Exam Time Musings

This week, teachers across the country are nagging (er, reminding) their students and parents that their exam registration deadline is next week. Thankfully, I only have two students who haven’t signed up yet, but I’ll be seeing them on Friday (for one last reminder).

Exams aren’t for everyone. They can be extremely stressful and require a strong commitment from the students, parents and teachers. However, there are several benefits to taking piano and/or theory exams:

• Gives students a goal to work towards
• Hones the students’ project and time management skills
• Can be used towards high school music credits (Gr. 6 – 8 piano)
• Provides students an opportunity to get valuable feedback from a long-time teacher

There are five main conservatories that teachers in Canada use for students taking exams (Teachers, if I have missed one, please let me know). Each conservatory has their pros and cons. Which system is best depends upon the individual’s learning style, time commitment, work ethic and aptitude. If you’d like to learn more about each conservatory’s examination system, here are their websites:

• Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto
• Conservatory Canada
• Canadian National Conservatory of Music
• London Conservatory of Music
• Trinity College of London

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