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LIBRETTO
Travelling together:journeys with your pupils
Making Music 2000
CT student stories
Jazz Notes for improvising
On the move
Issue 2000:3
ContentsLibretto 2000:3
1 All changeMoving storiesNew Chairman for the Board
2 UK newsMaking Music 2000FMS sponsorship dealOn-line entryNew ways to payClosing dates
3 Professional Development newsStudent viewpointUK awards and course updateLatest prospectuses
4/5 International newsJamaica jamboreeFrom our South East Asia ConsultantCyprus hits 50Seychelles climb aboard
6/7 ExamsSyllabus round upJazz NotesMusic mattersDiploma feedback
8/9 FeatureTravelling togetherTim Arnold
10/11 Point of viewRobin Osterley:Doing it for love
12 ForumHave confidence!
Libretto is published three times a year by the Marketing Department
Editor Michelle JamesAssistant Editor Lucy NorthAdvertising Sales Dominic Sewell telephone 0795 736 8356Design Tamasin ColeCover illustration Geoff GrandfieldPrint FS Moore Ltd, London
The views expressed in Libretto are not necessarily those of the Associated Board.
Outlook
The Associated Board’s research Making Music 2000(see page 2) discovered things about children’s attitudesto playing musical instruments which will interest andsurprise many parents and teachers all over the world.
When children were asked who decided they shouldlearn to play, 62% replied it was their own choice (comparedwith far fewer attributing that decision to teacher orparent). When asked their reasons for wanting to learn aninstrument, 69% answered they ‘liked its sound’ and this wasa much more important motive than, for example, the wishto play with friends or the influence of a famous role model.When those who had stopped their lessons were asked why,by far the dominant reason was that they had ‘got bored’.
There are some salutary lessons for us adults in theseresponses. We are not the key influencers in the decision tostart learning and yet we have a duty to ensure childrenare given the opportunity to experience the sound of awide range of musical instruments at an early age. If manychildren get bored, then teachers need to acquire moreteaching strategies to maintain pupils’ interest andenjoyment when the going gets tough. This was in fact anessential idea behind the launch of the Board’s CT ABRSMProfessional Development course for teachers five years ago.
Although the percentage of children in the UK whoplay musical instruments has now stabilised, there is noevidence of an upswing. There has conversely been a sharpdecline over the last six years in the playing of minorityorchestral instruments, such as the oboe, double-bass andFrench horn. The message for the UK Government is clear.Although stop-gap measures have been implemented withsome success, there is a vital task ahead in guaranteeinglong-term structures for instrumental tuition above the levelof the individual school. Only then can we be sure that everychild has the opportunity to learn and that the essentialbreadth of learning across all instruments is maintained.
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music24 Portland Place, London W1B 1LUEngland
Telephone 020 7636 5400Fax 020 7637 0234
Email [email protected] www.abrsm.ac.uk
Registered Charity No. 292182© 2000 by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of MusicAll rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without permission.
Setting the Standards
Richard MorrisChief Executive
1
ALLCHANGE
This is an exciting time for everyone involvedwith the Associated Board and the manyadvantages that our new home can offer are sure to have a positive impact on customers,colleagues and contacts all over the world.
The new offices are located in the heart of London, just a stone’s throw from BBCBroadcasting House but within walking distanceof the green oasis of Regent’s Park. 24 PortlandPlace happily combines period style with all theadvantages of a fully refurbished interior. Thebuilding offers flexible accommodation, allowingus to tailor the layout to our own requirementsand has the added attraction of space for apurpose-built studio for holding exams,meetings, seminars and all the other activitiesessential to the Board’s work.
In the long term, working within a buildingdesigned specifically with modern office practicein mind will enable us to enhance all aspects ofour administrative operations as well asstrengthening communication procedures bothinternally and externally. We look forward tooffering an even better standard of service from24 Portland Place and to extending a specialwelcome to all visitors.
Richard Morris, Chief Executive, commented,‘By relocating to 24 Portland Place, the Board isretaining its essential central London location at
Moving stories
New HLRs UK
AberdeenPatricia Henderson01467 643790 (home)07931 582983 (mobile)
BridgendJohn Williams01656 663345
CambridgeJennifer Thornton01223 503477
Melton MowbrayElizabeth Sampson01664 850639
OxfordJanice Allen01865 762849
PaisleyDouglas McBay0141 636 1370 (home)07768 585052 (mobile)
ShrewsburyHeather Foster01694 731263
Weston-super-MarePhilip & Margaret Hopes01934 412921
WokingSheila Mansfield01483 856486
From 4 September please contact us at our new address:
24 Portland PlaceLondon W1B 1LU
Telephone and fax numbers and email remain unchanged:
tel +44 (0)20 7636 5400fax +44 (0)20 7637 0234email [email protected]
Any mail sent to 14 Bedford Squarewill be redirected by the Post Office.
New Chairman for the Board
At the end of July Sir Peter Marychurch steppeddown as Chairman of the Associated Board.Talking about his retirement Sir Peter said, ‘I amvery sad to be retiring from the Associated Boardafter six years as Chairman. During that time I have developed a great respect and admirationfor the Board and those who work in it and with it. I wish you all every success in the future!’
Our new Chairman is John Baker CBE whojoins the Board following a varied career in bothpublic and private sectors. At present he is amember of the New Deal Task Force and the
Address Book UK
BromleyJeff Blyth tel 080 2466 7411
NewportCarol Read tel 01633 276765
PenzanceDominic Foster tel 01736 363330mobile 0797 451 336fax 01736 331389
Education Standards Task Force and is involved inwork for the UN and the World Energy Council.John Baker was made a CBE in the recentBirthday Honours List for services to unemployedpeople and education.
John Baker has always had a major interest inmusic and the performing arts – as a choral singerin younger days and through his involvementwith the London Symphony Orchestra and theMonteverdi Choir and Orchestra. Currently he isChairman of English National Opera.
Commenting on his new role he said, ‘Musichas always been a major thread running throughmy life and I am greatly looking forward toparticipating in the work of the Associated Boardand all it does to encourage love andunderstanding of music and the development ofthe next generation of musicians.’
John Baker joins the Board at a particularlyexciting time as we move into our new officesand we all look forward to working closely withhim over the coming years.
After 93 years at 14 Bedford Square theAssociated Board now has a wonderfulopportunity to move to newly refurbished office accommodation. As an internationalorganisation at the forefront of music education, constantly evolving, developing and expanding in scope and remit, we will now have a home that is ideally suited to ourwork and that satisfies our ongoing needs.
■ 24 Portland Place, London W1B 1LU ■ 24 Portland Place, London W1B 1LU ■ 24 Portland Place, London W1B 1LU ■
John Baker
the hub of its national and internationalnetworks, while ensuring it can operate withmaximum efficiency in modernised IT-friendlyaccommodation. This move complements all thecontinuing developments in our range of servicesand products for teachers and students.’
2
NEWSUK
High Scorers’ Concerts
10 SeptemberNorwichSwansea
21 SeptemberBolton
24 SeptemberIsle of Man
1 OctoberDoncaster
4 NovemberSutton Coldfield
14 NovemberBangor
Making Music 2000
The report, Making Music 2000, providesa snapshot of the current situation formusical learning amongst adults andchildren and highlights emergent trendsand patterns in terms of gender, age,social background and region. Thereport also throws valuable light on how,why and what children learn to play.
Importantly the report shows thatthe playing of musical instruments byyoung people has stabilised after the fallshown in our 1997 research, with somerecovery in the proportion of primaryschool age children now playing. Thelatest research, however, confirms thatthe likelihood of children learning toplay musical instruments if they have notdone so at primary school age is very low.
The full report, Making Music2000, is available free of charge:tel 020 7467 8254email [email protected]
This year begins a three-yearsponsorship agreementbetween the Associated Boardand the Federation of MusicServices. The agreement wasannounced by Richard Morris,Chief Executive, at the FMSannual conference, a sell-outevent with over 100 musicservices represented.
The conference includedsessions presented by Janet Dallasand Nicola Edwards (DfEE), JanetMills (HMI), Tony Knight (QCA)and Christina Coker (NFYM).Much of the debate during thecourse of the weekend focussedon future funding structures forinstrumental teaching, coreprovision for instrumental servicesand the need to bridge the gapbetween classroom music andinstrumental activity in schools.
At the conference Richardsaid, ‘This new sponsorshipagreement underlines theBoard’s continuing support forthe work of the FMS and ourrecognition of its important rolein the period leading up to2002, when the interimStandards Fund arrangementsend. The key task now for allthose working with musiceducation is to ensure thatproper long-term structures arein place, and that a sensibleallocation of responsibility andfunding between central andlocal government is established.’
For information aboutthe FMS contact:Richard Hickmantel/fax 01747 820739
FMS sponsorship deal
On-line entry
Over the past two years we havebeen developing an Internetentry system for applicants in theUK. This is proving to be verysuccessful and over 10,000candidates were entered on-lineduring the summer session.
By submitting your entries on-line you can also takeadvantage of a later closing date.For the November/Decemberexam session the on-line closingdate is Tuesday 26 September,four days after the postal closingdate of Friday 22 September.
To use the on-line entry formyou need your applicant numberand a personal password. You canset up your password by contactingthe office responsible for your area:
Midlands & N Irelandemail [email protected] 020 7467 8238
Northern email [email protected] 020 7467 8278
Southern email [email protected] 020 7467 8211
London email [email protected] 020 7467 8261
The on-line entry form has beenextensively tested on PCs anddeveloped for ease of use. Lookout for further developmentsover the coming year as we hopeto be able to expand this serviceto include on-line payment.
You can find the on-line entry form on our website atwww.abrsm.ac.uk
New ways to pay
Following a successful pilotscheme over the summer you cannow pay for exam entries bycredit or debit card (Visa,MasterCard, Switch, Delta).
Everyone who enteredcandidates in the summer sessionreceived a form with their resultsoutlining the new options. If youhave not received a form andwould like to pay by credit/debitcard please contact us on 020 7636 5400.
Many thanks to all of you whosent entries early last term asrequested. The summer session isthe busiest of the year, withnearly twice as many candidatesas any other session. Our task wasto give a high level of service,regardless of the loss of a weekdue to a late Easter, and yourresponse helped us in this.
When setting closing dates weconsider two issues: manyteachers prefer a late closing dateand teachers also need maximumnotice of exam dates. A laterclosing date means less time tomake arrangements and send outnotification of exam dates, so thechosen date is always a balancebetween the two.
Most teachers plan ahead forexams and know well in advancewhich candidates will be ready fortheir next exam. Why not sendthese entries early, perhaps at theend of one term rather than thebeginning of the next? Any extraentries can always be made justbefore the closing date.
Next closing date
22 September (early entries arewelcomed – processingbegins 4 September)
The results of our latest marketresearch were unveiled at theRSA in London on 4 July.
Closing dates
■ next closing date: 22 September ■ ■ ■ next closing date: 22 September ■ ■ ■ next closing date: 22 September ■
Entry envelopes
Don’t worry if the entryenvelope sent with yourlast results carries ourold address – all postsent to 14 BedfordSquare will be redirectedby the Post Office to 24 Portland Place.
3
NEWSPROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT
Student viewpoint
Singapore CT ABRSMstudents during the Initial Week at Benslow
We asked Anna Loo, currently aCT ABRSM student in Singapore,to tell us about her Initial Week.
The Initial Week at Benslow couldnot be more appropriate! Takingoneself away from the normalwork place and all distraction isnecessary to remind oneself of theyear-long commitment.
Our hosts, Richard Crozier,Lauren Goldthorpe and MoiraHayward, were helpful andfriendly making the week mostenjoyable. Sessions were inspiringwith enthusiasm, humour andgreat ideas for teaching.
With our mentors, Lauren and Moira, we broke into twogroups to cover a range of topics,from teaching beginners toadvanced learning, from sight-reading to Alexander Technique.These sessions served as aspringboard for furtherconsideration and research.
There was lots of hands onactivity and with keyboards inmost rooms we could disperseinto private corners, andexperiment on jazz chords andimprovisation before comingtogether to share presentations.In this way, we were goingthrough the same psychologicalprocess as our students when theytry out new things. We were allexperiencing the learning processand hence there was nothing tobe embarrassed about.
The visit to the Royal Academyof Music and the Royal College ofMusic was interesting andinformative with an exciting talkon Bach by Professor SimonNicholls and an incrediblemasterclass with Clara Taylor.
The Initial Week in Benslowshowed me that piano teaching isjust one part of music educationand that the various elements of apiano lesson need to be plannedas partners to all other aspects ofmusic education. Benslow hashelped me put my piano teachinginto perspective!
Duncan Stafford was a student onthe UK CT ABRSM course during1998-99. Here he reflects on whatthe course meant to him.
It was a gorgeous sunny Saturdayin early April, but I was not aboutto sit back in my deckchairlistening to Radio 3 and dreamingof distant sun-drenched beaches. Ihad volunteered to spend fourhours in a local school so thatpotential CT ABRSM students couldhave the opportunity to talk to apast student during a tastersession. So why was I prepared togive up a spot of ‘down time’?Simple, because I knew it would bean unusually exciting morning.
Until I took the CT course in1998/99 I would not have believedthat I could get so passionateabout different methods ofkeeping a pupil notebook orteaching sight-reading! A fewminutes into the April tastersession and I knew for certain myexperience of the course was notunusual. It is impossible todescribe the passion, excitementand challenges generated whenteachers are confronted with aquestion such as ‘What should weteach?’
Although I am fortunate to have had a broad-rangingteaching career I was at noparticular advantage when Ibegan the CT course over teacherswho worked in a single area. But I did find that through being able to choose writtenassignment topics I could deepenmy understanding of particularareas and find a place to expresssome long-held thoughts.
For me the most valuable partof the course was the lessonobservations. Although this mightsound daunting at first, it wasnever like trying to pass an examor having an OfSTED inspector inyour teaching room. It wasanother set of eyes looking atyour lessons – but from ‘outside ofthe circle’. My mentor’s feedbackraised very interesting points andallowed me to gain a clear focuson certain issues, which I havetruly valued.
So, what about the teachingproject video? Fear not! It canbecome a rather enjoyable part ofeveryday teaching. I bought atelevision for my teaching studioand now use the video camera ona daily basis. Thanks to the CTABRSM course my students now,on occasion, get to see themselvesthe way their teacher does withthe result of a speedier resolutionto problems with stance and hand position.
The only problem with the CT ABRSM course is that after nine months it comes to an end.However, the experience andknowledge will last a lifetime.
Every year students just starting theSingapore CT ABRSM course travel to England for a week of intensiveresidential study. This Initial Week takes place at the home of the BenslowMusic Trust in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
UK awards andcourse update
The CT ABRSM award ceremonyfor 1999–2000 was held on 26 Julyin the Britten Theatre at the RoyalCollege of Music. The Certificateof Teaching was awarded to 167students this year and 137 were atthe Royal College to receive theircertificates from the Board’s retiringChairman, Sir Peter Marychurch.The guest speaker was composerand broadcaster, Michael Berkeley.
The closing date for the 2000-2001 CT ABRSM course is 18 September. Remember thatyou can now choose from threecourse formats:
Part-time over 1 yearPart-time over 2 yearsModular over 3 years
For a copy of the prospectus or todiscuss course options contact:
Judith Jerometel 020 7467 8257email [email protected]
Latest prospectuses
The 2001-2002 CT ABRSMprospectuses for Hong Kong andSingapore are available inSeptember from the Hong KongExaminations Authority and fromSu-San Hay at SSO.
HKEA, tel 2328 0061SSO, tel 339 2624
New Administrator
A warm welcome toJudith Jerome who has recently joined the ProfessionalDevelopmentdepartment. Judith has taken on the role of UK CTABRSM CourseAdministrator, covering Anna Munks’maternity leave.
4
NEWSINTERNATIONAL
Address book
BahamasElizabeth [email protected]
MalawiMalawi NationalExaminations Boardtel 525277/525278/525212/525008fax 525351
St KittsCynthia Edwards fax 4668129
UgandaSimon Yigaemail [email protected]
USA: HoustonPaula [email protected]
USA: MontereyRoseMarie [email protected]
USA: New YorkJoshua Chia-Hsin andSally ChenSong of Songs Group Inc.171-74 46th AvenueFlushingNY 11358tel (718) 321 3878fax (718) 321 3879
Jamaica jamboree
At the end of March RichardMorris visited Barbados,Trinidad and Tobago andJamaica presenting seminarsand meeting teachers andrepresentatives. Pictured hereare teachers at a seminar inKingston, Jamaica and Richardwith Maurice Gordon, ourrepresentative in Jamaica.
From our South East Asia Consultant
Bill Thomson
In the last edition of Libretto we all shared in thepleasure of reading about the National Concertfor High Achievers at the Royal Opera House inLondon. In SE Asia too, we hold annual events forhigh scorers evoking precisely the same feelingsof excitement, pride, and anticipation, evenoccasional trepidation, amongst the youngperformers and their families.
In Singapore the annual concert held inJanuary features over 30 performances coveringthe whole spectrum of instruments and includingchoirs and ensembles. The Sarawak annual HighScorers’ Concert takes place in Kuching andprovides a showcase for high scoring AssociatedBoard candidates alongside traditional Sarawakanperformers – the wonderful combination of
western music and the traditional music ofBorneo makes these concerts quite unique.
Indonesia sees numerous regional concertseach year – a practical response to thegeographic spread of the Indonesian examcentres. In April this year, 33 young musicianstook part in a concert in Surabaya. This firstIndonesian High Scorers’ Concert of the newmillennium was held in the gracious surroundingsof the art deco ballroom of the MajapahitMandarin Oriental Hotel. Our talentedperformers enthralled a capacity audience of 350,many of whom had travelled from Mallang andBandung. The success of the evening was atribute to Denis Umar, our Indonesianrepresentative, and a team of dedicated teachers.
Plans are now underway to establish furtherregular High Scorers’ Concerts in SE Asiafocussing in particular on Peninsular Malaysia. In the immediate future, we are planning aconcert in Penang and a joint concert for KualaLumpur and Selangor state.
The opportunities afforded by these magicalevents are diverse: valuable performingexperience; development of communication skillsand poise; increased awareness of repertoire forperformers and audience and the delight andwonder of seeing and hearing such a wide rangeof talented young musicians. The atmosphere ishappy and friendly and most importantly theyoung performers are always the stars!
Performers at the High Scorers’
Concert inSurabaya with
Bill Thomson and Denis Umar
High Scorers’Concerts
5
NEWSINTERNATIONAL
Cyprus hits 50
Cyprus is one of our most important areas of activity inEurope. We hold two practical sessions each year withexams in Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos and two centres in Nicosia.
Our exams in Cyprus are administered locally by theBritish Council, a fruitful partnership that began in 1960and now also encompasses High Scorers’ Concerts andseminars for teachers. In recent years our Travel GrantScheme sponsored study in London for three Cypriotteachers and last December Clara Taylor, Chief Examiner,visited Cyprus to launch the new diploma syllabus.
To celebrate this special jubilee year all candidates willreceive unique commemorative certificates and we will beholding two gala High Scorers’ Concerts: 30 November,British High Commission, Nicosia North; 1 December,Pasydy Theatre, Nicosia. Full details will be available in theautumn from the British Council in Cyprus.
Seychelles climb aboard
At the invitation of the Ministry of Cultureand Youth, Philip Mundey, Director ofExaminations, visited the Seychelles in April to work with music instructors at theNational College of the Arts in Mahe. As a result the Seychelles are to join our list of international exam centres. Theoryexams will take place in October and thefirst practical exams in July 2001.
For more information contact our representative in the Seychelles:Vivien BosteenNational College of the ArtsPO Box 1383Mahetel 32 13 13fax 32 15 91
PDP 2000:ProfessionalDevelopmentProgramme
Have you ever considered the similaritiesbetween the working life of an instrumentalteacher or piano teacher in private practice withthat of a taxi driver? Sometimes, I think that theyhave rather a lot in common. In both jobs eachindividual often works anti-social hours, in aconfined space, in close proximity to their‘customers’ and both generally have very limitedcontact with others from their profession. In asense, it is also true of both professions that a‘journey’ is at the heart of each encounter, and, ifnothing else, one person constantly gives directionswhilst the other constantly listens to directions!
Being a music teacher can be lonely as oneembarks on this musical journey with eachindividual student, and I hear frequently fromteachers who simply want a second opinion oradvice on some topic. Behind PDP is afundamental recognition that private musicteachers want to identify with and communicatewith each other and that they are professionalswho want to know about good teaching andlearning practice. They are looking for training,qualifications and up to date information aboutchanges and developments in their sphere ofprofessional life.
For several years now many hundreds ofteachers in Malaysia and Singapore haveattended Associated Board seminars, with theirstrong emphasis on professional support anddevelopment. These seminars develop an
increased awareness of style, explore newsyllabuses and re-examine teaching strategiesthrough a varied programme of lectures andworkshops. Importantly, these seminarsencourage delegates to engage with each other and participate in the art of professional networking.
The new PDP focuses further on the conceptof professional support, with a series of seminarsled by Clara Taylor, Chief Examiner, RichardCrozier, Director of Professional Development, and Paul Harris, examiner and author of manypopular teaching publications. The seminarsinclude in-depth sessions on diplomas balancedwith sessions exploring creative teachingmethods. These events take place in Malaysia inlate August and in Singapore in early September.
In 2001 look out for seminars on jazz piano,piano and violin repertoire and teaching musictheory using computer software packages.
Perhaps teachers who attend these seminarshave rather less in common with the taxi drivingprofession!
For more information contact:Bill ThomsonSE Asia Regional Consultanttel/fax (60) 3 705 3944email [email protected]
Bill Th
om
son
AB
RSM
Reg
ion
al Co
nsu
ltant
PO B
ox 7461
Pejabat Po
s Besar
40670 Shah
Alam
Selang
or D
arul Eh
san
PDP
You
may u
se a win
do
w en
velop
e to retu
rn th
is form
Workshop
details
Each workshop will cover
Performing Diplomas: DipABRSM & LRSM
Repertoire selection
Performance standards
Programme notes
Diplomas: general requirements
Viva voce & quick study
Mock exam
Teaching Diplomas: DipABRSM & LRSM
Written submissions
Case study portfolios
Video of teaching practice
Mock exam
Creative Teaching Techniques
Sight-reading: a new approach
Simultaneous learning
Improvisation & composition
All sessions include time for questions and
the day will end with a discussion forum.
The year 2000 marks 50 years of Associated Board exams in Cyprus.
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
14 Bedford Square
London WC1B 3JG
England
telephone +44 (20) 7636 5400
fax +44 (20) 7637 0234
email [email protected]
www.abrsm.ac.uk
PresentersThe workshops will feature live performances, practical
demonstrations and videos. Former Associated Board Scholars,
pianists Morag Yong and Loo Bang Hean, will be demonstrating
during the diploma sessions.
Clara Taylor
Clara was appointed Chief
Examiner to the Associated
Board in 1997. As a professor
at the Royal Academy of Music
and also a private teacher for
over 20 years, the span of her
experience is unusually wide,
from beginners to those
embarking upon a
professional career.
Since her appointment as Chief
Examiner, Clara has travelled
widely giving seminars and
workshops for teachers.
Paul Harris
After studies at the Royal
Academy of Music and the
University of London, Paul
has gone on to become one
of the UK’s leading music
educationalists. Alongside his
work as a teacher, examiner
and adjudicator Paul is also
an established writer of music
education books. Publications
include the popular Improve
Your Sight Reading! and
Improve Your Scales! series,
numerous tutors and
compositions for young
players and with Richard
Crozier, The Music Teacher’s
Companion.
Richard Crozier
Richard is Course Director for
the CT ABRSM Professional
Development Course. Previous
experience includes work as a
County Inspector for Music,
Head of Music in secondary
schools and as a peripatetic
woodwind teacher.
Publications include Offbeat,
A practical guide to pop and
jazz for the classroom and The
Instrumental Teacher and the
Music Curriculum written for
the Open University PGCE Music
course. Richard is also co-author
of Carousel (Ginn), a complete
primary music scheme for years
1-6 and, with Paul Harris, The
Music Teacher’s Companion,
published by ABRSM Publishing.
Registered Charity No. 292182 2000with Richard Crozier Director of Professional DevelopmentPaul Harris ExaminerClara Taylor Chief ExaminerBill Thomson SE Asia Regional Consultantfeaturing Diploma preparationPerformance practiceTeaching techniquesTeaching & learning stylesUnderstanding assessmentplus The Music Teacher’s Companionby Richard Crozier & Paul HarrisThe official launch of this essential guide for all music teaching professionals
4 & 5 September 2000Pathways to successA unique 2-day event designed to stimulate and to inspire, givingyou the confidence to strive for the highest standards. Come awaywith strategies and techniques that can help you to make the mostof your talents and abilities, fulfilling your potential as a musician,teacher and professional.
PDPProfessional Development Programme
6
EXAMS Syllabus round up
In this issue, Charlie Beale, Chief Moderator andJazz Project Co-ordinator for the AssociatedBoard, talks about how to prepare yourimprovising…
Just as we need to prepare before we play musicthat’s been written down, jazz musicians alsoneed to prepare before they play solos. We learnthe bassline and the chord sequence, we practiseplaying in the groove of the arrangement and wegenerally get comfortable by learning somevocabulary in the style. More advanced playerswill spend long hours listening to the ‘licks’ oftheir favourite players, and practising them in all12 keys. They call this ‘learning the language’,and just as you’re never likely to say ‘the cat saton the mat’ in a real conversation, learning littlemelodic lines is useful, though we’d rarely usethem in performance, because it would soundboring and stilted. For less experienced jazzmusicians, such preparation is vital.
So there are two equally undesirableextremes. At one extreme, the candidate arrivesin the exam unprepared, or at least underprepared, but ‘creative’. We’ve met a few ofthose and the result is often spontaneous(!) but is less likely to keep to the form, reflect thecharacter of the tune, or establish a really clearand consistent groove. At the other extreme isthe over prepared solo, which sounds dull, stiltedand predictable, because much of it is off-by-heart. We get a few of those too! Most of us,most of the time, will be somewhere in themiddle, well-prepared, but prepared in such away that we can go in many different directionsin the performance, instead of just the one. Thecriteria suggest that improvising should ideally be‘flexible’, ‘inventive’ and ‘perhaps surprising’.
Top tips for preparing to improvise1 Learn the sequence thoroughly –
bassline, chord shapes and main chord tonemovements, singing as well as playing. Do allthe changes last for the same amount of time,or does the harmonic rhythm change?
2 Practise playing the sequence over thegroove, and perhaps slower and faster thanthe given tempo for flexibility.
3 Learn some licks (short melodic phrases) tostart you off. Listen to a player you like, andchoose some vocabulary that meanssomething to you and is in your technicalrange. Learn each by ear (write them downfor reference only), and practise them in asmany different ways as you can: high, low; atdifferent points in the solo; as the beginningof a phrase and as the end etc.
4 Find as many different ways through the solo as possible. Always keep searching for new ways to be flexible. Do it differentlyevery time.
Piano & Bowed Strings 2001 & 2002
The new syllabus includes revisedrepertoire lists for piano, violin andcello. The publication of new repertoirelists for double bass and viola has beenpostponed and these will now feature inthe 2003/2004 syllabus.
Harpsichord, Organ, Guitar, Harp,Percussion, Singing & Ensembles2001 & 2002
The new syllabus, applicable fromJanuary 2001, features expanded lists for singers at Grades 1 to 5. The singinglists have been revised and enlarged toprovide a more varied choice ofrepertoire. Also from January 2001 an additional three minutes will beallocated for singing exams at Grades 1-3 and maximum programme times will be set.
New Violin Prep Test
The Prep Test for violin has beencompletely rewritten and a new PrepTest volume for violin will be publishedin November. The test contains threeshort ‘tunes’ written to encourage asound approach to playing, a choice ofset piece and some aural ‘games’ whichprovide enjoyable preparation for the Grade 1 tests.
Syllabus of Diplomas from 2000
The new diploma syllabus is now available, withthe first exams in the UK and Ireland inDecember and in all other countries from January2001. The syllabus has been published in twoversions: complete, covering all three subject-lines and every instrument; and for piano only.
The piano version of the syllabus containseverything required for preparation and entry –the full regulations, the guidance for pianoperformers and piano teachers and the fullrequirements for each level of award.
The LRSM 1992 syllabus will run concurrentlywith the new syllabus. Part 1 may be taken up tothe end of 2001, and Part 2 up to the end of2002. The Advanced Certificate syllabus remainsin force up to the end of 2001.
Jazz Notes
Welcome to Jazz Notes, a new column devotedto jazz education.
7
EXAMS
The illegal photocopying of copyright music is aserious problem for music publishers worldwide,including the Associated Board. All musicpublished by the Associated Board is copyrightand should not be photocopied withoutpermission. As part of a campaign to address thisissue ABRSM Publishing has commissionedcartoonist Martin Shovell to devise a logo toremind people, in a light-hearted yet serious way,that they must not photocopy copyright music.The cartoon makes its first appearance in thenew Selected Piano Examination Pieces 2001-2002 and Selected Violin Examination Pieces2001-2004, published in July.
Page-turning But how does this affect the use of photocopiesto avoid problematic page-turns? Publishers inthe UK who are members of the Music PublishersAssociation (MPA) have issued a Code of FairPractice which allows the copying ‘of a page of
Diploma feedback
Since the publication of the new Syllabus ofDiplomas we have received much positive feedbackfrom teachers and potential candidates. Thebreadth of the syllabus, rooted in real worldpersonal experience and the built-in flexibility,allowing candidates to play to their strengths, haveall been praised. Typical is this quote from a recentletter, ‘I must write to congratulate you onpublishing such a well-thought-out syllabus. I find the content very approachable with a widerange of choice.’
Let us know what you think by writing toPhilip Mundey, Director of Examinations or by emailing [email protected]
the work for ease of performance’, withoutseeking the publisher’s permission. However,publishers outside the UK, and those who are notmembers of the MPA, are not covered by thiscode, and the copying of one page may beillegal. For complete clarity refer to the code(available from MPA Ltd, 3rd Floor, Strandgate,18/20 York Buildings, London WC2N 8JU) or tothe publisher/distributor concerned.
Generally, candidates are responsible formaking their own page-turns and the examinercannot be expected to help with page-turning.Within the exam situation examiners just don’thave the time or the opportunity to turn pages,whilst also listening intently and writingcomments on the mark form. Do remember,however, that examiners will be aware ofpotentially difficult page-turns and they will beunderstanding should any pauses or problemsresult. Any slight mishaps will not affect the mark.
In some cases page-turns will remain virtuallyimpossible without a page-turner. Generally thisapplies to candidates taking higher grades (7 and8) on instruments that present extreme page-turning difficulties: organ, double bass, guitar,harp and percussion. So, in some cases we doallow candidates to bring a page-turner into theexam room. If you want to explore this optionyou will need to gain permission in writing. Writeto us at the time of entry giving details of thepiece containing the problematic page-turns andthe edition to be used. We will then consideryour case and write to you with our decision.
Similarly, in the new diploma examscandidates may be allowed to bring a page-turner if absolutely essential. Again, you willneed to get permission from us in writing, at thetime of entry.
You can find more information on page-turning in:Examination Regulations & InformationSyllabus of Diploma ExaminationsThese Music Exams
All page-turning queries should be addressed tothe Director of Examinations, Philip Mundey.
Music matters
Photocopying
DO NOT PHOTOCOPY © MUSIC
8
FEATURE
Having just returned from my first visit to theChinese University in Hong Kong for the 2000-2001 CT ABRSM course, I was thinking about ourneed as teachers to look at our teaching andreflect on its effectiveness. As a result I wasprompted to ask myself some questions.
Do my pupils enjoy their lessons?It is so easy to become depressed when pupils‘forget’ to achieve any practice or even worse,‘forget’ to arrive for lessons. Could this besomething to do with the way I approach myteaching? Have I lost that initial enthusiasm,when, as Mrs Curwen said, ‘Every lesson is sixtyminutes worth of a thousand discoveries’?Perhaps I have forgotten to consult with mypupils about their lessons.
Do I have a route plan?Pupils seem to feel much more involved in theirprogress if they feel there is a planned journeytowards a known goal. The goal might be aperformance at the end of term, a pupil’s party athome, an exam, a GCSE practical assessment orperhaps getting ready to play for Grandma!Sometimes it may be necessary to take an unusualroute, there may be diversions, but at leastteacher and pupil can have some idea of wherethey are going.
Preparation for performances and goals can include:
■ Reading the music and understandingthe composer’s intentionse.g. What is the difference between awaltz and a minuet, how is a gavottedifferent from a jazz blues piece?
■ Overcoming technical challengese.g. Fingering, bowing, breathing,embouchure etc.
■ Understanding the expression and meaningand making it personally relevante.g. How do dynamics relate to keychanges and how does the harmonydemonstrate the structure?
■ Developing listening skills to enablepupils to become self-critical
■ Acquiring communication skills so theperformance really says something tothe audience
Your route plan also needs to take into accountthe long-term objectives for each pupil. Not allour pupils will become concert pianists orviolinists, but that does not mean they need nothave some sort of ultimate goal in mind.
Do I really know about my pupil’s journey?In some of my early piano lessons teachers wouldstart the lesson with a question like ‘What did wedo last week?’ This is an admission of failure onthe part of the teacher, who can’t rememberwhat was done in the last lesson. Very basicrecord-keeping need only take a few momentsand ensures that there is always continuity fromlesson to lesson. I’m not talking here of anotebook for pupils (by the way, older pupils mayprefer to write their own lesson notes) but of myown independent records.
Many long haul flights show progress throughthe journey with the position of the planedisplayed on a map showing how far has beentravelled and how far there is to go – food forthought here perhaps!
Why do I teach anyway?It was a moment of great poignancy for me inHong Kong when one CT ABRSM student sharedpart of her mission statement as a piano teacherwith me, ‘Teach for joy not for money.’ However,occasionally we can all find our raison d’etrebeing called into question.
Someone once said, ‘Those that can’t teach,teach others how to teach and those that can’tteach others how to teach write books aboutteaching!’ I don’t subscribe to this view at all –considerable inspiration can be gained by readingbooks written by and for instrumental teachers.(One of my personal favourites is Not PullingStrings by the guitar teacher Joseph O’Connor.)
Travelling togetherTim Arnold
Tim Arnold is a pianist and teacher. He is also an examiner, Course Leader on the CT ABRSM course and an experiencedpresenter of workshops and seminars.
‘Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for choosing to fly British Airways and wehope you have a pleasant stay here in Hong Kong.’
9
FEATURE
Are my lessons pupil focussed?A former CT ABRSM student said that ‘if lessonstake place in a safe and relaxed atmosphere withan enthusiastic and good-humoured teacher,pupils will relax and experiment without fear of failure.’
This is surely something to aim for, but sooften in the ‘busy-ness’ of teaching I find it easyto fall into the trap of only looking at the obviousin my pupils’ playing. To help guard against this Itry to develop a pupil-led approach. This can bedone by asking questions, non-threatening ofcourse, like ‘Where do you feel this phrase shouldbe loudest?’ and ‘How loud is loud?’ Also, I find itvery helpful to let my pupils make choices aboutthe music they are playing. Questions like ‘Arethere any other ways of playing this piece?’ and‘Could you phrase this differently?’ will help mypupils to develop independence. Indeed myoverall aim should perhaps be to teach towardsmy own extinction – towards the point where mypupils will be in a position to teach me! The briefteacher/pupil relationship between Haydn andBeethoven, prior to Haydn’s journey to Englandin early 1794, might serve as an example.
How do I react when I hear my pupils play?Some teachers fix that smile in place anddesperately search for something positive to say.It is sometimes hard to find a positive point, butwe all respond much better when told we’vedone something well. The next thought can thenbecome ‘OK, so how can I make it better still?’Just occasionally it can come as a wonderfulsurprise to a pupil if I say ‘Well done – I enjoyedyour playing very much.’
Let me quote Mrs Curwen again, ‘Move fromthe known to the related unknown.’ I have cometo realise that it is helpful to plan the lesson sothat some new point of musical interest ortechnique will be included. In this way it ispossible to comment on our pupils’ playing interms of where we are hoping to lead them inthe future. For example ‘I enjoyed your playingof... now I would like to help you achieve...’
Yes, but how should my pupils achieve?Experienced teachers will know that far more isachieved by playing something in six differentways rather than playing it the same way sixtimes, and this is where imagination can bedeveloped. I sometimes ask a pupil to play a shortpassage in as many ways as they can – findingthat the technical challenge is met in the process.
Take a risk and try something new in yourteaching – it can be exciting. By experimentingconstantly we can discover what works and whatdoesn’t – particularly bearing in mind that ourpupils are individuals and what suits one may notwork for another.
How much importance am I giving to imagination?Some of the most inspiring lessons that I havebeen privileged to watch have been those whereimagination has been allowed to develop in bothteacher and pupil. We can use our own imaginationto develop a story behind a piece of music, butperhaps it is even more helpful to encourage ourpupils to do so. Ask your flute pupils to write anarrative based on Two Tunes for the Parrot,clarinet students can develop an imaginarycharacter to match the Demnitz study they mightbe playing and, of course, there is no end to whatyou could think up for The Swinging Sioux!
Do I encourage my pupils to listen?Many will be familiar with the triangularrelationship between composing, performing andlistening. We may not all feel confident aboutdeveloping improvisation or composition in ourteaching, but we can certainly give our pupils theopportunity to listen to music.
Encourage pupils to listen to music on theradio, as a means of improving their appreciationof style, musicianship and repertoire (also helpfulfor the D Aural Test in Associated Board exams).You can also demonstrate other music bycomposers being studied – I recently played arecording of Evgeny Kissin playing Rachmaninov’s3rd Piano Concerto to one of my pupils who isstudying a Rachmaninov Prelude.
One of my essential items of equipment has to be the tape recorder; asking pupils tolisten to themselves can open their eyes/ears towhat they are really playing, be it scales, sight-reading or pieces.
Am I maintaining my own sense of enjoyment?If my pupils and I are travelling together then myenjoyment will become infectious. Finding outwhy our pupils were motivated to learn in thefirst place and revisiting the initial motivatingfactor can often inject another shot of enthusiasm.
Be warned though – this sort of thing canbackfire. I remember becoming very animated inan effort to inspire one of my pupils when at theend of my dancing and pirouetting he simplysaid, ‘I don’t know what you’re taking, but can Ihave some?’
‘I don’t know what you’re taking, but can I have some?’
10
POINT OF VIEW
On 14 April, the National Federation of MusicSocieties hosted a conference about amateurmusic-making under the auspices of The MusicExperience, our 3-year community developmentproject funded by the National Lottery throughthe Arts Council of England and by BT. This articlehighlights some of the fascinating informationrevealed at this conference.
An unconscionable number of people give upenormous quantities of time to indulge in thisthing called amateur music-making. According toRobert Hutchinson and Andy Feist in 1991, therewere 5,400 amateur music-making groups in theUK. There are many more now. The 1996National Music Council report estimated thatmore than 600,000 people participate in livemusic-making.
NFMS occupies a significant position in thisworld. Our 1800 members comprise some 1100choirs, 300 orchestras and 320 music clubs, whoare amateur promoters putting on professionalconcerts. We also have a range of otherorganisations such as steel bands, male voicechoirs, Indian classical music clubs and so on. Ourmembers extend to all parts of the UK, includingmany parts of the country where live musicwould simply not happen were it not for theactivities of our members. And indeed were itnot for the individuals from our member groups,much of the music profession would simply haveno audiences or customers.
This link with the profession has always beenof the utmost importance to us. Imagine anamateur orchestra. Such a band will contain asprinkling of professional ‘stiffeners’ who mightbe hired to do a particularly hard solo part or justadd expertise. It will also contain a number ofhighly experienced musicians; they could bemusic or instrumental teachers, arrangers,composers, performers in other areas,animateurs, managers or agents. Some of themwould have been perfectly capable of becomingprofessional musicians, and indeed may well havegone through the whole gamut of conservatoiretraining but have chosen to make their careerselsewhere. Such an orchestra will be conductedby a professional. In such ways are thedistinctions between amateur and professionalblurred. And there is another crucial way inwhich the distinction is blurred, and that is the
financial contribution the voluntary sector makesto keeping the music business afloat. I will belooking at this in more detail later.
For many years NFMS has been lobbying hardto keep these critical facts in the minds of thefunders and administrators of this country. To thisend, we recently undertook a survey of ourmembership and some of the results were prettystartling. Here are a few myths and theirrespective explosions:
Myth 1: Amateur societies are dying out In an average year our members promote about7,700 concerts, or an average of 21 a day. Theyhave membership of around 136,000, or 0.3% ofthe adult population. They entertain audiencesof some one and three quarter million, i.e. anaverage of 227 per concert. In terms of otherparticipatory activities, more people go to theconcerts of our members than go horse riding,play cricket, or go ice skating and the biggestparticipatory sport in the country, angling,attracts only one million people.
Myth 2: Music societies don’t featurecontemporary music
On average, 4,800 (or 62%) of our members’concerts feature at least one piece of music by a20th century composer, and 2,900 (or 38%) by aliving composer. Purely for comparison, the SouthBank Centre’s programme for March and Aprilfeatured some 82 events in the ‘classical music’genre, of which 57% contained works by a 20thcentury composer and only 26% by a livingcomposer. These figures do not include the non-classical contemporary events at the South Bankwhich are very numerous; my point here is thatthe non-subsidised sector does pretty well inpromoting contemporary music.
Perhaps the most heartening fact is that overthe last five years, on average, our members havecommissioned 238 pieces of new music per year!This, in my view is a most surprising andrefreshing statistic. We do not have figures onexactly how many minutes of music thisrepresents, but even if every piece was only 15minutes long we would be talking about nearly amillion pounds going to composers every year.Thus the tradition of the UK choral sceneproducing pieces such as Elgar’s The Dream ofGerontius seems to be alive and well.
Robin Osterley: Doing it for love
Robin Osterley is Chief Executive of the
National Federation ofMusic Societies
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POINT OF VIEW
Myth 3: Music societies are exclusive and inaccessible
Our survey shows that 39% of our membershiphave at least one member from an ethnicminority, and 57% have at least one memberwho is disabled. For audiences, the figures areequally revealing, 85% and 92% respectively. Inaddition it is worth mentioning that 54% of ourperforming society members don’t audition.
Myth 4: Music societies are the province of the elderly
The survey shows that 37% of our performingsociety members have an average age of lessthan 45.
Myth 5: Amateurs are not making afinancial contribution
There is little doubt that if it were not for theastonishing financial contribution made by thevoluntary sector to the music business as a whole,the latter would suffer dramatically, perhaps tothe point of extinction. We have already seen theenormous amount of money spent withcomposers, but it is worth noting that ourmembers spend nearly £9 million on professionalartists each year. This is about the same as anythree of the regional contract orchestrascombined. In addition, three quarters of a millionpounds is spent by our members with musicpublishers – our best guess is that this is at least athird of their UK hire income. They are theprincipal employers of small chamber ensembles,recitalists and soloists in the land. They keepvenues going with their hire fees. They produceprogrammes and publicity material, and hirestaging and percussion equipment. Indeed, theirtotal turnover is somewhere in the region of £23 million – about twice the turnover of theUK’s largest Internet Service Provider, Freeserve.
Myth 6: The funding system looks after the grass roots
In spite of apparently excellent intentions fromgovernment and the funding system, around37% of our members make a loss on the seasonand have to make up the income by fundraising.Only 6% describe themselves as regularly makinga profit on the season. 60% of our performingsocieties are never funded by their Arts Councilor Regional Arts Board, and a similar number arenever funded by their local authority.
Myth 7: Amateur musical organisations do not get involved withcommunity-based activities
Our recent feasibility study funded by Carnegie(UK) has revealed that some 20% of ourmembership has regular contact with youngpeople in their community, and thatapproximately 21,000 young people havebenefited from these activities. Our recent
funding schemes for community activities havebeen hugely over-subscribed, and thrown upprojects as diverse as marketing partnershipswith supermarkets, tourist attractions, hotels and restaurants, choral workshops in schools,open-air concerts with local rugby clubs, jazzworkshops and community practice sessions.
I hope our survey has been able to explode a fewmyths and provide some interesting information.There are of course musical organisations outthere that are not members of NFMS, so in reality the overall picture is much larger than Ihave painted.
But these statistics, important as they are,disguise the single most important thing that isderived from all this activity – the hugecontribution that it makes to people’s quality oflife. Participative music-making has benefitswhich people come to rely on for their well-being and satisfaction. But is it just a socialactivity? Is this panoply of music-making the baseof a pyramid of quality that starts with top-flightsoloists and moves inevitably downwards, as itdoes in sport? The answer is a very firm ‘no’.
In spite of the amateur status of these clubsand societies, there is no shortage of quality. It isinteresting to note that all the large symphonicchoruses, e.g. London Symphony Chorus,Philharmonia Chorus, Hallé Choir, are amateurs,these days without much professional ‘stiffening’either. The best chamber choirs in this countryare mostly amateur, and some of these operateto an exemplary high standard. And some NFMSorchestras are, I maintain, able to play anythingthat professionals can, albeit with rather morerehearsal.
How are such high standards achieved? Theanswer is rehearsal. Most music societies meetweekly, although some meet on a project basis,with intensive rehearsal periods leading up tothe performances. They would typically havemuch more time to rehearse works than theprofessional equivalent is allowed. The focus ison doing a small number of things as well aspossible. Not only does this allow for more timerehearsing, but it also allows time for correctiveaction to be taken if problems arise. A goodconductor will also have spent a considerabletime on the sound, and this can be tailored to thevenue since the venues typically will be well-known to the society. In this way some of theperformance standards can be very good indeed,and there is no doubt that some of my mostmemorable musical experiences have been withamateur choirs and orchestras.
So it is a thriving and lively scene. Ourmembers pump enthusiasm, effort and indeedcash into the music business in a way that onlyamateurs can. They do it for love – andeverybody wins as a result.
For a copy of themembership surveyresults, or for furtherinformation about the NFMS contact:
NFMS7-15 Rosebery AvenueLondon EC1R 4SP
tel 020 7841 0110fax 020 7841 0115email [email protected]
www.nfms.org.uk
12
FORUM
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The relationship between musicteachers and the parents of theirpupils is a delicate one.
There is no doubt that the actionsof a few mothers and fathersunfairly give a bad name to therest. You only have to say‘parents…’ in any group ofteachers to hear a collective sighstrong enough to fill the sails of ayacht. Teachers hope for thefollowing benefits from theparents of their charges: friendly,open communication; a regularhome routine which allows asensible time for practice; supportand encouragement for the pupilwithout interference and of courseto be paid on time with propernotice given for lessons missed.
Problems seem to occur mostfrequently in two contrastingways. Parents are sometimes souninvolved and/or disorganisedthat they hardly seem to noticethat their child is having lessons at all. It’s so sad when the teacherenquires, ‘Does your mother likethis piece?’ to be told, ‘She never listens.’
The opposite situation isperhaps more familiar. Parentalinterest is so intense that the childfeels under tremendous pressure,
especially as exams approach. Ahealthy result of 116 (incidentally,around the average mark) isunfortunately not the cause forcongratulations, but rather thedisappointed question, ‘Why didn’tyou get a merit or a distinction?’No wonder the child becomesreluctant to continue when theoutcome is seen as more importantthan pleasure or progress.
Teachers are often asked toenter pupils for exams againsttheir better judgement. It’sdifficult to refuse when theparents see exam results as ameasure of the quality of theteaching without taking intoconsideration the level of abilityof their own children. Teacherspoint out in vain that you can’tmake a silk purse out of a sow’sear, (no doubt using rather moretactful words). The typical ‘pushyparents’ are a nightmare, and cansabotage the whole enterprise forthe child, as well as increasing theteacher’s blood pressure.
Do you have any tried andtested ways of dealing with theseproblems? Do write in, if only toget your experiences off yourchest and reassure others thatthey are not alone!
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]
Have confidence!
Advance stage fright
I read Clara Taylor’s commentsabout confidence with interestand engagement in realisationthat performances can achieve a quite unexpected degree ofexpressiveness and even profundityonce one has laid the technicalfoundations thoroughly enough.An additional point comes tomind here from experience, thatin preparing for performancesgenerally and not least for exams,a teacher does well to advisepupils to conjure up possible‘stage fright’ in advance.
Trying hard a week or twoprior to the event to imagine thereal sense of pressure that willoccur, will motivate towards justthat extra bit of practice that canturn a knife-edge performanceinto a joyous one.
Ian Bamford-MilroySpilsby, England
Creating a positiveatmosphere
I spend part of my week in ajunior school running a readingscheme called the Better ReadingPartnership. This involves workingwith individual children toimprove their reading. They arenot children with special needs,but whose reading is just a bitbehind. I often find that theirreading is fair, but they are verylacking in confidence.
Many of the methods used tohelp these children become moreconfident readers, also help mypiano pupils as they acquire theskills they need. We always startwith something familiar, progressto something seen once before,and finally to something new. The children are always given lotsof praise. The praise is specific,‘The dynamics were really goodon the third line’ or ‘The phrasingwas much better than last week!’Sometimes there is praise beforewe start, ‘Good hand position. Welldone.’ Even if the performance isdreadful, I always try to findsomething to commend!
Then we move on to areas forimprovement. I try to draw theirattention to mistakes with astatement, ‘Play bars 3-4 againand listen carefully to the chordat the end of the bar.’ This isbetter than, ‘You played a Binstead of a C there’, and it helpsthe students to listen morecarefully to themselves.
I continue to encourage bygiving out mini certificates. Some of these are for scales orgood listening, others are moregeneral and are given for tryinghard. I also have stickers forsomething really special and ondays when I have time to bake(rare) a home-made cake! At theend of term I award full-sizecertificates for effort during theterm. This is backed up with anewsletter to parents telling ofexam successes etc. I find theseincentives really help to create a positive atmosphere, and buildconfidence in the students.
Briony WatkinsonMiddlesbrough, England
Next topic: parents – a mixed blessing?
Clara Taylor
A round of applause
Each summer I arrange aninformal concert at which all mypupils play the piano to parentsand friends. In the early days Iwas asked by a nervous lass,‘What if I get lost and stopplaying?’ I told her, ‘We will clapyou.’ It has become a little ritualthat before the children begintheir programme the audiencerehearses a special ripple ofapplause, nicely orchestrated tomove across the hall. Because this is fun, nobody minds if abreakdown happens. As a resultthe youngsters, being lessworried, seldom need theaudience’s applause before the end of their piece.
Fay AthertonBury, England
