Well, A-Level results day has finally arrived.

Our son has just informed us that he was awarded his expected marks of 'C' and 'C' in Science and ICT, but was disappointed to receive only a 'D' in Music, which is by far his strongest subject!

Talking to him on the phone it transpires that he was awarded a 'D' for the written paper, which is his weakest subject area by far, but also received a 'D' for Music Performance, which is his strongest subject by far. Meanwhile, he was 'awarded' a 'U' for Harmony and Composition, which after Performance are probably his second strongest subjects.

This has left us completely baffled.

He was awarded a 'high B' for his Music Performance last year at AS, even though the Ensemble piece didn't go entirely to plan. His music performance this year was better and much more secure, and included two really tricky pieces well beyond the required AB grade standard, but he was awarded a 'D' for his efforts! (I sat in on both performance exams, and I would say that whilst there was definately room for improvement at AS, there was very little room for improvement at A2.)

Composition and Harmony are even more of a mystery. He didn't get a particularly good mark for Harmony at AS, but was told by the school's HoM that this was probably because students are given hymn tunes to harmonise, and his harmonies were too much like those in a hymn book - which given that he plays the church organ every Sunday, and can re-harmonise last verses on the fly is probably not a great surprise. However, those were the exercises he was given, and I know he did the harmony work on the piano here at home, and certainly didn't need to copy anything from a hymn book.

I may be wrong, but I would have thought that being awarded a 'U' meant that the work was of an unacceptable standard, way beyond subjectivity?

Does anyone have any idea or experience as to what options a disappointed exam candidate has in these circumstances?

The obvious answer seems to be to re-sit the exam modules concerned, but is there any point? The HoM was predicting a good 'B', but if a candidate is doing something so badly that he or she is awarded a 'DDU' it would seem pointless to put even more effort into doing the same all over again only to get a DUU.

No doubt we shall be hearing about record numbers of A* A-Level results on the news later today.

SB

Try asking for a remark.

For A level candidates who're expecting to go to uni there's a speedy service. It's best to consult with HoD or someone else at school, and to get HoD to look at the paper once it arrives in school to see whether there's been a major faux-pas on the part of the exam board. (I don't know which board your son was taking, but when our daughter took AS music, she came out with a U simply because someone had forgotten to add in a whole question's worth of marks.)

Act quickly.

Talk to the Head of Music. If all, or the majority of the music grades were a lot lower than expected then the school will probably want a remark anyway. A couple of years ago the school where I teach got unexpected very low marks for GCSE. They asked for a remark and all the grades went up by at least one grade.

Definitely ask for a remark. Unfortunately it looks like the school has to support that process, but surely it's also in their interests to get better results even if they don't think that supporting a devastated candidate is enough. There are time limits and a "priority remark" where it's done because an offer of a university place is dependent on a certain grade has a deadline of 24th August: that's, um, soon! And because the school is still on holidays you might find it tricky to catch up with all the necessary staff members, so make your intentions known and make sure they understand the urgency of the deadline, and that the phone lines are going to be supremely busy.

They may want you to pay for the remark, a fee which varies depending which sort of remark you go for, from a glance over the maths to a full start again from scratch. I'm not sure if you get your money back if it turns out the first marker has done a ridiculously poor job. Sounds like you want a full remark, a clerical check will only check that marks have been awarded for each question and added up to a correct total, it won't do anything to see why marks were/weren't awarded.

If any of the items come under "Coursework" then the school is likely to be much less keen to undertake the remark process as they have to remark every candidate, but if it's important then lean on them. It sounds a poor excuse for a low mark if harmonising a hymn tune makes it sound too much like a hymn tune!

Have a look at this link, it's pretty clear.

http://www.thesite.org/workandstudy/studyi...gainstbadgrades

If you do the whole appeal process with the exam board and remain unhappy there is an independent Examinations Appeal Board who will investigate, but you must run the course with the board first.

Sorry to hear this Swell Box - as Susie says it's definitely worth questioning. I don't know whether he has missed getting in to a uni, but if so, I shouldn't be too disappointed. The most "prestigious" places aren't necessarily the best. A pupil of mine missed out on a place at a top uni a couple of years ago and went to an old College of HE instead - he is blissfully happy there and is doing really well.

There should be lots of staff floating round at school today - most schools have several knowledgeable people in and there's always an examinations officer these days. Phoning is a good start and will get the ball rolling.

Be firm and tenacious.

It's possible to get a photocopy of the paper so tat you can look for any obvious problems eg chunk of marks missed off, and ths is risk-free. If you go straight to remark, you risk grade going down as well as up. Definitely worth looking into though, I know so many people this has happened to. Friend of my son had his grade go from U to B as a whole section of his paper had been missed.

Are you confident that HoM knows what he is talking about?

Do you know the other results for Music at the school this year and in other recent years?

Sorry to hear this, Swell Box. Music A-levels do sometimes seem to throw up unexpected results. I hope you can sort something out about a re-mark. Try to keep calm for your son's sake.

To be honest this is a question that we have been asking ourselves for a while.

The school's previous HoM retired last July, having worked part-time for several years after normal retirement age.

The new HoM doesn't do classical, which resulted in one student leaving last year, as she wants to study voice and classical violin. Consequently there were only three students taking A2 Music this year.

SB Junior asked the new HoM about his coursework grade at school this morning. He replied that, in his opinion, there was no way that it was 'U grade' work, and suggested that the marks must have been moderated down. Interestingly, the other two students were also disappointed with their grades, although both had already auditioned for, and been accepted into music colleges for entry this autumn. This, to me, would seem to cast doubt on the marking of the performance exam.

SB Junior would like to study organ performance at university. He auditioned last November, but there was an unusually large number of applicants, and he didn't get in; but the university staff were very helpful in suggesting areas for further study, and have asked him to reapply this year.

SBJ was therefore already planning to take a gap year to work on music. As luck would have it, he was approached with the offer of a gap year organ scholarship at a church in Newcastle where there is an excellent musical tradition and very high standards. He started shortly after the New Year, and has made great progress since then.

Anyhow, he has an appointment with his Principle Tutor tomorrow morning to plan the next academic year. There are still a lot of questions to be answered, but it seems he needs to rethink his strategy to get good marks.

One thing we are unsure of is whether SBJ's choice of exam pieces (all by Mathias) might not have helped his results. All of the peices were very discordant, and depending on the recording quality, may not have sounded as good to a moderator as they did to us?

Anyhow, thank you to everybody for your words of advice and support. We just hope there will be a happy outcome at some point.

SB

Daughter got her As results today which we were very pleased with.

The head of music wasn't so happy as he feels all the composition marks are lower than expected. All the papers are being sent for remark, 4 classes worth. This s a college where they get lots of support for composition and a head of music with over 10 years experience. It just might be that there is a more general problem.

I know daughter was advised to prepare contrasting pieces for her performance. She second study rather than ensemble which was better for her.

If your son wants to study music then resitting might not be a bad idea but I'm not sure I'd bother with the same teacher. Are there any other options given he's taking a gap year?

Best of luck whatever you decide.

It's interesting that your daughters HoM is not happy with her composition marks. I read only this morning that the exam boards were told by government that 'grade inflation' had to stop. I don't know if this has anything to do with the marks being discussed here, but I note that the numbers achieving A* passes have fallen for the first time in a long while.

Regarding the pieces chosen; for A2 music performance candidates have to choose one or more contrasting pieces with a common theme, and a total playing time of (I think) 10 minutes minimum, 14 minutes maximum or thereabouts. The most obvious 'theme' would be to choose pieces written by the same composer but of contrasting style. Level of difficulty has to be AB G6 to G7 or above.

However, depending on the instrument being played this is a difficult choice, as most composers wrote pieces of varying difficulty, and only a few would ever make it into the AB syllabus. The difficulty of such pieces is therefore very subjective. As far as we know, only one of the pieces that SBJ played has ever appeared in the AB syllabus (at G7). Of the other three, one was probably about G8 or a bit above, and the others maybe G5 +.

Having spoken to others we therefore think this may have been why he was marked down for music performance, but this still doesn't explain the coursework mark. It also fails to explain why his mark for music performance this year is so much worse than last year, especially given that his overall performance was better, and the pieces were more difficult.

However, he has an excellent organ tutor, who we know from past experience takes the view that anything less than a Distinction is not really worth having. So we are more than happy that all of the pieces were well up to standard.

One of the ironies of this story is that SBJ played one of his more difficult exam pieces as a voluntary when we played 'visiting choir' at a northen cathedral one weekend. It certainly wasn't a 'D grade' performance then, and he would not have been allowed to play if it was. But then of course, that is real world musicianship, which has nothing to do with exams.

SB

Looking at the Times Educational Supplement it seems like that teachers are finding A Level music as frustrating as the students and parents. TES Music Forum

So sad that a subject that so many students put so much time and effort into seems to reward them so poorly in formal exams. It really makes it so much more important to see the support that these students get from their parents to ensure that their music making remains valued and enjoyable.

Well done to the parents for supporting their children on their musical journeys. As a long time forum lurker, it is great to follow the progress of these amazing young people and see where hard work and dedication can take them.

I don't teach music but there is a general feeling today that there has been harsher marking this year than last. I am sorry that your son hasn't done as well as expected. It's such an awful feeling. I know other teachers are also feeling a bit confused today and I'm sure that, if this is the case at your son's school, there will be no issue with re-marks. I know a lot of staff have a list ready for September of kids they want re-marks for so this may well be the case for your son. Good luck with it. x

Regarding the performance side of things there is definitely a huge element of subjectivity from the examiner. For my A-level performance we had to perform live in front of the examiner (the chief examiner I believe in my case). A friend of mine who was an excellent pianist got marked significantly lower than another friend whose piano playing was questionable. The discordant nature of your son's pieces as you mentioned probably has something to do with this - I did my AS and A-level performances on the same day and AS piece was a little bit more obscure than my A2 and even though I played my AS pieces far better I actually got a lower mark from the examiner. So, it's definitely worth getting this remarked as there could be a great difference in opinion.



Are you sure it was a common theme that was required and not a common element? To me the theme of composer seems like quite a tenuous 'theme'. I remember quite a few friends (different exam board) and myself having to do a performance where there was a focus on a specific aspect of playing (my focus was tonguing) and being able to demonstrate a level of 'mastery' of that aspect amongst varying pieces.

Which exam board was your son taking his A-level with?

My daughters Head of Music wasn't happy with any of the composition marks from what we can gather. They are all going for a remark. Thats a lot of papers which leads me to think, if it's the same exam board, it might be a general problem. It won't effect daughter's grade.


I'm not sure a "common theme" would mean pieces by the same composer....

Daughter played two contrasting pieces off the AB grade 6 or 7 list (don't know without checking) on one instrument and two grade 7/8 (depending on which syllabus you look at) pieces on the other. They didn't have common themes and she got a high performance mark (As). Not sure about the A2 rules yet.

Apparently since 2010 exam boards have been told they have to account for increases in grades - I'm too cynical not to believe that this has a part in 2012 being the first time A*/A grades have fallen in two decades (though overall pass rates have still risen).

My sister was disappointed with a B in English, her AS results and A2 coursework were all A (and high enough marks for A* overall) but her A2 exam was an E. We think a remark is a no-brainer, obviously she's gutted because she needs an A to study English at uni - she did English a year early so hasn't applied yet. I know the mark can go down as well as up but if it's remarked and they decide it gets no marks at all she still ends up with a C overall so there isn't really anything to lose. The question is why they can't seem to get it right the first time, I know they're marking zillions of papers and mistakes are going to happen but is there no double checking at all before the marks are sent out?

They pay peanuts to the folk who do the marking, and we all know what you get when you pay peanuts...

The exam board was OCR.

We obtained a copy of the exam specification from OCR, and to be honest, it seems as clear as mud. I quote:



However, the school's HoM suggested that it would be safest to either play music from one composer, or to select pieces of (say) 20th Century English organ music.

This was something that our son and his organ tutor spent a lot of time considering, and they spent a lot of time looking at and playing through suitable pieces to see which would work best. However, son's organ tutor, who spent 25 years as a music teacher in a public school before retiring said she had never come across these requirements before.

But regardless of the above, all of the pieces chosen were well played, and certainly didn't deserve a 'D' grade.




That may well be true, but it is a very poor excuse in my view. These people are seriously messing up students' lives through sloppy and inconsistent marking, 'adjusting' exam grades to stop 'grade inflation', and whatever the latest political moves are. It is cruel and grossly unfair.

What would happen of Jurors started letting off murderers and jailing innocent people. Would it wash if they claimed they were paid peanuts to do the job? If the examiners don't want the job or the pay they should say so, and refuse to do it.

SB

Swell box, you and your son have my sympathy.

My two sons and several of my piano pupils have had unfathomable A2 music results over the year, and I am baffled at the syllabus and the marking system!

No 1 son was a grade 8 plus player who had already successfully auditioned for a leading conservatoire, and he achieved a D in his A level performance! It didn't hold him back and he is now (5 years later) a successful proessional musician.

We have tried over the years asking for remarks, copies of papers etc. but all to no avail, grades have never been changed. I wish you the best with your efforts though!

It is a continuing mystery to me how these results are arrived at, but if its any comfort I know of lots of very talented and successful musicians who have been disappointed with their A level results. It is more a case of the exam process failing them rather than the other way round.

I hope it has not affected your sons choices.

Julio

I think this is a harsh and unnecessary comment on the examiners. The pay is poor, but all the A level examiners that I've come across work diligently and professionally. The fact that you have some-one's future in your hands (or under your pen) weighs heavily on your conscience. Anyone who falls short of the standard is monitored carefully and chucked out if necessary.

That is not to say that mistakes never happen, and rogue examiners can get through. Swell box and son have my sympathy in their position. I have had 2 children go through A levels, the second one has just received his A level results this week and I know how difficult things can be. Our own path was not completely smooth.

I confess I also belong to the "terrible mark at A level for inexplicable reasons" club, and missed out on my first, second and third choice courses as a result. I had got grade 8 with distinction a year previously and started working on pieces which in the current DipABRSM performance lists. I presented some Dip standard pieces and some grade 8 for my music A level. They gave me a C at AS level music performance, but presenting the same pieces (it was before the current structure and A and AS levels were totally separate and we did both together) to another exam board couldn't muster even a C grade. What the AB saw in my pieces that gave them a distinction was clearly lost on the A level board.

This is one of the reasons daughter opted for pieces that were a lower level than her playing standard. I think it's been talked about before that GCSEs and A Level performance requirements are slightly different to those of the exam boards. We can all sort of guess at the pedigree of examiners accepted by the main instrument boards but we don't actually know the background or the training of those marking A level music performances or compositions. At least the performances are recorded so they are easier to remark.

I hope you are able to sort something Swell Box and I'm sorry this has happened to you.

I have to say reading this makes me very glad that I decided not to do A level music, and instead did ICT which was apparently "beneath me" - I enjoyed it immensely, with the exception of trying to get the school printer to work long enough to print out my 280-page A2 final report! This subject does unfortunately also suffer from a similar marking problem, according to my teacher this resulted from the fact that the summer AS session used non-specialist examiners, meaning that "or similar answer" on the mark scheme wasn't going to get you any marks because they wouldn't know whether the similar answer was correct and so would mark it wrong. This meant you had to memorise the exact answers written on the mark schemes in order to do well, which is ridiculous but was the only way to ensure a pass. (This was 2005-6 so things may be different now.)

A friend of mine got a U (18/90 UMS) in the June exam session for AS, sat the same module the following January, when due to a lower demand for examiners there are enough specialists available, and got an A (81/90). My teacher complained to the exam board that the first exam could not possibly have been correct. She didn't get the paper remarked in June because she said this sort of thing happened every year but it had never happened quite so dramatically before.

I am sorry to report that things seem to be going from bad to worse. I had a message from the Principle Tutor this morning asking for a meeting.

Basically she says it is a waste of time for SBJ to retake music, as there is a risk that his marks will go down rather than up. She ahs suggested that he seriously considers a career in IT, and either gives up music, or keeps it as a hobby.

(I think you can imagine how our son feels about this.)

The 'HoM', who was present during the performance exam, now reckons that the pieces were too easy, and that there were 'timing issues'. (I would strongly disagree on both counts). What a shame he didn't take the trouble to listen to them before the exam.

For the record, there were four pieces, tow of which were G7/G8 ish, and the others were G5/6.

Last year, for AS, he performed a G5 and G7 piece, and accompanied Faure's Pie Jesu; whatever grade that would be, and ended up with a mark short of an A for performance, even though the accompaniment went slightly awry for one bar.

Something is wrong, and I smell a long-tailed rodent.


SB

Something is seriously wrong here. Sounds like there are major problems with exam marking for a start. I think it would be very difficult to write a marking scheme for non-specialists. I have read the marking criteria for the AB theory exams, and it is exactly as I would expect - where specialists can understand what a candidate is trying to say, and can mark accordingly, giving leeway where appropriate.

Two people on this one thread have said that whole sections of an A-level paper have been missed out when marking. This is totally unacceptable.

A friend of mine used to teach physics, and he said one year that the marking scheme had been simplified so much to accommodate non-specialists, that it was unbelievably wrong. One example he gave was a question about falling objects. Provided you used the word gravity you got full marks. You could say that gravity causes objects to float in mid-air and you got full marks. If however, you gave a perfectly good explanation about forces and resistance and bodies falling to earth but didn't actually use the word gravity, you got no marks.

Swell Box, were the pieces recorded? Can you get access to the recordings?

I find this truly shocking!




Many commiserations to SBJ - it sounds like he has been victim to a poor exam system coupled with (to put it kindly) an unsuitable teacher. I am sure you will already be seeking a second opinion but to give some personal experience - one of my family members got similarly disappointing Alevel results. There were suspicians that 6th form she was at had not taught complete syllabus or had been given incorrect teaching. They decided to retake and after a year at a different sixth form college had turned a D into an A. They went on to study that subject at University.

It's sad to see that our exam system has turned into a game that is more about knowing how to meet the narrow criteria the examiners are looking for, rather than actually demonstrating true skill and knowledge of the subject. It is the teacher's job is to know how to play the game and prepare students to meet the criteria. The fact that your HoM "didn't do classical" suggests that they weren't really equipped to give suitable guidance. Hopefully you can find someone better for a retake (if you decide to go down that route).

I accompanied my son for his A2 recital, and the pieces were those he had played successfully for his conservatiore audition, all grade 8 and above and beautifully played. There were two experienced music teachers in the room, and they both said he would get A without a doubt but he got a D. We asked for the recordings to be remarked, but when we got the mark sheet back it was a copy of the first markers comments and the second marker had just put big yesses in a circle agreeing with the original comments. It was unbelievable.
The other candidate that day had passed grade 7 with a merit and included some of her pieces in the A2 recital. Apart from some tuning issues on high notes (flute) she played very well and was awarded a U!

Does your son need a higher grade in music fow what he wants to do?
As I mentioned before, my son got the minimun grade needed to get into the conservatiore and has done very well since, but at the time his A level result was devastaing for him and his confidence suffered for a while. It's a hard blow to get past.

I stopped marking science A level papers 2 years ago. There really should be no difficulty with examiners not coping with "or similar answer" instructions because these are covered in the coordination meeting (or whatever it's called for the different boards) - we used to have a session where loads of answers were considered and discussed, and we all made notes feverishly. Obviously there would be times when a particular answer came up that hadn't been discussed, but as a professional you had to use your best judgement. I always sat with my textbooks at my side so I could refer to them if necessary when marking. Even if you're a non-specialist, you'd hope the mark scheme would have been discussed in sufficient detail to iron out a huge number of queries.

Sounds like she has confused remarks and retakes. You are almost never under any obligation to report all qualifications you have ever tried for whether or not you passed, so long as you don't represent yourself as having more qualifications or higher grades than you do. I often miss out qualifications on forms just because I can't be bothered to fill in all the boxes! If it goes down then he gives the date and grade of this year's mark, if it goes up then great. It's only a remark that can take away the grade he has, a resit will not nullify this grade.



Or "We will look better if you go on to study something where you can get into a bigger name university" - I was heavily pressured into particular study paths because the school could report I went to Cambridge, though I didn't want to study that subject or at that university!

I smelt that long tailed rodent the minute I read the teacher said your son's hymn tunes were too hymn-like..

I assume he taught your son the rules that go with his 4 part harmony?

I agree that there shouldn't be, but that does not seem to be the case universally - if it were there would surely be far less problems with marking. I'm guessing that these meetings for different subjects and different exam boards, and probably in different areas too, vary in how useful and comprehensive they are and in how attentive and committed the people attending the meetings are. Maybe the exam boards and/or markers think science is more important than ICT so they put more effort into the preparation.


You do on the UCAS form, unless you got a U then you don't have to put that down. You have to put all certificated or 'cashed in' grades on your UCAS form - if the AS results sheet includes an overall grade for the AS then the results are cashed in and have to be declared on the form, if there are only module results and not an overall result then you don't. The school decides whether or not they cash in AS results and will usually do the same for everyone.

Oh crikey - what a mess.

I have said it before and I will say it again - our exam system is broken, utterly broken...

Sad-To-Be-In-"Education"-Bag x

This person has to be joking.....

There is no way any decent teacher would allow that to happen. Daughter re-recorded her As pieces even though there was very little wrong with them first time round. The first recording was made at a performance concert for parents. She was allowed to re-record as was anyone else who wanted we were allowed to video the performance concert. Ther are a huge number of A level music students at ger 6th form and only one teacher. If they can go to that sort of trouble...

I also think they had to perform one or more pieces to the class so the teacher could judge suitability. I'm certain they would have been told if the pieces weren't the correct standard.


I can understand why you are suspicious.

You are absolutely correct. Unfortunately there are some really, really atrocious teachers out there and I think possibly the worst are not those who are incompetent but those who simply don't care. They're not going to put themselves out in any way to help their students and will complain bitterly about having to do things that are unarguably a basic part of their job (like going to parents evenings - my mum says half the teachers at my sister's school don't bother to show up and many of those that do will have already left if you arrive at 5pm. My school's parents evenings didn't even start until 6pm).

Maybe they cared at one time and had the will to live slowly ground out of them by the system they have to work in, or maybe they never cared in the first place and just saw teaching as "a graveyard for the unlucky and the unambitious." I am still appalled by the attitudes of some teachers but it has become very difficult to surprise me.

Swell Box, this is an awful situation for your son and makes this time of year a nightmare.

I don't know how you go about requesting a reassessment or retake of his performance and the other part, but if you are going to get a photocopy of his written paper, the deadline for getting in applications at our school is this Thursday. I think the deadline for applying for a re-mark or a retake is in September sometime, so this allows time for the photocopies to come back and then a decision to be made as to the next step. Good luck to your son with whatever he decides to do.

Don't let the school delay you or dissuade you from doing what you feel is right for your son, especially if it may be to save their own necks. And if the marking turns out to be ok, it is the school and music department that needs to be looked into. Good luck

What a debacle.

I can see nothing to lose by a remark if his current grade is too poor to let him do what he wants. So I would insist on a remark. Use a reference from current organ tutor and a formal letter of complaint about the performance/harmony marks if you can get the recording and harmony bits back for second and third written opinions from specialist teachers. And consider a resit at next sitting if remark comes back unsatisfactory. When is the next resit and where else could he study for a retake? Clearly his school dept was unsuitably staffed for his needs.

But most importantly I would immediately seek a private lesson/consultation with the organ tutor of the university of choice. And for any other uni he would consider. Get their opinions about what he should now do and whether he has any chance of admission. And anyway your son needs a serious plan B as this path was never an actual certainty.

I have got a bit confused about him being in a gap year now but with new results - were these retake exam results or first time round?

And the next thing is that any parent who doubts the level of expertise of their HOM/dept should act decisively and act before the exams are anywhere near. You have to find someone with a good track record and full understanding of what is going on by the looks of things.

Dont give up though, this could still all work out and you need to keep his spirits up and guide him into positive actions.

As it stands, you are taking serious risks if you attempt something of approximately grade 8 level for A level practical : every note/rhythm mistake will be magnified : expression counts for comparatively little if a note error or two is present.



Complain, Swell Box, and keep complaining. This is awful, and I feel for you and your son

I took it this was first time round and the gap year is starting now....

Trouble is it's often difficult to know before the event and sometimes it's there and people don't realise the true extent of the problem. Even complaining before the exam won't always bring about change as the people who have the authority to take action often aren't willing, or have no understanding of the issues.

I think sometimes you need to look beyond the exam and ask the question as to whether the knowledge is needed. If the knowledge is important then I'd be doing everything to ensure it was acquired and re-taking the exam might be the goal that's needed to bring that about.

I would not rely on the same person to do the guiding and I would encourage some changes. For the performance easier pieces played really well and not by the same composer might be worth a try. Stuff that even a non-specialist would understand just to make it really obvious how good he is. I think people often get confused when asked for "different" even when it's spelled out really well. You've done it their way now it's time to take a chance on something different.

Don't let this effect any chances now or in the future as this isn't your sons fault.

Is that true of all exams? A young friend of mine is doing A-level music and was telling me about a concert he sang in with the local youth choir, where he performed a solo. I told him that song was a grade 8 exam piece, and now he is thinking of doing it for his A-level practical. Should I advise him not to (he is not my student) - or should his HoM be able to advise on its suitability?

Oops, I forgot to mention.... another thing is puzzling me.....

Precisely what music qualifications does the so called "Principal Tutor" hold? Is that modern edu-jargon speak for a headmaster/mistress by any chance? Pity if it is because it sounds like the sort of job the really duff teacher that cant teach anything would be given - bit like the post of careers adviser was in my day (invented for the past-it teacher they couldnt persuade to leave). You know that the HOM is totally unqualified to judge your son - so is this Principal Tutor any better positioned to judge or is he taking advice from the non classical HOM?

The suggestion about the consultation with a senior tutor of the university is a good idea. I know that at Cambridge (and I assume at other places too) you can request a preliminary assessment (might be called a pre-audition) so that you know whether it's a good idea to apply.

And I agree with GMc's last sentence, although I know how hard it must be for you. You need to keep your spirits up too.

Are you serious? One or two notes error is the end of you? That is just ridiculous.

Professionals make note errors in concerts all the time. I have heard them from the very top of the very top - that is the nature of live performance. Didnt stop me thinking they were brilliant. Clearly they would have failed their A level though. You cant expect an A level performance to replicate the recording studio. How on earth did A level marking end up making this the be all and end all of performance? The answer is to complain vociferously to the boards and education minister about this. No wonder someone can get into a conservatoire but fail A level performance....all is becoming very clear and even more ridiculous.

Our experience does not support this. Daughter definitely played all Grade 8 pieces in her A level performance recital, and I'm sure son played one or more Grade 8 pieces for his AS level this year. Both got full marks, although I'm pretty sure performances were not 100% error-free.

I guess the key is that the student must be able to play whatever level they choose very comfortably, so if this is not the case, then yes it might be better to go for something of a lower level that they can play better or more consistently. It is true, at least on AQA exam board, that very very few marks are awarded for level of difficulty.

In daughter's case, it just didn't seem to make sense to go for anything else - she was playing well above Grade 8 level and all the pieces she was working on, and knew very securely, were that level or above, so it would have seemed odd to pick something of a lower standard, that wasn't one of her current, polished, repertoire, and go for that.

Because it's the easiest thing for someone with reasonably basic musical knowledge to look out for. And you can make it crystal clear in a marking scheme in order to satisfy the various ministers insisting things must be "transparent". It's hard to quantify things that the likes of AB exams give marks for, such as "Evidence of careful preparation" without a very experienced eye and ear. Someone who has worked their backside off can make a right hash on the day, but experienced professionals can tell the difference between an unfortunate day and not being up to the required standard.

Think how popular many a TV talent show contestant is because they managed to produce a soulless razzle dazzle out of an instrument? These judges with little relevant experience fall over in delight at pretty much any instrument playing that involves a standard above grade 5. They (and many an audience) judge singers to be great if they merely belt out really loud noises - they have a "strong" and "powerful" voice. Yes, it's nice to be able to provide some power, but it has to be appropriately used, turned on and turned off musically, not just open your mouth wide enough to insert a bowling ball and howl. If a similarly generalist audience is assessing an A Level vocal performance they may judge a quiet piece to be evidence that the voice is not strong, rather than evidence of extreme control over a pp dolce passage.

For AQA, you are in difficulties beyond more than a note error or two. There's an awful lot that needs fixing... Other boards are better, but it's still accuracy beyond all else. You have to be utterly secure before attempting grade 8 plus, and in a live situation, often that's too risky.

And I agree with you, GMc, professionals always make errors, yes...

A thought : perhaps the ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall should get more involved in music A level?...

I'm sure it must be possible to devise a system whereby the performance element of the exam can be exchanged for a pass in an ABRSM (or other board) exam. They managed to devise a system to give UCAS points. Also, I'm sure in days of old you could substitute a part of the old A level (not sure this was performance though)? This would save a great deal of expense in employing examiners, although some could still be available for those who have been 'unable' to access instrumental exams.

You certainly used to be able to trade grade 8 practical and grade 8 theory for a music A Level. Whether you got the actual A Level certificate or whether it was just understood that when the old UCCA (UCAS of the day) grade requirements came out that when they said A Level music they could mean an actual A Level or the 8+8 combination. Some music colleges still allow this exchange, probably to free up advanced students from having to do the various bits of cabbage involved in many music courses and to stop them having this problem.

I was gutted when I found I'd missed the exchange by about 18 months and had to do A Level music itself, which was awful.

For Conservatoire they are called an Advice Audition. I agree with touching base with tutors at the establishments where he wants to study. Based on recent experience this is something I'd strongly recommend.