New Year Music and Musicians Thread

good luck (to both of you)!

Ealingwest(I dont live far away from you btw haha), thanks for your note, it was a false alarm as reading it then it does mention the relevant chapter in the AB guide book. We have the pink book bought when we had no idea what the tutor saying(in English) about all the notes. I havent read the whole book though, will search for it tonight, it should be somewhere on the case

Greenleave: there's a pink book called the AB Guide to Music Theory to accompany the work books...and hopefully experts on here that may be able to suggest alternative theory books that are easier to learn from.

Just received the books tonight, one is: music theory in practice and one is music theory in practice model answer. There isnt a text books with explanation, maybe I got the wrong one, will need to talk to our tutor tomorrow

Thanks for all the info about theory and GCSE. It is very timely as DS1 chooses his options soon and wants to do music so I will mention to him about the composition as well. He will be fine for the performance part by the sound of it. Our borough music centre doesn't do separate theory classes but there were classes where I do piano so I will see if we can fit that in. i think he was doing some theory with his previous percussion teacher and she asked us to get the grade 5 papers but I don't think he really knows how to do any of it!

I don't agree both boards are equal actually and good for her to get grae 5 theory ABRSM.

Ealing: thank you for sharing, its very inspiring. I never thought nor mentioned by our teacher about theory test until couple of weeks ago. To be honest we dont aim for scholarship so no pressure. However knowing it now we will prepare for it, if its tough and we fail then we will restudy harder and retake until pass

Greenleave, I think it all is dependent on the child - how much they have on, what G5 theory may mean to them etc.

My DD is not super bright, but is very driven. Once we got to G3/G4 on her instruments, the question of theory came up from the teachers. I am not musical, had no idea about who taught it/why it wasn't mentioned before as school had never brought it up.

She had aspirations to audition for scholarships in Y6 and knew she needed to be hitting higher grades to be considered, so self taught over the Christmas period, winter term and sat the exam in Spring, effectively giving herself a holiday and a term to learn. Her teacher helped in the latter stages and me with testing her italian etc, but otherwise it was plodding through the AB workbooks and answer sheets.

I would not recommend this to anyone, and in hindsight, would have got cracking earlier with at least an attempt at G3 before 5. She came away with a very respectable 82 (merit), flunking melodic intervals completely.

She didn't want to switch to Trinity (convinced it was cheating), though I did put her straight on both boards are equal. Doing this at 10 really set her up for other exams she faced at 11.

Sometimes they do surprise you...

My 8 years old is still at the very beginning stage, is it grade 5 theory that scary? Any success story? How did your child learn and pass it?

That's theory in addition to GCSE music by the way, I didn't spell it out.

DS took his GCSE music mock last week. G5 theory has been useful for the composition element but the big gain from the extracurricular music has been in the performance element. With his board there is 40% of the mark for performance and if you have a G5 level performance you are in the top band for difficulty.

He has had to listen to music that's a long way from what he's been used to and learn a different vocabulary ("riff"). Although he started the course with G5/G8 that was not immediately applicable to "I can't get no satisfaction" and "Stairway to Heaven". He's enjoyed it and the musicians have really gelled as a group but it's not been taxing. I'm fine with that, after all those years of music lessons there should be some benefit at the end of it.

Two of the sixth form colleges we visited wanted G5 theory for admission to the A level music course, with one of them if you didn't already have it the offer of a place was conditional on taking theory classes. One of the other places said that it would be an advantage to have it.

Ok... doesn't it help with the composing part ?
In some schools requirement for music A level is either music gcse or theory grade 5.

Actually I don't think that is the case either, certainly not for the boards that DD1 and DS have done/are doing their GCSE music with.

Yes I meant you're half there in terms of knowledge rather that an official exemption.

Grade 5 theory doesn't give you any exemptions at GCSE. It used to get you off a whole paper in music O level. Sadly that isn't the case any more.

Can be not cabe. Super phone not.

Loose ,he can always switch to Trinity and forget theory although I think theory gr 5 is half a gcse done. Other option is start working on gr6 repertoire while preparing theory. Gr5 theory cabe taken the term before the gr6 practical exam.

Different instruments Greenleave. DD is sax and DS1 Tuba. And DD just stresses over the fact DS is so laid back!

Raspberry: whats a great fun having them learning together, mine is quite a big gap between the two so no chance. My final aim ever is G8, then hopefully she gets hold of the technique and build up a hobby.

Loose: scales is still our nightmares, slip fingerings grrrr!! Do you have a plan for your son on the theory test?

Deo: thank you for sharing, I am nervous too, if it takes long to learn each grade theory then we will take pregrade 5 tests. I havent received the books ordered from Amazon though, never so looking forward to seeing a delivery that muchxx

Ds1 came back from first percussion lesson with new teacher. I asked how it went and how the grade 5 pieces were going. Turns out teacher thinks he may be ahead of grade 5. Pointed out to DS1 he can't do other grades unless he does grade 5 theory. Have left him to ponder that one!
I've just started on new grade 4 pieces for piano. I have chosen Tempo di Menuetto, the one by Rybicki that translates as I Know of a Pleasant Meadow and the Indian Pony Race - really outside my comfort zone on that one!
New Year's Resolution? Sort out my scales!

I put the last 2 children i n for grades 1, 2, 3 and 5 theory myself - they did one a term with the grade 4 book over the summer.... however first attempt at grade 5 was fail but they did pass after that. I still think it was good for them to practise by doing the earlier grades and get used to sitting in an exam. I did all the theory grades.

You can do ABRSM exams abroad by the way. They sent out examiners but of course there is no need to do any exams at all if you don't want to.

Rapidly I wondered if it was that school. Hope she had a good start and enjoys it.

Hope your DD went back OK Newlife. I met our mutual friend when she was back home a while ago and owned up to the connection!

DD is getting worked up over G8 already! She and DS1 are having extra lessons for G8 prep this term apparently, so will be an expensive one.

All, hope weekend gas treated you well.

Fleur: never a big fan of Amy but then I am not a big fan of any music either, now thinking I am hoping the kids will do better than me. Regarding to the abrsm theory. Our tutor said it might be easier to stick with 1 format if we want to take g5 with abrsm. I dont know how hard it is for her yet until at least we see the books and start. I was hoping she could have grade 5 done by end of Primary. The aim was hoping she was then can play alittle and be selected in any school's piano/violin activity at secondary if she wants to join. Lets see how it goes!