Hey Folks,

A little advice needed here.


Ok So I started playing the clarinet in Januray '08 , and withina week i had picked up all the notes on the first register , and by the end of January i could play the entire first tow registers, ie from Low Eb to Top C (1st C above the octave , I dont know its proper name).

So my teacher said to me that there not really any point in me sitting Grade 1 or 2, so I take this to mean I am at Grade 3 level (I may be wrong)

So we were given out our option choices this morning and I *really* want to get a Higher in Music. But...I would NOT like to have to continue doing keyboard , ie sitting an exam in an instrument that I dont particularly enjoy when I have an instrument which I LOVE sitting at home. So the advice given to me was to take Int 2 , as she does not belive i am capable of doing it. Although she is notaware of the fact i am already potentially at Grade 3.

I need advice on

1) Whether I can , realistically achive Grade 5 (or 6 unsure which one it is , Int 2 was Grad four) by November this year (to allow time for a level change)

2) Whether to initially pick up Higher and try and prove to her that I CAN do it or stick with and resit intermediate 2.


Also for those of you that live in England,

Int 2 is the equivilent to GCSE and Higher is equivilent to A Level Music.


Thanks for any advice in advance.

Laura

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Hi Laura! I think you may be rushing your fences a little here. Check this with your clarinet teacher, but as the first exam session you can be entered for now is the June one, I would imagine he is suggesting that you aim for grade 3 in June, which is a far cry from being at grade 3 level now.

I'm not saying that it's impossible for you to get to grade 5 by November, but you would have to be very dedicated and talented to do that within a year unless you had already reached that level on another instrument. Your clarinet teacher is the best person to advise you on this, though, as he's the one who has heard you play.

Emm Im A little confused here..I dont know about sitting graded exams yet..im just taking about finding 3 peices which i could play well for the actual SQA Exams in May

I asked my clarinet teacher about it first and he said "Well yeah if you continue to progress the way you are already"

Obviously I would check with him before taking it on

Laura
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It doesn't necessarily mean that you're /at/ grade 3 standard, just that your teacher thinks you should be working towards it. The next exam session is at the end of the summer term - your teacher may think that by the time that comes around you'll be at a point where grade 2 wouldn't be worth doing, but that doesn't mean that he thinks you'll be ready to take 3 then. Maybe you will be, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll even have zoomed ahead and be working on grade 4 material by then.
A long time ago, grades 1 and 2 weren't available for woodwind instruments, so even now some teachers don't usually use them with their pupils, regarding grade 3 as the first "proper" grade.
The person you should be asking about this is your clarinet teacher. We havn't heard you play! There's a lot more involved than just being able to get the notes out, so only someone who really knows how you're getting on would be able to judge.



Again, this is something you need to ask your clarinet teacher. Progress at that rate is unusual, but not unheard of. A lot depends on your musicianship and previous experience. You mentioned keyboard - what standard are you on that? How far have you got with theory?


"resit"?
Have you taken it before? If you've failed at that level, you probably want to think pretty carefully before attempting the next level up! If you've failed it before, was it solely the performance side that was the problem, or did you struggle with other aspects of the course? If the rest was absolutely fine and it was just lack of enthusiasm for keyboard that caused a problem, you might be OK to move on. But if the academic side of it was a problem, then taking Higher before you've got the basics sorted out would be somewhat risky.

I think you need to talk to your clarinet teacher about what standard you're currently at and what you could realistically achieve this year, and then discuss it with your school music teacher.

T.

They've lowered the level to Gr 5 for Adv Higher with Higher going to Gr 4. Bearing that in mind I think you would probably manage it although you may need to be careful about what pieces you choose. As long as they are mentioned on the syllabus of one of the approved boards at Gr 4 or above you're ok and that does give a fairly wide spread of difficulty (your centre can also submit pieces for approval).

Having said that if you didn't manage the Int 2 it may make it difficult to meet the theory/listening/inventing components. Most of them can be learnt though so if you're determined enough and willing to put in the work I'd be inclined to have a go at it.

Na, didn't fail it, just considering an instrument change.

So, you've already passed it, using keyboard for the performance side? Or you're in the middle of it still and want to switch instrument?

T.

Already passed it with the keyboard.
NO WAY would she let me change mid course , I tried that last year with my violin and she was like NO WAY could you learn the peices in that short space of time. So I had to stick with the keyboard.

Wanted to change instrument because I LOVEEEE playing it
Just wanted to know what others thought on doing it with another instrument which level I should take

Laura

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I can confirm what snhs said about the grades for each level. The last I heard from SQA was pieces had to be listed on current or past syllabi at the appropriate grade (g4 for Higher) or SQA approved, which has to be done by about September.

It's difficult to judge your playing without hearing you, but in my experience grade 4 is a quantum leap in many respects. Certainly possible eg strict 1 hour every day. If you were serious about doing it I would suggest looking carefully for pieces that show your key strengths on the clarinet.

I can understand your dislike for keyboard. That's why I leared piano in a year for the old SYS (grade 4/5 as second study).

Then there's probably no point resitting it with clarinet. I mean, would you resit a maths exam you'd already passed, just because you wanted to do it using a different type of calculator?

I think you need to look at your reasons for wanting to take Higher music. If it's because you want to take the course, and your music teacher thinks that you're well-prepared for it, then you should take it. But you'll need to discuss your choice of performance instrument with your music and instrumental teachers. Now you've mentioned violin as well - how long've you been playing that and what standard are you? What's your standard on keyboard? If you're quite advanced on one or both of those, you'll probably make faster progress on clarinet than you otherwise would, because your general musicianship and understanding will be more advanced, so you can focus on the clarinet-specific aspects more.
If it's only because you want to do something using clarinet (the fact you're considering re-sitting Int 2 just to do it with clarinet suggests this is a possibility), you might be better off picking a different clarinet-based target).
What I'm getting at here is that, if they decide not to allow you to take Higher using clarinet, I don't think that re-sitting Int 2 using clarinet is the next best option. You'd be better off taking the Higher using an instrument you have more experience with, and working on clarinet separately, or taking a completely different subject for Higher or Int 2 and working for something else (maybe an AB grade or a festival) on clarinet.

Would you still want to take Higher music if they won't let you do it with clarinet?

T.

computer glitch

Yes. Im taking it no matter what instrument I have to play

I am considering doing music to a further level..eg becoming a music teacher. I really want tpo teach and it sounds like a good subject to teach


Played violin for about 2 years , still have the occasional play every so often. Grade 3 ish on Keyboard and Grade 4 voice

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I reckon you should just sign-up for Higher then, but see if they'll let you wait until the start of next school year (or even a bit later if possible) to finalise the choice of instrument.
A resit of Int 2 definitely doesn't sound worth doing.

Just go for the Higher, and if you get your clarinet playing up to scratch in time, all well and good. If you don't, you can use keyboard, violin or voice for Higher and do something else with clarinet.
Developing your keyboard skills is worthwhile anyway, especially if you want to teach music. My class music teachers were excellent pianists and my woodwind teachers (with the exception of my first clarinet teacher, who I didn't learn with for very long) have all been able to accompany me in lessons and exams because they were good pianists even though it wasn't their main instrument.

T.

Thanks All


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Hi laura,

I myself, am a flautist and have been playing clarinet for just under a year. I have my teacher thinks it will be best for me to start with my grade 6 at the beginning of next school year.

If you want to do it, I'm sure it is possible

Yaay another future music teacher, I'm in S6 and waiting to hear if I got a place on the RSAMD's BEd course. Fingers crossed!!

I skipped Higher in S5 because my timetable couldn't fit it and crashed Advanced in S6, but personally for you I'd say why not do the Higher but with Voice as your first instrument and Clarinet as your second?

I'm not a singer really but I've sung some grade 5 stuff informally and I didn't find it that bad, so I'd think it would maybe be an easier progression for you to make in the time available, than to try to get up 2 grades on clarinet in the same time. From what I remember there's stuff on the G5 voice syllabus that's pretty easy (I sang a piece for an audition that had a range of a 9th and was repetitive).

Would your school really allow you to take the Int2 again? I'm sure our school wouldn't, if you passed the first time. So why not aim higher? (excuse the pun!)

She gave me music for higher:D

I also am considering applying for the BEd at RSAMD next year x
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Hey remember me?

well i just thought i'd add a wee update, I got my grade 4 clarinet pieces in, when i saw them i was liek "yeah, i can do this" i got them 2 weeks ago and i know half of my programme already
I will be v. proud of myself if i pass


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You can certainly do it.

I took up clarinet at age 29 and after 5 or 6 months of playing and a dozen or so lessons was ready for Grade 5.

I never actually took the exam, my teacher telling me I was ready was enough for me at the time.

I wish I had carried on now, I don't even own a clarinet anymore (might need to do something about that next year)

All you need is practice I guess... Since I've taken my clarinet grade5 after two years of playing... actually only 1 year of sirious playing... then grade5 in year mid and grade6 in year end... abit rush... but luckily I've passed those exams... and in three years I've finish grade8... thats something very systhematic to me... haha... since I've plan of this and I've done it.. sure that you could do it too~ good luck!