Musical education

[filiarheni]

The "Hidden (?) talent" thread with the mention of ABRSM/Grades ...

No wonder I thought the songs sounded quite familiar.... It just so happens that Tugela Rail is this year's ABRSM Grade 6 exam piece, whereas Up on the Hill is last year's Grade 5 piece. I recall from a random conversation way back that Dominik is already reaching Grade 5/6 [...]

... made me wonder about internationally different forms of musical education.

I'm not familiar with the ABRSM practice and just looked it up. Obviously there are some music schools over here who offer the exams on a voluntary basis. Is it a standard in other countries for those learning an instrument? Is it obligatory for everyone who learns an instrument at a music school? Is is also common to take private lessons and do private teachers also follow the ABRSM schedule? Or is it always a voluntary exam?

The "grade" means the exam's "degree", so it only depends on your own progress and if you are very good you may pass the exams with only little distance between each of them, do I understand that correctly?

I do see a sense in having exams, I think it motivates the students and controls the teachers. Also, if you want to study music later, it is super-helpful to have got used to performing under exam pressure.

On the other hand: What about the literature? Pre-scribed standard pieces which everyone else plays, too? How boring given the mass of worthwhile music existing to be played and explored by a student. And doesn't the exam possibly seduce the students to only focus on the pieces for the next grade and not look left and not look right?

[Surpinto]

I am no musician and have absolutely no formal musical training but I do not think there is such a universally accepted or prescribed curriculum in the US for piano or any other instruments that is equivalent to what is in the UK. Is that better or worse? I am unsure, but your analysis of the advantages and disadvantages seems logical to me.

[TullyBascombe]

The United States has no national education standards whatsoever, not in any subject matter with the exception of certain professional level certifications.

[justin]

I took the ABRSM exams for piano when I was a kid. Generally, my piano teacher would start preparing me for the exams a few months in advance. But for the rest of the year, I'd play an assortment of other pieces appropriate for my level. So my piano repertoire back then wasn't necessarily just limited to the exam pieces. Also, the normal practice here where I live (for young piano students at least) is to take the ABRSM exams once every few years. To illustrate, I took Grade 3 when I was 7, Grade 5 when I was 10, and Grade 8 when I was 11/12.

In my opinion, I think exams are just for students (and parents) to get a good idea of their current ability. It's sad, however, that alot of the young pianists here are forced to take the exams just for the sake of it (and for better chances of entering the secondary schools they want), and not because of their genuine interest in piano playing.

[filiarheni]

I took the ABRSM exams for piano when I was a kid. Generally, my piano teacher would start preparing me for the exams a few months in advance. But for the rest of the year, I'd play an assortment of other pieces appropriate for my level. So my piano repertoire back then wasn't necessarily just limited to the exam pieces. Also, the normal practice here where I live (for young piano students at least) is to take the ABRSM exams once every few years. To illustrate, I took Grade 3 when I was 7, Grade 5 when I was 10, and Grade 8 when I was 11/12.

That sounds good. I still think I wouldn't have liked my lessons as much if I had had to use practising time for pieces I wouldn't like. But okay, if this is a voluntary thing, which it obviously is, then I might have had a different attitude on it and it would have been my choice to do the exam and therefore I would also have been willing to "do my homework".

It's sad, however, that alot of the young pianists here are forced to take the exams just for the sake of it (and for better chances of entering the secondary schools they want), and not because of their genuine interest in piano playing.

I couldn't agree more. There are some parents with too big ambitions about their children.

Forcing is never good. I also think that many children get a personal low at some point, which can be shorter or longer, but then they should be helped through it and not forced and if they actually don't enjoy it anymore, then there's no reason to continue.

Small anecdote: I remember my son, who, passionate piano player from the beginning, after a few years of taking lessons, at age 9 or 10, took me aside and in a serious tone told me that he wanted to stop, as he found he was now "completed" with it. I was very perplex about the thought of being completed with a musical instrument whenever, decided not to make a big thing out of it and just wait. He went on normally with his lessons and a few days later he had forgotten he ever said so.

So, the ABRSM exam is not something that is done as a standard over here. Quite common, in contrast, is the participation at music sompetitions. There is a very big one for Germany as a whole, called "Jugend musiziert" ("youth makes music"), and other regional ones. How about other countries?
While I'm not entirely in favour of music competitions, I have to say.

Another subject I'm interested in: Does there exist a certain "standard first instrument" to begin the practical music education with in your countries?
During my time, it used to be the soprano recorder, which almost every child started with to later change to another instrument, either totally or in addition. Instruments like trumpets, clarinets, flutes etc. were considered to have to wait until an older age, for muscle strength or for wearing brackets for example. It gave the recorder the image of a "child instrument", which was annoying for those who studied the instrument.
This has entirely changed. While starting with the clarinet at the age of 10 was an absolute exotic thing previously, it's normal nowadays. Very young children now mostly start with piano, violin or guitar, but hardly with a recorder anymore.

[justin]

So, the ABRSM exam is not something that is done as a standard over here. Quite common, in contrast, is the participation at music sompetitions. There is a very big one for Germany as a whole, called "Jugend musiziert" ("youth makes music"), and other regional ones. How about other countries?
While I'm not entirely in favour of music competitions, I have to say.

Another subject I'm interested in: Does there exist a certain "standard first instrument" to begin the practical music education with in your countries?
During my time, it used to be the soprano recorder, which almost every child started with to later change to another instrument, either totally or in addition. Instruments like trumpets, clarinets, flutes etc. were considered to have to wait until an older age, for muscle strength or for wearing brackets for example. It gave the recorder the image of a "child instrument", which was annoying for those who studied the instrument.
This has entirely changed. While starting with the clarinet at the age of 10 was an absolute exotic thing previously, it's normal nowadays. Very young children now mostly start with piano, violin or guitar, but hardly with a recorder anymore.

About music competitions, there are several local intra-school music/drama/speech competitions here, which are fiercely competitive and well attended. Students are also actively encouraged to attend international competitions if they are so inclined (and skilled enough to do so).

A standard first instrument here is probably between the piano and the violin. Recorders are given and taught to all primary school children in music lessons. I think its in our culture to encourage our children to take up a musical instrument as long as they appear to be somewhat inclined to it. Age is rarely a consideration, as I've seen 5/6 year olds playing violin (I'll reserve judgment on how well they played it though ).