Music exams vs music standard for scholarship

[treblecleff]

When applying for private schools music bursary or scholarships do you have to have actually passed exams or can having the same musicianship count without sitting exams?

I keep reading just ‘must have reached grade 5 distinction or equivalent standard’. I’m not sure if they mean actual certificate but can be different exam boards or if simply having musicianship to that standard is sufficient?

Dd has not sat exams but plays everyday she can and is of a good standard. She competes in international competitions so would this help or should we be focusing on exams now that we are applying for school places?
Thanks!

If they say equivalent standard they just mean playing at that level. DS1 got his music scholarship through an audition.

You don’t need the exams but to just be of a similar standard. So it would be worth having a browse through the ABRSM syllabus for the instrument and grade just to see whereabouts roughly gradewise DD is. Does she do scales/sightreading and aural practice regularly? (The other key parts of the syllabus for ABRSM). When I’ve auditined kids for scholarships I’ve always made them do some standard appropriate sightreading and a few listening tests.

Most of the schools make it clear you don';t have to have passed the exams but should have reached the standard. My 3 sons won music scholarships at 13+ (not 11+ as they were in the prep school system) and they had done a lot of exams (... phew remembering all the hours I spent getting the last two through grade 5 theory exam, never mind the much more fun task of accompanying of them at the piano almost every day).

If your child is good and likes music just put them in for grade 5 theory and grade whatever it will be for their instrument or instruments and that at least gives an indication and does no harm unless you cannot afford the fees.

No - we know a boy who got a music a scholarship without going his grades. His dad (I think) is a professional musician and he was very talented.

Ok so dd does aural and scales etc. Scales are a bit lazy. Sight reading could do with work tbh.
We enter for various competitions so have never got around to doing exams as the repertoires haven’t lined up with the graded books. I could push her to do an exam but we’re about to prepare for her first international competition so didn’t want her to not do that vs sit an exam.

I STRONGLY recommend NOT doing the exams unless you are SURE you will get a distinction. Once the people doing the audition see that you are "only" grade 5 pass/merit they will already have in mind that you are not good enough. If you can play the grade 5 pieces then great but go in having not done the exams but with a reference from your teacher that you are of grade 5 distinction standard...don't give them any chance to think you are not good enough.

(Bitter? Moi?)

Plus if you are doing international competitions that's much more impressive! Work on the sight reading though. Also have lots to say about the music/composer of any pieces you play, and any other music you like!

What school?

Although there are plenty of children with a distinction and merits who have passed various grades.

At 10 my son had distinction in grade 8 theory and had distinctions in all his trumpet and singing exams at that point (11+) (he did 13+ not 11+ music scholarships, however), although at 11+ his piano exams were not all distinctions. At 13+ (he was 12) when he won the scholarships he had in terms of highest grades grade 5 theory distinction, grade 7 singing and grade 7 piano and merit in grade 8 singing . but that is when he was 12 so not fair to compare with age 11+.

The school however can see who is good and who is not in the audition and I am sure when they see someone good who has not passed any exams they will want them if they are very good.

All 3 of our kids got scholarships and none of them did exams. I think schools recognise enthusiasm, enjoyment, serious commitment, and skill. I don't like the exam system, and think it does more harm than good, though.

Thanks! Xenia you have a talented son, I was chuffed to get grade 5 at 10 myself but times have changed and I can see the competition is clearly much higher..

@PetraDelphiki I am still deciding on the schools to apply for as although not due to apply yet I wanted to check that we weren’t going down the wrong route. Dd teacher has not really mentioned exams and as we’ve been having a whale of a time just going through some enjoyable pieces I’ve just sat about in ‘non school application head’ enjoying it!
Pulling my socks up in all areas currently!

Depends where you are. In London there are so many applicants, some schools don’t invite everyone who applied for the scholarship exam and having a certificate will certainly help to secure an invitation. But getting first places in international music competitions will certainly help too. Some schools recommend to see the head of music few years before the exam for an informal audition. (at least at boys schools). Good luck!

To be honest if your daughter of a good standard exams should not be a problem. My 8 year old taught himself grade 3 syllabus over the Easter holiday after 1 year of piano lessons and passed with distinction. I am sure you can get ready for an exam in a few months if you have to.

indeed, it just depends on the family. When we sold our parents' house the new owners found a time capsule we'd plced in the wall in 1970s. All I wrote about was a great long list of my exams passed piano, theory, grades achieved, judo, speech and drama, gym.... it was very funny to read years later. My twins actually quite liked doing exams I put them in for grade 1, 2, 3, and then 5 theory just to get them used to walking into an exam hall, learn to be quiet, concentrate, complete something on time etc. I think that is useful life lessons although for all of us music is huge fun. I play and sing every day ( got 4 grade 8s myself not that it really mattesr) and course it is not about exams now.

Some children don't work at their instrument until an exam is coming up and then knuckle down so it will depend on the child.

I think it depends of the school. My DS has a large music scholarship (25% off school fees) at a London independent and had never taken any exams when he auditioned. However, he applied to two different schools and the other school didn't even invite him for an audition. They said it was because they had several candidates of a higher standard, but I did wonder if it the fact that we didn't have any 'proof' of his standard was part of the problem. I think contacting the head of music of the school you're interested in is always a good idea, and see if your DD could do an 'informal audition' a few months before the actual audition, if you prefer not to go the exam route.

By the way, don’t forget that you need two instruments, one (preferably main) orchestral instrument/voice and another can be piano.

No you don’t need 2 instruments!

Some really solid advice on here. We are in London. In the completely and utterly not wealthy bracket and any discount would be amazing even if it were just music lessons. @MadameChauchat That would be an utter godsend for us, 25% off.

@Xenia you put me to shame 

I only sat two exams, my grade 5 and then I had to go backwards to sit my grade 8 as my piano teacher had been nagging for years and I finally gave in and found it super easy after learning much more advanced stuff for years previously and scored top marks on performance in all pieces so managed to get a distinction but still failed my aural ,  back then I still got into a conservatoire (i did also play bassoon maybe that helped) Can you imagine now!

Off I scuttle to do some more research...
and yes we have 2nd instrument (violin, cliche I know!) coming along nicely plus will start some official singing lessons as dd has a reasonable voice (here’s hoping anyway!)! Thanks @Mrsnutellatoast

Petra, I am applying for schools right now, can you please let me know which London schools award scholarships with only one instrument? I’d love to know!

Treblecleff, we are also doing violin and piano, but also viola and voice, so hopefully it will help! The competition is insane, at least at the schools we had applied for. Apparently there are too many violins applying so they are expecting a higher grade for violin. Our teacher offered to tech viola to maximise our chances. We can hardly afford to continue with music if we add another set of school fees to our expenses, so scholarship is crucial!

Also it does depend on the school. Some are much easie than others to get a music scholarship to. It would be usual in the better schools to have two instruments if possible. My son being good on the trumpet is useful for an orchestra, knowing the piano is good general musicianship and then singing is useful for a school choir although they recruited this pretty good boy treble, grade 8 etc and then within 12 months his voice had completely broken so not sure how well that played out for the school.

I agree that for those starting out picking an orchestral instrument schools might be short of might help. One of my mine played the French horn.

Dd is at LEH and at least one of the current scholars only has one instrument! Most do have more than one but it’s not a requirement I don’t think

A school I looked at you needed two instruments, grade 5 in the first (6 -7 if piano) and grade 3 in the second. actual grades or equivalent standard.

There are so many applicants with piano, orchestral instrument and voice. I think to get a scholarship on one instrument the child should have a serious talent and win some competitions etc. Most schools ask for 2 instruments and even then a child is not guaranteed an audition.

By the way I am talking about top academic schools in London, obviously less competitive schools have lover requirements.

Alleyns clearly states you need two instruments. This is similar to most London day schools.

Double checked with dd and her scholar friend definitely only has one instrument and was at g4 when she auditioned...