There was total of 32 entrants and, amongst these, Dollar pupils received 14 distinctions, 11 merits and 7 passes. ‘It was an excellent set of results,’ said Mrs Fitzpatrick (Director of Music).
Trinity College of Music examinations also took place earlier this January and 15 pupils sat these exams.
In further news, Conor Philip (Form VI) recently won a competition he had entered last term. It was run by the ABRSM and relates to their new diploma exam, which Conor plans to sit this year. Conor wrote a short description of his experience and it can be read below.
The ABRSM Award
It was an ordinary day like any other. I was walking along the corridor of the Music Department, heading to my next class when a small poster caught my eye. It was advertising a competition to win a free ABRSM music exam. This particular ABRSM exam is a post-Grade Eight performance diploma that consists of thirty minutes of playing pieces—nothing else. With no scales, no sight reading and no aural text, I knew that this was my kind of exam!
ABRSM Competition Winner
The poster had a link to the ABRSM website, specifically to the part of the website where you could apply for the competition. I followed the link and found the application form. Firstly, I provided my email address so that they could contact me if I had won the competition…although winning seemed highly unlikely at the time. Then all I had to do was give them a few reasons why I thought I was worthy of the prize. I can’t remember the exact words I used but they were obviously the right ones as a few months later I received an email from ABRSM telling me I had won. The overall message I was trying to convey to them in the application was that music has been, and always will be, a continuing source of inspiration in my life and that I couldn’t imagine a world without it. I was very pleased to have won since sitting the ABRSM exam typically costs £150 and, now, I can sit it for free.
I never expected to win this competition but I applied for it anyway—that’s the way to do things in life. Don’t question whether or not you will be successful because, while the chances of success can be slim, they have no chance at all if you do not try at all. Put yourself forward with every opportunity life presents to you, because ‘you have to be in it to win it’. And I am living proof!
