The ARSM Diploma is a post-grade 8 qualification, and requires students to deliver a half-hour programme of repertoire, put together according to the students’ individual musical strengths and enthusiasms.
The girls all study music A-Level with us, and each already holds a Grade 8 qualification for the Piano. Lucy also plays the Oboe, which she has already achieved an ARSM for, and the Recorder to Grade 8 standard and is going on to study music at Oxford University. Abigail holds a Grade 8 Violin qualification, and Amy also takes singing lessons. All three are enthusiastic participants in ensembles at the school, including instrumental groups and the chamber choir.
Each girl spoke of the difficulty of learning their pieces via online tuition. ‘It was a very demanding experience’ said Amy, who achieved a Merit. ‘As the majority of my lessons were taken online, it was difficult to hear details in the music which are essential to include in the piece for a diploma, but the return to face-to-face lessons made it easier for me to iron out any mistakes and add extra expression and depth to my pieces’.
Lucy, who achieved a Distinction said she was ‘over the moon about the result, and feel the ARSM performance diploma is a really rewarding experience, which allows you to express yourself through the music.’
Abigail, who achieved a Merit, found that the cancellation of A-Level exams gave her something to work towards through the lockdown, and motivated her to practise more as she worked toward the exam date.
The girls played a range of music, varying from Bach Prelude and Fugue, Schubert Sonata and Gershwin. Head of Keyboard Studies at the school, Catherine Woodman said, ‘Each girl performed beautifully, and it’s a delight to see such fantastic achievements in music at Redmaids’ High.’
