Huntingdonshire Music School Association

In addition to the practical examinations (Grade 1 to Grade 8 .. and beyond for diplomas) the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music also provides graded music theory examinations. In order to progress to Grade 6 and beyond on an instrument you need to have first passed at least Grade 5 theory. At the Huntingdonshire Music School we run theory classes at all grades and past theory papers are useful in getting students ready to take the examination (at the end of the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms). Up to now we’ve relied on teachers marking papers to provide an indication of progress and providing help. It looks as though some additional help is to be provided from the ABRSM by providing specimen (model) answers to papers.

From the ABRSM:

NEW Theory Model Answers

Each January, ABRSM Publishing produces volumes of the theory papers used in the previous year’s Associated Board theory of music exams at grades 1 to 8.

In January 2007, theory of music exam papers from 2006 will be published, four papers per grade at grades 1 to 8, offering excellent practice material for exam candidates.

Due to customer demand, Answer Books will be available for the first time. The answer books will be published in January 2007 and correspond to the 2006 exam papers at grades 1 to 5.

The model answers given in these books provide a list of answers where appropriate, and for questions where the answer can be expressed in a variety of ways, a selection of likely options is given; for questions where a composition-style answer is required, a single exemplar is given.

Theory Papers and Model Answers offer a helpful and practical resource for students and teachers preparing for Associated Board theory of music exams.

Further information from:

Debbie Butler
ABRSM Publishing
24 Portland Place
London W1B 1LU
tel: +44 (0)20 7467 8272
email: dbutler@abrsm.ac.uk
www.abrsmpublishing.com

Taster Day, Saturday 23rd May

The music school are holding a taster day on Saturday 23rd May between 09:00 to 13:00 at the Huntingdonshire Regional College in Huntingdon.

Come and find out what happens. Have a try on various instruments and see if we can [pair you up with one. Ever fancied trying and instrument but never quite summoned up the courage? Don’t be put off - don’t let age or anything else stop you - just come and have a chat.

There will be lots of students of all ages and teachers to talk to you. You can listen to a band rehearsing (we’ll be practising for our Norfolk tour this summer). You can find out about the different ways of begging, borrowing, leasing or buying an instrument (and we should have some local suppliers on hand to provide expert advice). Come and see what we get up to when we’re not in the college - either by way of performing outside (e.g. 14th June at the Riverside Park in Huntingdon between 14:30 and 16:30) or travelling elsewhere.

It’s good fun, it’s very sociable and you’re never too old or too young to have a go.

Don’t put it off. This isn’t a dress rehearsal and it’s no good wondering ‘what if’ later on!

Encouragement

• BBC Play It Again - where famous celebrities, not exactly in their first flush of youth, learned to play an instrument and performed in the public eye
• Fun education site - good guide to instruments and learning music

The following is an example of how desperate some in the Huntingdonshire Music School get when faced with band practice. Keith Nicholls works for the British Antarctic Survey based near Cambridge and every now and then we lose him as he heads down south to do scientific work at the other end of the world. Or so he claims - personally it looks like a thinly-disguised excuse to get away. Of course a photograph doesn’t actually prove that he’s practising! 

If anyone else has interesting pictures of where they practice or interesting or funny tales of practice sessions that they’d like to share please do so!

Anyway, the story according to Keith is:-

“Have you brought your oboe again, or whatever it is?”
“It’s a clarinet, and yes I have - a nice new one, a Yamaha”.
“Humph…perhaps this one’s in tune”.

I’m not sure the Chief Mate of the RRS Ernest Shackleton was too impressed with my clarinet practice sessions in 2007, the last time I was on board.  But I’m told I should practice every day - lots of scales and arpeggios - so when I do my day job for the British Antarctic Survey on an oceanographic research ship in the Antarctic, the clarinet comes with me.  Unfortunately, this cruise is a very busy one, and opportunities for practice have been few and far between, certainly not daily.  And preferring to practice in solitude makes it especially difficult.  I’ve sought out a laboratory that’s rarely occupied, and sneak off there for the odd twenty minutes or so as often as I can manage.

The cold isn’t an issue, as the ship is heated to a comfortable temperature, but it can be exciting chasing the music around the lab when we’re in rougher seas. Luckily, we spend most of our time in the depths of the sea ice, which completely suppresses the waves.  The only problem then is the banging and crashing through the ice, which jolts and jars the ship in a much more disorientating way than the waves.

Music is important to everyone on board, yet there seem to be no other active musicians.  At one of our Antarctic bases, Rothera, we have a lively music scene, with a home-grown band called Nunatak giving regular performances.  In fact, they shot to fame when they featured in the Live Earth 2007 concert in July 2007 (Nunatek & Live Earth - British Antarctic Survey is a site well-worth visiting).  However, I seem to be the solitary active musician on board this ship, though I’ve seen guitars secreted in cabins here and there, including the Captain’s.

Ah well, on with the practice.  Mike, the Second Engineer pops his head into the lab.  “Oh, it’s you,” he said. “I thought one of my engines had gone wrong”.