Anyone kids doing piano lessons?

confusye · 2023-10-15T21:39:57+00:00

DD is learning the piano at school, it’s a paid for club she’s done for 2 years. She seems confident and can read and play music very well but not progressing. The teacher never responds to my emails. I want her to get graded as I think she can pass level 1 already as she knows they theory. Can I get her graded outside of school by myself? If so how? Sorry I’m not musical in any sense but feel she is being let down. How does grading work?

user1469796848 · 15/10/2023 22:41

That’s disappointing the teacher isn’t engaging with you. I would raise with the school directly / head of music if there is one.

Original poster

confusye · 15/10/2023 22:55

@user1469796848 thabkbyou. The school said it’s an external agency and they need to deal with it and I need to keep contacting them.

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Merryoldgoat · 15/10/2023 22:57

If they like it and want to continue get them proper lessons outside of school.

merryhouse · 15/10/2023 22:59

They might consider it better to keep out of the exam system until later - if they have an internal progression standard, rather than asking parents for more money? Also many students, particularly the younger ones, don't engage well with the scales and exercises and end up pushing against the work required (I know there's a whole debate here about the necessary discipline for true mastery).

Our music hub had a system of certificates they could award when the teacher considered a particular standard had been reached. We got given a table showing the approximate levels (Bronze is about AB Grade 3, AB Grade 8 is however many UCAS points, that kind of thing).

I think S1 took G3, G5, G7 and G8 on horn, G5 G6 G7 G8 viola - and Grade 5 theory round about year 10 because you can't take the higher AB grades without it. At least one of those practicals was Trinity rather than AB, though I'm not sure which. S2 was similar in brass but I'm almost certain he took G2 violin - which he gave up after G4, make of that what you will.

It's a shame you haven't had a response from the teacher. Have you had any termly reports?

ClippyClopp · 15/10/2023 23:20

I teach piano. Is your daughter working on exam stuff - initial or grade 1? You can enter your child for external exams by registering on the ABRSM website.

elliejjtiny · 15/10/2023 23:28

2 years is still quite a short time. My younger 2 have been learning 4 years and 3 years and neither are ready for grades yet. My eldest has been Leary for 11 years, he is taking grade 8 soon. My ds2 had been learning 9 years, he is working on grade 4. My dc3 has been learning for 6 years and did grade 2 last year. He enjoyed doing the pieces but hated the scales etc. He doesn't want to do any more grades, just wants to learn for fun.

Original poster

confusye · 15/10/2023 23:28

Thank you all for the advice x

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AttentionToDetal · 16/10/2023 02:23

How old is your daughter.. could she ask the teacher about plans for exams directly? Do you have the teacher's name to see if they have any teaching profile online/details about their usual teaching methods, as not all teachers will push to enter pupils for exams.

Or else you could consider a trial lesson with a different teacher outside school and ask them to gauge the level they think she is at..

(I started piano at age 9 and took ABRSM grade 1 after a year - lessons were not at school)

Afm88 · 16/10/2023 03:49

To achieve grades your daughter would need to sit ABRSM exams which you can book online. However, she would need to be coached through this as she would need to learn three pieces of music, sight read, answer questions about a piece of music, aural tests and play scales and arpeggios. It may be worth looking into external lessons if this is something she would like to do.

You described it as a club rather than lessons, maybe that's why they are not working on exam material. Preparing for ABRSM exams for piano is much more of a 1 to 1 thing, rather than a group activity.

WandaWonder · 16/10/2023 04:39

Sounds like this is a club for more fun, does she want the exams herself?

Hygeelady · 16/10/2023 05:29

I would go private instead, it's better to find someone outside of school and have 30 minute lessons if you want to see then progress

CurlewKate · 16/10/2023 05:50

If she's having fun and learning I wouldn't bother about grades yet. Lots of kids go straight in at Grade 3-you don't have to do them all, and the prescriptive nature and stress of exams is, IMHO, best avoided until they're a little older.

cuckyplunt · 16/10/2023 05:55

If anything is going to put a child off learning music, it’s the 6 months of the repetition of the 3 probably boring pieces that they are going to need to do to pass an exam.
i would let her get really competent and then put her straight into grade 3 or 4 in 2 or 3 years time if she’s interested.

ZenNudist · 16/10/2023 06:00

School lessons tend to be a bit rubbish especially if taught in a group.

I'd get your name down for an independent teacher if you want your dd to progress.

You can't be "graded" independently as such. Just find a new teacher and they will work with your dd and then tell you if she is ready to prepare for the exam.

Ds2 had School lessons and got nowhere. After about 2 years I started to get twitchy that grade 1 hadn't been attempted.

I found a different teacher who said he needed to start from scratch and she took him right back to the beginning but he rocketed through the beginners books. After 2 months of that which I felt was making him miserable I managed to get him into ds1's teacher who said he was ready for grade 1 right away. He got a distinction.

Original poster

confusye · 16/10/2023 06:49

Sorry it was a 1:1 30 minutes class every week. She did it from age 7 to age 9. We got recommended another teacher outside that lots of mums use. I met him yesterday but he seemed very young! He’s still in uni and goes this part of a music schoo on weekends. It’s okay isn’t it? I shouldn’t br out off his age should I? I’m so sorry to ask this I just feel it was money down the drain with the school person, I paid £300+ every term (4 months). With this guy it’s £11 for weekly half hours also 1:1

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towriteyoumustlive · 16/10/2023 07:29

confusye · 16/10/2023 06:49

Sorry it was a 1:1 30 minutes class every week. She did it from age 7 to age 9. We got recommended another teacher outside that lots of mums use. I met him yesterday but he seemed very young! He’s still in uni and goes this part of a music schoo on weekends. It’s okay isn’t it? I shouldn’t br out off his age should I? I’m so sorry to ask this I just feel it was money down the drain with the school person, I paid £300+ every term (4 months). With this guy it’s £11 for weekly half hours also 1:1

We pay £30/hour for piano lessons.

Our previous teacher was a student and £20/h but she was amazing! Grade 8 and connected with the kids so they loved lessons.

If she isn't progressing then the current teacher is perhaps wrong for her. Does she practice at home?

I'd perhaps do a trial lesson with the student.

mibbelucieachwell · 16/10/2023 11:04

Yes. Ask the student for a couple of trial lessons and if possible sit in on them.

Abrsm is not the only exam board. I use the Music Teacher's Board (MTB) as well as the ABRSM as it allows more flexibility of music pieces and doesn't need to be booked in advance as the exams are recorded , not done in a centre, when the pupil is ready.

Exams can be beneficial for a pupil's advancement, but aren't always, especially if they require the pupil to spend months preparing the three pieces.