Grade 5 theory - what next?

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Grade 5 theory - what next?

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Claudia's Mum	Feb 27 2011, 04:13 PM Post #1
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 750 Joined: 18-September 06 From: London Member No.: 7704	What do people do after grade 5 theory? Do most people carry on with grade 6 or just drop it?

sbhoa	Feb 27 2011, 04:19 PM Post #2
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 18913 Joined: 31-October 03 From: Tameside Member No.: 24	I think that most don't go any further. I also suspect that a large number of those with a grade 5 theory pass actually have quite sketchy knowledge even at that level.

Maizie	Feb 27 2011, 04:34 PM Post #3
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4862 Joined: 5-February 07 From: Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire Member No.: 9360	From the 2009 theory stats. Grade 5 - entries 22,026; passes (pass/merit/dist) 18,932. Grade 6 - entries 842; passes (pass/merit/dist) 596. So, yes, very few indeed carry on (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

BerkshireMum	Feb 27 2011, 04:38 PM Post #4
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 6599 Joined: 20-July 07 From: West Berks Member No.: 13405	Most people take grade 5 theory simply as a passport to grade 6 (and above) practical exams, without any real interest in theory of music. Also, grade 6 is quite a step up from grade 5. After passing grade 5, my son's piano teacher wanted him to carry on with grade 6 theory, but at the age of 13 he found it very difficult and soon dropped it. I suspect most who take it are older and interested either in taking composition further or in theory for its own sake.

Halka	Feb 27 2011, 05:23 PM Post #5
Prodigy Group: Members Posts: 1357 Joined: 1-May 07 Member No.: 11036	My daughter and I worked on theory grades together up to grade 5 and took grade 5 together. She got some help at school and I was pretty much self taught. We really enjoyed doing this as a project together, so initially intended to keep going beyond grade 5. However, no more help was available at school, and it soon became clear that grade 6 was going to be completely beyond me unless I was prepared to do some very serious work - and I wasn't! From time to time we both agree that we miss theory, but as daughter gets further into GCSE work and actual playing of instruments takes up what little spare time there is, it becomes more and more of a very remote possibility that we'll ever do more.

Banjogirl	Feb 27 2011, 05:31 PM Post #6
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 926 Joined: 12-September 08 Member No.: 39509	A holiday? Tea in a nice cafe?

Sunrise	Feb 27 2011, 05:42 PM Post #7
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 3389 Joined: 7-June 10 From: Gibraltar Member No.: 106844	QUOTE(Claudia's Mum @ Feb 27 2011, 05:13 PM) What do people do after grade 5 theory? Do most people carry on with grade 6 or just drop it? I did go straight on to do Grade 6 theory with my piano teacher many moons ago. If she is planning to continue into music as a career then I would say that it would be worthwhile (especially if it is before GCSES) but otherwise less so. It's also if she's interested!!

notmusimum	Feb 27 2011, 06:43 PM Post #8
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 8326 Joined: 23-January 06 Member No.: 5959	Emsoboe is working on Grade 6 Theory at the moment though it's a bit stop start due to GCSE's. She has thought about doing an LCM composition exam as it's an area that interests her but she's not really had time to do much. She has been doing a bit of composing recently which is fun.

Claudia's Mum	Feb 27 2011, 08:55 PM Post #9
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 750 Joined: 18-September 06 From: London Member No.: 7704	QUOTE(Dawnmc71 @ Feb 27 2011, 05:42 PM) QUOTE(Claudia's Mum @ Feb 27 2011, 05:13 PM) What do people do after grade 5 theory? Do most people carry on with grade 6 or just drop it? If she is planning to continue into music as a career then I would say that it would be worthwhile (especially if it is before GCSES) but otherwise less so. It's also if she's interested!! She is interested but at the moment it is more about keeping all options open I think.

jcassell	Feb 27 2011, 10:10 PM Post #10
Member Group: Members Posts: 87 Joined: 14-April 10 Member No.: 98087	The eldest of the three apples of my eye is doing a bit of keyboard harmony and general musicianship with her excellent piano teacher. The plan is, if she does Grade 6 theory over the next few years, we won't push for GCSE music in a school where it doesn't look like a great experience. What will happen, who knows. It seems a shame not to build on Grade 5 for a student still developing as a musician

ViolaMum	Mar 1 2011, 09:58 AM Post #11
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 340 Joined: 19-March 10 Member No.: 94499	Many moons ago when life was very different - I had a fantastic Music teacher at school. She produced loads of musical events/concerts at school and I found her very inspiring. I hadn't liked my Clarinet teacher so wasn't learning an instrument, but I did O Level Music a year early and then one lunchtime each week she taught a small group of us Grade 8 Theory which I sat alongside my other O Levels at 16. Of course things are different these days but I remember thoroughly enjoying doing it. Back then I didn't realize it's significance and haven't made any use of it, but now DS is starting his theory work I find things coming back to me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) In case you haven't found it - here's the link to the exam stats... http://www.abrsm.org/press/factfile/theoryStats.html

Claudia's Mum	Mar 2 2011, 09:00 AM Post #12
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 750 Joined: 18-September 06 From: London Member No.: 7704	Oh no, having decided to carry on to grade 6, I have discovered that the teacher only teaches to grade 5 and I can't find anyone else locally that does. I will have to ask at the school if there is a club for it.

sunil	Mar 2 2011, 09:15 AM Post #13
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 202 Joined: 7-February 11 From: Peckham :) London Member No.: 205779	DD is taking grade 5 theory (tomorrow) is just because it is mandatory to move on to higher levels for Instrument exams. QUOTE(Claudia's Mum @ Mar 2 2011, 09:00 AM) Oh no, having decided to carry on to grade 6, I have discovered that the teacher only teaches to grade 5 and I can't find anyone else locally that does. I will have to ask at the school if there is a club for it.

Mad Tom	Mar 2 2011, 09:27 AM Post #14
Unregistered	QUOTE(Claudia's Mum @ Feb 27 2011, 06:13 PM) What do people do after grade 5 theory? Do most people carry on with grade 6 or just drop it? Grade 5 theory is a pre-requisite for taking the higher grade practical exams, which explains why much greater numbers take grade 5 theory than any higher grade. However, apart from their intrinsic interest/value ... Grade 6 theory is a pre-requisite for the DipABRSM (teaching) Diploma, and Grade 8 theory is a pre-requisite for the LRSM (teaching) Diploma, and [ DipABRSM (teaching) assess the ability to teach upto and including Practical Grade 6, and LRSM (teaching) test the ability to teach up to and including DipABRSM ]

barncottagecat	Mar 2 2011, 11:29 AM Post #15
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 176 Joined: 7-August 09 Member No.: 72372	Daughter barncottagekitten is just starting to do Grade 6 theory - if it's as useful to her as the grade 5 was in terms of helping her with her sightreading and general understanding of music, she's unlikely to regret it. As she's quite interested in composition as she enjoys it anyway, and as she'll get free lessons from the music director it seems like a good idea - besides you never know when it might come in useful......

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