Dilema
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Dilema
My daughter is 12 and passed grade 7 singing with distinction last term (138/150) with abrsm we have had to change teacher because her other one moved. The new teacher said my daughter should go back to gd4 as she is too young. The teacher seems very nice but I don't know what to do!
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TotallycluelessMum
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Re: Dilema
138 is a great mark, it suggests she's at the right level with her singing and the aural and dreaded sight-singing 
We know a 12 year old boy who sailed through his grade 8, so age doesn't need to be a barrier...
However I suppose your teacher's saying there's no rush! I'm definitely no expert but it does seem rather boring to go back over the old grade she's already done, couldn't they spend more time trying all the grade 8 pieces, exploring and experimenting and working on them so that it takes longer but that she's a little older and more experienced when she finally does it?
Maybe all that matters is that she's singing, learning and having fun?
We know a 12 year old boy who sailed through his grade 8, so age doesn't need to be a barrier...However I suppose your teacher's saying there's no rush! I'm definitely no expert but it does seem rather boring to go back over the old grade she's already done, couldn't they spend more time trying all the grade 8 pieces, exploring and experimenting and working on them so that it takes longer but that she's a little older and more experienced when she finally does it?
Maybe all that matters is that she's singing, learning and having fun?
Re: Dilema
I think that depends on precisely what the new teacher means. Perhaps she is just making her own assessment of your dd's maturity/capabilities as she starts the teaching and taking her back to a few basics?
12 is very young to have passed grade 7 - well done to her. She is clearly doing very well.
If the new teacher is assessing where your dd is up to, she may want to take a few steps back for a while. Perhaps she feels that your dd can usefully broaden her experience without concentrating on exams and has re-introduced some Grade 4 pieces in to her repertoire. I think you need to have a discussion with her and ask her what she will be working on and why?
I don't know anything about your circumstances other than what you have written of course, and I may be way off beam, but I am reminded of a documentary I saw about a very talented young mathemetician who wanted to take a Maths degree at the age of about 13 (having already done a Maths A level). He was advised by a Maths Professor from Cambridge to stop concentrating on the qualfications and instead do more general investigation as, although he was capable of much of the degree level work, he was not quite mature enough to cope with some aspects of degree level study. He thought the young mathemetician could be having more fun and could be deepening and broadening his undertanding at the same time. Could this possibly be what the new teacher has in mind? Is your dd keen to do more exams?
12 is very young to have passed grade 7 - well done to her. She is clearly doing very well.
If the new teacher is assessing where your dd is up to, she may want to take a few steps back for a while. Perhaps she feels that your dd can usefully broaden her experience without concentrating on exams and has re-introduced some Grade 4 pieces in to her repertoire. I think you need to have a discussion with her and ask her what she will be working on and why?
I don't know anything about your circumstances other than what you have written of course, and I may be way off beam, but I am reminded of a documentary I saw about a very talented young mathemetician who wanted to take a Maths degree at the age of about 13 (having already done a Maths A level). He was advised by a Maths Professor from Cambridge to stop concentrating on the qualfications and instead do more general investigation as, although he was capable of much of the degree level work, he was not quite mature enough to cope with some aspects of degree level study. He thought the young mathemetician could be having more fun and could be deepening and broadening his undertanding at the same time. Could this possibly be what the new teacher has in mind? Is your dd keen to do more exams?
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francescasmum
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Re: Dilema
My dd is 9 and doing her grade 4 MT next week. Her substitute singing teacher (her normal one is on matrnity leave) has said she will not put her in for her grade 5 until she is at least 12 because she thinks the songs are too mature. However we have been told (by this same teacher!!) the songs she chose to do for her for her Grade 3, (she got 94/100 when she was 
could be sung for grade 5, 6 and 8! This doesn't seem to make sense. Fortunatley the old teacher is back after summer and she said she can start preparing for grade 5 or 6 straight away as she felt dd was ready for grade 5 when she went on maturnity leave!
could be sung for grade 5, 6 and 8! This doesn't seem to make sense. Fortunatley the old teacher is back after summer and she said she can start preparing for grade 5 or 6 straight away as she felt dd was ready for grade 5 when she went on maturnity leave!