Klarinet Archive - Posting 000339.txt from 2004/04

From: Deidre Calarco <DLeigh@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Music exams in U.S.
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2004 12:43:01 -0400

> At 04:36 PM 4/19/2004 +0100, tony-w@-----.uk wrote:
>> In UK, there is no school system of music exams. If you want a certificate
>> of proficiency, it`s all done outside of school with ABRSM and other
>> institutions.
>
> My wife (harp
> teacher) offers her students the option of preparing her students for these
> exams and a small minority choose to do so. In general, the main custom
> for these examiners appears to come from students whose parents hail from
> parts of the world that have some kind of British-influenced educational
> system (Hong Kong, for instance), so they are probably offered in
> locations, like SF, that have larger numbers of such students.

I was just discussing the differences in the American and British
educational systems, and in particular in music education, yesterday with a
British friend.

I was trained in the American system, which emphasizes overall performance
ability almost exclusively. I never knew about these exams, and neither did
anyone I know who ended up taking on music as a profession. I'd have liked
to have had more music theory in high school, but other than that I think
the American system works well. I practiced because I enjoyed playing and
wanted to sound good. My teacher helped me with all the details of
technique, interpretation, and tone, but there was no pressure to "master"
anything at any particular time. We worked on all of it, all the time. I
did well at the solo and ensemble festivals - got "1"s in all three
proficiencies at the state level. I thought of them as performance
opportunities, not exams, and loved having the chance to play in small
ensembles. I don't think studying music would have been as fun if I'd had
to practice toward tests, having my progress dictated by some kind of
standardized system. Music isn't manufacturing.

-Deidre

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