Hello whoever's reading. Am I mad? I've agreed to try to help my daughter's friend get to a good enough standard at Piano (she's only got a keyboard but I'm a piano teacher) to pass the performance section of GCSE music.

Does anyone know what is expected? Is it enough to just learn something "Parrot Fashion" for the recording?

Previosly, she did drums but doesn't want to continue with that. Apparently, she is able to work out popular tunes by herself! Should i focus on learning to read music or is that not important?

First lesson on Monday.. any ideas or previous experience welcome.

Thankyou.
MP

I'm preparing a student of mine at the moment and it does seem that it's important that the performance is true to the score.
They have to play accurately and accuracy is at least as important as musicality if not more so.
My student is only around grade 2 level but we've found a couple of pieces that will attract the marks of a grade 3 level piece.
He likes to have a go at things like Elton John and does manage a reasonable attempt but as he is not going to get note perfect according to the score these won't do even though they'd probably go down quite well in something like a school assembly.

As long as you can get once piece and one ensemble (for aqa at least) that matches the score, then that will be fine.

You will also find that her musicality improves just from having to learn this one piece so in depth, so its definately worth doing.

Also, I would advise that each time she runs it through, you record it. That way, at the end if something terrible happens at least you'll have some recordings of the piece.

Occasionally I have to try to get a pupil from zero to grade 3 for standard grade in 18 months........I HATE it when schools do that to me..... Any other instrument than piano it might just be possible..........but unfortunately the type of pupil I end up getting for this are the hopeless kind - with little or no musical experience at all, and no ability and no willingness to learn or practise......

Thanks for your responses.

Basicly then, it's best to try to aim at improving what she can do already rather than start with "beginners" books.

This is going to be a challenge, but I'm looking foward to it.

This is an interesting one, and I'm quite glad someone asked about it - because I 've been taken on by a local school to help with gcse performance. I'm finding most of the pupils very similar to your description - some can not read music and those that can have elementary skills. Some aren't used to using all their fingers !

I discovered last week that the previous keyboard teacher (I'm a piano teacher too but they mostly practice on keyboards) was not really a keyboard player, so maybe hardly surprising to find some can barely play, and that the H of M looked outside the local music service.

Let's keep each other posted ! I'm aiming to try to improve general sight reading alongside working on the main two items for gcse - have tried using some material from the two beginner Microjazz books so far.

Wow Maggie May, that's exactly the book I ended up deciding on! It "looks" right for teenagers doesn't it? And the teachers accompaniements are quite "with it" so even though they're just playing simple stuff, it sounds impressive. The lesson went really well! I was nervous all day, anticipating she would be just like my daughter, insisiting only on pop tunes that SHE wanted to do. However, I started with a few questions to see what sort of thing she envisaged she might play for her recording and she said she didn't know. She was so open and very bright. I'm so excited about teaching her now.

I just really hope I've convinced her that looonnngggg fingernails and playing the piano don't mix and that her parents will get her a decent keyboard. At the moment, she has one of 3 octaves and mini keys.

I've thought of a little speech for them. Perhaps you could help me improve it?...

"I realise you would be reluctant to buy a piano just for 18months just to get ***** through her GCSE. However, with her current keyboard, although I can teach her note values, rhythm and to be able to read the notes, there is much more involved in producing a musical performance which is what we should be aiming for. ***** really needs a "weighted" keyboard with full size keys to be able to develop the touch sensitivity and control required to play notes loud soft short long and everything in between, especialy as it will be on a piano that her final recording will be made."

What do you think?

Hi! I'm a mum, not a teacher, but as a parent I think I'd find it hard to know what you are trying to say here. In one sentence you say you know they won't buy a piano just to get their daughter through GCSE; then in the next, you seem to be asking them to do just that.

I think you need to make some more concrete suggestions about something they could do to help which wouldn't involve spending a lot of money, e.g. do they have any friends/relatives with a piano who might allow their daughter to practise; do you know of anyone selling what you would consider a suitable keyboard reasonably cheaply.

I just feel you're in danger of having your letter completely ignored as it stands at present, because as a parent I wouldn't know what you wanted me to do to help in this situation.

I too teach GCSE students keyboard from scratch - the nice school I'm working in, pays for every music GCSE student to have a 15 min lesson on an instrument of their choice! In 15 mins they do not have time to do sightreading so I'm afraid I'm guilty of writing a few letter names in! Mostly I do pieces from the Kenneth Baker "Complete Keyboard Player" series, with a few of my own duet arrangements thrown in. I'll try Microjazz too, thanks for that advice!

my school music teacher sais grade 4/5 is enough for an A star, so grade 3/2 would be good enough for a C/B

Sounds roughly similar to mine! the school pays for them to have a 20 minute lesson (some of the year 10s are in pairs for their lesson). They are mostly used to having note names written in - and although I don't like working that way, time is fairly short for the year 11s and we have to produce something for their performance.
I'm aiming to do some sight-reading with the year 10s and hope that will pay off by this time next year.

How about simply- she will need to practice on a real piano. Can she arrange to do so on a school instrument or will you need to make other arrangements?

Thankyou Berkshire Mum, I didn't realise I wasn't being clear. I was hoping they would buy a better keyboard than the one she's got.

I'm not sure if practising on someone elses keyboard/piano works either.

I've just had a row with daughter coz she read this over my shoulder and thinks I've got a nerve asking them to spend money on a "Full on Keyboard" just for 18 months.

I've been asked to help and that's what Im trying to do. (I haven't charged for the lessons.) But maybe it's just all going to be a big effort for nothing. I'm sad now.

When I started piano I had to practice on the church piano for about 6 months before we managed to get one. If you can get access to an instrument on 5 days a week then progress need not be compromised.

I can see what your daughter means but either she wants to play or she doesn't and not having something suitable (not that even a decent keyboard is for long if learning piano) it's not going to work.
On the other hand if it's just something to do in order to get through her GCSE but she has no interest in it really and her parents don't want her to continue then getting access to an instrument somewhere is probably the best you can hope for.

If your student is keen she can make it work.

I would certainly get in touch with the parents and ask if they have any ideas about providing a better keyboard for her. They might not realise how limited the existing one is.

Please don't be sad. I think, as erard said, that it's best to tell the parents that she will need to practise on a real piano or at the very least a full size keyboard. It's quite possible that they may be able to borrow a keyboard from somewhere.

They do need to know what you are thinking, so don't be afraid to tell them - how they then respond is up to them. They are lucky to have you to help her, and you can only do your best.

Surely it would be better for her to practise on the school piano, as that'll be the one she will do the performance on?

Its really silly though, why do GCSE music if you have no interest in it? Its not been forced on them.