Hi, I have (another) question....
For those of you that have taken DipABRSM, when writing programme notes, did you include the lyrics and a translation of them for each song, or not?

I've read music in words, and that says that generally for programme notes you should include them...but I'm not sure? They bring the programme to 6 pages in length, and in this case the examiners will of course have the music.

So can I ask, what do you all think? Noone I know here has done this exam, so I don't have any point of reference.

Thanks!!

Hi Dawn,

Yes, they do want a copy of the words and a translation. The good news is that this doesn't count towards your total wordcount.

The format I settled on in the end (and which seemed to be OK in that I passed ) was:

Title of song and Name/dates of composer
Name/date of the writer of the song words
Name of translator (if relevant)

[underline]
Original words | Translated words in parallel if needed
[underline]

My blurb (this last being the only bit that is included in the wordcount)

I did mine in Dec 2005 so I don't think the requirements have changed since then but if you read anything definitely at odds with what I've written then do check whether it supercedes!

I generally wrote out the whole song but tended to use dots and etc for repetitive sections, and for one song "Et Exultavit" I simply wrote out the single line (plus its translation) which is repeated throughout the song.

Hope this helps!

Thank you so much, that is a huge help! That is pretty much what I was doing, but it is a relief to know I'm on the right track. Fantastic, thank you

For my LRSM programme notes, I did not include the lyrics or a translation, however I did refer in the notes specifically about the illustration of key words, and talked about the lyrics, any imagery contained in the lyrics and the zeitgeist of the time within my Viva Voce.

I do not think it matters either way as the examiners have a copy of the music. What is of more importance is that as a singer one is clear about what one really is singing about so that one can give a good account of this on the day.

There are ways you can steer your Viva onto topics you know you were unable to write about in your programme notes but would have wanted to if space had allowed it. I did this by answering th question and supplying additional information that could lead the examiner.

I got 19/25 for my Programme notes and Viva, so must have been doing something right.

Good luck with your DipABRSM.

Thanks - at this stage I think I need all the luck I can get!! I've never had to talk & write about music before, especially in a pressured situation. I got tongue tied in my G8 aural tests....