I'm vaguely toying with the idea of crossing over to the other side and applying to become an ABRSM examiner. Mainly for the money, I have to say!....
Are there any examiners out there who can fill me in? I'm wondering:
a) whether you have to have lots of experience as a practical/instrumental teacher who has sent lots of students through ABRSM exams. I have lots of teaching experience, but mostly in a classroom setting rather than privately. I've only started doing private instrumental teaching in the last year.
b ) how good a pianist do you need to be? Piano's not my first instrument, and although I can bash through things okay, I do tend to pause in the middle of things to work out where I'm going, if I'm sight reading. So how would I fare with giving aural tests? (especially at the higher grades)
Full Version: Becoming An Examiner?
| QUOTE (Claire21 @ Mar 6 2005, 06:29 PM) |
| I'm vaguely toying with the idea of crossing over to the other side and applying to become an ABRSM examiner. Mainly for the money, I have to say!.... |
Good to see that the people who determine our fate are in it for the right reasons
.| QUOTE (Claire21 @ Mar 6 2005, 06:29 PM) |
| b ) how good a pianist do you need to be? Piano's not my first instrument, and although I can bash through things okay, I do tend to pause in the middle of things to work out where I'm going, if I'm sight reading. So how would I fare with giving aural tests? (especially at the higher grades) |
I have a feeling that I've read somewhere that examiners have to have at least grade 8 piano (not certain just seem to recall it from somewhere). It wouldn't be acceptable to stop in the middle of playing things, as you have probably guessed, but I guess you could take the book of aural tests home and practise them before hand....
Good luck
.
Claire
According to colleagues of mine who are examiners, I've understood the following about being an examiner when I've talked about it to them.
1. I think you need to be over 30 years of age.
2. You must be a competent pianist - not necessarily Grade 8 I think, but certainly in the order of Grade 6-7 to cope with playing the aural tests. I guess you need to be able to play accurately and with confidence, in order that the candidates can deliver the answers you require from what you've played them, and also have belief in your ability to examine them!
3. You need to be a professionally qualified, experienced musician with a proven track record of work in the music profession. Examiners come from many different disciplines of music, not just the music colleges or private music teachers but teachers in schools, music publishing etc too.
4. Don't do it just for the money! I'm not sure it's that brilliantly paid for the long hours of work and travelling that are expected. (I would personally hope ABRSM wouldn't actually want examiners who were just in it for the money anyway?)
If you are really serious about this, why not contact the Examiners' Department at ABRSM and ask them to send you more information or check out this link on the website as a starter:
http://www.abrsm.org/?page=about/examiners.html
Hope it works out for you if its what you want to do.
According to colleagues of mine who are examiners, I've understood the following about being an examiner when I've talked about it to them.
1. I think you need to be over 30 years of age.
2. You must be a competent pianist - not necessarily Grade 8 I think, but certainly in the order of Grade 6-7 to cope with playing the aural tests. I guess you need to be able to play accurately and with confidence, in order that the candidates can deliver the answers you require from what you've played them, and also have belief in your ability to examine them!
3. You need to be a professionally qualified, experienced musician with a proven track record of work in the music profession. Examiners come from many different disciplines of music, not just the music colleges or private music teachers but teachers in schools, music publishing etc too.
4. Don't do it just for the money! I'm not sure it's that brilliantly paid for the long hours of work and travelling that are expected. (I would personally hope ABRSM wouldn't actually want examiners who were just in it for the money anyway?)
If you are really serious about this, why not contact the Examiners' Department at ABRSM and ask them to send you more information or check out this link on the website as a starter:
http://www.abrsm.org/?page=about/examiners.html
Hope it works out for you if its what you want to do.
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