Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: Girl Friday
Date: 24 Jun 07 - 03:44 PM

Thanks for all of that info chaps and chapesses.We'll investigate all of it further in the next couple of weeks. Bless you all.

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: GUEST,aoliandorian
Date: 22 Jun 07 - 02:48 PM

I am a guitar tutor and have many tales to tell of the lack of appreciation by the 'establishment' of Traditional music. I recently had a pupil entered into a Young Musicians competition and, despite blowing the competition away with his performance of Davy Graham's 'Angii' he wasn't even placed because he had the temerity to learn the piece by heart and didn't use written music.
Although using different tunings is a good idea, the examiners generally do not understand what is going on, but can't admit it.
The Arts Council of Great Britain view Traditional music as a pastime, not an art form.
There are many books of Traditional Guitar arrangements available. Suggest [e-mail] who have a good selection.

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: GUEST,Ian cookieless
Date: 21 Jun 07 - 04:17 PM

Find out the exam board, go to their website and the syllabus will be there.

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 Jun 07 - 10:45 AM

Thanks, Ross, for the link to that wonderful Carolan site. I'm downloading tunes already.

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: Cats at Work
Date: 21 Jun 07 - 06:05 AM

If you can let me know the name of the board I'll try and find out from our music department or will check with the board if necessary.

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: selby
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 07:11 AM

My two boys did their Music GCSE's with a folk bend the best thing to do is to get a load of tunes that you can and like playing and offer them up to the Teacher for consideration. Beware you will be told it is not real music and your mark will be considerably lower becauase of this. They both persevered and both got A's, one going on to A level music but as a fiddler after he finished his A levels he did/does not pick up his fiddle at all, as the system crushed him.

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: maeve
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 06:23 AM

Nice link, Ross. Thanks!

maeve

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: Ross
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 05:48 AM

This is the business - folkie tunes

Fill your boots

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 05:08 AM

You have to pay for copies of the syllabus, the examining boards are private companies.

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 04:37 AM

Surely GCSE syllabus is publicly available?

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 04:17 AM

I would suggest,a variety of tempos,a hornpipe, a jig,an air.
can he play in any other tuning as well as standard,even if it is just a song in drop d DADGBE,OR double drop d DADGBD,OR dadgad,it will demonstrate his versatility.

Subject: RE: Help needed with GCSE in Folk Music
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 03:44 AM

It's 5 or more years since Daughter did GCSE music, so things might have changed. She, quite deservedly, got an A, despite not being the world's most accomplished performer on her chosen instrument, the piano (in fact, she was a self- taught beginner). I think that they are (or were) looking for appreciation and understanding rather than virtuosity, and particularly breadth rather than depth. But best ask the teacher for a look at the syllabus.

She had to play three or four pieces of her own choosing, plus two of her own compositions. She chose a simple Bach piece (the Musette from the English Suite no.3), a late 19th century French Pastorale by J'Oublissonnom, and The Entertainer (oh, and just remembered, a duet of Pachelbel's Canon with her mother). Her compositions were a very good Pastorale in the style of the piece she played, and a rollicking waltz that took all of 15 minutes to conceive and write out, and was much praised!

So if things are much the same, the Boy has the field to himself. If he sings, choose a song to match accomaniment to his voice. In any case I suspect a breadth of styles will get the best results. A Carolan tune, a Blues piece, a Morris tune perhaps.

Subject: Help needed with UK GCSE in Folk Music
From: Girl Friday
Date: 19 Jun 07 - 05:33 PM

Are there any acoustic guitar tutors out there who can give some guidance on what sort of set pieces are expected to be performed for GCSE music exams in the Folk Guitar genre.My boy has been told to ask a guitar tutor but we feel there is no need for formal tuition, as he is already an accomplished player.