I wonder if anyone can give me some advice about recorder exams. I have a pupil with only one hand, who is playing an adapted recorder from Yamaha. It is so lovely to have found an instrument she can play on an equal basis to other children! Before we found this recorder I was teaching her the keyboard, and she also passed Grade 1 theory with distinction. She would now like to take Grade 1 on the recorder but although I have taught many recorder groups in schools and entered children in festivals I have never entered children for recorder exams. I was considering the new Trinity Guildhall syllabus and just wonder if people could give me any advice - how high is the standard of playing expected? When it says play scales slurred, does this mean tongue once for ascending and once for descending?(I don't think she would manage up and down a scale in one breath). Also is there much difference between the standard of pieces in Associated Board and Trinity. (I know that there are differences in the supporting tests from my piano teaching)

Any help of any kind would be greatly appreciated, as I do not want to let my pupil down.

Hi Carol

It's great that your pupil can play the recorder - recorders are such fun to play in groups as well as solo.

I've got the recorder regs. for Trinity in front of me. On Page 7 it shows a scale with the slur going all the way through the rise and fall of the scale. BUT it does say on page 6 "a breath my be taken at the top of the scale/arpeggio at the candidate's discretion". So I'd say that if necessary you slur the whole way up the scale, take a breath and then slur the whole way down it.

I'm pretty certain there won't be a material difference in the standards required for the AB and Trinity

Best of luck to you and your pupil

Cheers

Katyjay

Hi Carol,

I teach flute rather more than I teach recorder, and have yet to enter anyone for a TG exam (but so has everyone else for that matter ). However, in my experience a lot of candidates need that extra breath, especially at the early stages. It may stop someone getting full marks for that section if everything else is perfect, but it won't have any other adverse effect.

I would suggest you look at both syllabuses and make your decision according to which one appeals as a package. Standards seem to be similar - the main difference is that TG splits the pieces into fast and slow for the early grades rather than early and late. The advantage of TG is that some of the pieces are available in one book, which can cut down on expense.

We're all testing the water as far as the TG exams are concerned, so it's difficult to make comments about the standard expected. Maybe one of the more experienced recorder teachers on the Forum will be able to help you.