In this issue: The Royal ConservatoryAcross Canada: Spotlighton The Prairies

Mentor Memories with Adrianne Pieczonka,soprano

IntroducingBridgesTM

A COMPREHENSIVE GUITAR SERIES, AND THE NEW GUITAR SYLLABUS, 2011 EDITION

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MATTERSmusic

The official newsletter for music teachers May/June 2011

Renew, Refresh, and Inspire• Join creative leaders from across North America as

they lead practical, interactive, and insightful sessions.• Engage in valuable seminars and discovery

learning activities that inspire discussion and creative experience.

• Learn creative strategies to motivate and inspireyour students.

• Explore resources, ideas, and a range of teaching and professional strategies.

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PRESENTERS

Forrest KinneyDr. Stephen ChatmanDr. Betty Ann Younker

Dr. Rena UpitisMaria CaseDr. Janet LopinskiPeteris Zarins

July 23-24, 2011Toronto, Ontario

Keyboard CreativitySummit 2011

Register online at rcmusic.ca/tpd273 Bloor Street West, Toronto(Bloor Street West and Avenue Road)

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2 Introducing BridgesTM: A Comprehensive Guitar Series, andthe new Guitar Syllabus, 2011 Edition

6 Mentor Memories with Adrianne Pieczonka, soprano

7 Syllabi Crossover Reminders for Guitar and Speech Arts & Drama

Special Announcement

CFMTA National Conference 2011

Sparking the Flame with Dr. Jennifer Snow

Overtones of Achievement: The New FluteSyllabus and Series with Ms. Dianne Aitken

Excellence in Exams or The Power inPreparation with Dr. Thomas Green

Are You Moving?

8 Q&A with a Chief Examiner

9 The Royal Conservatory AcrossCanada: Spotlight on The Prairies

BACK Candidate Services Corner: Examination Credits and Refunds

Important Dates: 2011-2012 Session Dates Announced!

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The official newsletter for music teachers

CHIEF EXAMINERSDr. Jennifer Snow, Chief Academic OfficerDr. Thomas Green, Chief Examiner, Practical SubjectsMaria Case, Chief Examiner, Theoretical SubjectsDr. Anita Hardeman, Manager, Teacher Relations

Music Matters aims to provide pedagogical support andrelevant information from The Royal Conservatory in itsmandate to develop human potential through music and the arts.Members of the academic community offer fresh perspectivesand useful information on teaching and managing a successfulmusic studio while celebrating excellence in music. Current andprevious issues of Music Matters may be downloaded free ofcharge from our website: www.rcmexaminations.org

CONTACT USArticle requests or questions about this publication? Please email us at: musicmatters@rcmusic.ca

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MATTERSmusic

The official newsletter for music teachers May/June 2011

You AskedHow do I look up my student’sexamination results?Access your Teacher Services account fromour homepage and click “View Your StudioExamination Information.”

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Introducing BridgesTM

A Comprehensive Guitar Series, and the new Guitar Syllabus, 2011 EditionBy DR. JEFFREY McFADDEN

It is a unique and welcomeopportunity to be able to revise a published didactic work everyfew years, having receivedfeedback from colleagues, havingassessed the operation of thework in various contexts, havingput the work into applicationwith students of all capabilitiesand stages of development, andhaving considered the work inlight of new developments in the field. While the revision willinevitably comprise numerouschanges that reflect informationgathered in the process of useand review, the philosophies thatare at the core of the materialscan also become strengthenedand reaffirmed.

The creation and revision of RoyalConservatory guitar materials andcurricula have long been guided byseveral important notions, chief amongthem the firm belief in the efficacy ofprogressive, carefully incremented study.The organization of this new edition ofthe guitar series is quite obviously based,as it has been in the past, on this idea.Having worked with remedial students as a speciality for many years, I can affirm the stultifying and frustratingresults of non-progressive, gap-filled, anddisorganized study. Teachers inevitablyhave to assess the appropriate degree of challenge they present to students;many students thrive when given a piecethat is generally beyond their currentcapacities. This strategy can be very useful in motivating the student but isbest approached with prudence and ameasured application. Many students areinclined to move forward too quickly,motivated by an especially compellingpiece that is often too difficult for them(this is the Leyenda Syndrome, where the‘afflicted’ student expects to learnAsturias-Leyenda by Albéniz, a Grade 10piece by our reckoning, as soon after thefirst lesson as possible). One of the greatchallenges in

studio teaching is accurately weighingthe pros and cons of allowing this leapahead and negotiating the matter in a way that maintains the student’smotivation without derailing the widerlearning process. Most teachers wouldagree that centering learning within acarefully graded framework allows foreffective periodic departures from it. This is just one of many reasons why we have embraced the fundamental ideaof progressiveness.

In this guitar series, pieces andstudies in the preparatory volume areshort, played mostly in first position, are simple to read, are void of left-handchallenges like slurs or barres, andfeature textures which are predictableand manageable for the right hand.Moving to Grade 1, it is clear that manypieces are slightly more complextexturally, there are occasional notesoutside of first position, bass voices areslightly more complex, and there aresome longer pieces. In Grade 3, left-hand barring is first introduced and key signatures with more accidentals are more common. In Grade 5, therhythmic vocabulary is richer, fastertempos are expected to be played faster,

musicMATTERS | May/June 2011 3

and expressive demands of the music become more imperative. Thisincremental increase in difficulty persiststhrough the higher intermediate andadvanced levels. Each level containssimpler and more challenging pieces whileremaining within defined limits. It issometimes helpful to think of a particulargrade level as being comprised of somepieces that would be difficult at theprevious grade, a majority that are justright for the grade itself and some thatwould be simpler at the next higher grade.

Another core principle, and a greatchallenge in creating these repertoirevolumes, is to maintain the quality ofrepertoire at all levels while simultaneouslypresenting a balanced choice of musicalstyles; how does one, for example, find sixexcellent pieces written before 1750 thatall present more or less the same degree of technical and musical challenge? Ofcourse, this is an ongoing objective andour efforts in this regard represent some ofthe most interesting revisions that we havemade. One can point to several instancesin our new edition that bring the processto a new level of perfection. I think, forexample, of the rich variety of composersand pieces now represented in ‘List A’ of Grade 6; Luis Milán representing thevihuela repertoire, Gaspar Sanz from ourancestral Baroque guitar, transcriptions of Silvius Leopold Weiss and JohannSebastian Bach from original lute andcello scores, newly added works byAlfonso Ferrabosco and Giovanni PaoloFoscarini, and the much-lovedRenaissance dance, the ‘Salterello.’Another favorite example of mine is the20th-century list from Gr. 7 which boastsan extraordinary roster of the guitar’smost important composers; AlexandreTansman (Sarabande from Cavatina), Leo Brouwer (Canción de cuna andGuajira criolla), Heitor Villa-Lobos(Mazurka-Chôro), and William Walton(Bagatelle, no.2). I also was happy that we

were able tocompile such adiverse list ofcomposers from theClassical period in the delicatelynuanced Grade-onelevel, with pieces byCarulli, Giuliani,Horetzky, Molino,and Diabelli.

It is also central to the philosophy of the series that the repertoire shouldreflect as accurately as possible and at all levels, the current trends in guitarrepertoire. While not every new piecewritten or discovered in the past sevenyears has been included, we have beenable to significantly update the seriesand syllabus choices to be current withthese new trends. In the Grade 10 andARCT repertoire lists, users will findmany new additions, including ScherzoWaltz by Miguel Llobet, selections fromthe Sonata in A Major, op. 29, no. 2 byAnton Diabelli, selections from the Suitecastellana by Federico Moreno-Torroba,and Suite compostellana by FedericoMompou, Music of Memory by NicholasMaw, Rondena by Regino Sainz del laMaza, and movements from the JazzSonata by Dusan Bogdanovic. There arealso included throughout the series anumber of examples sourced from therecently available digitized collections of19th century repertoire in the nationalLibraries of Sweden and Denmark,highlighting composers such as Horetzky,Bosch, Blum, and others.

Still another of the guiding principlesof the creation of this series is the beliefin the need for a consistent technical

philosophy as reflected in therecommended fingering. Fingerings area central element in any didactic seriesand our recommendations were guidedby a series of principles. For example, in the left hand, we adhered to theimperative of legato, avoiding jumpingfingers across strings in rhythmicallyadjacent chords, choosing the simplestfingerings available, ones that would notencourage intonation problems or createextraneous noise on the bass strings. Inthe right hand, the goal was stability, theavoidance of awkward string crossing(for example, crossing from the secondto the first string with the right-handfingering sequence m – i when it wasjust as expedient to choose the reverse)and the presumption that most textureswere played primarily with free-stroke(without any effort to discourage theeffective use of rest-stroke). The high-volume fingering in previous editions of the series was firstly, a result of theintent to facilitate the ‘avoidance ofconfusion,’ to borrow phrase fromAmerican pedagogue Aaron Shearer.One can play almost any note on theguitar in at least two locations and in a seemingly logarithmic number ofcombinations depending on context.Rather than allowing even superficialhesitation in the initial learning process,even in rudimentary cases, we chose to put fingerings in. Another factorcontributing to the volume fingeringswas the commitment to not demur ondifficult passages, avoiding the practiceseen in many older editions of music ofseeming to offer fingering suggestionsfor all passages except the most difficultones. Lastly, we wanted to provide a

In this guitar series, pieces and studiesin the preparatory volume are short,played mostly in first position, aresimple to read, are void of left-handchallenges like slurs or barres, andfeature textures which are predictableand manageable for the right hand.

Bridges: a comprehensive guitar series including repertoire, studies, and technique.

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a Introducing BridgesTM: A Comprehensive Guitar Series, and the new Guitar Syllabus, 2011 Edition (continued from page 3)

systematic technical approach for thoseusers of the books who, for reasonsfinancial or geographical, did not haveaccess to quality teaching.

In this new edition, users willimmediately notice that the amount offingering indication has been substantiallyreduced. We always assumed that teacherswould freely change the recommendedfingerings to accommodate differentphilosophies and, importantly, to suit the needs of specific students. We havemaintained our essential processes buterred this time on the side of visual clarity.(The improvement to the visual landscapeof the page has also much to do with avery nicely-executed new engraving). It isinevitable that if a clear alternative is givenin every contingency and that fingering is placed so as to speed and assist thelearning process, the benefit this provideswill come at the expense of “cleanness” in the look of the score. We have opted inthis edition to make it easier for teachersto insert their own fingering ideas, andeasier to prescribe student-specific choices.We hope and expect that this change will be welcomed by both new andexperienced users of the materials. Itshould be stated that this choice alsoalleviates the very real problem of studentsrelying too heavily on fingerings instead of reading the pitches and thereby assists,or at least removes a possible obstacle to,the development of literacy.

One of the significantelements of this update,touched upon brieflyabove, is the addition of new composers andnew pieces in both therepertoire books and

the syllabus. There are more than 40 composers now represented in the series for the first time and over 100 new pieces added.

Also, very significantly, and thanks tothe great work of the permissions staffat Frederick Harris, we have finally beenable to include in the repertoire booksthemselves, the greatest of traditionalguitar composers whose music hadhitherto not been included in the booksbecause of prohibitive licensing costs.Such important and well-loved piecesas Préludes nos. 1 and 4, and MazurcaChôro by Heitor Villa-Lobos; Pieza sintitulo no. 1, two preludes from Preludiosepigramáticos and Danza del altiplano byLeo Brouwer; Julia Florida, Preludio(Saudade) from La Catedral, Vals de laprimavera and other pieces by AgustinBarrios; Tiento Antiguo by JoaquinRodrigo; a selection of Preludes byManuel Ponce, and Ilha de coralby Luiz Bonfá are now printed in The Royal Conservatory guitar series,Bridges, to our great delight as compilers!

One of the central undertakings of this current revision was to adjust thedegree of challenge faced by guitarstudents in attaining the ARCT diploma,bringing it closer to that encountered byARCT piano students. There seem to bedisproportionately fewer guitar candidateswho attempt the exam and in fact, veryfew guitarists who have attained thediploma. There are likely many reasonsfor this state of affairs but some of it hasto do with the nature of the curriculum.In piano, there is a substantial body of“post-ARCT” repertoire (much of it nowlocated in the new Licentiate diplomacurriculum), whereas in guitar, many,perhaps almost all, of the most challengingpieces in the repertoire are found inARCT lists. Addressing this discrepancyhas meant changes in the placement ofrepertoire throughout the curriculum,from the junior grades through ARCT,and a re-examination and re-constitutingof the technical requirements, allreflected as changes in the Syllabus.

There are ten pieces and studiesformerly in Grade 1 that have beenmoved into Grade 2 including Waltzop. 241, no. 24 by Ferdinando Carulli,Ancient Drums by Norbert Kraft, andRêverie by Shawn Bell. In Grade 4, wefind several pieces that were in Grade 3 inthe last edition, including Valse chôro byFrancis Kleynjans and Larghetto from op.50 by Mauro Giuliani. In Grade 7, theSarabande from Johann Sebastian Bach’s

There are more than 40 composersnow represented in the series forthe first time and over 100 newpieces added.

SOME OF THE NEW COMPOSERS INCLUDE:

Marc BelangerLuiz BonfáJacques BoschClaudio CamisassaRoque CarbajoFrédéric ConstantinoYvon DemillacNiels EikelboomAlfonso FerraboscoGiovanni Poalo FoscariniClaude GagnonFelix HoretzkySimone IanarelliRichard JackmanOleg KiselevGareth KochNorbert LeclerqMiroslav LoncarJames McGuireTakashi OgawaJames PiorkowskiStepána RakMikhail SytchevThierry TisserandMichael Yukich

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Partita for Solo Violin No. 1, BWV 1002and Can She Excuse by John Dowland,were both formerly grade 6 pieces. In thesenior grades Ráfaga by Joauín Turina,movements from Suite compostellanaby Federico Mompou, Songe capricorneby Roland Dyens, and Segoviana byMilhaud have all been moved fromGrade 9 to Grade 10. Elegy and Tarantelleby Johann Kaspar Mertz and FêteVillageoise by Giulio Regondi have beenmoved from Grade 10 to ARCT.

Another strategy used to mitigatethe seeming inaccessibility of the ARCTin guitar was to reduce the volumeof works required specifically in thatexamination. For example, the newsyllabus now prescribes that two insteadof three movements be played form the

Sonata by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedescoand he Sonata giocoso by JoaquínRodrigo and that only one movement of The Blue Guitar by Michael Tippet be performed. With these changes it is possible for candidates to assembleprograms that vary in difficulty either by virtue of length or, to someextent, technical demand. All of this has been instituted, we believe, without compromising rigour in the curriculum.

In the technical elements of thecurriculum, the choice of left-hand scalefingering will be left to the candidate’schoice from Grade 8 onward. This wasa response to suggestions from teachersand will allow for a more updated andflexible approach. Also from Grade 8onward, users will find reduced tempoexpectations for the m-a right-handcombination, fewer prescribed scaleforms, and fewer, more efficientlyprescribed arpeggios. These changes tooare intended to make the path to theARCT less arduous.

There have been several other changes in the curriculum that bear mentioning.

• To bring the guitar in conformity with the other disciplines, thePreparatory level exam is now a graded exam that includes ear tests.Playback melodies, starting at thePreparatory level and continuingthroughout, must be performed on the guitar. Since the point of the test is to encourage development of anintegrated aural and intuitiverelationship with the fretboard, thepiano option has been eliminated.

• In Grade 2, two studies are requiredrather than just one. This is a return toearlier policy and will help to smooththe transition to Grade 3.

• There has been anincrease in the numberof arpeggios requiredstarting in Grade 2 and continuing throughGrade 8 (after whichthere is a reduction innumber). This makesthe technical tests morereflective of actualtechnical tasks foundin the repertoire and more crucially,

reinforces the essential arpeggio forms in the formative junior andintermediate grades. The small amountof extra preparation that this demandsis offset in the higher grades with areduction in the amount of scales,fingerings, or rhythmic requirements.As a specific example, starting in Grade5 the three-finger patterns are no longerrequired for the tremolando scales.

The format of the Guitar Techniquebook has been retained. (It wassubstantially reshaped for the 2004edition.) The material is organized bygrade level, which makes the book much easier to use both for examinationpurposes and for general teaching. Users will notice that a number of new scale forms are introduced startingin the junior grades that are intended to replace the old “Segovia” scales with more modern alternatives. These newer forms attempt to presentbetter left-hand shifting strategies and allow for clearer right-handpatterning across strings.

Overall, there are a number of newfeatures and some significant changesand updates in the 2011 edition of The Royal Conservatory guitar seriesand the syllabus. While the essentialprinciples discussed above remain at thecore of our work, we hope the newelements will be current with modernpedagogical demands and will addressteachers’ and students’ needs. We hopethat the material will inspire students,and that this series can assist in ourcommon goal of educating greatmusicians and lovers of music.

One of the central undertakings of this current revision was to adjust the degree of challenge faced by guitar students in attainingthe ARCT diploma, bringing it closer to that encountered by ARCT piano students.

JEFFREYMcFADDENGuitarist

Jeffrey McFadden, a Senior Lecturer at the University of

Toronto, has established a place among the preeminent guitarists of his generation.McFadden is the first ever DMA graduatefrom the University of Toronto. He hasperformed throughout North America andEurope and at numerous internationalmusic festivals. In 1992, McFadden was awarded a Silver Medal in the GFACompetition and was a prize-winner in the 1993 Great Lakes Guitar Competition.His debut recording, the first in theLaureate Series on Naxos, sold in the tens of thousands. His performances and recordings continue to receive highacclaim. In 2004 McFadden and American guitarist Andrew Zohn formedDuo Spiritoso. Their second CD will bereleased in fall 2011. His groundbreakingbook, Fretboard Harmony: Common-Practice Harmony on the Guitar, waspublished in 2010 (d’Oz).

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What inspired you to pursue acareer in the performing arts?I was what you would call a “ham.” I loved acting and being on stage.Initially I longed for a career in musicaltheatre. Broadway was my great love(and still is a passion of mine). I wasinvolved in all sorts of performances ingrade school and high school: straighttheatre, musicals, choral performances,operetta etc. I took ballet and jazz dancelessons, piano lessons, and eventuallyvoice lessons. My mother did someacting in local amateur theatricalproductions, which sparked my interestin the performing arts. I enjoyed theballet and orchestral performances also.By the time I graduated from highschool, I had decided that I wanted tostudy voice at university. I didn’t know I would necessarily become and operasinger. It was a gradual progression. At the University of Western Ontario I was exposed to even more performingopportunities, which I relished. Upongraduation I was accepted into theOpera Division at the University of Toronto. This program was veryperformance orientated. It was there that I really developed my passion for opera and decided I was going to be a professional opera singer.

When you were first starting tobuild your career, what was thebiggest challenge you faced andhow did you overcome it?I started my professional career inVienna. I was 26 years old when I beganmy contract at the Vienna Volksoper. It was a huge culture shock, living andworking in such a foreign place. Thebiggest challenge for me was coping withthe rehearsals in German. It was about

two years before my German becamefluent and I would often get totally “lost in translation.” Several times Iended the day with tears of frustration.I’d say it was a very challenging startto my career and it was about two yearsbefore I established myself as an artistthere. I had to develop a thick skin as aresult. In retrospect, I would not changeone thing about my early years. Thesechallenges made me a stronger person,a better artist. Something in me mademe keep showing up for rehearsal, facingmy demons. I simply would not give up.I lived in Vienna for six years. Aftertwo years I became a member of theVienna State Opera where I still singoften as a guest artist. Vienna remains an integral part of my history as an artistand I am grateful that it was there thatmy career began.

Having performed many of opera’sfavourite characters, how do youprepare a role?Learning a role is always a challenge.When I was younger I had more timebetween engagements to learn a newrole. Now my performing calendar isvery full and there is never enough timeto learn new roles! What I tend to do is begin many months prior to singing a new role by listening to variousrecordings of the opera. YouTube is awonderful tool that allows me to listento many different artists’ interpretations.I play piano reasonably well, so I tend tolearn the role myself before taking it toa coach or voice teacher. Often I willlearn up to two or even three roles in oneseason, which can be rather daunting.In this case, I tend to go back and forthfrom one role to another. I might look atthe first act of one opera, then the finale

Mentor Memorieswith Adrianne Pieczonka, soprano

a Mentor Memories invites leading arts professionals to share their reflections on inspirational and motivational experiences.

ADRIANNE PIECZONKASoprano

Dramatic and stunning, Canadiansoprano Adrianne Pieczonka is hailedfor her lushly beautiful sound andpoignant vulnerability. (New YorkTimes) She performs on leading opera and concert stages throughoutEurope, North America, and Asia under the direction of internationallyrenowned conductors.

Adrianne’s most recent CD is the JUNO-Award winning recording ofsome of Puccini best-loved arias. Herrecording as Elsa in Hännsler Classic’sLohengrin, featuring Johan Botha asLohengrin and conducted by SemyonBychkov, was named both DISC OFTHE YEAR and received the OPERAAWARD at the 2010 BBC MusicMagazine Awards.

Adrianne is an Officer of the Order of Canada and, in 2007, was named a Kammersängerin by the Austriangovernment.

adriannepieczonka.com

In this installment of Mentor Memories we speak with Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka, renowned leading opera and concert performer.

musicMATTERS | May/June 2011 7

of another opera, and the second act of a third opera. It might sound a bitstrange, but I find this works for me. I then take the role to a coach and to my voice teacher. I perform all overthe world so I work with many differentcoaches, which is quite interesting. You learn many things from each coach. Each one offers their uniqueinterpretation of the role. I am lucky because I learn each new rolereasonably quickly.

With a schedule as busy as yours, how do you maintain yourvocal health?Vocal health is extremely important.Because I live in Toronto, I tend to flyto Europe to perform many times a year.An ENT in Munich recommended I usea hand-held nebulizer during my flights.It is a very small, battery poweredmachine which is filled with a bit ofwater. It provides a lovely cool mistwhich you inhale through a mask. I usethis religiously on all of my long-haul

flights. I get a few strange glances frommy fellow passengers and the flight staffoften ask me about the machine. Airtravel is very dehydrating, so it is goodto combat this with the nebulizer. I also have some wonderful throatlozenges (also from Germany!) whichkeep my throat and vocal cords nicelylubricated during long flights. Rest isalso important. Ideally I try to schedulesome time off after a strenuous run of performances. It’s not only the vocalcords that need rest but also the bodyand the mind! Travel is hard on thebody – flights and hotels take their toll.I also continue to work with vocalconsultants, coaches, and teachers inorder to keep my voice healthy and in prime condition.

If you could give one point ofadvice to beginner voice students,what would it be?My one point of advice for youngsingers is, know that success doesn’tcome without hard work and dedication.

I think young singers dream too often of“instant stardom” a la “American Idol.”In my opinion, there is no such thing asan overnight success story. A singer whodoes make a big splash in the business, is often no longer performing after just a few years. The business is hungry for“the next greatest tenor or soprano” andthis kind of demand often breedsrecklessness from managers to push theiryoung singers into repertoire that is tooheavy or vocally advanced. Each singermust know his or her limits. As myrocky start in Vienna illustrates, I had topay my dues. I believe artists must paytheir dues, toil to learn their craft, makemistakes, and take small steps forward.But I certainly don't want to paint apicture of doom and gloom.We singbecause it is a glorious thing. It is such athrill to sing on a stage and the rewardsare huge. Young singers should savourevery moment.

EXCELLENCE IN EXAMS OR THE POWER IN PREPARATIONWITH DR. THOMAS GREENThis dynamic session, led by the RCM’sChief Examiner for Practical Subjects,Dr. Thomas Green, will reveal invaluablemethods and resources to help yourstudents achieve a personal best ontheir next exam!

ARE YOU MOVING?The Best way to ensure you continue toreceive notifications and Music Mattersis to keep us up to date with yourcontact information. There are threeways to update your address:

1 Log into Teacher Services and Click “Change Your Profile”

2 Contact Candidate Services at 1.800.461.6058

3 Email us at musicmatters@rcmusic.cawith both your old and newinformation

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SYLLABI CROSSOVERREMINDERSGuitarThe Guitar Syllabus, 2011 Editiontakes effect September 1, 2011. Guitarrequirements in the Guitar Syllabus,2004 Edition will remain in effect for a one-year crossover period endingAugust 31, 2012.Speech Arts & DramaThe Speech Arts and Drama Syllabus,2011 Edition takes effect September 1,2011. The new Syllabus will replace the previous edition and there will beno crossover period.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTThe Royal Conservatory is excited to announce that His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnson, C.C.,C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., Governor Generaland Commander-in-Chief of Canadahas accepted our request for patronage. Please join us in thanking His Excellency for this privilege.

CFMTA NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011Heading to Regina this year? Make sureyou join The Royal Conservatory for oursessions. Be sure to tell our staff that theMusic Matters team referred you!

SPARKING THE FLAME WITH DR. JENNIFER SNOWJoin Dr. Jennifer Snow in this dynamicinteractive exploration of creativematerial, teaching ideas, and inspirationalapproaches that will maintain your passionand enthusiasm for teaching and learningthroughout the year.

OVERTONES OF ACHIEVEMENT: THE NEW FLUTE SYLLABUS ANDSERIES WITH MS. DIANNE AITKENJoin flute pedagogue and RCM ExaminerDianne Aitken as she explores the FluteSyllabus, 2010 Edition and Overtones™: A Comprehensive Flute Series from apedagogical and assessment perspective.

a Mentor Memories (continued from page 6)

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RUDIMENTS

Is it possible to use dotted restsin simple time?Dotted rests may indeed be used insimple time signatures like 44 or 34 , but there are two basic principles tokeep in mind:

1. The dotted rest must not exceed thebasic unit of counting. That meansthat a dotted eighth rest may be usedin 44 , but a dotted quarter rest may not be used. On the other hand,a dotted quarter rest could be used in 22 , because here the basic unit of counting is the half note.

2. The dotted rest must only occur onthe strong beat(s).

If candidates keep these two rules inmind, then dotted rests can be usedcorrectly in simple time signatures.However, it is always possible to usetwo separate rests instead of one dottedrest in simple time signatures, andmany teachers advise their students thatthis is the safer approach.

What are the accepted definitionsfor the new terms (imitation,inversion, sequence, tritone) on the Advanced Rudiments exam?With respect to the new terminology in the Advanced Rudiments course, it is not our expectation that candidatesshould be able to define these terms,especially given the very young age of many of our candidates and thedifficulty in expressing these particularconcepts. Rather, we would likecandidates to be familiar with theseconcepts so they can recognize andidentify them when they appear on the Analysis question.

Adding the terms “sequence,”“inversion,” and “imitation” allows us to ask more meaningful questions onthe Analysis portion of the AdvancedRudiments examination and focuscandidates’ attention on basiccompositional elements and patterns in music. These new terms are notincluded in the main list of terms,because students will not have toexpress their meaning in writing.

HARMONY

Is the identification of Baroquedances a requirement for BasicHarmony?Basic Harmony candidates are expectedto be able to identify the Baroquedances listed on page 21 under theheading “Introductory Harmony” in the Theory Syllabus, 2009 edition.Although the Introductory Harmonyexamination is not compulsory, therequired material in the Harmonystream is cumulative; therefore, studentsat all levels of Harmony are expected toknow the requirements for Rudimentsand for preceding levels of Harmony.

For Basic Harmony, do studentsneed to be able to identify alltypes of second inversion (64 )chords, or just the cadential 64 chord?Candidates at the Basic Harmony level are expected to be familiar with all types of 64 chords. On page 22 of the Theory Syllabus under the heading“Chords” we state that candidates mustknow all triads in major and minorkeys, in root position and all inversions.Therefore, we expect candidates to be able to write and recognizecadential 64 chords, passing 64 chords,neighbouring 64 chords and arpeggio 64 chords.

In this issue, the Chief Examiner answers frequently asked questions concerning theory examinations.

Q&A WITH A CHIEF EXAMINER

What is the preferred system for naming non-chord notes?With regards to the labelling of non-chord notes (or decorative notes),keep in mind our general note on page63 of the Theory Syllabus, which statesthat “any system of harmonic notationfound in standard textbooks will beaccepted. We encounter a wide varietyof approaches to the classification ofdecorative or non-chord notes from ourcandidates and we accept any logicalsystem that is applied consistently.

The charts and tables on pages 63-71 of the Theory Syllabus set forthour recommended notation system,which is based on a thorough survey ofmany currently used textbooks; however,we do not insist that candidates adhereto our recommendations. It is necessarythat candidates understand our notationalsystem so they can understand theexamination questions, but we remainopen to the various ways in whichcandidates approach harmonic analysisand the classification of non-chord notes.

HISTORY

On history exams, is it necessaryfor candidates to cite titles ofworks in their original languages?Candidates may choose to cite works in their original language (for example,“La Primavera”) or in translation.However, on all three levels of ourhistory examinations, and particularlyin History 2 and 3, we tend to refer to composition titles in the originallanguage, so it is important thatcandidates be able to recognize thesetitles. For example, on our History 3examination, a candidate may feel morecomfortable referring to Messiaen’s“Quartet for the End of Time” inEnglish, which is fine. However, in aquestion about the Messiaen work, wewould likely refer to it using the originalFrench title “Quatuor pour la fin dutemps” and would expect candidates torecognize the title. Marks will not bededucted for the use of translated titles.

a Q&A with a Chief Examiner explores questions relating to examinations, as asked by teachers and candidates.

THE ROYAL CONSERVATORY ACROSS CANADA

Spotlight onThe Prairies

a The Royal Conservatory Across Canada – The latest news about Royal Conservatory music and arts education in communities across Canada.

TEACHER PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT COMES TOTHE PRAIRIES

Teachers in Saskatchewan and Manitobaenthusiastically participated in the mostrecent series of Teacher ProfessionalDevelopment Seminars that took placeApril 7 to 9 in Regina, Saskatoon, andWinnipeg. Highlights of these sessions werethe morning master classes featuring masterteacher and Glenn Gould School faculty

member Marc Durand. Mr. Durand heardmore than a dozen local students during thethree seminars, playing at levels rangingfrom Grade 4 to ARCT. Teachers told us that“Marc Durand is a master. He made difficultconcepts easy to understand by the studentsand teachers by using demonstration andimagery.” The pedagogical discussion

following each master class provided anopportunity for teachers to ask specificquestions about Mr. Durand’s approach, whichenabled them to link together general themesarising from the morning master classes.

During the afternoon, teachers were furtherengaged by the interactive session onexcellence in teaching, led by Senior ExaminerDr. Kent McWilliams. Clear connections wereforged between the morning’s pedagogicaldiscussion and the afternoon session. Topicsthat were introduced during the master classand explored during the discussion period,such as tone production, were elaborated uponfurther by Dr. McWilliams in his interactivelecture. The concluding discussion onassessment led by Dr. Jennifer Snow, ExecutiveDirector of Teacher Pedagogy for The RoyalConservatory, touched on the universalpractice of evaluating student success in thelesson and creating positive experiences forstudents pursuing personal excellence.

The Royal Conservatory would like to thankall the teachers and student teachers whoattended, the students who performed in themaster classes, and the local representativeswho facilitated the seminars. We look forwardto returning to the Prairies in the fall.

LTTA™ CELEBRATES TEN YEARS IN WINNIPEG

This year marks the tenth anniversary of The Royal Conservatory’s innovative LearningThrough the Arts™ (LTTA™) program in theWinnipeg School Division. With nearly 100classes participating this year across tenschools, the program continues to expandrapidly through Manitoba’s capital.

“LTTA™ has achieved remarkable results in our first ten years working with theWinnipeg School Division,” says AngelaElster, Vice President, Academic at The RoyalConservatory and a founder of LTTA™. “Artist-educators, with support from WinnipegSchool Division administrators, havepositively engaged students using visual,performing, and musical arts, and we look

forward to deepeningand expanding theprogram in the future.”

Since its inception in2000, LTTA™ has firmlyestablished itself inWinnipeg. Local artists connect children to the arts in meaningful and educationalways, and shared experiences become thefoundation for future learning.

Offering lesson plans in all academic subjects,LTTA™ artist-educators and administrators use various art forms, such as music, painting,crafts, and drama, to enliven learning. Examplesfrom this past year in the Winnipeg SchoolDivision included classes in which a musiciantaught children about rhythm and rhyme,culminating in a song written and performed by the entire class.

RCM AND SRMTA

The Royal Conservatory was proud to be thesponsor of the largest convention in the history of the Saskatchewan Registered MusicTeachers’ Association. The convention, held in October 2010, in Saskatoon, was attended by110 delegates. Dr. Jennifer Snow, ExecutiveDirector of Teacher Pedagogy for The RoyalConservatory, presented the Keynote Address. On Saturday evening, fifteen-year-old pianist, Jan Lisiecki, performed to a sold-out crowd of1100 – a highlight of the conference! The RoyalConservatory would like to extend a special thank-you to outgoing SRMTA President andSaskatoon piano teacher, Mark Turner. He did awonderful job of organizing the conference eventsand shared his passion for excellence in musiceducation with teachers in his home province.

JOIN US AT CFMTA IN REGINA!

The Royal Conservatory will be hosting severalevents at this year’s CFMTA convention in Regina (July 6-9, 2011). The Opening Workshop on July 6 at 4:00pm will feature Dr. Jennifer Snow. She will talk about achievingexcellence in teaching by “Sparking the Flame.”Immediately following the Workshop, conventionattendees are invited to attend the CFMTA Welcome BBQ, sponsored by The Royal Conservatory.

On Friday, July 8 at 2:00 pm, senior woodwindexaminer, Dianne Aitken will explore Overtones, A Comprehensive Flute Series and discuss the RCMFlute Syllabus, 2010 Edition. In his presentation at 3:00 pm, Dr. Thomas Green, Chief Examiner forPractical Subjects, promises to reveal invaluablemethods and resources to help students achieve a personal best on their next exam.

We look forward to seeing you at our sessions, at the Welcome BBQ, and at our booth in the exhibit hall. Tell us you were invited by the Music Matters team!

Marc Durand

TEACHER PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT 2011.12

Starting in September 2011 The RoyalConservatory will be continuing its TeacherProfessional Development program throughseminars in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as other communities across Canada.

These accredited seminars are designed forteachers of all experience levels, as well asstudents considering a full or part-timeteaching career.

You can find more information, including dates,locations, presenters, and session topics atrcmusic.ca/teachers/conferences-and-summits.

musicMATTERS | May/June 2011 9

EXAMINATIONS5865 McLaughlin Road, Unit 4, Mississauga, ON L5R 1B8T 1.800.461.6058 F 1.905.501.0909 E musicmatters@rcmusic.cawww.rcmexaminations.org

IMPORTANT DATES

2011-2012 Session Dates Announced!CANADAWinter Session 2012 Registration Deadline Nov. 1, 2011

Theory Examinations Dec. 9 & 10, 2011Practical Examinations Jan.16-28, 2012

Spring Session 2012 Registration Deadline Mar. 6, 2012Theory Examinations May 11 & 12, 2012Practical Examinations Jun. 11-30, 2012

Summer Session 2012 Registration Deadline Jun. 5, 2012Theory Examinations Aug.10 & 11, 2012Practical Examinations Aug.13-25, 2012

You AskedWhen will my students’ marks be available?Marks are typically posted within two to three weeks after the examination date. Tell your students to be sure to watch theiremail for their automatic notification.

Examination Credits and RefundsIn candidate services, we receive many questions about Credits andRefunds. We thought it would be helpful to outline our policies in thisregard here and include an overview of the procedures.

GENERAL POLICY: EXAMINATIONCREDITS AND REFUNDSAfter registering for an examination, Creditsor Refunds are only available for one of thefollowing two reasons:1. Medical – Doctor’s note must be submitted.2. Conflict with a School examination –

Letter from school official on schoolletterhead must be submitted.

OVERVIEW OF THE CREDITS AND REFUNDS PROCEDUREOnce registered for an examination,candidates cannot cancel without penaltyexcept for one of the two reasons listedabove. There are no academic penalties formissed examinations. No examination Creditsor Refunds are granted to candidates who failto appear for their scheduled examination.

Please contact the Examinations CentreRepresentative in your area if you are unableto attend your exam.

UNDERSTANDING THE CREDITSAND REFUNDS REQUEST PROCESS:• STEP 1: Contact your Centre Representative

to notify him/her of your intended absence.

• STEP 2: Visit www.rcmexaminations.org to download the Credits and RefundsRequest Form – go to “Online Forms,” then “Additional Services”.

• STEP 3: Collect your documentation: for example, doctor’s note, or letter onschool letterhead.

• STEP 4: Fill out the Credits and RefundsRequest Form and fax or mail it toExaminations along with your supportingdocuments.

• STEP 5: The Examination CreditCommittee collects all requests daily andprocesses and responds to them within 8-10 weeks after the submission deadline.

CANDIDATE SERVICES CORNERa

PLEASE NOTE:• The Credits and Refunds Request Form

should be completed and submitted to Examinations along with supportingdocumentation by the submissiondeadline on the Credits and RefundsRequest Form. Requests received after this time will be denied.

• At the time you submit your Creditsand Refunds Request Form you mustindicate whether you are applying for acredit for the full examination fee or a50% refund of the examination fee. If noindication is made, then a credit, whichcan be applied to a future examination,will be issued as the default. Changesare not permitted after submission.

• Approved examination credits must be used within one year for one of theexamination sessions stipulated in thecurrent Credits and Refunds RequestForm. Credits are non�transferable andcannot be extended beyond one year.

• The Credit will be automatically applied the next time you register on�line.You are responsible for registering for all examinations. Examinations does not automatically register you for another session.

• No examination credits or refunds aregiven for amounts under $10.

Your Candidate Services Team

IMPORTANT:Credits and Refund Requests DO NOTautomatically register you for another session.