Revising For Exams

It is clear that revision is something that students need to partake in to be able to be successful at exams.  However, how many students actually know how to revise?  What is revision and how does it work?  How long does revision take and can I do it at the last minute?

Revision is the act of putting something to memory that you have recently discovered.  For instance, I could give you a fascinating fact right now about the 'Pianoforte' being an Italian word meaning 'Softloud' in english.  However, it would likely be you would forget this within the week.  Revision is the act of putting this into at least your medium but preferably your long term memory.

Your brain needs repetition to succeed in learning something.  Sadly, it is human nature to not like repetition, especially amongst children.  It becomes 'boring' and we can run away from the task at hand.

Making revision a fun, bite size and manageable task is the key to success.  Do not start revision too late.  Make a plan and stick to it.  A little and often is key to getting those new facts into your memory so they are there to recall in your exam.

Revision should start a few months before an exam.  Map out on a chart what you plan to learn.  Got 100 Italian terms to learn?  Learn 10 a week for 10 weeks and the job is done.  Try to cram all 100 the week before the exam and you will be overloaded and ultimately fail.

Don't just stare at your revision and read it.  The key is to have active learning as part of the revision process.  Teachers are trained to have different activities in lessons as we all learn in different ways.  It is also designed to keep the topic interesting but with the key repetition needed to learn built into your course.  I hate to say it, but it is also why homework is so important.  It allows you time to reflect on what you learnt in lesson and see if you can recall the information to complete a task at a later stage.

So, what should I do?  Make a poster.  Put it on your wall.  This way you can see it and every day you will start to picture your facts or diagram.  If you go wrong in the exam there is a chance you would question yourself if it looked different to the poster on the wall.  Use colours.  Don't write too much.  It is ideal for key signatures where you need to learn the layout of the sharps and flats in a visual way.

Play games with friends.  Music snap, music dominoes, online games and music apps are all ideal ways of engaging with the topic you are trying to learn.  We use these in lessons for good reason and this is to allow music theory to sink in but in a fun and relaxing way.  Reading music does not happen over night.

Try flashcards for hard words that you need to learn.  Write the word on one side and the meaning on the other.  Time how long it takes you to turn over your cards and give yourself a 10 second penalty if you get one wrong.  Keep trying to beat your time.  Have a family member time you.  Make it competitive.  Do it frequently to get those terms into your longer term memory!

Scales can be tackled in the same way.  Have a known pile for your scales and a not known pile.  Your aim is to tackle a pare of scales at a time then add to the known pile.  Mix them in without looking at the notes.  If you make any mistakes, place the scale back in the not known pile.  Be honest and make sure only scales you know are in the known pile.  Again, don't tart this process too late.  Ideally if you have a higher grade exam you would start this 6-9 months before the exam by taking one scale a week. So much easier than last minute cramming.

Revision is a skill.  We aim to support you with this at Primavolta and this is a skill that you will take with you into other aspects of your life.

Rewarding Students

We have had a bit of a change at Primavolta over the last few months.  We are always looking for the best way to encourage students over the long musical journey that they often take.

As such we have now launched a lovely new playing diary for all students.  The playing diary is for a full years worth of lessons and has been bespoke designed by our team.  Students have also had a big say in how the diary has turned out.

What is included?  Well, we have added plenty of room for the teachers to write homework in each week as well as a space for general comments from the student, parent or teacher on how things went.  There are a number of pages that highlight basic music theory including how to read music that can be used as a reference guide.  There are also lovely tips and hints from a former student who took tuition with a music teacher all the way to Grade 8.  He explains how he did this when the chips were down so to speak (which is very normal at times).

To go along with our new playing diary we have also introduced a new pupil of the month scheme as well as a relaunch of our pupil of the year scheme.  We wanted to improve the reward on offer for students that put the regular effort in to they music lesson.  What can a student now win?  See the beautiful print below!  

Music Examination Boards

One of the issues that surrounds music tuition, students, teachers and parents are the different examination boards for music that are on offer in the market.  This article aims to discuss the various examination boards and why it is important as a parent and as a student to have an awareness of the choice.  This choice should be discussed in conjunction with your teacher.  Just as important is for you to look at the options yourself to make a balanced decision before taking an exam.

There are a number of exam boards and the student and parent should see themselves as a 'customer' that is shopping around for the most suitable exam.  Some students would prefer an examination board that offers more practical elements.  Some would rather go down a more classical, traditional route with scales and aural tests.  Some want all out modern, pop and rock type music.

Some examination boards will offer Ofqual accreditation.  What does this mean?  Put simply, it means that the examination board has jumped through a number of hoops and ticked a number of boxes to offer their exams.  When an exam board goes for Ofqual accreditation, it does limit the flexibility of the exam syllabus slightly and as such can remove some of the elements of fun and options of other exam boards.  However, this does mean that Grades 6-8 will offer UCAS points for those looking to go to University.  This can be important to teenage students in particular, more especially if they are looking to study music.

However, if music isn't on the radar, the small amount of extra UCAS points are unlikely to make all the difference in university entry and should be considered carefully.  If the student picks an exam board purely on the basis of UCAS points, it may be they never pass the grade if the student dislikes the syllabus.  In my opinion, it is best to pick a syllabus and therefore examination board that offers the best options to the individual.  The enjoyment of music is the most important aspect.  Everything else is a bonus.

Non Ofqual exam boards do tend to be smaller.  However, they also have more freedom.  It means that some of the smaller exam boards can have fantastic syllabus requirements that encourage the students in a way that the bigger boards do not.  Victoria College of Music and MTB exams are both examples of this.  Victoria College has some fantastic syllabus requirements, in particular for the likes of ukulele, keyboard and piano.  VCM was in fact the first exam board to offer keyboard based exams and are the only exam board other than Trinity to offer true Electronic Keyboard examinations for all grades.  Furthermore, VCM offer four grades prior to grade 1 which really encourage a beginner or younger student.  MTB exams are a new exam board and offer a unique way of taking music exams where the teacher can examine the student.  This takes an element of stress away from the student and allows exams to be taken all year round.  A number of exams are moderated as an exam has to be recorded.  This ensures standards from the teacher when they conduct the exam.  Both these exam boards have their pros and cons.  London College of Music is another exam board worth considering.  Again, the centres are more limited in certain areas but the syllabuses may suit certain students.  There is also ICMA UK that offer a number of interesting syllabus requirements.  They are also more flexible in terms of the number of students required to run an exam sitting.

Sadly, the smaller exam boards are also limited in terms of staff and this can cause admin problems.  They may not have a manned phone line and exam results can take longer than the bigger exam boards.  It all comes down to choice and understanding when deciding on the examination board.

The bigger examination boards are the likes of Trinity, Trinity Pop and Rock and ABRSM.  These have much larger staff numbers and the benefit of Ofqual regulations and UCAS points.  However, some of the syllabuses are quite 'hard work' for the child wanting to enjoy music and tend to be less modern.  Some students don't mind this and actually quite enjoy this route, but it does need to be considered against the greater freedom and flexibility of the smaller board.  Ultimately, 'what is the best for my child?'  Yes, Trinity will email your results very quickly.  Yes, they will allow you to book online.  The admin side is fantastic from our experience.  But is it the best exam syllabus for your child, on their chosen instrument?

Trinity Pop and Rock is much more modern and is obviously connected to Trinity.  It does offer a very modern way of taking exams with students expected to play as if in a band with a backing track.  However, this in itself isn't for everyone.  Some students are not suited to playing from memory and also feel they are missing out on other elements from music such as composition, theory and even the dreaded scales.  For the right candidate, we think this a fantastic new offering from Trinity and had success with a Grade 8 student in 2014 with this.  It isn't for everyone though and we find the choice of music rather limited.

There is an undoubted 'snobbery' towards ABRSM as the supposed best of all the exam boards.  It is certainly the most well known and traditional board with a well established syllabus.  However, we find that many students can get turned off music with ABRSM.  It isn't an exam board that works for all students.  The most important thing is progress in learning and development.  It can be the case that a student gives up on their instrument if they take an exam board route that does not fir their needs.  Surely it is better than get to Grade 8 with a smaller board than give up with music all together at Grade 1 with ABRSM?

All these things need considering.  Learning music is a long journey, spanning many years.  Decisions should be made in conjunction with the student, parent and teacher.  All pros and cons should be discussed and considered, in particular when heading towards the higher grades.  The wrong move can lead to the student wanting to give up.  To get all the way to Grade 6-8 and for this to happen can be heartbreaking.

At Primavolta, it is my professional opinion as lead teacher that we do not support any particular exam board.  The teacher, student and parent should be free to make considered decisions on exams, if indeed they decide to take exams at all.  The priority at all times should be the individual student and their development.

We no longer offer examination centres at Primavolta as we believe that this takes away our flexibility to decide on individual exam boards for individual students.  I firmly believe this is in the best interest of our students.  Teachers will prepare students for their chosen exam and when they are ready ask the parent to find out the next available date for entry that they would be happy to attend.  Some exam boards such as Trinity will allow parents to book online at this stage rather than through the teachers.  Other exam boards require a form to be filled out in conjunction with the teacher.

It would be perfectly possible for Primavolta to set up it's own music exams and aim for Ofqual accreditation of our own.  We have looked into this as an option.  However, I believe that our priority should be teaching and being teachers for our students.  I firmly believe there are enough options out there for us not to 'muddy the water' by offering exams as well.

Remember, at Primavolta we want every individual student to succeed, develop and enjoy their musical career.  We are all different and we think that choice and flexibility is important.  

Don't be Scared of Sight Reading

To most who complete music exams, sight reading is that part of the exam that scares people.  That scary examiner will place an unseen piece of music in front of me and it will be really hard.  I will be expected to play it really well with no mistakes and if I don't I will fail the exam!  My palms will go all sweaty and I will completely forget how to read music at all!

STOP!  Sight reading is one of the most important parts of music.  It is also one of the best bits.  It is when you buy a new book for an artist you like.  You open it for the first time and go to your favourite song.  You sit, figure out the time signature (common time most of the time for popular music), the key signature (thank goodness for music theory lessons) and get started.  The piece slowly comes together and you realise you are now playing your favourite song from the album.

Let us clear one thing up.  Even musicians who have played all their lives DO NOT play new songs perfectly the first time.  Everyone needs to find their way with a new piece and this is called sight reading.  The polished performance comes later on, after having gone through the song a number of times.  Some, more difficult songs may even need breaking up into small chunks, one line or even one bar at a time until you master that really tough bit with 5 notes at the same time with lots of dotted notes!

All this is normal.  Examiners expect it.  You should expect it.  Take your time - aim for accuracy rather than speed in your playing.  Take car to take note of the key (so many people miss this!)  When you come across a hard bit - don't give up.  For those of you who have played traditional video games such as Mario - see the more difficult bits as that level on Mario that you keep falling off the the same platform.  I can guarantee you will get frustrated, but when you finally make the level (or polish that section), you feel SO good about it.

Sight reading is fantastic.  Try it - often.  Don't be afraid of making mistakes and realise it is normal to battle through a new piece slowly.

Want some pieces to sight read?  Our student area on our own music school website has a range of pieces for students to sight read.  Why not log in and try one today?

How Can I Support My Child in Learning an Instrument?

When a child starts the journey of learning a musical instrument it is often the start of a very long journey.  To truly master any musical instrument takes years, often in the region of a decade in total.  That is a long time and many things can happen.  Your teacher could move on.  There could be a house move.  There could be a loss of interest generally.  Exams could crop up at school.

So how do we cope with this?

Well - the first thing is to realise that this journey is a marathon and not a sprint.  There are going to be times when your child hits the wall.  They really don't enjoy it at the moment.  Don't always be tempted to throw in the towel.  It could be that other things are getting in the way such as exams, or perhaps they just find it hard at the moment.  The flip side is that there are going to be times when progress is obvious and everyone is enjoying the journey.

Learning an instrument is about taking the rough with the smooth.

When there is rough - keep encouraging.  Communicate.  Find out what the problem is.  It may be something small that can be adjusted to get back on the right track again.  Take baby steps to get back on course.  Maybe 5 minutes playing something fun to relight the passion that had been there before - it often does come back.  Keep speaking to your Primavolta music teacher.  It is likely they will have noticed as well.  It is important to discuss different strategies with your teacher.  Only when all strategies have been attempted should the idea of stopping be considered.  After all, learning an instrument is not like riding a bike.  Once you stop, all that learning does tend to evaporate!

Exam Time - Italian terms

A number of students are fast approaching the final stages of exams, both in music and in school. Italian terms are often one of the areas that students find most challenging. How can we overcome this so we can do as well as we can in exams?  How can we possibly cram in all those words to get the best possible marks in our music theory?

Try flash cards. Looking at a list of words and hoping they sink in simply will not work. Our brains don't work like that unless you are lucky enough to have a photographic memory.

With flash cards we write the Italian word on one side and the English meaning on the other - use crayons or felt tips if you like. Laminate them for the future if you have time. We then lay out the Italian words and time how long it takes to say out loud the correct meaning.  If you turn the card over and the wrong meaning has been given, add 10 seconds to the time.  The first time you try this may involve many penalties, but these will become less frequent the more you try the activity.

The aim of the activity is to reduce the time, have a bit of fun and learn the words. Your brain is much more likely to pick up these words if you make a game of the activity as well!

Friends and family could also get involved in this game or even accompany with some music in the background!  Flash cards don't only just work for music. They can work for keywords in any subject. Let us know if it helps and if you tried a different approach to learning your Italian terms.

Primavolta 2013

Well, the spring is on it's way at last and we have all had to battle through some nasty winter weather this year at Primavolta.  On the whole we have managed to keep tuition going, even through the worst of the snow.  If you have had lessons changed or cancelled due to the snow, we apologise!  Hopefully we are now over the worst of the winter weather.

Looking on into the rest of 2013 we are planning on launching our mobile music tuition across more areas of the UK.  So far this year we have already seen launches in Hampshire, with a focus on the Winchester area to start with.  We have also launched in North Wales from Wrexham in the east to the beautiful Llandudno in the west.  We have also launched music tuition into the East Lancashire area.

During the rest of this year we are looking to expand into the Midlands region and further into the home counties surrounding London.  Our expansion of Primavolta into the UK's first genuine mobile music school will continue over the coming years while maintaining local knowledge of teachers to provide students with the best possible tuition at home.

We hope you enjoy your music lessons with us and the convenience of having these music lessons at home.  We are continually working hard to provide the best teachers to be able to provide this service to you, to make taking music lessons as convenient and as easy as possible for you.

For further information on the instruments and the areas that we cover, please visit www.primavolta.co.uk