Singing diplomas ARSM etc for teens

[londonmummy1966]

I wondered if anyone here might be able to help. My 17 year old did Grade 8 singing a while ago and wants to do a diploma - she thought ARSM. Her teacher has said she can't do it until she is mid 20s as the repertoire isn't suitable until then. It seems a bit off to me given the ARSM was clearly aimed at teenagers who have done Grade 8 but found DipABRSM with its viva a bit daunting and were defecting in droves to ATCL. Surely they should be assessing on how the candidate performs the music not on whether they have the voice of a mature opera singer or not.

For background she is an ex-cathedral chorister with a purer head voice and a warmer mezzo register and quite a lot of overlap between the two (so can produce a warm top G but her top Cs are more churchy). I can't help thinking that a careful choice of repertoire - oratorio/early opera/art song should be OK for ARSM. Failing that perhaps she could go down the ATCL route where you can select your own repertoire (although that programme does need to be mainly opera/art song but again with a bit of oratoria and early opera ought to be achieveable).

Otherwise are the exam boards saying that anyone can do any exam they are technically capable of except for singing where you need a fully developed adult voice?

Before the ARSM was introduced mine were always told they should never consider the singing DipABRSM until they were grown up which for a singer is heaven knows when. But this new exam is supposed to bridge the gap so if you choose suitable repertoire (is there free choice ...) I guess it might work. Personally, I'd get lots of sight singing experience, concentrate on technique and performing. Why is she so keen on an exam? For the discipline of working?

My 18 yr old daughter sounds similar to yours; she had singing lessons from 14 or 15 after leaving her cathedral choir at 13. She just did ARSM a few months ago (end of school), and did very well. It had been discussed from the beginning of 6th form I think; I'd initially suggested a full Dip was a better goal, and I think she might have gone that way if covid hadn't got in the way, as the other elements wouldn't have been particularly daunting for her. As to why do it? It served as a goal but also sets a mark of something achieved. One of the big things they'd had to work on was facial expression :) A good ex-chorister may not need much more practice at sight singing ...

I don't know much about how she and her teacher found the process of repertoire selection, but she seemed to handle the pieces they chose very well. Different teachers do seem to have a wide range of opinions ...

Thank you both so much - yes as an ex chorister she can sing most things at sight pretty effortlessly (probably better than me and I've years more experience...) She's keen on doing the exam as it will give her a goal to work to and a chance to run her programme before her Pre-U performance. Also she won't go on to do music so a set of letters after her name seems a fitting end to years of hard work.

@Pythonesque - mine is good at pulling faces - never been so good at the blank "chorister face" as too much of an exhibitionist. Might I ask what repertoire your DD chose from the ArSM list? I think that the selection here is going to be crucial for a younger voice.