Every year, the Hamilton-Halton chapter of ORMTA publishes an honour roll, consisting of the students who have achieved 80% or above on a conservatory exam during the past year. I am pleased to congratulate the following students from my studio and online classes who were listed on this year’s honour roll:

Eugene Zhang, Oakville, ON (Grade 6 Piano)
Brandon Roberts, Sault Ste. Marie, ON (History 1)
Kaleigh Stroink, Errington, BC (History 1)
Taylor Johnson, Courtenay, BC (Intermediate Harmony)

Great job, students!

Another interesting tidbit from the Fall 2011 edition of Music Matters:

RCM Examinations is pleased to announce that beginning in September 2011, candidates may apply to transfer post-secondary credits in Music for credit at RCM Examinations. Candidates who have completed a Bachelor of Music or a Bachelor of Arts degree with a music major from an accredited university or college may request to have their transcript evaluated for transfer credit. Candidates should complete the Transfer of Credit form on the RCM Examinations website and include a copy of their most recent university of college transcript. Each transcript will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Candidates may be granted credit for some, all, or none of their post-secondary coursework. Candidates who receive theory credit will be exempted from writing the Comprehensive Theory Examination, though they may be required to write one or more RCM theoretical examinations for which no clear equivalent can be found on the transcript. Applicants may be contacted for further information if the documentation provided is considered insufficient or incomplete. Candidates with a Bachelor of Music may continue to apply for exemption from the Grade 10 practical prerequisite for the ARCT, and from the prerequisites for the LRCM. The comprehensive theory exam may still be required of candidates who cannot demonstrate clear equivalents to RCM Examinations theory courses.

An interesting tidbit from the Fall 2011 edition of Music Matters:

RCM Examinations is pleased to announce that as of September 2011 candidates have 5 years to complete all theory co-requisites upon successfully completing the relevant practical examination level. Furthermore, theory examinations that had previously been listed as prerequisites for specific practical examinations, will now be considered co-requisites. For example, instead of having to wait until the Advanced Rudiments examination is completed before registering for their Grade 10 practical examination, candidates can now apply for their Grade 10 practical examination and their Advanced Rudiments examination concurrently. Candidates will also have five years to successfully complete these examinations.

Fall 2011

Basic Rudiments (formerly Preliminary Rudiments) will cover the foundations of music notation and vocabulary per the requirements prescribed by RCM Examinations and the Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program (CHRCAP).

Basic Rudiments is tentatively scheduled for Monday evenings at 8:00pm ET beginning September 12th, 2011.

For more information please download the Course Information Package. Please register your interest.

This is the final post of responses from a questionnaire sent to recent “graduates” of AME online theory and history classes.

What would you tell someone who wasn’t sure if online courses were for them?

GO FOR IT! You don’t have to get “dressed up” or “go out”. Scott is available to help with questions by email, and is very thorough in his material coverage. You won’t regret it! And the price is right, too!

Any fear or obstacle that you have towards an online course can be overcome if you study hard and have Mr. Ashby for a teacher!

It’s better to do it online so that you can do it on your own time and not have to leave your house or anything.

I would ask him their preferred learning environment. If he enjoyed one-on-one study with a private educator, online classes are probably not his best option to pursue; however, if he enjoyed group discussions and the accessibility of online education, Ashby Musical Enterprises is a cost-effective way for him to best pursue and enhance his musical education. Since many music students live in areas of Canada and the world in which quality music instruction is not easily obtained, Ashby Musical Enterprises is a wonderful opportunity for those students to participate in quality musical instruction via an ever-expanding education platform.

Online courses are really convenient and easy to get used to if you haven’t done it before.

Try it out! Mr. Ashby is a great teacher and he’ll answer your questions thoroughly and completely if he can. If he can’t, he’ll research it and let you know!

The practice tests given to us were difficult, but by the time we got to the “real” test it was either easier than normal or we had prepared well. Thank you Mr. Ashby for all the time you spent with us! I had a great time with this class.

If you still have reservations, please request a demo class where you can receive a tour of the technology and receive answers to your questions. Looking forward to hearing from YOU!

Since these courses are designed around the curriculum of the Royal Conservatory of Music (in the U.S., the Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program), it begs the question, “Will these courses really prepare me for the exam?” Here is what some recent students had to say:

I felt I was VERY well equipped for the 2 History and 2 Harmony exams I’ve written thus far, as prepared by Scott’s online classes. Neither of these subjects are my forte, but I was pleased with the outcome of my exams, given Scott’s course preparation and scheduling.

Yes, definitely! The tests I found that you provided for us were challenging enough that once I got to my final exam seemed easier for me. The final review tests helped to show me how much I remembered, [or my lack of] so I really knew what I should study to improve my score.

There could have been no possibly better preparation for the exam than was provided by Ashby Musical Enterprises. With Scott Ashby as teacher, every question is encouraged to be asked and is striven to be answered during class time and answered throughout the week via email. Also, some students enjoy the use of Wikipedia during class discussion which aid and enhance group study and dialogue.

The course more than prepared me for my exam. I finished with first class honours with distinction on my last exam. I couldn’t have been more ready.

Mr. Ashby gave us excellent notes, but mostly it is up to the student to study (at least for history). I found it helpful to ask questions during the class so I wasn’t confused by anything later.

So, do students who have taken online courses recommend it as a beneficial method of study? Find out in the next post!

Many people have never taken an online class, so they have different ideas of what to expect. These are the responses to the second question of the recent survey sent out to successful students.

Was the online course what you expected?

I didn’t expect it to be SO MUCH FUN at times…. Scott has a good sense of humour, even while keeping the class and students on-track. As an instructor, he is very knowledgeable, but if he doesn’t know the answer, he says so, but goes and searches out the info needed. He’s very organized in his approach, as well.

I didn’t have any expectations for this class because I had never done an online course before….but I know I am really looking forward to doing Harmony with you and I think you’re a really great teacher.

No, I didn’t know it would be so interactive with the participants.

Having taken a previous online course, I was prepared for the learning format which accompanies online courses from Ashby Musical Enterprises. The class format is easily learned and soon enjoyed by all participants.

The course was more than I expected. When I first started, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I couldn’t have been more satisfied.

Yes, it was great. I’m not quite sure what I expected, but this music history class (grade 3; level 1) was very similar to my homeschooling curriculum and I am used to being taught in this manner.

Next time, I’ll ask the question, “Did the course prepare you for the exam?”

I recently asked some students who have recently completed an online theory or history course to answer some questions about their experience. Here are the responses from Question #1. These are unedited except for some spelling corrections and formatting.

What did you enjoy most about the online course?

I signed up for these courses as “refreshers” en route to the Royal Conservatory ARCT, as a mature adult. This method of music education was MUCH preferable, at my age/stage than sitting in an actual classroom with students younger than my own children. (Although the other students in this “virtual classroom” are likely young enough to be my grandchildren!!)

I appreciate that I can attend this class in my own home. That makes it SO much easier, especially in inclement weather.

One of the distinct benefits is that each class is recorded, so that if a student can’t be in attendance, there is always the recording so you don’t miss a thing. This recording system also helps with reviewing materials, as the listening portions and discussions are right there.

Scott is VERY thorough in his covering all the material, and provides quizzes and tests for review.

Because the class also is “live” there is an option for student participation and input.

Well, I really loved the quantity of organized material that was given to me, concepts were explained well and you could get great feed back from your ideas….the people in my class really made it enjoyable and I loved your sense of humor that you would add into it ever-so-often. Another bonus was meeting Canadians from the other side of Canada! I was privileged to do my first course with my sister since we are two years apart in school we don’t have any studies that we share! We were able to study and laugh together.

That when I wasn’t able to attend the designated time, I could be emailed the file and catch up on my own time.

In an online course such as this, you are able to experience intriguing group discussions which would not be possible in a one-on-one program of study.

I liked how I could participate in a “classroom” setting without leaving the comfort of my own home.

The course was more than I expected. When I first started, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I couldn’t have been more satisfied.

I enjoyed the interaction of the students with each other and the teacher. I found it helpful to have my questions answered vocally rather than through other means of communication (although email is quite useful as well). I also enjoyed meeting new people and learning in a live format. Since there were not many students we were able to get to know each other a bit more than I expected.

Next time, I’ll post the responses to Question #2: Was the online course what you expected?

The summer lesson payment schedule can be found here. Summer lessons are flexible. Let me know if you have any questions.

June 15th, 2011 – December 9th, 2011

This online course will cover music history from the 19th-Century to the present day, including relevant vocabulary, concepts, composers and specific examples according to the requirements of RCM Examinations and the Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program (CHRCAP). This class will run from June – December with the expectation of the student registering and completing the History 3 exam on December 9th, 2011. Classes are 1 hour in duration and are scheduled for Wednesdays at 8:00pm ET.

For more information please download the Course Information Package. Please register your interest.