Examinations
I am often asked whether or not I am happy to put students in for exams. My answer is always yes, where appropriate. Exams are not for everybody, and nor do they need to be; a good deal of time can be wasted in just jumping from one exam to another, and this is something I never encourage. The idea of an exam every year rules out so much "real" music-making, in the effort to learn 3 pieces and a set of scales. Many of my students do take piano and music theory exams, but they all do other things (as in ensemble playing, composition, accompaniment, different types of pieces) as well, so it is more usual to skip some exams and enjoy music-making in the large gap between.
Where exams are appropriate, I greatly prefer the Music Teachers Board (MTB) exams. This is a well-respected, fully-accredited examination board which has been running successfully for some years now and many people are using it in preference to the older examining boards. MTB exams are all taken online....we record the examination either in my music room or remotely in the student's home. There is no set exam day; entries can be sent in whenever it is convenient. This eliminates the "balancing act" of having performances ready "in time, but not too early" for the exam date. It also means that the candidate doesn't have to miss work or school, in order to take their exam.
Exams can be Regular or Performance. In the Regular exams, three pieces are performed, along with scales and arpeggios, sight reading, and aural tests.
Performance exams are exactly as their title suggests - there are no scales, sight-reading or aural tests, but extra pieces have to be performed, and the student's performance qualities are taken into consideration. In choosing the type of examination, I take the student's strengths into consideration, and choose appropriately.
Where exams are appropriate, I greatly prefer the Music Teachers Board (MTB) exams. This is a well-respected, fully-accredited examination board which has been running successfully for some years now and many people are using it in preference to the older examining boards. MTB exams are all taken online....we record the examination either in my music room or remotely in the student's home. There is no set exam day; entries can be sent in whenever it is convenient. This eliminates the "balancing act" of having performances ready "in time, but not too early" for the exam date. It also means that the candidate doesn't have to miss work or school, in order to take their exam.
Exams can be Regular or Performance. In the Regular exams, three pieces are performed, along with scales and arpeggios, sight reading, and aural tests.
Performance exams are exactly as their title suggests - there are no scales, sight-reading or aural tests, but extra pieces have to be performed, and the student's performance qualities are taken into consideration. In choosing the type of examination, I take the student's strengths into consideration, and choose appropriately.
Maidstone Music Festival
Maidstone Music Festival will take place on November 26/27, in Invicta Grammar School, Maidstone.
It is an adjudicative festival, so you pay to take part. Each class costs around £7. You will perform to an audience of parents, relatives and friends of the performers, some members of the general public, and, most importantly, an highly qualified musician who is eminent in the field of whichever instrument you are performing on. We have classes for piano, all types of wind instruments, all types of stringed instruments, singing, and speech. All of these can be either solo or ensemble, competitive or non-competitive. Take a look at the website: www.maidstonemusicfestival.org.uk.
It is an adjudicative festival, so you pay to take part. Each class costs around £7. You will perform to an audience of parents, relatives and friends of the performers, some members of the general public, and, most importantly, an highly qualified musician who is eminent in the field of whichever instrument you are performing on. We have classes for piano, all types of wind instruments, all types of stringed instruments, singing, and speech. All of these can be either solo or ensemble, competitive or non-competitive. Take a look at the website: www.maidstonemusicfestival.org.uk.
