Ask The Chief Examiner Options

[anacrusis]

to keep saxophonists happy.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[SaxFan]

to keep saxophonists happy.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[KixMusic]

SCALES

I have no problem with the need to include the current list of scales in an exam but I'd like to understand the rationale for the need to play all of them from memory. I'd much prefer the requirement to be changed so that only some of the scales have to be played from memory and allow the remainder to be played from the music.

My reason for saying this is that the majority of my pupils (and myself) always play from music in brass bands, windbands, orchestras, etc. so they need to be able to spot the scale/arpeggio patterns and to be able to play them fluently. However, the current requirement, which places so much emphasis on memory, means that they have to stop using the music quite early in the learning process in order to memorise the fingering. For all but the brightest pupils this causes problems after the exam as no matter how much I remind them of key signatures when they're preparing for the exam, they find it difficult to recognise the scale patterns in a piece of music.

This is precisely the reason why my "advanced" (post grade 5) brass students are moving over from AB to TG at the moment. With the new TG syllabus you can do the scale exercises and they can all see the point in them as the patterns are ones they come across regularly in pieces - where they have the music in front of them (you use the music in the TG exam for the scale exercises). They don't have to play F# melodic minor 2 octaves from memory when playing in their wind band, brass band etc

[Malone]

I've just been practicing my 4 octave scales for grade 6 piano, and I dont understand - surely if you can play 2, you can probably play three, and if you can play three, chances are, you could probably play 4!! I dont get it? It just seems like apointless excersise! As a woodwind teacher I completely understand why the octave requirments increase as the grades get higher as the pupil has to get around the reange of their instrument, but on the piano, all the notes are already there, the fingering is the same for the other three octaves you have just done - I JUST DONT GET IT!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

In fact - just to add, I have just ordered the grade 6 book from trinity for this reason, the exams just make more sense musically than ABRSM ones do! They prepare you better for advanced repertoire as previous posts have stated.

[sbhoa]

To play 4 octave scales on the piano means being able to move up and down the keyboard a fiair way.
You need to move your body to do this, not just play the notes directly in front of you so it does need use a different skill from playing 2 octave scales.

[Alicia Ocean]

With the new TG syllabus you can do the scale exercises and they can all see the point in them as the patterns are ones they come across regularly in pieces - where they have the music in front of them (you use the music in the TG exam for the scale exercises).

I thought it said in the TG syllabus that the scale exercises were to be from memory? Up to (and including) grade 5 the scales alternative is scale exercises from memory plus a study. Grades 6 to 8 has Orchestral Extracts as the scales alternative. Or am I looking at the wrong syllabus?

[Frederic Chopin]

To play 4 octave scales on the piano means being able to move up and down the keyboard a fiair way.
You need to move your body to do this, not just play the notes directly in front of you so it does need use a different skill from playing 2 octave scales.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

In addition, the touch in the lower and higher registers is different from the middle.

[Aquarelle]

SCALES (piano) – a question
I haven’t had much time recently to think seriously about scales so sorry to come back on this topic at a late stage. However, I would like to ask if the new scales for piano have definitely been decided upon and if so when will the new scale books be available ? Will candidates outside the UK have the option of playing the current scales for one more year, as they do the pieces ?

SCALES (piano) – a comment
I may be wrong but I can’t see real any difference in difficulty or in quantity between the current and the suggested syllabus. I suspect it may give rise to the same sort of complaints. I have no complaint about the standard of scale and arpeggio work expected but the quantity remains unrealistic for the higher grades which often coincide with heavy school homework loads.

SCALES – (recorder and flute) - a question
Are there any plans to revise the scales for these instruments

[SomePianist]

Question regarding Diplomas
---------------------------------

The Trinity examining board allow/require the candidate to submit their diploma programme for prior approval before the exam where own-choice repertoire is submitted. I feel this is an excellent idea.

The Associated Board currently offers no such option. Own-choice repertoire is allowed in all Diploma exams, but the candidate has to make sure it is "comparable in standard".

Imagine this situation. You're considering taking the FRSM examination. Your own-choice piece is on neither the LRSM or FRSM lists. You are of the opinion that it is comparable with many FRSM pieces, but then again there are some real hair-raisers on the LRSM list - is it really more difficult then those?

It becomes a considerable additional risk, both from the point of view of the time spent learning that piece and the financial cost of the exam, to submit this piece for your FRSM diploma. The examiner on the day might not agree that your piece is of FRSM standard and penalise you (p. 15 of the Diploma Syllabus: "Candidates ... offering an inappropriate standard of piece ... will be liable to penalty").

Where then is the incentive for a candidate to be creative in an FRSM programme? The lack of a prior approval mechanism will cause more candidates to choose pieces solely from the set repertoire. These exams cost serious money and the tendency is surely to play safe.

Fairly random example:

Mendelssohn's Fantasia Op 28. Marvellous piece. Now, is this work the same standard as the same composer's Andante and Rondo Capriccioso or Variations serieuses (both LRSM) or his Sonata Op 106 (FRSM). This of course is a matter of opinion, but it would be useful to know what this opinion is before being penalised in your examination when it is too late to change it.

The Chief Examiner's thoughts would be most welcome. Thanks in advance for your time.

[Bards]

I hope I'm not too late with this.

Questions for the examiner, relating to statistics for the number of people passing the grade exams:

1. How many cornet/trumpet/etc Grade 8 passes are there each year?

2. Same question for every other grade, and/or diplomas, licentiate, and fellowship - how many passes per year on each instrument?

3. What proportion of total UK exams are taken at AB? This will help me work out, eg. the total number of trumpet grade 8's each year in the country.

4. I understand AB used to publish the lists of passes, grouped by instrument. Why was this information withdrawn?

Many thanks.

[petrat]

I know that this is not related to any of your topics for discussion at the moment but I would really like the Board's opinion on the thread that I started in the Teachers Forum about exam books carrying a health warning. This title was chosen for shock value rather than anything else but I would really like the chief examiner to consider adding a note to the effect that grade exams are not in themselves intended as a course of study but as a means of being assessed at the end of a study period.

[EdGJ]

Hi everyone,

The new topics for your consideration when posing questions to Clara Taylor are the following:

1. Memorisation

This is currently a popular topic of debate on the General Music Forum. What is it useful for? Is it an essential or even desirable skill for a musician and why? Which aspects of musicianship, if any, are enhanced by the ability to memorise? Can this ability be taught? Ask Clara!

2. Learning Style

Is your approach to an exam the 'correct' one for you as an individual? Ask Clara for advice on practising scales, sight-reading, set pieces and aural skills!

NB (in response to comments below): These are suggested topics aimed at encouraging some initial questions, not imposing absolute restrictions on what can or cannot be asked. Please feel free to pose any question to Clara that you wish!

[carol*piano]

This is starting to sound more like a PR exercise than a place to ask genuine questions of the chief examiner... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[DaisyChain]

Yes...are we limited to these two points? I want to raise a question about exam centres, but maybe I should put it on a thread instead..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mellow.gif)

[skylark]

The new topics for your consideration when posing questions to Clara Taylor are the following:

1. Memorisation

This is currently a popular topic of debate on the General Music Forum.

If this is the thread you're referring to: Memorising, Is It Taught Enough?, or is it a waste of time?, the poll there shows the following statistics as at today's date, based on 100 votes in each section of the poll:

84% of members think playing from memory should be taught better/earlier/more
13% don't agree with the above
3% don't know/don't care

There is currently an equal split of 47% For and 47% Against the ABRSM adding some requirement to play from memory in graded exams (6% don't know/don't care)

Some people have pointed out on the thread that there is already a requirement to play from memory in the form of scales, but the original poster was particularly referring to playing pieces.

I would like to ask Clara Taylor whether she sees any benefit in students being encouraged to learn how to memorise pieces right from the start of their learning. If so, does she think that to incorporate memorised pieces into the exam system right from Grade 1 level would facilitate this learning process, even if it only started with a few bars at Grade 1, with pieces gradually getting longer up the grades. And also whether the Board has any plans to introduce memorised pieces into the exam system.

Thank you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)