Annual Review 2005-2006 The Associated Board of The Royal Schools of Music Contents About the Associated Board About the Associated Board 2 The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music is a charitable company established for the benefit of music Highlights from the Year 3 education by four Royal Schools of Music in the UK: The Year at a Glance 4 Royal Academy of Music, London From the Chief Executive 6 Royal College of Music, London From the Chairman 9 Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow Exams and Assessments 10 Publishing 15 The Associated Board’s core activity is the operation of an authoritative and internationally recognized system of Professional Development 18 exams and assessments to encourage and motivate players In Partnership 21 and singers at all levels through the provision of goals and the measurement of progress. New Projects 22 Celebrating Achievement 24 As the world leader in its field, the Associated Board Financial Summary 25 currently conducts over 600,000 music exams each year in more than 90 countries. Who’s Who 26 Farewell and Welcome 26 ABRSM Publishing is one of the UK’s leading music publishers, whose publications support the exams, provide Examiners 27 additional repertoire and contribute to music education. CT ABRSM Mentors and Course Leaders 29 The Associated Board also provides professional Representatives 30 development services for instrumental and singing teachers New Diploma Holders 31 through its widely acclaimed Certificate of Teaching Course (CT ABRSM) and a range of other courses, New CT ABRSM Holders 35 seminars and workshops. Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards 36 Our principal objective is to maintain and develop the Prize Winners 36 services and products that we provide to music teachers and students to the highest standards. We also seek to play Front cover photo: a significant role in influencing political debate in favour Pupils from Woodford Halse C of E Primary School, Northants of music education. Annual Review for the year ended 31 January 2006 2 Highlights from the Year SoundJunction Accreditation in South Africa We launch SoundJunction, an innovative new Official recognition for graded music exams website for musical learning and creativity from the Qualifications Authority and Joint Matriculation Board Access to exams We design and pilot new tests for sight- and hearing-impaired candidates Partnership with SmartMusic A preferential subscription rate for Associated Board applicants subscribing to this innovative ‘intelligent accompaniment’ system New Music Medals repertoire Ensemble pieces for saxophone and recorder players Online communities Members of the www.abrsm.org discussion forums meet up and make music at the first forums concerts Exams New courses Another record year for entries Two new professional development courses for teachers Spectrum 4 We publish Spectrum 4, a collection of 66 newly commissioned miniatures for piano CT ABRSM HRH The Prince of Wales is guest of honour at our award ceremony celebrating 10 years of the Certificate of Teaching 3 The Year at a Glance We held conferences in South Africa and New Zealand to update Representatives on the latest developments Pianists at the Spectrum 4 launch January Spain: exhibit at National Association of British Schools in UK: violin syllabus seminar in Edinburgh Spain conference in Barcelona USA: ABRSM Publishing attends the International UK: conference for Music Medals Trainers Association for Jazz Education conference in Long Beach, UK: CT ABRSM Open Mornings California April February Germany: ABRSM Publishing exhibits at the Frankfurt South Africa: conference for South African Representatives Music Fair and a series of seminars for teachers presented by Tim Hong Kong: CT ABRSM Taster and launch of CT ABRSM Arnold, Head of International Operations Alumni Association UK: cello syllabus seminar in Edinburgh UK: website forums concert for adult learners in Chertsey, May Surrey Spain & Portugal: Richard Morris, Chief Executive and Clara Taylor, Chief Examiner, present seminars for teachers March in Madrid and Porto Hong Kong, Macau & Taiwan: Professional Development UK: exhibit at the Federation of Music Services and the Programme Music Masters’ and Mistresses’ Association conferences Malaysia & Singapore: Professional Development UK: CT ABRSM Tasters Programme UK: jazz workshops New Zealand: conference for New Zealand Honorary Local USA: ABRSM Publishing exhibits at the Retail Print Music Representatives Dealers Association conference Oman: professional development course www.abrsmpublishing.com: launch of new ABRSM Singapore: diploma award ceremony Publishing website 4 Diploma award ceremony in Hong Kong Specially trained examiner- presenters led seminars in 16 countries June October UK: CT ABRSM Tasters China: ABRSM Publishing exhibits at MusicChina in UK: jazz workshops Shanghai Greece: Clara Taylor, Chief Examiner, presents seminar for July teachers in Athens UK: summer school for piano students from Hong Kong Indonesia, Malaysia & Singapore: Richard Morris, Chief UK: website forums concert for adult learners in Executive, and Dr David Young, S E Asia Regional Stalybridge, Manchester Consultant, present seminars for teachers UK: CT ABRSM award ceremony at the Royal Academy Italy: Tim Arnold, Head of International Operations, of Music presents seminars for teachers in Rome, Milan and Vicenza UK: ABRSM Publishing exhibits at the British Music Fair in UK: conference for Music Medals Trainers Birmingham UK: SoundJunction launch at LSO St Luke’s in London UK: ABRSM Publishing wins the Music Industries August Association Innovation in Music Publishing award for Malaysia & Singapore: Professional Development Music Medals Repertoire Sessions Programme November September The Netherlands: exhibit at the European Council of UK: website forums concert in Woodford Green, Essex International Schools conference in The Hague UK: exhibit at the National Association of Music Educators Hong Kong: diploma award ceremony conference UK: Spectrum 4 launch at the Royal Academy of Music UK: exhibit at the Scottish Association of Music Educators UK: saxophone syllabus workshop at the British conference Association of Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles conference New Zealand HLRs conference 70 teachers 10 Professional gathered at Development seminars in UK Tasters and Edinburgh Open Mornings 5 From the Chief Executive I am pleased to report that 2005 was another year in which “The excitement In the second half of the year the Associated Board actively and successfully pursued its a new Development mission to support and benefit music education worldwide. generated by Department was created, In doing so we extended the range of our services from under the leadership of exams, publications and professional development by SoundJunction, Richard Crozier, by a merger offering opportunities for online music exploration and of the former Corporate learning through the launch in October of SoundJunction. our major Marketing and Professional online project, Development Departments. The work of the Associated Board We are already beginning to Entries for Associated Board exams moved marginally has already see the synergies which arise ahead of the record level established in 2004, totalling from joining up all our some 637,000 candidates worldwide. This outcome exceeded contacts and reflected a modest downturn in the UK, which was more communications with music than compensated by continuing international growth. expectations” teachers. This has been There were significant increases in entries from China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Oman, Malaysia, Thailand and the USA. Interest is also accelerating rapidly in various European countries and our exams were granted official recognition by the Department for Education in South Africa. Over the past ten years the annual number of overseas candidates has grown by a remarkable 40%. ABRSM Publishing had a quieter year, without the new publications for both piano and violin exams which had made such a major contribution to 2004 results. However, steady progress was made and much preparatory work undertaken for a range of new publications planned for 2006 and 2007. For the second year in succession ABRSM Publishing won the Music Industries Association award for Spectrum 4 composers at the launch in November Innovation in Music Publishing, this time for a marketing project, Music Medals Repertoire Sessions. particularly evident in the launch of two new professional development courses: An Introduction to Instrumental and The uptake for Music Medals in their first full year Vocal Teaching and Teaching Music Effectively. Our core following launch was slower than anticipated, as teachers CT ABRSM (Certificate of Teaching) course continues to take time to get used to the innovative processes of meet the needs of teachers and we were greatly honoured conducting their own assessments in front of video and by the presence of the Associated Board’s President, HRH dealing with the administration online. Nonetheless by the The Prince of Wales, at its tenth annual award ceremony. end of the year around 1,400 teachers had been trained to conduct the assessments and candidates had been entered The excitement generated by SoundJunction, our major by teachers from nearly 500 schools and 50 Music Services online project funded by Culture Online (part of the around the UK. Department for Culture, Media and Sport), has already 6 ”2005