General Enquiry

Trinity - Guildhall Examination Syllabus

   

  

SELINA I have heard there are to be changes to the Trinity and Guildhall Examination Syllabus, is this true? Also will the music books I presently use still be valid?

Examination News I am sure that many of you are aware that the Guildhall and Trinity examination boards have merged to form Trinity Guildhall. We have just received news that a new joint syllabus will be launched from the 1st January 2007 and we thought that we would set out the changes for you here as clearly as possible. First and foremost it is important to realise that there will be NO overlap between the existing separate syllabuses and the new joint one, so from January 2007 candidates can only be examined using the new Trinity Guildhall syllabus. Much of the existing Trinity guitar repertoire will still be in use. I have listed the changes below: Trinity Guitar Examination Pieces 2004-2009 are valid in the new syllabus. The guitar CDs are valid. Technical Development for Guitarists is valid. Guildhall Guitar books I and 2, Guitar Plus books 1 and 2 - only the duets from these books are valid in the new syllabus (grades 1 - 3); the solos are NOT part of the new syllabus. Guildhall Guitar book 3 and Guitar Plus book 3 are NOT valid in the new syllabus. Guildhall Everything Else You Need, Musicianship Skills for Guitarists, and Scales for Guitarists are NOT valid in the new syllabus. A new scales book covering guitar and plectrum guitar from initial to grade 8 will be available in the autumn. The Sound at sight books remain valid (and very useful!) The new syllabus will be available in the Autumn; this is free of charge and can also be downloaded from the Trinity Guildhall website. A new marking scheme has been introduced; this looks like it will be clear and informative to students and teachers, the pieces being assessed in three areas - notational accuracy and fluency, technical facility and communication & interpretation. The technical work is still a choice between scales/arpeggios or study/exercises as has been the case in the Trinity syllabus for a while now. An options scheme has been introduced for the supporting tests so that the candidate chooses 2 out of 4 options - sight reading, aural, improvisation and musical knowledge. From grade 6 sight reading is compulsory and musical knowledge is no longer offered so the choice is between aural and improvisation. Finally from 2007 a theory prerequisite is NOT required for any of the practical examinations, although the board strongly recommends that theory is studied (as do we!) And a new syllabus is being introduced in two stages - 1-5 2006/7, 6-8 2008/9. Please contact us if you have any questions about music or requirements. Selina