Huntingdonshire Music School Association

Hunts Post Article

Clarinettist, CLAIRE JOYNER, a Hinchingbrooke sixthformer, says Huntingdonshire Music School is a great place to make friends.

AS I start my sixth year attending the Huntingdonshire Music School, I can see more clearly than ever what a fantastic place it is. Every Saturday morning during term time I go to the regional college to learn music. The music school is a very special place. It is the only institution in the area that offers everything necessary for a candidate to progress and achieve through the grades of musical ability in the space of just a few hours on a Saturday morning.

It also gives students the opportunity to play together in a variety of bands. There is something for everyone, whatever their musical interests.

I take clarinet and piano lessons, and attend aural classes every week. I’ve been tutored in theory and participated in some of the bands including the Senior Concert Band.

I’ve found not only that I’ve progressed immensely since I started coming to the music school, but also that it’s a great place to meet people. There’s always a very positive atmosphere all around the school. Colin Radford, a saxophone and (my) clarinet teacher, says: “It’s a place to meet and communicate with like minded people.”

Through the music school, I’ve achieved many great things. In 2002, I won the Huntingdon Male Voice Choir/Marriott Hotel £500 bursary. With the money I bought a superb saxophone, which I’ve since played in a quartet at a wedding. Over the past year, I obtained grade eight on my clarinet and grade seven on the piano. This year, I am hoping to carry on to do a diploma with my clarinet. I believe that had I not been learning at the music school, I wouldn’t have progressed so quickly, to a standard this high, and achieved so much.

It’s also a place where whole families come to learn different instruments. I’ve many friends who go to the music school with their entire family and everyone learns to play.

The only problem, however - as is so often the case - is money. The Music School has stopped receiving funding from the Government. Since this happened, the school has no longer been able to afford to include all the activities in one fee, and the main fee for lessons has increased. The increased charge must be affecting families’ financial situation and may stop some from attending. If this is the case, the purpose of the music school being a place where everyone can come and play together will be defeated. We all hope that won’t happen.

Source

Article Copyright Hunts Post : originally published by the Hunts Post on 22nd September 2004. See Hunts Post website .

Huntingdonshire Music School has now been registered with the Friends Re-United website. Present and past students, teachers and Friends are encouraged to register. The 40th anniversary of the music school will be with us in 2006 and we’d like to organise a re-union.

Introduction

Huntingdonshire Music Colege Students with Associated Board (ABRSM) passes at Grades 6, 7 and 8 will now benefit from official recognition for their qualifications from UCAS - the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

This means that it will be possible to count the results from practical and theory examinations at higher grades towards the points total needed for admission to colleges and universities. The UCAS siite has information on application to universities and colleges of further education.

Music Examination Points Equivalence

Following government accreditation of graded music exams last year, we asked UCAS to consider including our higher grades in the tariff for university and college entrance - allocating points as already happens for AS and A levels and other qualifications.

UCAS has agreed, and students applying for university and college entrance for courses starting in the academic year 2004-2005 and beyond will benefit from the following points recommendations:

Points awarded for AS levels are in the range 20 - 60 and for A levels in the range 40 - 120.

Associated Board (ABRSM) exams will attract points under the UCAS system.  As with all awards under this system, admission tutors may accept, or not, the recommended points for the courses for which students apply.

Recommended points are based on the highest grade taken; for example, a candidate with practical passes at Grades 6 and 7 and a distinction at Grade 6 theory would claim for the theory and for the Grade 7 practical - a total of 55 points.  This is in addition to points awarded for AS or A level Music.

Recognition

The inclusion of Associated Board qualifications in the UCAS Tariff provides further recognition of the considerable dedication and commitment required in order to be successful at these grades and confirms the educational worth of graded music exams.