A new challenge

As singing teachers we are always challenging our students to do better - work harder in lessons, get more confidence in performance, gain higher grades in exams.   Therefore I've always felt it good practise to show my students that I am prepared to challenge myself.

A few years ago when I started teaching regularly, and thinking about entering students for exams I thought it would be a good idea to take a new exam myself.  As a musical theatre specialist, and with students interested in that area, I had chosen London College of Music (LCM) Musical Theatre exams and duly entered myself for my Grade 8.

I passed - thankfully - but it showed me an important point in gaining a good grade for LCM Musical Theatre - be seen to be moving!   My examiner remained head down for almost the whole duration of my 5 songs, which included Noel Coward's "That is the end of the news" and "It's hard to speak my heart" from Parade - not songs that warrant a huge amount of movement around the stage, but rather a more subtle facial performance, which I felt I gave.  However my examiner, while awarding me enough points to pass from my vocals, criticised a performance he did not actually watch.   I made sure when my students entered their exams they were all prepared to move a bit!     Fortunately all the other examiners I've had for my students have kept their heads up to watch, and we've always got good grades for performance.

So, the new challenge;   I have suddenly shifted in the last year from - as I saw it - being a MD who did some singing teaching to now being a singing teacher now does a bit of MDing.   As a result of this shift I have decided to cast my net wider into the realm of examinations - as I documented in my previous blog entry a month ago http://theveryvocalblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/which-exam-syllabus.html ). 

So now I am preparing some students for LCM MT exams - which I know a lot about - and some students for Trinity Guildhall (TG) singing exams.  Last Tuesday, just as I was filling in my entry form for my students - grade 1-4 - I decided to have a look at the Grade 8 list.   Although I have not sung classical songs for many years,  I can still remember much of what I was taught by my old singing teacher, Janet Briggs, at Durham University.   I learnt "Non Piu Andrai" (from Figaro) and "The Vagabond" (Vaughan Williams) and have never forgotten them.  Both are on the Grade 8 list.  An idea formed in my head.     

I looked at the criteria - I can do 2 songs from List A - Opera and Musical Theatre.   Well I can remember "Non Piu Andrai" well, and as an MT specialist I should be able to do most of those selected.  Sure enough the list includes "If I were a rich man" (Fiddler) and "The Road you didn't take" (Follies), both of which I know well.

List C includes many English songs, one of which is "The Vagabond".  Excellent.

That only leaves a 4th choice, which will have to be new.  I always enjoyed singing both Schumann and Schubert - indeed a quick trip to the loft recovered my copies of Lieder by both composers - and while I don't speak German I believe I can remember enough.   That, and a little bit of help, should make learning one of the Lieder choices on the list possible in 6 weeks. 

Decision taken.   I am looking to push students forward in an  exam board that will really challenge them musically and in performance.   I can only do that if I'm prepared to take on the same challenge.    So suddenly here I am, travelling 250 miles in the car this weekend, singing along to Mozart, Vaughan Williams, Schubert and Sondheim, and loving it.

I do need some help.   I am a very confident teacher and singer of musical theatre, but am going to seek advice/help from one of our experienced local classical coaches.   There's only so much you can achieve yourself.

But I feel this is really going to empower my teaching, as well as maybe opening up a new avenue for my performing, which in recent years has limited itself mainly to delivering Tom Lehrer songs from the piano in concerts to cover some time needed for costume changes.   Not that I will ever have a word said against Tom Lehrer - I will continue to perform his great songs with relish, but maybe follow it up with a bit of Mozart, or Schubert.   Or venture into pastures new and learn some Verdi or Tchaikovsky.

Am I leaving the world of musical theatre behind - absolutely not.  As the proud possessor of a collection of over 300 theatre soundtracks that is never going to happen.   But maybe the Ipod will now shuffle Rossini and Fauré in amongst the Jerry Herman and the Rodgers and Hammerstein.

What ever the future holds, I'm going to face the challenges headlong.  It can only make me a better all round teacher.

Which Exam Syllabus?

Exams - everyone's favourite word!   But with many options to choose from, the question is which to go for for vocal exams.


As a musical theatre specialist I have, for many years, used the London College of Music Musical Theatre Syllabus very successfully.  Indeed I am very proud of my record of never having a student obtain a pass - all my students have always got merits and distinctions.    And for some students I will continue to use the LCM MT syllabus.

There is now an alternative MT syllabus.  Guildford School of Acting (GSA) has recently set up it's own exam syllabus, fully accredited with the University of Surrey.  The basic syllabus is very similar in structure to the LCM syllabus - no set song lists, but rather songs choices based on time periods to guarantee a spread of songs.   This looks good, and the GSA syllabus guarantees that the examiner will be a vocal/musical theatre specialist.   However it is impractical at the moment for a private teacher as you have to have 12 students to constitute a session.  I would certainly consider using it in the future - although I have no problem with the LCM syllabus - but for the 2 or 3 students I have most terms then it will remain LCM.


However, I now have some students who are not particularly theatrical, and am for the first time looking at alternatives.  Also I've never totally understood why MT students are not asked to learn sight reading / aural.  Are these really skills that MT performers do not need?

The traditional ABRSM syllabus is a little too traditional for my taste.  I'm sure for some purely classical teachers / students it is fine, but I would normally want a contrasting syllabus.  The ABRSM syllabus does not allow for any development into belt technique for older students - As long as he needs me is one the grade 2 list.   Also I would imagine most students of the normal age for grade 2 would not understand the emotion behind this song.  So, for me ABRSM is a no-go.

I am looking to use Trinity Guildhall syllabus.  This allows students in earlier grades to focus on areas they like i.e. 2 songs from the Show / Film / Pop list, while having to do one from the folk song or general song list.  Then the teacher can gradually introduce different styles to each student, so that by grade 5 they are used to singing all different styles. Also I like the Musical Knowledge section, as an alternative to sight reading.  I teach my students sight reading at all levels, but some of them develop later than others.   The Musical Knowledge options allows you to teach them all the details of musical notation and terminology, without them having to stress about actually sight reading in the exam (until grade 5!) .  They can then develop the sight reading gradually, and by the time they are doing grade 5 they should be mature enough and confident enough to cope with the sight reading aspect of the exam.

It looks a good option to me.  I have my first 3 students doing TG next term - along with 9 doing LCM MT syllabus.   Will let you know how it goes!


Next time:    The pros and cons of the Pop / Rock exams.