 14 years old (although we hear many who are much younger, as well as hundreds of adults). She is most likely to be a pianist, or a violinist, flute or clarinet player or singer. She will have reached Grade 5 after taking Grade 1 when she was about 10 years old. If she goes on to take Grade 8 practical she will probably be approaching her 17th birthday when she enters. Theory candidates will, on average, be a few months older than their practical counterparts for the lower grades and about a year older for the upper grades. It’s worth remembering that examiners are not told the ages of their candidates, and in any case do not take age into account when marking. There are slightly more female than male candidates at all grades, and typically girls tend to do a little better than boys, just as in most other exam situations – but only marginally – and well over 90% of all candidates will pass their exam. The average mark for all practical candidates across the eight grades is around 116, where a decade ago it was nearer 115, and the rise is a tribute to the commitment of candidates and the skills of their teachers. Turning to results, the mark bands for pass, merit and distinction in the practical exams have not changed for many years, and nor has the proportion of candidates who fall into each

category. The Associated Board does not operate any kind of quota system and every candidate has an equal opportunity of achieving the highest marks. We do not manipulate marks in order to achieve a certain percentage of distinctions, merits, passes and fails, nor do we instruct examiners to do so. And unlike some other exam systems, no candidate’s result is influenced by those of other candidates who happen to be taking their exams at the same time. Theoretically, therefore, it would be possible for everyone who takes an exam to achieve a distinction, but in reality the results are distributed very much as a statistician would expect from such a huge exam population. Each element of the exam is marked independently, too, so a disappointing performance in one piece, say, or in the scales, has no bearing on the marks awarded for the other elements – and the same is true for theory candidates. Recently a merit category was introduced for theory candidates to mirror the recognition practical candidates receive, but this has not meant any adjustment to the pass or distinction expectations or grade boundaries. The stability of the benchmarks provided by Associated Board exams is also evident from an analysis and comparison of the repertoire choice from syllabus to syllabus, and from the fact that examiners are trained against video examples of exam performances – which can be compared with earlier archive footage. All helping to ensure standards remain constant year on year. So congratulations to every one of our hard-working candidates – their achievements really are worthwhile.

Diplomas by distance-learning

The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) is offering a distance-learning package to prepare students around the world for the DipABRSM and LRSM in Teaching. Their Piano Teacher Program (PTP) uses the latest technologies to provide teachers with a learning programme that is flexible, accessible, and that covers the full range of diploma requirements. Support materials include a comprehensive study guide, articles and CD-ROMs containing video clips of teaching techniques; there are

also opportunities for chat groups and simple video conferencing sessions. Throughout the course, students prepare video and written assignments and submit these to USQ for assessment and feedback. Although based on the Associated Board syllabus, the USQ-PTP is run independently and all enquiries should be directed to the USQ. Further information can be found at www.usq.edu.au/pianotp

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Online update The new online entry form, available for the UK and Ireland, continues to prove popular. In C Period last year, 30% of candidates were entered online. Many of the form’s new features have been welcomed but we have also been grateful for your feedback suggesting possible improvements. Comments from users have been invaluable in helping to identify areas in need of further refinement and these have now been addressed in readiness for A Period entries. Additional online facilities are under development and applicants will soon be able to use their applicant number and confidential password to view their own candidates’ past results online.

UK closing dates: summer session Easter falls relatively late in 2003 which means that the postal closing date for UK entries for the summer session (Friday 2 May) is very close to the start of term for many teachers. We do understand that this can cause difficulties but the following options might be helpful: ■

■

For online entry go to www.abrsm.ac.uk/examentry.html

Second chance for theory Our recent seminar on Grade 5 Theory was such a success that we are repeating the seminar to give more teachers an opportunity to attend. 10.00am to 5.00pm 15 March: Central London 17 May: Cardiff Philip Mundey, Director of Examinations, will be there to explain the marking criteria for theory papers and Lis Fletcher and Ian Smith will demonstrate creative ways to teach theory effectively and help your pupils to enjoy the experience! For a taste of what’s involved turn to page 6 for our feature based on this seminar. We are expecting this to be a very popular event and places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. To reserve a place send a cheque for £30.00 (made payable to ABRSM) with a letter giving your name, address, telephone number, applicant number and choice of venue to:

Make your entries online. The closing date is Friday 9 May, a whole week later than for postal entries: www.abrsm.ac.uk Submit your main entry at the end of the spring term. You can always send in a separate entry after Easter for any isolated candidates whose entry cannot be submitted earlier. Just enclose a note asking us to link the entry with your other candidates and we will make sure they are all examined on the same date.

Examiner recruitment Have you ever thought about becoming an Associated Board examiner or wondered what the job involves? You can now find out at one of the special recruitment meetings taking place at our Portland Place offices. This is an opportunity to discover exactly what an examiner does, what skills are required and how the application, selection and training procedures work. You will also have a chance to meet an examiner and talk to key Associated Board staff including Clara Taylor, Chief Examiner, and Tim Arnold, Head of International Operations. The meetings are designed to be relaxed and informal, with plenty of time for your questions. 8 February: 11.00am – 1.00pm 19 February: 5.30pm – 7.30pm

Theory Seminar Marketing Department 24 Portland Place London W1B 1LU t e

Any musicians interested in becoming an examiner are welcome to attend. To book your place at one of these events contact the Director of Examinations Department: 020 7467 8267 [email protected]

Making theory clearer We are making small improvements to the layout of the theory papers from 2003 onwards. In the Grade 5 melody writing question the clef and key signature is now included on each stave. Candidates at Grades 1 and 2 will be pleased to see that the blank stave in the copying-out question is now directly below the music (giving less distance for the eye to travel). The rubric for this question, which remains at the foot of the page, has also been slightly amended, asking candidates to include dynamics and all other detail, as well as clef, key signature and time signature.

Goodbye and welcome In February our Syllabus Secretary, Martin Teale, retires after completing a remarkable 34 years of service. We wish him well, and welcome his successor, Robert Sargant, who takes over as Syllabus Manager.

EXAMS

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FEATURES Practice makes perfect – the final connection Paul Harris Paul Harris is a teacher, composer, writer, clarinettist and examiner. The author of over 250 publications including The Music Teacher’s Companion – from ABRSM (Publishing) Ltd – and the Improve Your Sight-reading! series (Faber Music) and many works ranging from short educational pieces to five concertos and a ballet.

The word practice, like scales, is one of the most emotive in the language of a developing young musician. Some highly motivated children seem to have the discipline to undertake regular and useful practice; others will need a lot of cajoling and then there are those who, despite our finest efforts, don’t quite seem to see the point of it at all. If only all pupils could learn to make some decent use of all that time between lessons, what an effect it might have on their progress. However, it is salutary to reflect that some pupil’s practice probably does more harm than good. What is the benefit of a pupil simply playing through a piece, complete with numerous uncorrected errors, and considering practice done?

The word practice, like scales, is one of the most emotive in the language of a developing young musician Let’s indulge in a little research. Enlist a number of pupils and ask them to make a really honest diary of a week’s work. Ask them to note down the length of each practice session and exactly what they did – not what they would like you to think they did! Ask them to include what they particularly enjoyed practising and what they avoided practising. If they didn’t practise ask them why not – and don’t allow throw-away answers such as ‘I didn’t have time’. Pupils who produce a frank and candid practice diary could give you much food for thought and discussion. The diaries might even inspire a group lesson where an open exchange of views could take place. Now ask yourself how much time you devote to teaching pupils how to practise – and remember there’s a big difference between telling pupils what to practise and teaching them how to practise. A lesson usually lasts between twenty minutes and an hour. If lessons are weekly and held at a regular time, there are in fact about 167 hours available for practice. Of course most of that time is taken up with day-to-day living, but what an

achievement it would be if pupils had a real desire to use some of those hours to practise; and if they used that time in an effective, beneficial and creative way. So let’s re-evaluate practice and try to discover how it should fit into the teaching and learning process. There have been many chapters and indeed whole books written about practice – and most of them are full of useful tips. The nettle that most of them don’t really grasp is how to instil a real enthusiasm for practice in our pupils. It’s very important that both pupil and teacher see practice as an integral part of progress. It should never be considered an optional extra. A lesson should lead naturally on to practice and practice on to the next lesson, creating a continuous process that generates its own internal energy. But how can we begin to achieve this Utopian situation? To find the answer we need to apply the concept of ‘simultaneous learning’ to practice. The fundamental theory underpinning the concept is that all aspects of music are connected and that our job as teachers, for the most part, is to make these connections for our pupils thus engendering what I call musical thinking. In a way, the process of learning may be conceived as a continuous deconstruction of musical elements followed by a reconstruction in a much more understanding manner. We identify the ingredients of a piece – and then teach those ingredients thoroughly so that pupils can apply them not only to the piece in question but to any music they might be playing or studying. It is important to involve pupils in the identification process – so between us we make a list of rhythmic shapes, dynamics, articulations, technical problems and the character of the music. This allows pupils to think carefully about the piece and to understand the major features. It also gives them a strong sense of responsibility for their own learning. An ideal first lesson on a new piece will leave the actual notes out of sight – perhaps for the entire lesson. We will have a good idea of the main ingredients and allow the lesson to unfold around those ingredients. We might begin with some improvisatory work in the key – I love the idea of thinking of a lesson as being in G major, for instance. As the lesson progresses we add some of the rhythmic patterns and later, some of

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FEATURES

the dynamics and articulation. We may, unknown to our pupil, teach them a bar or two of the new piece as a starting point for an improvisation or technical exercise – in turn developing aural and memory skills. We might bring the various elements into scale playing – if it’s a joyful piece let’s play the scale with the appropriate character (or indeed the opposite character – learning opposites is a powerful teaching tool). We use the elements of the piece to develop musicianship through creative work. Having set up this imaginative approach to learning a piece, let’s see how we can build the connection with practice. We often teach pupils to make practice a re-creation of the lesson. There is much to be said for this as it gives structure. If we are conscientious, we tell pupils to begin with some warms-ups, play some scales and then work carefully on the pieces, correcting mistakes as they go along. However, this is not always as successful as we might think. The energy, effort and self-discipline required for this approach is often too much for many pupils. It all seems too daunting and so the end result is either no practice at all or something that represents no more than a token gesture. The difficulty for most pupils is in getting started. They have to stop what they are doing – playing computer games, sending text messages, watching the television, chatting on their mobile phones, eating (or even doing their homework!) – and find the physical and psychological energy to get their instrument out (or open the piano) and begin. Pupils may come to practice with more enthusiasm if it becomes more creative and if we can find a way to remove that initial psychological barrier of how to get started. First we explain that practice will begin without the music. Something along the lines of: ‘Think about what we did in the last lesson. What key were we exploring? What were the patterns (rhythmic and otherwise) we used for our improvisations? What dynamic levels and articulations did we work on? What musical moods did we examine? Now begin your practice by developing those activities. Make up a tune based in the key. Think about the ingredients we used and how we mixed them together. Try out new ideas. Make up some exercises to help with particular problems as we did in the lesson.’ In this way practice becomes a creative activity and pupils are thinking about the ingredients that make up their new piece, rather than just ‘doing’ them in a half-hearted and thought-less way. They are undertaking real musical activity and the practice has become much more pupilcentred. They are taking ownership of their own

A lesson should lead naturally on to practice and practice on to the next lesson, creating a continuous process that generates its own internal energy progress and practice suddenly becomes more stimulating and easier to begin, because there is nothing to get wrong! Rather than me writing instructions I much prefer my pupils to use their practice notebooks as a record of what they did in their practice, what they had fun in creating and indeed what they created (which can be notated either using conventional notation or graphically). This then becomes the way into the next lesson. When a pupil begins to realise that you are interested in what they did and are prepared to take something they created as the starting point for your next lesson, the energy begins to flow. The continuous process of lesson-practice-lessonpractice begins to transpire. Hold on, you may say, this is all very well for my right-brained pupils who, with some encouragement, really enjoy using their imaginations, but what about those left-brained pupils who can only do exactly what I write in their practice notebooks? For that very reason I would suggest that these pupils would benefit equally, if not more, from this approach. The good teacher knows that the most successful work comes from adopting a variety of approaches and strategies, and that we must always be sensitive to the needs and abilities of each individual. If you like the idea don’t try to impose it indiscriminately and sweepingly – introduce it gently alongside present practice regimes. It will take some time to get used to, but may well reap great rewards.

With this approach, practice becomes an integral part of the learning process With this approach, practice becomes an integral part of the learning process. It connects practice with the lesson and begins to remove the fear and overwhelming sense of difficulty in getting started; it causes the imagination to play a major role and allows pupils to use precious time in a truly musical way.

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FEATURES Linking sound with symbol In November we ran a seminar in the UK looking at the skills needed for Grade 5 Theory. The seminar, led by Ian Smith and Lis Fletcher, focussed on practical ways to teach these skills. Here are just some of the ideas explored during the day.

Flashcards Rhythm games Children often find it difficult to understand how rhythm fits with a beat especially if rhythmic notation is taught mainly using pencil and paper. The best way for them to get to grips with the rhythm-beat relationship is by feeling it, preferably through the whole body. Rhythm games can help children make the link between beat and rhythm in a practical way. Here is our version of a game called Switch. Version 1 ■ Begin by getting your pupils to keep a steady beat with their feet. ■ You then add a rhythmic pattern (1) and your pupils join in – copying your pattern.

Write out short rhythmic patterns on pieces of card. Hold up each card in time with a beat (again kept by the feet) for your pupils to clap. (Write the rhythm on the back of the card as well so that you know whether they are getting it right!) Later on, include rhythms in compound time explaining that the beat they are now keeping with their feet is a dotted crotchet. This is a good way to introduce notation for rhythms in compound time. From an early stage, try to make your pupils understand what the two numbers in a time signature mean, especially the fact that the bottom number relates to the beat and won’t always be 4 for a crotchet. You can also have several cards on display at once. Clap one of the rhythmic patterns yourself and ask pupils to identify the pattern. Then play some music featuring that rhythm and ask them to shout out when it appears.

Pitch

eg

clap

clap

knee-pat

■ After a few repetitions you say ‘switch’ and change to a new pattern (2). Your pupils follow you and switch to pattern 2. eg

knee-pat

clap

■ Continue the game introducing more new patterns as you go. Encourages pupils to listen to rhythmic patterns and feel how they fit with the beat. Version 2 ■ Begin in the same way, setting up a beat and introducing pattern 1. ■ You then move on to pattern 2 (without saying ‘switch’) but your pupils stay on pattern 1. ■ You then say ‘switch’ at which point your pupils join you with pattern 2. ■ Carry on in this way adding new rhythmic patterns. Encourages pupils to feel how two different rhythms fit together and with the beat. Version 3 ■ Begin in the same way. ■ You change to pattern 2 (without saying ‘switch’) but your pupils stay on pattern 1. ■ You say ‘switch’ at which point you introduce a new pattern (3) and your pupils change to pattern 2 – you and your pupils are never doing the same pattern simultaneously. ■ Say ‘switch’ again, you then introduce another new pattern (4) and your pupils move on to pattern 3 etc. Encourages an awareness of multiple rhythmic patterns and subdivision of the beat.

When teaching the concept of pitch for the first time begin with the absolute basics and remember that perceptions of high and low may differ depending on the instrument played. For pianists, low means to the left, while for cellists low means nearer the face and for violinists it means further away! As a starting point, try the following: ■ Sing three notes at different pitches and ask your pupils to write blobs on a page showing the relative highness and lowness of the pitches. ■ Reverse the process – write high and low blobs on a page and ask them to sing notes in response to the position of the blobs. ■ Try blobs on, above and below a single line – for singing three notes moving by step. ■ And then blobs on, above and below three lines. ■ Move on to five lines. ■ Then ledger lines. ■ Finally, introduce clefs showing how they accommodate different instruments and keep the notes more or less on the stave. You can also explain how two staves, eg treble and bass for piano, fit together at middle C with a ledger line. All this may seem rather basic but these fundamentals need to be in place before you can teach what is required for Grade 5 Theory. It also pays to make sure that nothing has been misunderstood or missed out in the early stages of learning.

Scales Work on scales can follow on from pitch work, once more using singing to link sound with symbol. Ask pupils to sing a major scale to numbers, 1 to 8, getting them to indicate where the semitones are with a hand signal. Once the tone/semitone relationship in a scale is understood it will be easier to transfer that knowledge into writing scales with

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notation. Working first with the voice, then an instrument and finally, pencil and paper, is a good way forward. The process can be repeated for major, harmonic minor and melodic minor scales, with you constantly pointing out the different tone/semitone patterns found in each scale type. An understanding of intervals should then follow quite naturally. If pupils are in the habit of singing up and down scales using numbers they will find it easy to count out gaps between intervals. Once pupils have grasped the differences in the tone/semitone patterns between major and minor scales, it is only a short step to understanding the difference between major and minor thirds.

Transposition All this work on pitch and scales will provide a solid foundation for transposition. Remember that this is merely changing the pitch of a melody without changing the intervals between the notes; then encourage your pupils to play melodies by ear in a variety of keys.

Key signatures and the cycle of fifths This underpins all scale learning and, as pupils advance, harmony. We probably all have our favourite mnemonics to remember the cycle of fifths. Try these: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle for sharps and the reverse for flats. Father Christmas Gets Dad An Electric Blanket Blanket Explodes And Dad Gets Cold Feet However you decide to teach this to your pupils, try to link it with the practical work on scales, intervals and transposition. This will ensure that the final piece of the jigsaw doesn’t get stored in a separate and unrelated part of their brains!

Chords Teaching chords and harmony to pupils learning single-line instruments, especially if they are not learning the piano as a second study, can be difficult. Whatever the instrument you may find it helpful to begin with triads. If you have been working on scales in the ways described earlier, your pupils will be used to singing the degrees of the scale to numbers. Now ask them to sing the following, perhaps with you playing or singing along initially: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

1 2 3 4 1 2 3

3 4 5 6 4 5 5

5 6 7 8 6 7 8

3 4 5 6 4 5 5

1 2 3 4 1 2 3

This exercise helps pupils to understand how different combinations of notes form different sounding triads. If you have a piano in your teaching room, you can also demonstrate how these notes sound together as chords. For pupils of single-line instruments, ask them to transfer this exercise to their instruments. You can then get them to improvise with a group of notes over a very simple chord progression, which you play on the piano, or other instrument, as an accompaniment. For example, you could use the following chord progression: I

V

II

V

I

Eventually your pupils will become familiar with the sounds and patterns of arpeggios and will begin to recognise which notes fit with which chords. From here you can introduce the concept of cadences and explain the standard chord progressions – pointing out where they occur in the pieces your pupils are learning.

A word about singing Many of the ideas covered here rely on some singing from your pupils because this is often the best way to make the link between sound and symbol without an instrument getting in the way. However, you may find it difficult to get some of your pupils to sing and be tempted to assume that they can’t pitch a note. Although this is sometimes the case it is in fact very rare for someone to be completely tone deaf. The problem is normally that they lack confidence in their pitching ability or haven’t yet found their voice. To overcome these problems try beginning any voice training with speech. Ask pupils to read a passage aloud – the pitch of their speaking voice will then give you an idea of their natural vocal pitch. While they continue to speak, begin to hum along with their speaking voice close into their ear and gradually get them to settle on one note. Then get them to follow your humming with their own voice. Sliding games with the voice can also help, as there is no anxiety about finding the note immediately. Get pupils to slide up and down vocally and sing with them, gradually getting them to settle on one note again and then to follow you. Singing won’t be something that comes naturally to all pupils; some will need more help than others. They need to practise their vocal skills just as they need to practise their instruments. We hope this article has provided you with some new ideas for your own teaching. Turn to our Forum page to discover what Clara Taylor, our Chief Examiner, has to say on the subject and to find out how you can share your own ideas with other readers. There are two more opportunities to attend a Grade 5 Theory Seminar. See page 3 for details.

Another version of Switch appears in Pompaleerie Jig by Diana Thompson & Kate Baxter, originally published by EJ Arnold and Son Ltd, now out of print.

8 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A taste of the CT ABRSM Have you ever wondered what the Certificate of Teaching is all about? ■ A part-time course that you can fit around your teaching and commitments. ■ A fantastic way to learn about the latest trends and ideas in music education. ■ A chance to meet other teachers and share experiences. ■ Your own personal mentor to guide you through the course. ■ Motivation and inspiration to take back into your lessons. ■ An opportunity for reflection, selfdiscovery and personal development. Perhaps the best way to find out about the course and how it can help you, is to come along to one of the Open Mornings or Tasters being held over the coming months. Teachers considering enrollment for the 2003-2004 course can meet Course Leaders, subject mentors and, at the Open Mornings, current students. There will be typical CT ABRSM activities to sample and opportunities to ask lots of questions – in fact it’s a professional development experience in itself. UK readers will find full details in the enclosed leaflet. To discuss the course or request a prospectus contact the Course Administrator, Judith Jerome: t e

CT ABRSM Hong Kong The Hong Kong course is now in its fourth year with current students over halfway through their year of study and beginning to prepare for the final challenges prior to completing the course in April. Our new course venue, the School of Continuing and Professional Education at Hong Kong University’s Admiralty Campus is proving to be a popular choice with both students and mentors alike and will continue to be the venue for the next course beginning in July this year.

t e

The closing date for applications for the 2003-2004 course is 14 June. For a copy of the prospectus please contact Mandy Kwan at the School of Continuing and Professional Education at HKU: 2559 7628 [email protected]

020 7467 8257 [email protected]

CT ABRSM Singapore Students on the 2002-2003 course completed their studies this month. Initially only available to pianists in Singapore, the course is now open to a wider group of teachers. As the intake broadens Course Leader, Bill Thomson commented: ‘The Certificate of Teaching course has been running for five successful years in Singapore and recently it has been a great delight to welcome two string teachers who have I’m sure benefited enormously from their studies with string mentor Penny Stirling. I’m keen to expand our intake here to include teachers of all instruments as I’m certain there are many woodwind and brass teachers in Singapore who would gain a huge amount from this professional development course.’ The next course begins at the National Institute of Education in April and is open to teachers based in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

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For more information contact Bill Thomson: 6339 2624 (Singapore) [email protected]

PUBLISHING

News

Performer’s Guides launch A Performer’s Guide to Music of the Baroque Period D 192 4 Book & CD A Performer’s Guide to Music of the Classical Period D 193 2 Book & CD A Performer’s Guide to Music of the Romantic Period D 194 0 Book & CD Series editor Anthony Burton

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This new series of guides to period performance was published in August 2002 and launched in a magnificent 18th century room at London’s Novartis Foundation on 2 October 2002.

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Violinist Andrew Manze wrote the chapter on Strings for the Baroque volume and gave a stunning performance of Biber’s Passacaglia from the Rosary Sonatas on a violin of around 1700 from the Amati School.

From left to right: Sir Roger Norrington, Colin Lawson, Barry Cooper, Jane Glover, Duncan Druce, David Goode, David Mason, George Pratt, Clive Brown, Clifford Bartlett, Stephen Preston, Anthony Burton, Peter Holman, David Ward, Trevor Herbert, Robert Pascall and Andrew Manze

Of the series’ 25 contributors, sixteen were present at the launch, as well as the series editor, writer and broadcaster Anthony Burton. One contributor from each of the three volumes gave a presentation to represent each period of music covered. Pianist David Ward specialises in music of the Classical period and wrote the Keyboard chapter in the Classical volume. He brought his own fortepiano to the launch and gave an exquisite performance of Mozart’s Fantasy in D minor.

Anthony Burton, series editor, and Jane Glover, who wrote the Introduction to the Classical volume.

Trevor Herbert provided the chapter on Wind Instruments for the Romantic volume. He gave an entertaining and informative presentation on 19th century brass instruments. Anthony George (above) then played an ophecleide from around 1860 and gave performances of extracts from The Damnation of Faust by Berlioz and the Introduction and Polonaise by Demersseman. Photos by Malcolm Crowthers

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NEW JAZZ PUBLICATIONS CLARINET • ALTO SAX • TENOR SAX • TRUMPET • TROMBONE In May 2003 the Associated Board will launch an exciting new jazz syllabus at Grades 1 to 5 for Clarinet, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Trumpet and Trombone. As with the jazz piano syllabus launched in 1998, we are publishing a comprehensive set of new titles for each instrument, not only for use in the exams but also for everyone wishing to learn to play jazz with imagination and style and to improvise effectively.

Jazz Tunes for Grades 1 to 3 For each instrument at Grades 1 to 3 there is one album and CD per grade; each album contains 15 superb tunes covering a wide range of styles, divided into three sections: Blues & Roots, Standards and Contemporary Jazz. The pack includes parts, piano score and CD. The CD contains complete performances of all 15 tunes recorded by top jazz musicians, and ‘minus one’ tracks of all 15 tunes so that the soloist can play along to the CD. Also included are examples of scales, quick studies and aural tests.

The AB Real Book for Grades 4 and 5 The AB Real Book is published in four separate editions: C trebleclef, B flat, E flat and C bass-clef. Each book contains 100 tunes with chord symbols, and lyrics where applicable. The real books are for use in Grades 4 and 5 exams, but also provide a wealth of material for all jazz players.

CDs for Grades 4 and 5

Jazz Scales for Grades 1 to 5 One volume per instrument The Jazz Scales books will develop the skills required in playing jazz. They introduce patterns characteristic of the idiom, such as modes, the blues scale and the minor pentatonic, and explore these on roots and key centres commonly found in jazz. Regular and flexible practice of these forms, and using them as the basis for improvisation, will give you fluency and technical control, making your playing sound effortless. The scales are set out by grade, with a table of recommended speeds. The books explain ways of playing scales in swing, as well as straight 8s.

Jazz Quick Studies and Aural Tests for Grades 1 to 5 One volume per instrument The quick study requires the skill of playing unrehearsed in a creative and musical way. These books give practice in recreating a previously unseen or unheard short head followed by an improvised response. The books also contain practice material for developing aural and musicianship skills – a fundamental part of jazz performance and improvisation.

Publication: May 2003

Play Jazz from Scratch

One CD per grade per instrument

DR CHARLES BEALE Book and CD

Each CD contains complete performances of all 15 tunes at that particular grade, all of which are featured in The AB Real Book, followed by ‘minus one’ tracks for all 15 tunes. Jazz exam candidates may use the minus-one tracks on the CD in their exams, in place of a live accompanist. Also included are examples of scales, quick studies and aural tests.

Packed with simple and concise ideas for both group and individual teaching, Play Jazz from Scratch consists of a progressive series of simple and enjoyable jazz workshops for the complete beginner. It introduces key concepts of jazz through games and child-friendly exercises, and draws on repertoire taken from the Associated Board’s jazz syllabus. The book aims to provide a support package for the teacher who is enthusiastic about jazz but is unsure where to begin.

In preparation

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D 301 3 Jazz Clarinet Tunes Level/Grade 1 part, score and CD D 302 1 Jazz Clarinet Tunes Level/Grade 2 part, score and CD D 303 X Jazz Clarinet Tunes Level/Grade 3 part, score and CD D 304 8 Jazz Alto Sax Tunes Level/Grade 1 part, score and CD D 305 6 Jazz Alto Sax Tunes Level/Grade 2 part, score and CD D 306 4 Jazz Alto Sax Tunes Level/Grade 3 part, score and CD D 307 2 Jazz Tenor Sax Tunes Level/Grade 1 part, score and CD D 308 0 Jazz Tenor Sax Tunes Level/Grade 2 part, score and CD D 309 9 Jazz Tenor Sax Tunes Level/Grade 3 part, score and CD D 310 2 Jazz Trumpet Tunes Level/Grade 1 part, score and CD D 311 0 Jazz Trumpet Tunes Level/Grade 2 part, score and CD D 312 9 Jazz Trumpet Tunes Level/Grade 3 part, score and CD D 313 7 Jazz Trombone Tunes Level/Grade 1 part, score and CD D 314 5 Jazz Trombone Tunes Level/Grade 2 part, score and CD D 315 3 Jazz Trombone Tunes Level/Grade 3 part, score and CD D 316 1 D 317 X D 318 8 D 319 6

The AB Real Book C treble-clef edition The AB Real Book B flat edition The AB Real Book E flat edition The AB Real Book C bass-clef edition

D 320 X D 321 8 D 322 6 D 323 4 D 324 2 D 325 0 D 326 9 D 327 7 D 328 5 D 329 3

Jazz Clarinet CD Level/Grade 4 Jazz Clarinet CD Level/Grade 5 Jazz Alto Sax CD Level/Grade 4 Jazz Alto Sax CD Level/Grade 5 Jazz Tenor Sax CD Level/Grade 4 Jazz Tenor Sax CD Level/Grade 5 Jazz Trumpet CD Level/Grade 4 Jazz Trumpet CD Level/Grade 5 Jazz Trombone CD Level/Grade 4 Jazz Trombone CD Level/Grade 5

D 330 7 D 331 5 D 332 3 D 333 1

Jazz Clarinet Scales Levels/Grades 1–5 Jazz Sax Scales Levels/Grades 1–5 Jazz Trumpet Scales Levels/Grades 1–5 Jazz Trombone Scales Levels/Grades 1–5

D 334 X Jazz Clarinet Quick Studies and Aural Tests Levels/Grades 1–5 D 335 8 Jazz Sax Quick Studies and Aural Tests Levels/Grades 1–3 D 336 6 Jazz Sax Quick Studies and Aural Tests Levels/Grades 4–5 D 337 4 Jazz Trumpet Quick Studies and Aural Tests Levels/Grades 1–5 D 338 2 Jazz Trombone Quick Studies and Aural Tests Levels/Grades 1–5 D 300 5

Play Jazz from Scratch* book and CD

*In preparation

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Theory of Music Books in Spanish We are delighted to announce the publication of Spanish translations of Eric Taylor’s bestselling music theory books Music Theory in Practice, Grades 1 to 5, and First Steps in Music Theory. These titles have become key texts in the Associated Board’s support materials for theory of music exams. Music Theory in Practice has already been translated into Chinese (Grades 1 to 5) and Swedish (Grades 1 and 2).

D 350 1

La teoría musical en la práctica Grado 1*

D 351 X

La teoría musical en la práctica Grado 2* La teoría musical en la práctica Grado 3†

D 352 8 D 354 4

La teoría musical en la práctica Grado 4† La teoría musical en la práctica Grado 5†

D 299 8

Primeros pasos en teoría musical*

D 353 6

*Publication: October 2002 †Publication: February 2003 A free brochure has been produced in Spanish showing details of these titles and where they may be purchased in Spain. If you would like copies of the brochure, please email [email protected]. The titles are available worldwide.

Singing Prep Test A new Singing Prep Test will be published in April 2003 and will be valid for exams from B Period (May 2003). The current Preparatory Test for Singing will be valid for exams until December 2003. D 375 7

Singing Prep Test

Publication: April 2003

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2002 Theory of Music Papers

COMPETITION

Grades 1 to 8 The Associated Board’s Theory of Music Papers Grades 1 to 8 for 2002 are published in January 2003. D 365 X D 366 8 D 367 6 D 368 4 D 369 2 D 370 6 D 371 4 D 372 2

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8

For our latest Libretto competition we are giving away copies of the second release in the First Discovery – Music series. One lucky winner will receive a set of all five titles – Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Berlioz and Debussy – and four runners-up will receive a copy of the Bach volume. Send a postcard with your answers to the two questions below, not forgetting to include your name and address, to: ABRSM (Publishing) Ltd, 24 Portland Place, London W1B 1LU, United Kingdom

Publication: 2 January 2003

to arrive no later than Friday 28 March 2003. 1. Which famous composer conducted a performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion about 100 years after its first performance, spurring a worldwide interest in Bach’s music?

Spectrum 3 at St Paul’s School, London

2. On whose play was Debussy’s only completed opera, Pélleas et Mélisande, based?

On 2 October 2002 St Paul’s School for Boys in London put on a complete performance of Spectrum 3, an international collection of 25 pieces for solo piano. The idea for the concert was conceived by Mark Tatlow, the school’s Director of Music, who invited Thalia Myers, creator of the Spectrum series, to give a short introductory talk. Two St Paul’s piano teachers, Roy Stratford and John Wood, organized 25 boys to play the 25 pieces. This was a unique occasion for, as far as we know, no other school has ever put on a complete performance of any of the three Spectrum anthologies. ‘The performances were really excellent and it was a great exercise in contemporary music education for the boys – and probably their parents – to sit and hear each other play all 25 pieces’, reported Thalia Myers.

Complete Catalogue 2003 A new fully-illustrated Complete Catalogue 2003 will be published in February. Copies will be available from local music retailers.

The Art of Fugue at Southampton University Southampton University’s Turner Sims Concert Hall was the venue for a lunchtime lecture/recital on the new edition of J S Bach’s The Art of Fugue on 28 October 2002. The idea for the lecture/recital emanated from the Music Department’s ‘Bach to Beethoven’ course, led by Matthew Head, and was organised in conjunction with the Southampton music retailer Paul Kibble of Triangle Pianos. Introduced by the Associated Board’s Director of Publishing, Leslie East, the editor of the new edition, Richard Jones, gave a presentation and pianist Yonty Solomon played extracts from the work. The event was a great success and was attended by an audience of over 300, including students from the University’s Music Department.

COMPETITION WINNERS Libretto, September 2002 In the September 2002 competition we asked you which Bach specialist and leading harpsichordist has recorded The Art of Fugue for inclusion in our new edition, and which famous composer’s name is spelt out in German notation in one of the subjects of the final fugue in the same work. The answers are: ‘Davitt Moroney’ and ‘Bach’. Congratulations to these five winners who each receive a copy of The Art of Fugue signed by both the editor Richard Jones and the harpsichordist Davitt Moroney after publication:

Y NEW

Mr Noel Rodrigues, Goa, India Mrs Vivian Chau, Kowloon, Hong Kong Mr Jaideep Mookherjee, Calcutta, India Mrs E Bleazard, London, UK Mr Simon Robinson, Neath, Wales, UK

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The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (Publishing) Limited 24 Portland Place London W1B 1LU United Kingdom t +44 20 7636 5400 f +44 20 7467 8833 e [email protected] www.abrsmpublishing.co.uk Oxford University Press is the sole worldwide sales agent and distributor for ABRSM (Publishing) Ltd.

Please order from your local music retailer

13

www.abrsm.ac.uk Look out for the new Associated Board website to be launched within the next few months. The new site will continue to give access to all the information you need to enter candidates for an Associated Board exam together with updates on forthcoming events and the latest syllabus developments. The website will also have areas dedicated to teachers, parents and students. Other features include pages for each country giving local information, message boards for teachers and parents and musical games for students. Whilst developing the new site we have worked hard to ensure ease of use with clear navigation, improved search facilities and printable pages. As always we value your feedback, so please let us know what you think by emailing: [email protected].

2003: a jubilee year 2003 is a jubilee year for the Associated Board in Egypt, Greece and Malta. In April and May Tim Arnold, Head of International Operations, will be visiting Egypt and Greece where we have been examining for 25 years. Silver jubilee events will include special High Scorers’ Concerts and teachers meetings and candidates passing exams this year will receive commemorative jubilee certificates. Planning is also under way for celebrations to mark 100 years of Associated Board exams in Malta – look out for more details of these important centenary events in the next issue.

Juniors at the Royal Schools of Music For many years the Associated Board has awarded scholarships to students at the four conservatoires with which it is affiliated: Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Royal Northern College of Music and Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Until recently scholarships were only available to students studying at undergraduate or postgraduate levels. However, last year we introduced four new scholarships for outstanding young musicians from the UK who are just beginning their studies at the junior departments of these conservatoires. The junior departments operate on Saturdays during term time providing school-age students with a fantastic opportunity to have lessons with conservatoire staff, play in orchestras, ensembles and choirs and gain a thorough grounding in musicianship through a whole range of activities. The new Junior Scholarships provide financial support for one year of study. Entry to the junior departments is by audition and scholarship recipients are nominated by the conservatoires from the intake of students for the year. In addition to Associated Board scholarships there are a number of other scholarships and bursaries available, details of which can be obtained from the conservatoires themselves. Awards are also made by some Local Education Authorities – interested teachers or parents should initially contact their LEA Music Adviser.

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Portuguese promise t With a new Representative in place and much positive interest from teachers Tim Arnold, Head of International Operations, visited Portugal last November. Travelling to Oporto, Aviero and Lisbon, Tim met teachers and parents at a series of events organised by our Representative, Fátima Viera. In addition to discussing exams and syllabuses, Tim also included sessions on style and interpretation, and aural and sight-reading skills.

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Royal Academy of Music, London (Junior Academy) 020 7873 7373 Royal College of Music, London (Junior Department) 020 7589 3643 Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester (Junior School) 0161 907 5200 Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow (Junior Academy) 0141 332 4101

NEWS

New HLRs: UK Alnwick Jennifer Young t 01665 602601 e [email protected] Cambridge (Theory) Christine Jones t 01223 357446 Cannock Jane Price t 07712 527173 e [email protected] East Grinstead (Theory) Simon Morris t 01342 823940 London: Wimbledon Ann Durrant t 020 8715 5029 Shrewsbury Grace Harvey t 01694 731678 Stratford-upon-Avon Laurence & Rosemary Robson t 01789 296 134 e therobsonfamily @hotmail.com Torquay Keith Thompson t 01803 607484

High Scorers’ Concerts: UK

A winning world

7 February Paignton 11 February Chippenham

For information about exams in Portugal contact Fátima Viera: 96 579 41 66 / 93 997 21 60

19 February Bangor 21 February Plymouth

Spanish jubilee concert Performers at the concert held in Madrid last October to celebrate 20 years of Associated Board exams in Spain.

Many congratulations to the winner of our Christmas card competition. The winning illustration came from Catriona Vickers-Claesens, age 8, who is a pupil at High March School in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. Her picture depicting ‘Music around the world’ was used on the official Associated Board Christmas card for 2002.

1 March Darlington 2 March Sunbury-on-Thames

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NEWS Supporting music makers Australian

Regional Festival Series in collaboration with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music

New Representatives Australia: Brisbane Ken Hay t 07 3366 3895 e margandken @hotkey.net.au Germany: Hessen Caroline Brand (Kronberg Academy) t 061 845 6335 e [email protected] Germany: North Rhine Westphalia, Lower Saxony David Clarke (Oerly Musikschule) t 0520 23794 Southern Africa: Gauteng, Botswana, Swaziland Meg Twyford m 082 465 9031 Switzerland David Smith (International School of Zug) t 041 768 1188 e [email protected]

New contact Austria Joanne Sunderland t 01 495 1453 e [email protected]

Music for Youth

accreditation

Over 40,000 young musicians will be performing at the forthcoming Music for Youth Regional Festival Series. A collaborative venture between Music for Youth and the Associated Board, these festivals give fantastic performance opportunities for ensembles of every kind. Not only do participants have the chance to perform to an audience of other enthusiastic young musicians but they also encounter an enormous range of repertoire and performance style. Once again we are delighted to be supporting this unique festival and wish all participants the very best as they prepare for their performances.

Festivals are taking place at venues all over England between February and April. For more information contact Music for Youth: t e

020 8870 9624 [email protected]

All change in Southern Africa and Switzerland Chris Vels, our Regional Co-ordinator for Gauteng and surrounding regions, Botswana and Swaziland, has retired after working with the Associated Board for five years. During this time, Chris has helped to develop the work of the Associated Board in this area giving rise to a steady increase in candidates and a total of 18 weeks of examining each year. Meg Twyford, who has worked alongside Chris for several years, takes over as Regional Co-ordinator. January sees David Winter’s retirement as our Representative for Switzerland. David has been involved with the work of the Associated Board for many years and has witnessed growth in our activities throughout Switzerland. We now hold exams at centres in Geneva, Basel, Montreux and Zug. David hands over to his colleague at the International School of Zug, the Head of Music, David Smith. Thank you to David Winter and Chris and good luck to David Smith and Meg in their new roles.

Two years ago, Chief Executive Richard Morris announced that Associated Board graded exams had gained official recognition within the UK’s National Qualifications Framework. At the time, it was hoped that this recognition would have wider implications for the accreditation of our exams in international centres, and we have been actively pursuing this possibility in a number of areas. As a result, the Queensland Studies Authority, Australia, has recently granted approval of Associated Board qualifications for inclusion in the category of Recorded Achievements for the 2003 Senior Certificate. Approved subjects are as follows: ■ Grades 4 – 8 Singing ■ Grades 6 – 8 All other instruments ■ Grades 5 – 8 Theory of Music ■ Grades 5 – 8 Practical Musicianship ■ Diplomas DipABRSM, LRSM,FRSM We continue to work with accreditation bodies around the world and look forward to bringing you further news in the future. In the meantime, we hope that our Queensland candidates will value the opportunity to have their Associated Board exams listed alongside their other achievements.

Working with Representatives The Associated Board’s UK and Ireland exams are co-ordinated on a local level by 300 Honorary Local Representatives (HLRs). HLRs are closely involved with arrangements at public exam centres and in regular contact with the local teachers and candidates who attend their centre. In October and November last year HLRs gathered for seminars led by Penny Milsom, Head of UK and Ireland Exam Administration, and Lynne Butler, Teacher Support Consultant. These sessions provided a valuable opportunity to share best practice, identify issues of importance to teachers and candidates, and discuss areas for improvement and development. Many ideas were generated to be taken forward over the coming months. Contact your HLR for syllabuses, entry forms and information about exams in your area. HLR details are listed at www.abrsm.ac.uk and in the Regulations and Information.

Chief Examiner on tour Clara Taylor has recently returned from visits to Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Dubai and Kuwait. Clara led a series of immensely popular seminars for teachers dealing with the exam situation, marking criteria, syllabus requirements and the latest news on Associated Board developments. With plenty of time for questions these events also provided an opportunity for teacher and student discussion.

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FORUM Accompaniment Your chance to share experiences and ideas with other readers. In each issue our Chief Examiner, Clara Taylor, introduces a subject for discussion. We then publish your responses in the next issue. Your contribution may be edited for publication. Write to Clara Taylor, marking your envelope Forum, or email [email protected]

Too little too late

Teamwork

Even though examiners must be able to ignore shortcomings in accompanying or ensemble, it must be to the candidates’ advantage to have adequate practice time with an accompanist. Some teachers fail to take this into account and I have often been asked to accompany candidates at what I consider is far too late a stage. Candidates in the earlier grades may never have played with a pianist before and I believe that those taking higher grades and diplomas should have as much ensemble practice as possible.

One of the rewards of accompanying is seeing the performers’ pleasure and surprise when they hear the ensemble for the first time. They love to feel they are in charge and that we go in as a team.

Colin Roderick Auckland, New Zealand

A winning smile Most accompanists realise they can help make or mar an exam. What is not always realised is that their manner on the day can affect the candidate even before entering the exam room. Accompanists, before you even play a note – smile! Neville Osborne Somerset, UK

Christine Williams Hereford, UK

The whole picture I have been accompanying for many years. Students come to me for one or two rehearsals before the exam and I am always amazed at the number of pupils who have never heard the accompaniments. To learn one line of music never having heard the piece as a whole seems such a disadvantage. So, teachers, do give your students this most important start to learning.

Would it be a good idea for the teacher to arrange a time at an early stage in the learning of pieces when pupils preparing for a particular grade or session could meet and listen while teacher and accompanist play through all the pieces?

Next topic: teaching theory

Do you have any tips on how to incorporate theory into lessons? Do write in. All letters are considered for inclusion in Libretto and everyone will receive an individual reply.

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The current increase in entries for higher grades means that more candidates are successfully tackling the milestone of Grade 5 Theory. Everyone is likely to agree that a sound understanding of the written side of music is essential for the development of a serious student, but many teachers find that there are simply not enough hours in the day to cope with this demand. The ideal situation is to start theory early, on a regular basis, whether or not exams are taken. Too often pupils will be inherited from another teacher who has never touched on the subject and a huge learning curve then has to be faced. Pupils may also view theory as too much like school homework and resent the extra load. Teaching theory in practical ways within instrumental lessons is a good approach. But why not also consider Grade 5 Practical Musicianship? This, along with Grade 5 Jazz, is an alternative to Grade 5 Theory as a qualification for entry to the higher grades.

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Is there any way of getting closer to a learner than by accompanying her in an exam? There is that desperate look when a flute will not tune properly or when a music stand remains obdurately at the wrong height or when the examiner asks which piece she is playing and the title is in French, and quite unpronounceable. Accompanying can require nerves of steel: being dragged through a piece at top speed by a pupil driven by panic; frantically taking a tuck in a bar; or inserting an extra beat to accommodate a miscount on the part of the performer. However, the rewards are great. Pupils are often vulnerable at a time like this and it can be a privilege to be that friendly and well-known figure at the piano.

Daphne Coleman By email

Christine Moore Leominster, UK

Clara Taylor

The privilege of accompanying

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Margaret Lee By email

One more time As Director of Music in a school which has a large exam entry (and for which I undertake a large proportion of the accompaniment), I cannot fail to notice the immense importance of being a good accompanist, especially for those children who are new to music exams. It is also amazing to see the difference in a candidate’s confidence after just one extra practice. I remember one girl who was having terrible trouble keeping together with the accompaniment, but at the next rehearsal she was a changed pupil. I was no longer the scary man she’d never met, I was the person who was going to help her pass her exam and the confidence showed in her playing – she got a distinction. If there is any advice I would give to accompanists it is to make sure you see the candidate at least twice – preferably more – before the exam day; it will make no end of difference to their confidence, and consequently their result. It will also be more rewarding for you as the accompanist. Mark Jordan Winchester House School, UK ■ ■ ■

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