10 replies to this topic

[violin star]

I have a teenage boy student  taking  Grade 5 shortly.  His voice has broken and he can't sing or hum a tune from memory or from music at the correct pitch but he can whistle.  I can't see any reason why he shouldn't do this in the exam but can any other teachers confirm that it is acceptable?    Thanks

[BadStrad]

Clearly says here that whistling is acceptable.

 

https://forums.abrsm.org...s/syllabus-faq/  (answer to the fourth FAQ down the list)

[ma non troppo]

Whistling well is an art. I don't feel it is an easy option.

[LoneM]

But he may be good at it - we don't know.  I was a champion whistler at school (a long time ago), with a good repertory of operatic arias.

[BadStrad]

Whistling well is an art. I don't feel it is an easy option.

But VS says the kid can whistle. And "vocal quality" isn't assessed, so it similarly probably doesn't have to be the most fantastic whistle ever.

[jo.clarinet]

Whistling is absolutely fine - I had a changing-voice boy do this in my last exam session 

[ma non troppo]

Whistling well is an art. I don't feel it is an easy option.

But VS says the kid can whistle. And "vocal quality" isn't assessed, so it similarly probably doesn't have to be the most fantastic whistle ever.

Yes, sorry - I meant in general whistling "in tune" isn't easy for many. I have a limited range myself.

[BadStrad]

Whistling well is an art. I don't feel it is an easy option.

But VS says the kid can whistle. And "vocal quality" isn't assessed, so it similarly probably doesn't have to be the most fantastic whistle ever.

Yes, sorry - I meant in general whistling "in tune" isn't easy for many. I have a limited range myself.

Ahhh. I see what you mean. Reminded me of a guy I used to know who whistled all the time, in monotone. It was painful listening.

[violin star]

Thank you everyone.  He is a very good whistler and told me he does it a lot.

[hammer action]

But he may be good at it - we don't know.  I was a champion whistler at school (a long time ago), with a good repertory of operatic arias.

 

Ha ha!  Best comment I've read on here for a while!  

 

I've had a few that have opted to whistle for the test because they're too "embarrassed" to sing.  I recall being the same when I was a teenager doing the exams, but unfortunately my teacher never mentioned that whistling was acceptable.

[hazymus]

The day of my Grade 5 piano exam as an adult, (I'm a violin teacher) I had laryngitis and asked if I could whistle the responses. The examiner said that was fine.