0800 687 392 | www.abrsm.org

2015:1

Proud supporters of

NZ Coda:

ABRSM grant to schools ABRSM’s new online services Tips for fi lling in entry forms 2015 current syllabus guide Exam dates for 2015 2014 High Scorers Events

What's inside

ABRSM

Once again this year it was diffi cult to choose the recipient of the

ABRSM Grant to Schools, but we are delighted to announce that the grant for 2015 goes to Papamoa College. Katrina Wickham, the school’s Music Learning Area Coordinator, thanks ABRSM for its support and says the funds will be used to contract an experienced choral director to establish a senior choir.

Says Katrina “We can now move forward and plan towards entering the Big Sing for the fi rst time ever. Being such a new school, groups are still being established at Papamoa College. Music staff have led a number of smaller groups such as a junior choir, rock bands and a capella groups, and 2015 will see the establishment of some instrumental ensembles and a senior choir to be led by Chalium Poppy.

Chalium studied in Canada where he appeared as a soloist with many of Western Canada’s leading choirs and orchestras, before moving to the Bay of Plenty where he has continued to work as a soloist for choirs across

New Zealand. He is the Musical Director for a chamber choir – Scholars Pro Musica. Three teachers at Papamoa College sing in the choir and Chalium has also invited one of the senior music students Taylor Moffat (pictured) to sing in the Scholars.

We are very grateful for the funding from ABRSM as this will allow us to continue to build this new music department and to offer choral coaching from someone with a great deal of expertise and passion for singing. We are excited to be able to have our voice students contribute to music within the school and are looking forward to another exciting new chapter in the history of Papamoa College.”

Grant to schools for

2015

0800 MUSEXAM (687 392) | Text: 02 ABRSM 200 | offi ce@abrsm.org.nz | www.abrsm.org

ABRSM’s new online services

Tips for fi lling in the ABRSM your application forms

We recently launched our online services for applicants, and hundreds of

teachers and parents have already made use of this new facility. You can

• If the form already has your name and address printed in the shaded area at the top, you don’t need to complete the applicant information again. Do remember though to write in any details that may have changed (such as email address or phone number) since your last application, or you can edit this information online through our website (see above).

• If your candidate has any specifi c needs relevant to the exam, for example a visual or hearing impairment, please write the applicable code on the form next to their name. This means your candidate will be allocated a little extra time for the exam, and for Practical exams alternative tests sometimes need to be ordered from London. You can also attach a letter or medical report regarding your candidate’s needs if you wish.

• For Practical exams, candidates will be timetabled in the same order as they are listed are on your application form, so if you have a particular preference about the order of exam times on the day, please make

sure you list the candidates in this same order on your form. Don’t forget to include information about particular days or times that your candidate cannot attend an exam due to school camps or overseas travel. If your candidate has school exams that overlap with our exam session, you will need to supply the specifi c dates of these exams so that we can avoid a clash.

• ABRSM is now a registered bill payee with most of the main banks, so if you’d like to pay online just go to your usual online banking facility, choose ABRSM from the preset list of payees, and complete the details required with your payment. Fees can be paid either as a single sum for the whole application, or for candidates individually if you prefer. Don’t forget to keep a copy of the form if you need a tax record for your accounts.

• Once your application has been processed, you’ll be able to view your entry online through our website to check that all the details are correct.

now go online to check exam entries, view upcoming exam appointments, and see candidates’ results as soon as they’re available. You can also update your contact details, and view ten years of past exam results right back to 2005! If you’ve received this newsletter in the post, it means

you’re already registered for the services, so you just need to set up a password to get secure access to the site. Follow the steps below to get started, and if you get lost along the way, give Carla or Heather a call in the Auckland offi ce.

1 Go to ABRSM’s main home page – www.abrsm.org – and click the Login link at the very top of the page (above the main menu headings).

2 Click the Forgotten Password link to receive an automated email with instructions for how to set up (or reset) your password.

3 The fi rst time you log in you’ll be prompted to check and save your contact details, and then you can go ahead and explore the other functions of the site.

0800 MUSEXAM (687 392) | Text: 02 ABRSM 200 | offi ce@abrsm.org.nz | www.abrsm.org

Dates for your diary 2015Session Closing dates Exams

Theory A 13 February 28 March

B 8 May 20 June

C 18 September 7 November

Practical 1 – main centres only* 13 March 11 May – 3 July

2 22 May 10 August – 18 September

3 – including Jazz & Diplomas 7 August 19 October – 4 December

* other centres by special arrangement

2015 current syllabus guide

Piano 2013-2014 2015-2016

Bowed Strings 2012-2015

Woodwind 2014-2017

Brass 2013-2016

Singing 2009 onwards

Guitar, Harp & others 2011-2014 2015-2018

When a new syllabus becomes current, for example with Piano in 2015, pieces may still be chosen from the previous year provided

all three pieces are selected from one syllabus. This allowance is valid for the fi rst full year of a new syllabus. The requirements of the supporting tests (scales, sight reading, and aural tests) should always be taken from the latest syllabus. The syllabuses valid for 2015 are listed below.

Your personalised application forms for 2015 are enclosed. If you need additional forms, you can print your own from our website or contact the Auckland

offi ce. The 2015 exam calendar (mailed out with the last Coda) can also be requested from the offi ce if you need additional copies.

The process of preparing for and sitting an examination or assessment is such a rewarding and valuable experience, no matter what the fi nal result. ABRSM would like to congratulate all candidates who sat exams during 2014, and also to make special mention of those who excelled in their chosen subject and level.

Candidate Grade Presenter RegionGeorge Bonner 8 Beverley Fleetwood AucklandMonica Hoetjes 7 David O'Beirne ChristchurchSyed Kamel 7 NZ Army Band (Nick Johnson) ChristchurchWilliam Tom 7 NZ Army Band (Nick Johnson) ChristchurchJarrod Baynes 6 Northcote College (Marie Lin) AucklandMing Xuan Li 6 W M Phang-Yau ChristchurchOlivia Maxwell 6 Anne Nisbet HamiltonEsther Wu 6 Leonie Holmes Auckland

Grade 6-8 Theory High Scorers

Candidate Subject Grade Presenter RegionHyun Young Park Singing 8 Shelagh Richardson AucklandAstrid Tjahyono Violin 8 Corelli School of

the ArtsAuckland

Claudia Sayers Cello 5 Coral Bognuda AucklandPolly Lee Violin 2 Milana Kornienko ChristchurchShuan Liu Cello 2 Polly Sussex AucklandBenjamin Carter Cello 1 Jane Young WellingtonHugo Debenham Violin 1 Heather Connell ChristchurchHolly Hamlin Piano 1 John Mercer AucklandLydia Hwang Violin 1 Sara Jeon AucklandGrace Li Piano 1 Grace Kim AucklandAnna Pistora Singing 1 Shelagh Richardson Auckland

Candidates awarded the highest marks in a Practical Examination

High Scorers 14

Exam dates 2015

Name GradeAngus Arbuthnott 1Hamish Baguley 1Joshua Gilmore 1Leo Guo 1Alfa Lee 1James MacGillivray 1Emma O'Keeffe 1Brianna Orams 1Sean Suen 1Elliot Baguley 2Will Hancock 2Ilona Mackinnon 2Grace Penberthy 2Amelia Powdrell 2Trent Wong 2Elliot Baguley 3Edward Fung 3

Candidates awarded full marks in a Theory Examination

Name GradeJoanna Jiang 3Sailish Parbhu 3Rebecca Scholtz 3Oscar Sheppard-Morison 3Kristian Metzler 4Hang Zhang 4Alyssa Chia 5Veronica Ellis 5Claudia Evans 5Rebecca Frankum 5Annie Gui 5Brianna Henderson 5Richard Jiang 5Lauren Sargent 5Abhish Sequeira 5Oliver Tsui 5Robin Wan 5

Heather GummerNational Coordinator | heather@abrsm.org.nz | (09) 480 1200 x2

Carla JohnstonAssistant Administrator | carla@abrsm.org.nz | (09) 480 1200 x1

Events

Arts Excellence Awards2014 saw the second year of the Dame Malvina Major Arts Excellence Award in Auckland. The prize is worth $5000 and is given to young New Zealanders of outstanding ability and development potential in the performing arts who are preparing for a professional career. This year’s winners are listed below. We’re proud that all three winners have sat ABRSM exams and passed with distinction!• Madison Nonoa, soprano, $3,000, towards her

studies with Dame Malvina Major in 2015• Jane Koo, pianist, $1,000, towards her studies at

the New England Conservatory• Lauren Bennett, violinist, $1,000, towards her

studies at the University of Auckland

These awards are given by the Auckland branch of the Dame Malvina Major Foundation. Both the Auckland committee secretary Susan Smith, and the 2014 judge John Wells, are ABRSM examiners.

National IRMT Conference 2015ABRSM is pleased to support the next conference of the Institute of Registered Music Teachers NZ which will be held in Wellington at the Comfort Hotel in Cuba Street. The conference will run from 15 to 18 January and is entitled “Lilburn and his Legacy: Fostering Musical Creativity”.

The last word…“Beethoven tells you what it's like to be Beethoven and Mozart tells you what it's like to be human. Bach tells you what it's like to be the universe.” Douglas Adams

“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” Aldous Huxley

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” Bob Marley

IRMT NZ National Professional Development TourThe Institute of Registered Music Teachers NZ has organised a professional development tour in April 2015 by two internationally respected artist-teachers from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Goetz Richter (Associate Professor of Violin and Chair of Strings) and Dr Jeanell Carrigan (Senior Lecturer in Piano Accompaniment) will be holding master classes, seminars, and recitals in Auckland (10 – 11 April),

Hamilton (12-13 April), Wellington (14-15 April), Christchurch (16-17 April) and Dunedin (18-19 April).

Visit www.irmt.org.nz, or contact your local IRMT Branch for further information on both these events.