New Diplomas
RGT Senior Examiner Merv Young describes the new range of professional qualifications available for electric guitar teachers...
For a number of years RGT, in partnership with London College of Music (LCM) Exams, has offered the LLCM(TD) as its only post-grade eight qualification for electric guitarists. As this is one of the highest-level teaching diploma offered by music examination boards, the pass rate was unfortunately very low (at around 15%) - mainly because candidates did not have the opportunity to work gradually through a progressive range of diplomas as they would have been able to do in the classical field. RGT has now launched three levels of teaching diploma: DipLCM(TD), ALCM(TD) and LLCM(TD), making it the only examination board to offer a complete range of fully-accredited specialist Diplomas designed specifically for electric guitar teachers.
FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS
These professional qualifications will be the quality assurance mark for electric guitar teachers.
The previous LLCM(TD) was accredited by LCM Exams and Thames Valley University but had never been submitted to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), who only began to accredit diploma-level music teaching exams relatively recently. All the new RGT Diplomas are accredited by LCM Exams and TVU, and in addition are also accredited by QCA(Ofqual) and recognised by the DCSF (Dept. of Education & Skills) as a recognised qualification and have been placed on the National Qualifications Framework. Consequently, these new professional qualifications will soon become to be seen as the recognisable quality assurance mark for electric guitar teachers.
EXAM CONTENT
The focus in all these new Diplomas is the ability to 'teach' electric guitar.
The previous LLCM(TD) Diploma demanded not only proven capability as a teacher but also a professional level of playing ability (often with the musical content straying into jazz territory). In contrast, the new Diplomas have been designed to reflect the specific skills needed by electric guitar teachers teaching rock, pop, blues and other styles of contemporary popular music, and whilst playing ability needs to be sufficient to ably demonstrate musical examples and techniques to students, the focus in all these new Diplomas is the ability to 'teach' electric guitar. (In 2009 a range of 'Performance' Diplomas will be launched for those who want to focus their career on playing rather than teaching.) One of the key requirements in obtaining QCA accreditation for the new teaching Diplomas was that candidates must be observed teaching: the candidate can choose to have this done either by conducting a lesson during the examination or via the submission of a videoed lesson. The tables below outline all the components of each new teaching Diploma and a brief overview of some of the key elements is then provided.
DipLCM in Teaching
- Fingerboard knowledge
- Lesson
- Presentation and demonstration
- Discussion
ALCM in Teaching
- Essay
- Lesson
- Presentation and demonstration
- Discussion
- Sight Reading
LLCM in Teaching
- Dissertation
- Lesson
- Presentation and demonstration
- Discussion
- Sight Reading
DIPLCM(TD)
- A 'Fingerboard Knowledge' component is included to ensure that candidates can demonstrate proficiency in, and knowledge of, these core technical skills. Candidates are required to perform from memory a selection of scales, arpeggios and chords and are left free to devise their own fingerings for all of these. This section will also help provide a foundation for the candidate to progress through the subsequent diplomas.
- During the 'Lesson' component candidates are expected to incorporate some element of either scales, chords/arpeggios or aural awareness into the lesson, however, the main focus should be the teaching of lead and rhythm playing as it is these skills in particular that are essential to the electric guitarist playing contemporary music.
- The 'Presentation and Demonstration' component provides the candidate with the opportunity to demonstrate their approach to teaching the guitar. At this level, candidates will give a presentation of approximately twenty minutes on aspects of their teaching skills. This also provides an opportunity to expand and develop upon the elements incorporated into the lesson component. Although the main focus here will be the standard of pupil selected for the lesson component, candidates are expected to be familiar with the material and requirements up to, and including, grade 8. This component will lead into the 'Discussion' component where topics from the previous sections can be addressed more fully.
ALCM(TD)
- For the ALCM essay component the candidate should select a topic from the list given in the syllabus and submit this with their application for the exam. The essay topics cover issues such as approaches to group tuition, electric guitar teaching resources and methods of motivating and inspiring pupils. As an example, one of the essay titles is: "How do you approach teaching the electric guitar to a complete beginner with no previous musical experience? How would your approach differ between teaching children and adults?" The essay needs to be approximately 4000 words and should include musical examples.
- The lesson component is similar in format to the DipLCM, although slightly longer in duration and the examiners will be expecting to see a more detailed understanding and demonstration of the teaching process. Similarly, the presentation and discussion components will be slightly longer and more detailed than for the DipLCM.
LLCM(TD)
The LLCM dissertation is a three-part submission comprising: Case Studies; Players and Styles; Essay. As with the ALCM this is submitted with the exam application.- The 'Case Study' details the progress and assessment of three pupils and also allows the candidate to assess their own achievements with the pupils during this period. This is essentially an observation and assessment of the teaching process over a period of between 6 and 12 months. It should provide a detailed overview of the progress made by the pupils being studied and an appraisal of the achievements made by the candidate. This should be between 2500 and 3500 words.
- The 'Players and Styles' element is a comparative study of three high profile electric guitarists of the candidate's choice. Particular reference should be made to the styles of music and playing techniques utilised as well as drawing on how this information can be utilised within a teaching environment. This study is between 1500 and 2500 words.
- The 'Essay' section requires the candidate to select a topic from the syllabus list, which covers more general teaching issues and approaches but with an emphasis and application for the electric guitar. As you would expect, at this level candidates are expected to demonstrate a greater insight and understanding into all aspects of the teaching process. One of the essay titles is: "Discuss how you would approach teaching a student the RGT grades 6 to 8 electric guitar exams. Explore and define the pieces and exercises you would adopt to help refine their technical skills for their exams."
- The lesson component is similar in format to the previous diplomas although slightly longer in duration compared with the ALCM. The examiners will be expecting to see a demonstration of proficient and authoritative teaching skills at this level. The duration and depth of detail will increase for the presentation and discussion components at this level.
SIGHT READING
The (prepared) 'Sight Reading' component in both ALCM and LLCM is presented in standard notation. Although much electric guitar music now uses the tablature system, it is also important that teachers are able to demonstrate at least some basic ability to read from standard notation so that they can guide any students who have an interest in this area. Candidates are allowed two minutes to study the piece before being asked to play it. The content will be limited to a short single line melody (or 'mostly' single line at LLCM) with only keys, time signatures and styles that are common in popular music being included.
EXAM LOCATIONS
In the UK, the new Diploma exams will be held three times a year, during the same periods as the RGT's grade exams: Spring (March/April), Summer (June/July) and Winter (November/December). Overseas candidates should contact their RGT national representative for details of examination dates. DipLCM examinations may be held at a wide range of regional exam centres. ALCM and LLCM Diplomas are normally examined by a panel of at least two senior examiners and, dependent upon the number of entrants from each area, these examinations may only take place at a limited range of exam centres.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Unlike the current LLCM(TD), the new Diplomas do not include a written music theory paper and so, to ensure that teachers have a solid understanding of music theory, candidates are required to have passed the LCM Grade 5 popular music theory exam (or any one of a range of equivalents listed in the syllabus). Candidates who have not already taken a grade 5 theory exam (or equivalent) can simply enter for this at the same time as entering for the Diploma; the diploma being awarded upon passing both. As is standard practice with all classical Diplomas, and to provide a progressive (and therefore hopefully more successful) study route for candidates, ALCM(TD) candidates should normally have passed the DipLCM(TD), and LLCM(TD) candidates should normally have passed the ALCM(TD), although alternative prerequisite qualifications will be considered (see syllabus for full details).
