Hmm. Those of you who frequent the Viva Voice forum might remember me (or might not). I'm having a bit (well, a lot) of a freak-out just at the moment.

I'm predominantly a singer. I suffered vocal damage last year at the hands of a teacher who reeeeeally didn't know what she was doing, and I've been picking up the pieces ever since. Things are going much much much better now - I want to read Music at university and I'm taking a gap year to make sure I'm ready - I'll be applying next September (I'm in year 13 now).

However, I had to postpone my AS music recital (which would have happened in May or June of this year that's just gone) to next year because of the problems I was having - I'll be doing both my AS and A2 on the same day, which is going to be a strain both on the voice and the brain. But. I was prepared to cope with that. Now I find I'm going to have to take Grade 8 singing as well even to get an interview at most of the places I want to apply (ironically, the only place that doesn't give a stuff and just wants a decent level of keyboard proficiency, which I have [Grade 6], is Oxford, lol).

My voice conked out just before I was about to take my Grade 8, so I've got a fair amount of repertoire to go back to, but I honestly do not know when I'm going to be able to fit the exam in before I actually apply through UCAS next year. I've got an Advanced Level LCM qualification which I took before I had Grade 5 theory, but it's not recognised, and I jumped straight from Grade 5 to Grade 8 ABRSM singing, which was probably a bit stupid *blushes*. I REALLY don't know what to do.

Does anyone have any experience of universities admitting students prior to taking Grade 8 (I'm thinking KCL/Bristol/Manchester/Cardiff/Nottingham et al)? I am really really stuck and panicking insanely. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

-Emma

I think most universities will give a conditional offer incuding Grade 8 if you haven't sat it already, and some will allow you to submit a recording/or audition you in lieu of the exam. It's worth emailing the admissions officer of each department you want to apply to to check their particular requirements.

Yes, definitely do contact the individual universities to ask what their requirements are. This is going back a couple of years now, but I didn't have Grade 8 singing when I applied to university (I did have grade 6 and ended up taking the grade 8 smack bang in the middle of my A levels). In my experience, they were looking for a standard of playing/singing, rather than the official grade.

I'd say as a singer who's had to do a lot of technical work, you'll have a huge head start on many of the other singers, who at starting uni, won't have too much of a clue as to how the voice actually functions. Good luck and go for it!!

I didn't have my grade 8 before I applied for university, I took my grade 8 flute at easter, my grade 7 oboe the week after my a levels (and a week after my accompanist fell down the stairs and broke her leg ) and my grade 8 oboe at the end of my first year Having said that though, I was lucky and was only asked for grade 7 as part of my offer.
In my experience, the best thing to do is talk to the universities. It'll probably be best to see if you can find the information for the music departments online and email them cuz they'll probably know more about it. It might be that even if the advanced thingy that you have isn't recognised by ucas, they'll be quite happy that that says you're up to grade 8 standard.

You could check on UCAS what exam boards are recognised - it isn't just the ABRSM, there is also Trinity, Guildhall, Rockschool - LCM may be among them, so if your advanced level qualification could be equal to a grade 8 in standard & LCM is recognised, you might not have to worry about it anyway!

It's up to the universites, though, which boards they'll accept. Some specify ABRSM grades only.

I know Manchester says if you haven't got it they like to hear what pieces you are learning, see concert programmes and things to "ascertain your level of performance". It's not a great big deal for music colleges as they will hear you play, but the universities who don't audition you do like to see it. I'm sure if you contact the admissions tutors of the Unis you're interested in they will be a lot more helpful than me and all of the ones I have bombarded with questions have seemed very nice!

Hi,

I am really sorry to hear that a teacher completely mucked up your voice...that would be awful, I wouldn't know what to do!
I would say start back at doing some grade 5 stuff just to get your voice back up to where it was (*correctly of course*) and then look at some grade 8 repertoire
I am hoping to study at Cardiff September 2007 BA Joint Honours in Music and Education. I suddenly realised that they say have Grade 8 in an instrument or equivalent but I would rather have the actual grade under my belt as so to speak. I have gone straight from Grade 5 to Grade 8 singing as well and sometimes I think I am stupid for doing it but I am really enjoying it and I like big challenges.
Good luck with your recitals and I hope they go well for you I really do!

Good luck with everything and Grade 8 singing and I hope that one bad experience isn't enough to put you off of singing!

Take care of yourself,
Annetta xx

Voices sound like pretty temperamental and fragile things... If my teacher screwed up my drum kit, I would tell him to buy me a new one and everything would be OK!



But seriously... Talk to the universities about it... And try and make them understand that technical ability, creativity, musicality and passion are more important than a piece of paper! Sounds to me like you're of Grade 8 standard, even if you haven't actually passed the exam, and if you can prove this to them (say in a practical audition) why shouldn't they accept that instead?

They are! And if your teacher encourages you in ways that muck your voice up, you can't tell them to buy you a new one - and the only repair shop is the ENT surgeon.


Talking to the Universities sounds like a wise idea. And if you can get some sort of reference from your current music teacher that confirms the situation, I'd think that would help too.

Good luck, Satine.