Over the past few years, I have been preparing a flurry of students for their performance diploma exams. These so-called ‘final’ exams can be most beneficial, and provide their recipients with letters after their name allowing them to assume a high level of achievement. They can also provide appropriate motivation, a goal, and, most importantly,…
Tag: Trinity College Exams
10 Top Tips To Pass Your Piano Exam
As the new term gets underway, many will be preparing for music exams at the end of the year. The aim of this post is to provide a few extra pointers and ideas for last-minute preparations Once the pieces have been learned, scales, arpeggios and technical work is all in place, how can students feel…
Do Piano Exams Matter?
On returning from my holiday, I enjoyed reading Rosie Millard’s recent interesting and thought-provoking article in The Telegraph deliberating over the benefits of music exams. She labels herself a ‘pushy’ parent, although I don’t find her approach particularly ‘pushy’. I think her concerns are fairly natural amongst parents who want their children to succeed. This…
Kay Tucker in conversation with Melanie Spanswick
My Music Talk Series continues and ‘cellist Kay Tucker who is the founder and director of Stringbabies is my guest. Stringbabies is a method of teaching stringed instruments to young children. I met up with Kay recently at Steinway Hall in London to chat about this increasingly popular method of learning. Kay was born in…
Some thoughts on chordal playing in the Scottish Legend Op. 54 No. 1 by Amy Beach
I love highlighting female composers. Trinity College Exam Board’s Grade 8 syllabus has revealed a gem of a piece by the American pianist and composer Amy Beach. Beach (1867-1944) was the first successful American female composer of large-scale art music. Most of her compositions and performances appeared under the name of Mrs. H.H.A. Beach. A…