Music Aptitude Test

Here's a good video to try out the Texture Section, they have another video online too for the Pitch section:

I'm coming back to this thread to belatedly say thank you for the advice and info.

It's quite a worry to think about secondary school applications and allocations, and I'm trying hard to remember that DD is essentially learning her instrument for pleasure and I don't want to turn that into pressure!

From the stats I have found you need 45+ out of 60 in the MAT to get through to audition stage

This varies from year to year. In DS1, DS2 and DD's years, the cut-off was 47.

Thank you so much for your detailed reply Fleurdelise. For us this is a still a fair way off and we'll see where we are at the time, and it's really good to have more information. I hope your DD has a good day when she does the MAT - it does seem a bit random. She must be doing so well to be Grade 5+ piano at her age. It's lovely she is playing the clarinet too - I played it too. Once I got the hang of it, it seemed much easier for me than the piano, and I had a great time in borough orchestras and wind bands. I wish her the best for September. I hope the coming months aren't too stressful for you!

I haven't been through the music process (just academics with DS who is now in year 11) but dd will do the exam this September.

From the stats I have found you need 45+ out of 60 in the MAT to get through to audition stage, I'd say a safe mark is 48+. In the audition the marks are out of 45, 15 for accuracy, 15 for musicality and 15 for communication (of the music). While all the instruments are treated the same in theory, practically a rarer instrument will give you more chances. Dd for example will audition on piano, she'll be grade 5+ but so will lots of other kids. While turning up with a bassoon for example even if just grade 2 level will impress more as they will have more need for orchestral instruments.

So personally while dd will still audition on the piano as she's more advanced, I need to drill into her that somehow she needs to mention the clarinet as well. That if she gets to the audition stage as I've done four MATs with her and she got very mixed results, the best 49 the worst 38 (with 46 and 48 in the middle It isn't something you learn either, you can either do it or not. So I now treat it as pure lottery.

I'm also really interested in this thread as I think we are in this area too, though outside the catchment for all the consortium schools. We are further down the line as DD is in Y3. We had just assumed that she would go to the local school (just rebuilt) and that would be that, unless she turned out to be exceptionally academic and 11+ would then be a realistic option.

Then her piano teacher mentioned the music test for secondary when the time comes, especially as DD's second instrument is orchestral and a bit unusual. This raised lots of questions for me as I'm not really clear how the audition part works if she were to get that far.

I read on one website that all instruments are treated equally. So I'm not sure how a more unusual orchestral instrument can gain more points? And if her stronger instrument is piano (not orchestral) would that count? As DD has not been learning either instrument for very long and started much later than most who start violin or piano as toddlers...(she wasn't ready and didn't want to at that time) I'm beginning to think this is a red herring!

If anyone has been through the process I'd love to know a bit more about the audition process, as all I can find is info on the initial test (Bentley?) which does seem to be something you can either hear or not.

Sorry for all these questions and for such a long first post!

PiqueABoo sounds about right.

TheSecond I would have expected some criteria to be attached to the music places such as "you have to join the band/orchestra, you have to take music extra lessons" or something:

I know where you're talking about ;b
Probably.. if one had a dame and another is saintly.
Not in our geographical reach though.

they don't really care which criteria you gain your place on

The sibling rule comes higher, so some of the most musical children won't actually have got in on a music place. I think that's why there's no relevance to which criterion once you're there.

Would you recommend her also getting tutored for the academic test?

Yes, because occasionally musical children don't score high enough in the listening test to be invited for an audition.

Better not to put all your eggs in one basket.

Gazelda I'd definitely prepare academically if you see potential. There is no pass mark as such so there's no concept of passing both academic and music test. Once both exams are taken you get the score and apply to the schools in order of you preference under the right criteria. They go from the first criteria to the last so say you qualify for academics they don't even look at music score which is a lower criteria if that makes sense.

Obviously taking all the tests give you more chances so academics, music, sports at one school and technology at another.

DS only took the academic one and got into one of the 8 schools, dd will do both music and academics but as I said we have a sibling rule so I didn't really prepare dd for the academic test.

Oh and ours was a DIY job with DS, but you can definitely hire a tutor if it is easier.

As an advantage/disadvantage once you get a place in the school they don't really care which criteria you gain your place on, so you don't get to join the orchestra automatically just because you got a music place. Which I do find a bit strange.

Hope you don't mind me joining you. DD is 1 yr behind you (Y4). Hers is a bulge year, so will be even trickier to get into one of the consortium schools. She's learning piano and seems quite good, but I'm starting to fret about her chances of one of the better SW Herts schools.
Would you recommend her also getting tutored for the academic test? (Although I think we've already decided to do this - she has an academic mind so I'm not concerned about her being 'over tutored' where she to get in).
Do those who pass both the academic as well as music have any advantage?

Fortunately Python club is on a different day.

Yes, there is a chess club/team. Unfortunately it is scheduled at the same time as the Maths club/team - did they not realise there might be an overlap? DS2 alternates each week.

We visited the schools last year, DDs application will look like this Q,R and girls school. I find it quite funny as there wouldn't be a point to put the Girls school third.

Mine would be the Girls school, Q, R. As I am the adult I win if she gets a music place.

There'll be a chance to look around the schools again in October once he has his score. Does he have any preference about single sex or mixed?

They're both v.good schools. DS1 (Y12) has some good friends at Q who are doing really well.

Thank you TheSecond I hoped you'll join on here.

I remember the times DS did his 11+ I thought it would be ages till dd will do it and there we are. I keep repeating that we are in a fortunate position just like you said about Sittinginthesun, but while when I visited the schools with DS I knew instantly that the Boys is not right for him and allow him to chose Q over it I now actually know that the Girls would be fantastic for dd. But that doesn't mean I'd be disappointed with her going to Q.

Having a sibling qualification at R, a distance qualification at CD and a chance at a music place elsewhere is a very fortunate position for your DS2 to be in.

Sittinginthesun I remember you from previous threads about the consortium. How is your older one getting on at R?

Fleurdelise my comments above are more about the boys' school. I don't know as much about the competition for orchestra places at the girls' school. DD does play the flute, but is only Grade 4 and is more into Art.