Teaching Diplomas: How Long Does It Take to Prepare?
One of the questions I’m asked probably more than any other is how long it will take to prepare for your teaching diploma. As you might expect, the honest answer…
“Where Am I Going?”: Motivation and Learning
This is a slightly adapted version of an article which appeared in my end-of-term newsletter. One of the questions learners frequently ponder is ‘Where am I going?’ Everyone wants their…
What Is Practice?
I asked for suggestions for possible subjects to be covered by future blog posts, and the thing which came up over and over again was practice! Here is the first…
DipABRSM: Where to start with the Written Submission
Anyone considering taking the DipABRSM in Teaching will nearly always, after reading the syllabus, begin by preparing the written submission. As the submission has to be sent with the entry…
Sight-Reading Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful
Mention 'sight-reading', and many musicians can already be seen running for the nearest exit. Over the years, two distinct sorts of sight-reading appear to have emerged: firstly, there's sight-reading (i.e.…
How to Choose a Music Teacher
One of the questions which comes up so often, not just amongst parents but amongst adult pupils too, is how do you go about finding a teacher? Surprisingly, even as…
Getting the Most Out of Exams
At some time or another, most of the pupils I teach (including adults) want to get an independent assessment of their progress – an exam. With another session of exams…
Difficulty Level
As you can imagine, it's very difficult to assign a level of difficulty to individual works. Every piece presents its own particular challenges and each individual will approach these in…
Top Tips for Nervous Performers
Do you suffer with bad performance nerves? Are they affecting your enjoyment of your music? If so, here are some top tips to help! 1. Accept them… It’s OK to…
Top Tips for Teaching Diplomas
If you’re a vocal or instrumental teacher and you’re thinking of taking one of the teaching diplomas offered by ABRSM, Trinity or LCM, here are my top tips to get the…
Why a Grade 1 Pass is a Superb Result!
We're very focussed these days on results. I am conscious that when I send my own students for flute, piano or singing exams here in Lichfield and beyond, it is the…
Why Learn a Musical Instrument?
Over my 11 years teaching, over 125 pupils have passed through my doors and each and every one of them has a slightly different reason for wanting to learn an…