6th form Music UAL L3 or A levels - ACM Guildford, Richmond College or Strodes

Zac2007

I've got a musically talented son, he doesn't take after his parents :smile:

he loves music, would very much like to make a career out of it. He obviously wants to be a rock star but would be perfectly happy as a roady, he just wants to be involved in the music world but as parents we'd quite like him to get a decent education along the way, so that if the international rock plan doesn't come to fruition he has options.

He's Gr7 drums, plays guitar (self taught) for fun and to help his music composition and is on target for a 9 in his music GCSE.

He really wants to go to ACM Guildford in September to do the UAL L3 Ext Diploma but I keep reading bad stuff about the place, that said we've been there for a few open events and have been very impressed every time. He has other options, the same UAL L3 course at Richmond College, or doing traditional A levels at Strodes College.

After college we'd love him to have the opportunity to go to Uni or a Conservatoire to do a degree and don't want him messing up his chances now by choosing the wrong 6th form. Any advise from others that have been on a similar path would be appreciated.

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(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 1

Flamingo10

When you say drums what is that exactly? I assume that he is 16 and to be honest grade 7 is a bit on the low side for a good conservatoire. I say good because to get a go at playing for a living you need to be studying at the highest standard so that you can network and have a chance at some of the jobs. Not all conservatoires like not all universities off the same standard of education.

Be very careful about how the courses are advertised. If anything says that you "could" work with something well known it could mean that someone did once. For instance I just looked at one of the Conservatoires that said that they kept in touch with certain record labels. My immediate reaction to that was "that's nice." Keeping in touch with record labels is one thing, having most of their students playing for them on leaving the course is something else.

It is always a good idea to have something to fall back on if the music thing doesn't work out.

Reply 2

Zac2007

Original post by Flamingo10

When you say drums what is that exactly? I assume that he is 16 and to be honest grade 7 is a bit on the low side for a good conservatoire. I say good because to get a go at playing for a living you need to be studying at the highest standard so that you can network and have a chance at some of the jobs. Not all conservatoires like not all universities off the same standard of education.
Be very careful about how the courses are advertised. If anything says that you "could" work with something well known it could mean that someone did once. For instance I just looked at one of the Conservatoires that said that they kept in touch with certain record labels. My immediate reaction to that was "that's nice." Keeping in touch with record labels is one thing, having most of their students playing for them on leaving the course is something else.
It is always a good idea to have something to fall back on if the music thing doesn't work out.

https://www.trinityrock.com/instruments/drums, Level 8 is the top level and the way I understand it, is you can't just jump to level 8 you have to work through the levels, which he's done 1-7, he'll be starting his level 8 once his gcses are finished.

Reply 3

Flamingo10

Original post by Zac2007

I think you mean grade 8. Grade 8 is the top level of grade exams. You can take grade 8 at any age. What I know is that there are quite a few violinists that take and pass grade 8 at primary school. Someone who I know of did it at primary school on a 3/4 size violin and got a distinction. Most people wanting to study at a conservatoire will have passed grade 8 by the time they are 14. One of the places where I worked there was a young lad who passed trumpet grade 8 at primary school.

When someone auditions for a conservatoire they will be auditioning against people who have passed grade 8 at a much younger age than 17 and so are a much much higher standard than that needed to pass a grade exam.

You also have to take into account that some people can do from beginner to the standard required to pass grade 8 in only two years.

I am telling you this because you have to understand the level of competition for places which then translates into the level of competition for work.

Reply 4

Flamingo10

Oh and also you do not need to work through all the grade exams from grade 1. In fact you do not need to have taken any grade exams to work as a musician as work is gained through audition.

Reply 5

Zac2007

Thanks for the info about the grades I think maybe the school drum tutor has misled us slightly to keep the lesson fees coming in. My son has lessons with a tutor from school that does all the grade exams stuff and they say they have to work up the levels step by step, he also has lessons with a very talented pro drummer who thinks grades and exams are a waste of time, my son agrees with him and says the stuff he does at school is really basic but we thought getting to grade 8 was a good thing to have on a CV.

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 6

Flamingo10

The pro drummer is correct about grades. The problem is that they are not music qualifications and only qualifications within grades. The way I usually describe them to people is that they are like a badge for swimming a length in a pool. Followed by another badge for swimming 2 lengths etc.

They don't test playing with other people which is an entirely different skill. I have known of people who have passed grade 8 but when trying to play in a group with other people are completely unable to do it.

Whether putting grade 8 on a CV is good thing or not depends on what the CV is for. As far as I know you don't now get UCAS points for grade exams. This is probably because people used to exploit this. I was told by someone who worked at an independent school that the favourite trick there was to take up the flute in the first year, practice a lot, take grade 8 after playing for two years and then give up. It was done to get the UCAS points.

Most people who audition for conservatoires have passed grade 8 a lot of them years and years before they do the audition. Entry is by audition. Going to a conservatoire does not guarantee work playing music. There are more places than jobs.

Music at university is an academic course so some performing but not much.