14 replies to this topic

[mother]

I have special certificates from ABRSM for passing the 4 highest grades in singing, piano, theory and general musicianship from the 1980s.

 

I also passed the 4 highest grades for violin slightly later but do not have a special certificate for violin.

 

Are these "special certificates" for passing the 4 highest grades still available from ABRSM such that I could now apply for this one too?

 

Any help would be useful on this.

 

Thank you

[Banjogirl]

In what way are they special? And why would you want or need one?

Ed: I think your post says you got an EXTRA certificate for passing grades 5 to 8. Is that what you meant? I still can't see what the point would be.

[violinlove]

I got one in 1991. You used to get a special certificate for passing the top 4 grades in order in one instrument - ie. 5,6,7 and 8.

I think it was on blue paper IIRC.

It wasn't particularly special and it just turned up one day. I might be able to find it in the cupboard later and take a photo of it.

[Hedgehog]

My teacher applied for one for me in the 1970s for passing 6,7,and 8 in succession.  I haven't come across these since I've been teaching from the 1990s

[HelenVJ]

I think they must have stopped issuing these at least 30 years ago. Probably far too many people would be eligible now.

[mother]

Thank you for all the quick replies.

It has the words "Special Certificate" on each of the 4 that I have. I suspect by the time I passed the top 4 violin grades they had been phased out then given the answers above.

  It says "This special certfifcate is awarded to ... for having passed in succession the 4 highest grades in the board's exmainations in ..."

It is a proper cert. like you get for the other exams, printed on  on hard paper with the crest etc.

 

It sounds like I will not be able to complete the set  by getting one for violin despit passing the 4 highest grades in succession. .

 

My recollection was you had to send in details of having passed the 4 highest exams in order to receive the "special certificate".

[HelenVJ]

I do hope you will soon get over any residual disappointment about this . At least you have the other 4 certificates ( plus the previous 16 you needed to earn them).

[Arundodonuts]

I'm amazed they were ever awarded. Wouldn't that be the normal route to Grade 8? I suppose it could mean you could replace 4 certificates on the wall with one. leaving room for some nice photos.

[EllieD]

That must be the reason for it, Arundonuts. Seems odd though - a certificate for having four certificates! I guess if they don't do the certificates any more, but people would like a bit of extra wall space, then there's all sorts of clever things that can be done with computer editing programs - a montage of the four certificates or something, which could hang on the wall instead.

 

Every certificate I ever earned is in a brown envelope stuck at the back of a cupboard! If it's worth remembering, I'll remember it anyway.

________

 

Hi mother, welcome to the forum! 

[violinlove]

I think it was like a "loyalty card" bonus thing - you've taken (and paid a lot of money) our 4 highest exams - here's a special gift for you to hand on your wall to thank you for your valued custom.

After all, you are not more "special" because you have taken grades 5,6,7 and 8 than someone who did 5 and 6 then missed out 7 and did 8 or other similar combinations.

[Crock]

I got one of these in the late 70s/early 80s for violin (grades 5,6,7,8).  I had done the same grades in Theory but never bothered for a similar certificate in that.  And yes, like EllieD, my certificate has always just stayed in a brown envelope of folder, er, it may be somewhere, actually I have no idea - it might I suppose even have been thrown out!

[Crock]

I went on a hunt tonight and found these certificates from 1982 for both violin and for theory.  They are nothing very special. I can't find my degree certificate though!

 

I also found a certificate for one particular music exam from 1976.  It was terrible, just a very very poor computer printout - typical ugly lineprinter output from the 70s - I remember thinking that was very poor at the time and I still think so. The certificates are better now!

[mother]

Thanks for the responses.  I think I must have found when I passed graed 8 (slightly later than the other exams) that the special certificates had been abolished so could not obtain one then.

Having gfrades 6, 7 and 8 is not necessarily a waste of money even today. One of my adult children needed to add up UCAS points for a law firm application and as They had a lot of those grades and in quite a few instruments they certainly mounted up - not that that is in any way a deciding factor for those jobs - it is high A level grades that count, but interesting that they are still  slightly useful even in your 20s.

 

I hope Crock's degree cert turns up. I can't find my late father's either although I have his second degree.  he never lost things so I am hoping still to find it not that it matters now.

 

A buyer of our parents' house after our parents died scanned a time capsule note we children had hidden in the wall of an extension from the 1970s. My siblings were quite friendly and very nice. Mine was a list of all kinds of exams I had passed from music to speech to judo to gym and swimming. I was obviously a clocking up the badges and points kind of child. Some children are very incentivised by exams and others it doesn't make any difference at all to them.

[zwhe]

 

Having gfrades 6, 7 and 8 is not necessarily a waste of money even today. One of my adult children needed to add up UCAS points for a law firm application and as They had a lot of those grades and in quite a few instruments they certainly mounted up - not that that is in any way a deciding factor for those jobs - it is high A level grades that count, but interesting that they are still  slightly useful even in your 20s.

 

 

You are only allowed to use ONE exam in a subject for UCAS points - so if you have a grade 6,7 and 8 for the same instrument, only the 8 will count. The same goes for AS levels - if you have an A level in the same subject, you are not allowed to count the AS.

[sbhoa]

I'm amazed they were ever awarded. Wouldn't that be the normal route to Grade 8? I suppose it could mean you could replace 4 certificates on the wall with one. leaving room for some nice photos.

I only have the highest one on the wall.

I think that there are quite a number of people who miss out grade 6 or 7 or both for the high flyers.