Blog – Page 2 – SE22 Piano School ~ East Dulwich

2024/2025 Student Information

Welcome back!

Here is our start of term information pack. Please bookmark this link and refer to this any time you need information on term dates, upcoming performances or books to purchase.

Term Dates (also on your invoice and our web site home page).

2024/2025 Timetable
9 September – 26 October (7 lessons)
Half Term (1 week)
4 November – 21 December (7 lessons)

6 January – 15 February (6 lessons)
Half Term (1 week)
24 February – 5 April (6 lessons)

22 April – 24 May (5 lessons / 3 lessons for Monday students)
Half Term (1 week)
2 June – 19 July (7 lessons)

PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

(Nb. Payment is always in advance for the next block of lessons. The deadline for payment is 5pm on the last Monday of each half-term. We outsource our
bookkeeping and a late payment fine of £10 is automatically added to any payments not sent by this deadline. We advise setting up a standing order for the dates below once we have circulated the amounts).

Monday 21 October – 7 lessons
Monday 16 December – 6 lessons
Monday 10 February – 6 lessons
Monday 31 March – 3 or 5 lessons
Monday 19 May – 7 lessons

Upcoming Performances:

Save the date for the Bromley Festival in Feb/March 2025. All students encouraged to enter. The new syllabus is not yet published but your teacher will advise on entry once this is published. There are categories for beginner to advanced pianists. http://www.bromleyfestival.org/

Is Grade 1 Piano a realistic level for attaining a Music Scholarship via the Music Aptitude Test to secondary school in England?

How to succeed at the Music Aptitude Test

Grade 1 piano is a good starting point for attaining a music scholarship via the Music Aptitude Test (MAT) to secondary school in England. However, it is not a guarantee of success. The MAT is a challenging test, and students who are successful in attaining a scholarship will typically have a high level of musical aptitude and experience.

Here are some tips for students who are hoping to attain a music scholarship with a level of playing around Grade 1:

Practice regularly. The more you practice, the better you will become at playing the piano and the more confident you will feel on the MAT.
Take lessons from a qualified teacher. A good teacher can help you develop your technique and musicality. Look for a teacher that has prepared lots of students for the MAT. If your teacher is not familiar with the test, then we can help you prepare for lessons no matter where you are based in the UK as we offer online lessons. Book these here.
Get involved in music outside of school. This could involve joining a band, orchestra, or choir. It is particularly important for pianists to have experience of ensemble playing to make them a well-rounded musician.
Attend music festivals and concerts. This will help you expose yourself to different types of music and learn about different musical styles.
Research different schools that offer music scholarships. Some schools have more competitive music programs than others.
Prepare for the MAT. There are many practice materials available for the MAT such as the ones that we offer for download. Practicing with these materials will help you become familiar with the format of the test and the types of questions that are asked.

Here are some additional tips for Audition Day:

Be confident. The MAT is a challenging test, but it is also an opportunity to showcase your musical talent. Believe in yourself and your abilities, and don’t be afraid to show the examiners what you can do.
Be prepared. Make sure you are familiar with the format of the test and the types of questions that are asked. Practice with sample questions and get feedback from your teacher or a qualified tutor.
Be positive. The MAT is a stressful experience, but it’s important to stay positive and focused. Take deep breaths and relax, and remember that you are capable of doing well.

11+ tutoring Music Aptitude Test — 1-to-1 Music Aptitude Test tutoring

I hope these tips help you on your journey to attaining a music scholarship. If you require any assistance, please do book a lesson or download the training materials:

Pass, Merit or Distinction? How examiners mark your ABRSM music exam.

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A post shared by Music Lessons in East Dulwich (@se22pianoschool)

STOP PRESS: View our students’ results from the Summer ABRSM Session

Many students want to know how to get a Distinction in their music exams. There is a very useful guide written by ABRSM called These Music Exams which details the marking scheme that examiners use.

Summer 2014 - Here's Safiya (age 8) with her Grade 5 Distinction Jazz Piano Certificate. Click here to see more of our students' exam results. — Summer 2014 – Here’s Safiya (age 8) with her Grade 5 Distinction Jazz Piano Certificate. Click here to see more of our students’ exam results.

Here is a blank ABRSM mock exam form for use by teachers in accordance with the ABRSM exam marking criteria. There will be a session focussing on some of the Alternative List pieces in November – the session is for piano teachers. More details here: One Day Workshop for Piano Teachers in London

Many students do not realise that they can practice the aural tests at home but there is a really fantastic web site that you can use to help you prepare. See this link – there are lots of free tests plus it’s very reasonably priced to subscribe:

http://e-musicmaestro.com/auraltests/

Congratulations Anne-Marie: Grade 8 Piano Distinction

Click to view our recent ABRSM exam results and certificates

I thought it may also be useful to see some of the comments sheets from examiners to compare and contrast this with the Marking Criteria. See below for the PDF with the breakdown of marks and the comments from actual exams ranging from Passes to Distinction.