Outrage as students of brass, woodwind, and voice told to consider alternative instruments
Harriet Clifford
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
A recent document proposing modifications to Music performance assessment from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has provoked outrage among music teachers online by suggesting that brass, woodwind and voice students should learn a different instrument.
St Mary's School, Edinburgh
The document, which has been published in response to recent Covid-19 developments, outlines a number of modifications schools and teachers can make in order to support their instrumental students, including allowing students to perform on either two instruments or one instrument and voice, or one instrument and voice.
SQA also suggests modified timings for performances in National 4, National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher Music qualifications, as well as changes to assessment and accompaniment requirements.
However, music teachers have spoken out on social media about a suggestion made on page 4 of 5 under the heading ‘Implications of further modifications for candidates and teachers.’
It reads: ‘Brass, woodwind and voice candidates, who are unable to be supported by face to face learning and teaching leading up to their assessment, might wish to consider the option of learning a different instrument.’
The document goes on: ‘This instrument could be closely related to an instrument that they play. Individual candidates and their teachers and lecturers should carefully consider the candidate’s strengths and abilities when deciding whether to pursue this option or not.’
In response to this, one Facebook user wrote, ‘I’m wondering if any wind, brass or vocal instructors have seen the latest madness from SQA?’
Faced with the challenges of teaching and assessing woodwind and brass instruments, some schools have come up with ingenious solutions to enable students to continue playing.
Specialist music school St Mary’s School in Edinburgh has resorted to drilling holes between adjoining walls for woodwind lessons. PCs, webcams and microphones were set up in the adjacent rooms to create a live link between the two spaces, one of which contains a piano.
Lis Dooner, one of the principal flute teachers at the school, said, ‘At the start of term I came into school to hold a class that was just about movement away from our flutes. But the next step we introduced, of teacher and pupil being in adjacent rooms, with the pupil on their flute in one room and me on the piano next door, meant that we created a situation in which we can actually listen, hear and play in real time with each other, which is fabulous.’
The school has also adapted its masterclass programme to be held online.
The document published by SQA can be read in full here.