Wanted - Test Candidates For New Scottish Music Exams

14th March 2006

The Royal Scottish Acadamy Of Music and Drama (RSAMD) have announed they are to pilot new exams for fiddle, accordion and Scottish harp to take place on 20 September 2006. The exams will be in Grades 1 through 5, to be run on the same day in four Scottish cities. They need volunteer exam candidates to take part in this exciting development - are you interested? If so go to
RSAMD Research for more details.

We intend to hold exams for fiddle, accordion and Scottish harp in Grades 1 through 5, to be run on the same day in four Scottish cities:

Glasgow (fiddle)
Inverness (fiddle)
Aberdeen (accordion)
Edinburgh (Scottish harp)
Unlike the previous series of pilot exam sessions held in 2004/05, the Autumn 2006 pilot sessions are designed to test 'full-centre' examining. This means that an examiner will attend each venue and hold sessions throughout the day according to a schedule arranged in advance. Candidates will be welcomed at the centre by a Local Organiser.

WE NEED CANDIDATES!
We need volunteer pilot exam candidates in all three traditions - the fiddle, the Scottish harp and the accordion - and ideally in all five grades. We'll be looking to fill 12 to 18 places at each exam centre. Would you or someone you know be interested in taking part?

We're looking for learners or performers of all ages who are available to attend the relevant exam centre on 20th September.

Syllabuses, tune lists and entry forms for fiddle, accordion and Scottish harp will be available to view and download for personal study by May 2006. Here's what happens next:

Take a look at the syllabuses for your instrument and decide what grade you'd like to try.
Send in the entry form with all details completed.
We will send you notification of when you should arrive at your exam centre on the day.
Practise in your own time with the syllabus materials, either on your own or with your tutor; and -
See you at the exam centre on 20th September!
THE ADVANTAGES

The Traditional Music Grade Exams are meant to be a fun and relaxed experience for everybody. You will be assured of a warm welcome to the exam centre by your Local Organiser, who will be on hand to answer any questions you have on the day. You will not be charged a fee for taking part. And for your participation, you'll be issued with a pilot grade certificate, a letter of thanks from the Principal of the RSAMD and a guaranteed priority booking for Traditional Music Grade Exams after the official launch in early 2007.

In return for the above, we will ask you for some feedback once your exam is finished so that we can we can learn from your experience.

GET IN TOUCH
If you would like to take part in the pilot Traditional Music Grade Exams in fiddle, accordion or Scottish harp on the 20th of September 2006, or you are a teacher or parent who would like to present a candidate or group of candidates to take part, please contact:

Madeleine Stafford
RSAMD
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow
0141 270 8310

m.stafford[AT]rsamd.ac.uk

In the meantime, we will be conducting a recruitment drive in the various exam centre regions over the next couple of months - getting in touch with traditional music societies, schools and community music projects in your area.

Please be a part of this exciting development, and help us to build the best grade exams for traditional Scottish music we can!

The story so far ......

Following the departure of Dr Katherine Campbell in August of 2005, the RSAMD has recently appointed Dr Joshua Dickson to the full-time post of Project Manager.

Josh's priority as Project Manager is to take forward the development of the RSAMD's ground-breaking Scottish Traditional Music Grade Exams. Our aim is to create a gold-standard system of examination suitable for young people of school age as well as for adult lifelong learners. Our exams will be kite-marked for quality, and appropriate to traditional music and its values. We believe that this initiative is of major importance to Scottish culture both in a national and international context.

"The Grade Exams have had an immensely positive beginning and have benefited from the support of many in the traditional music community, both in Scotland and abroad," said Josh. "That support went hand-in-hand with the success of pilot examinations in 2005. Our task now is to further strengthen the syllabuses and administration so that we can bring graded examinations up to the gold standard that the traditional music community expects and deserves."

"I fully intend 2006 to be a landmark year for the Traditional Music Grade Exams."

Syllabuses for fiddle, accordian and Scottish harp are in their final development stage, said Josh, and will be made available, along with tune lists, in time for new full-centre pilots due to take place in the Autumn.

More on the RSAMD web site