
To become a reasonable performer on most musical instruments it is usually necessary to take lessons from a teacher.
The choice of a suitable teacher needs to be made with care – some are better qualified to teach than others, whether by the possession of a teaching diploma or by wide experience.
Personal recommendation is often valuable, and there is also a Professional Register of Private Teachers of Music (published by the Incorporated Society of Musicians) which lists approved teachers in all districts, and is available for reference in public libraries and music shops.
Some pupils may wish to take ‘grade’ examinations in music, which can provide a stimulus for regular practice and a yardstick for measuring progress.
These are held three times a year at local centres throughout the United Kingdom, and about once a year in most parts of the British Commonwealth, Egypt, South Africa, etc.
The principal examining bodies are the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Royal Northern College of Music, and Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama), Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Trinity College of Music, and London College of Music.
Details may be obtained from most music shops, and addresses of examining bodies will be found in The British Music Yearbook (published annually by Rhinegold Publishing Ltd) which is in most public libraries.
The examinations, in practical subjects and the theory of music, are usually in eight grades, and a beginner might expect to be able to take Grade One in about a year. The usual requirements for practical subjects include the satisfactory performance of three pieces, scales, sight-reading, and aural tests.
In the USA, examinations are organised by a number of Schools of Music, of which local music dealers will be able to supply details.
In Canada the Royal Conservatory of Music (University of Toronto) organises music examinations in ten grades. Trinity College of Music also holds examinations in the USA and Canada.