 The Fingering Forum
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Author: Flute player
Date: 2000-04-20 09:57
I am English and I have instrument lessons with a music teacher/instrument instructor. I was just wondering, in America do most people just decide what instrument to play and then take that instrument home and teach it to themself?
Because in England hardly anyone teaches themselves. I was also wondering, do American people also take an instrument exam which tells them which standard of playing they are at?
One last question, if you want to study music (playing) at college/university how do you do it? In England you have to get a scholarship or take a series of auditions.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-04-20 17:35
Flute player wrote:
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I am English and I have instrument lessons with a music teacher/instrument instructor. I was just wondering, in America do most people just decide what instrument to play and then take that instrument home and teach it to themself? Because in England hardly anyone teaches themselves.
>> Basically the students decide for themselves but in some schools, the band director may push a student pretty hard in the direction of one instrument over another. Most people in the US learn as part of a school band under the direction of a band director who is using a coordinated set of band books to teach the band as an entire group. A very few schools include like group lessons on an instrument and an even smaller number have individual instruction. Students who want to do better will seek out private instructors. Some adults teach themselves and others take lessons from private instructors.
I was also wondering, do American people also take an instrument exam which tells them which standard of playing they are at?
>> No this type of system is not used in the US. There is no provision to even do so.
One last question, if you want to study music (playing) at college/university how do you do it? In England you have to get a scholarship or take a series of auditions.
>> I believe that in general, performance majors must audition but I am an engineer myself. There may be some state funded schools that have to take all who enroll though. Funding is up to the student. They pay it themselves or their parents do or they must seek out and qualify for scholarships.
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2000-05-04 21:11
Perhaps this is why I never heard of any proficiency exams for clarinet until coming to Canada. In Ohio I was self-taught and went through band in high school, but was never taught music theory or knew about any exams to work towards. There were the odd competitions to go to, but that was all.
Is this still the way it is, or is there a U.S. equivalent to the Royal Conservatory of Music with it's exams available three times a year? If only I could have learned earlier what I know now!
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Author: Jami
Date: 2000-06-07 19:12
I learned to play the flute with a book my teacher gave me. I had a hard time learning so I took lessons and my flute teacher taught me the names and fingerings of the notes. Our ability level we play at depends on competitions in our school and against different schools.
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Author: Ella
Date: 2000-07-18 07:14
It is interesting comparing the different countries standards and exams etc. I am an australian and here we have a series of 12 exams you can do from preliminary to grade 8 then through to A.MusA, B.MusA and Liceintate of Music which is a credential approximately equal to a university course with honours. I am studying for my grade 7 exam in about 5 weeks time. All these exams come under the arms of an orginisation called the Australian Music Education Board (AMEB) which runs these exams, gives you a certificate all for a fee of course. here as soon as you say you have done grade 7 people think you are a brilliant muso. also, all the performance courses for uni or tafe have auditions for entry, as do any specific arts high schoools (like the one i am audtioning for soon)
hope this is of intrest, but i know i still wonder about other systems of grading in the uk and america
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Author: Jessie
Date: 2001-12-19 17:48
I am currently a music minor at a state-supported university. Generally speaking, most people in the music college learned their primary instrument in an elementary school or high school band. In the midwest, schools outside of the larger cities are relatively small--normally 75 people or less per graduating class, so band directors often give students individualized attention as well as group lessons. Most of the music majors took private lessons if they lived near a larger city.
At my university, there are several instrumental ensembles. You must pass an audition to be in any of these, except for the "easiest" ensemble, which accepts everyone. To be a music major or minor, you must pass an audition and be accepted to the school of music. Then, you must take a jury (similar to an audition) at the end of each semester to get a passing grade for lessons, etc.
If you do not pass the audition, you often are still able to take lessons, audition for ensembles, and sometimes even register for theory classes without declaring a major. You then just have to pass the audition the next year.
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