Age-Appropriate: Why Instrumental Teachers Should Be Honest About Their Skillset
When I started teaching, as I'm sure a lot of us did, I'd teach anyone who came my way, who was interested and who was willing to pay. My first…
Review: ABRSM Theory Works App
This is an entirely independent review. I purchased the app myself and have not been asked by ABRSM to review it. For more information, you can read my Reviews Policy…
Instrumental Teaching: The Critical Art of Choice
As instrumental teachers, we are overwhelmed by choice when it comes to teaching resources and materials. New books, websites and subscription sites appear on an almost daily basis. There is…
Review: ABRSM Teacher Conference 2018
Since 1889, ABRSM have held over 40 million exams, and currently, more than 700 examiners conduct over 600,000 exams a year in over 90 countries. It was a pleasure to…
Work and Music: Music Lessons, Practice and Full-Time Employment
When adults learn an instrument or study singing, they have to juggle music lessons and practice time with other commitments, notably full-time employment. In this guest blog post, David Barton…
ABRSM Piano Syllabus 2019/20: an overview
I shall preface this overview by saying that I wholeheartedly believe that learning an instrument is not solely about taking exams, and indeed only a small number of my pupils…
Setting the Tempo: Working With Accompanists When There Is No Rehearsal Time
David Barton Music student, Ruth Carlyle, has taken part in two local festivals and has also worked with many other accompanists on fairly limited rehearsal time. Thank you to Ruth…
The Exam-Life Balance
I'm aware that a number of students across the UK are now fast-approaching their GCSE, AS and A-Level summer exams. I know how important these exams are and how stressful…
When I Grow Up? Musical Journeys
Some of you may have seen this feature on BBC Breakfast today about 20,000 seven to 11-year-olds who'd been asked to draw pictures of the job they want to do…
Review: ABRSM Songbooks Plus
At the end of October 2017, ABRSM published its new Songbook Plus series, designed to complement the existing Songbook range. There is a new book for each of Grades 1-5,…
Review: ABRSM Singing Syllabus 2018
A few weeks ago, ABRSM released its revised singing syllabus for use from 2018. This is the first update to the syllabus since 2009. ABRSM state that they have ‘refreshed’…
Taking Part in a Local Music Festival: A Performer’s Experience
Thank you to Ruth Carlyle for allowing me to reproduce this article which she contributed to my end-of-term newsletter in December 2016: Have you thought about taking part in the…