Trinity College London announce the launch of a new set of groundbreaking Rock & Pop music qualifications.
An innovative new Rock & Pop syllabus will be available from Trinity College London from early 2012 and will include graded exams for guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals (Initial to Grade 8). Developed in partnership with two of the world’s leading music publishers, Faber Music and Peters Edition London, the new syllabus will feature an impressive roster of rock and pop styles and artists, ranging from the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, ABBA, David Bowie and Joni Mitchell, to Radiohead, the Kings of Leon, Green Day, Muse and Rihanna.
Each exam will be supported by a song book including a CD with demo and backing tracks, performance notes and guidance on technical skills and supporting tests. Additionally, an array of online resources will be available including sheet music and backing track downloads, blogs, forums and teaching and learning tips.
Performance is very much at the core of this new syllabus – reflecting the way many rock & pop musicians learn. Candidates will perform three songs and complete one supporting test. Those with song-writing ambitions can opt to perform one of their own original songs in the exam or may select their own chosen repertoire to perform cover versions. Singers have the option of performing self accompanied, and instrumentalists can also sing the vocal lines where appropriate, if they choose to do so.
Songs have been carefully selected to demonstrate specific musical skills, such as mandolin tremolo in ‘Knights Of Cydonia’ by Muse, funk drum grooves in Cee Lo Green’s ‘Forget You’, double-stopped harmonics in the bass line from Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Born Of A Broken Man’, as well as perfecting Rihanna’s R&B vocal technique in the smash hit ‘Umbrella’.
Trinity CEO Sarah Kemp says: “I have no doubt that this radical and inclusive new Rock & Pop syllabus will breathe new life into music education, breaking down many of the barriers currently in place. Trinity College London is passionate in its commitment to reach out to as many young musicians as possible, and to building the relevant musical communities around them. We’ve responded quickly and creatively to a clear sea change in our key markets around the globe – rock and pop music is now the staple diet of many young musicians around the globe, and this new syllabus will encourage them to perform and study, using a suite of carefully selected, graded material from some of the greatest rock and pop artists”.
To find out more about Rock & Pop and to register your interest visit www.trinityrock.com.
