Hosted by The International School of London–Qatar,
14 students participated in the graded music
examination held earlier this week. By Anand Holla
Rock music is mostly about letting your real personality shine through in whatever you create or perform. With more than two decades of Rockschool, young rock music lovers have found a mentor, a friend, and a helping hand, to shape and fine-tune their musical personalities.
Much to the delight of Qatar’s youth, Rockschool, the leading accredited provider of rock and pop exams worldwide, has now reached Doha’s shores. The International School of London – Qatar (ISL Qatar) hosted the first Rockschool exams in Doha earlier this week when 14 students participated in drums and singing examinations.
Renowned for their practicality, flexibility and creativity, Rockschool’s graded music exams, diplomas and vocational qualifications – all inspired by the music of the finest rock stars – are taught the world over.
What makes Rockschool special is how it makes music exams fun and easy, while allowing students to bag a world recognised qualification in the process. “Our qualifications cover the principal rock instruments as well as including many other areas of study including music composition, music technology, performance skills, digital synthesis and music business skills,” the Rockschool explains in its note.
This international rock music exam board’s graded music exams provide an opportunity for students to work towards accredited qualifications, playing the music they love.
Every candidate’s progressive mastery on a musical instrument from Entry Level 3 (Debut) up to Grade 8 is assessed. From Grade 6 upwards the students can gain extra credit on their University applications. Instruments studied include guitar, drums, bass, keyboard, piano, and vocals.
The ISL Qatar students have been working hard since the beginning of term with many extra lessons, workshops and rehearsals. The dedication of all 14 candidates paid off when they all passed, and 11 passed with merit.
Daniel Gay travelled from London to examine the students. An ISL Qatar official said that Gay expressed his delight at the welcome he received and the enthusiasm of the students. Meanwhile, as part of the preparation for the examinations, students have been practicing regularly in the school atrium to help overcome their performance nerves.
The ISL Qatar, the official centre for Rockschool in Doha, has asserted its commitment to expanding the opportunity for students of all ages to develop their musical education through playing the music they love.
“Students from all surrounding schools are able to enter the examinations at ISL Qatar rather than travel to Dubai as was previously necessary. The ISL Qatar will host the examinations again in May 2015 and welcomes any enquiries about the programme,” a note from ISL Qatar said.
In 1991, music educator Norton York and his playing partner Simon Pitt founded Rockschool when they realised that rock musicians were not being offered the same access to qualifications and training as classical musicians were and that this could and should be remedied.
Two years later, Rockschool launched the very first integrated rock music graded music exams for electric guitar, bass and drums. Since then the company and the syllabuses have grown and developed to cover piano, vocals, higher-level diplomas, vocational qualifications and band-based keyboards.
