I have also found that you cannot grade a bell lyre, but we do 10 tunes including 2 compulsory tunes such as RAF march past and Dambusters, full version. Is good for us. We have a percussion Marching band so we dont have brass or wind as we dont have any staff who play these instruments and it is easier to learn a bell lyre. I have been told this might be a grade 3. But there is no formal instruction of this.
Maybe this seems quite hard to most cadet marching bands, but our bell lyres have to carry the band and we dont want them to be look bad in public.
It does seem a bit of a shame that cadets in bands canât get proper music grades.
Although the one thing I do know through my wife, is that you cannot progress beyond Grade 5 practical, unless you have passed Grade 5 theory. She got to grade 5 on piano, clarinet and oboe at school, but only had grade 4 theory.
It seems laughable that cadets who are playing at Grade 5 or above and playing far more regularly than anyone in a cadet band of any level, need to be assessed by someone who might not have the same musical ability.
I believe the regulations have been written with best intent but weâre written by someone who didnât think through the "What ifâŚ? scenarios detailed above. Most bands will be graded at some level for competing or by the body they belong to. There will be other exceptions.
For most cadet bands they will be âJuvenile/Juniorâ as this is dictated by age. Any cadet playing at or higher should at the least be awarded a Silver Badge. In positions where gradings cannot be done (donât exist or cannot be done) then a selection of 4 pieces or sets should be done and if the cadet does that then bingo, the badge. We let cadets wear pilot wings if they have a pilots licence, first aid âequivalent or higherâ quals = badge or for staff a first aid tick.
The ânewâ system is aimed at bolstering Wing, Region & Corps Bands which is ok but where a cadet cannot commit or there is no Band should we deprive them the recognition?
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Also I do not know what a grading system is. I have been running our band for about 20 years. Our target for a cadet (most of who cannot read music, nor can I only what I have picked up), is they have to learn 10 tunes with compulsory RAF march past and Dambusters. For bells we have a system of capital letters and little letters. Is this too much and what grade would that be? I have been told good enough for National band. But maybe this could be put in the new acp 633 for clarification. They have to carry the band through carnivals and 15 minutes of events displays.
That would be grade 5 standard
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