Should all students do exams?

Short answer: Not necessarily.

Let me tell you why…

Exams are great. Their existence, accessibility, and the opportunity that they provide …. The very fact that we have standardised routes of testing whereby any student can attain a certificate, feedback, and approximate measure of their level is invaluable. On top of that, there are now so many different exams available to the general public, each with their own requirements and syllabus. You can choose anything from instrumental exams - for various styles - to music theory, musicianship, and more.

In Australia, the examining bodies offer a number of sessions throughout the year and make it quite easy to book into an exam. Although it can be admittedly a little confusing the first time you do it, the online process is generally quite streamlined. Once you’re booked in, you prepare the repertoire, skills or knowledge required as you wait to be given the details of your exam. Eventually, after some time passes, you perform those skills in front of the examiner/panel to the best of your ability on the day, and you cross your fingers, on tenterhooks hoping for your ideal mark. And at the end of all that, assuming that you pass, you are given your very own official certificate. The higher level certificates may also count towards your school senior certificate or score, which in turn can assist a child to enter their university or course of choice. After multiple exams, these students will have significant experience in preparing repertoire, developing their technique, adapting to expectations, thriving in high-pressure situations, and ultimately setting and achieving goals.

So, after raving about them, why would I possibly believe that exams are not always a good thing?

There are students who thrive on the opportunity to prepare for an exam and the thrill of the high-pressure situation, which is typically followed by the excitement of completing everything they’ve worked so hard for. For them, it’s a challenge that drives them, gives them incentive to practice, and makes them feel as though they are progressing.

For other students, exams are something that they dread. They cause unnecessary anxiety and rather than motivating or exciting the student, they leave the them feeling as though very soon, an axe will fall. These students can also struggle with retaining self-esteem and self-confidence if things don’t go quite as planned in the examination room.

For others still, especially the hobby learners, exams are a pointless expense. If you’re learning the content and progressing within lessons alone, why seek out unnecessary stress and expense by taking on exams?

Ultimately, as a music teacher, you have a responsibility to guide your students through their musical development. For each and every student this can look a little different. Every personality that enters your studio is unique, with their own learning style, preferences, fears, skills, and weaknesses. In my studio, two of the first questions I ask students are: “what are your goals?” and “do you have any interest in doing exams?”. Many students - primarily the teenagers and adults - have come to me with the goal of simply being able to sit at a piano and play for fun. They hear songs or see videos of artists and they fall in love with the idea of being able to play a particular song or play for their friends. Personally, if that’s the way that their love for piano begins, I am all for supporting that. The option of exams is always there, and their skill development will continue regardless of whether or not they are preparing specific repertoire for an exam.

If a student is more likely to progress with a goal in mind, it can be just as helpful to plan a performance or set some other date. I am far more likely to encourage the exam-shy students to do a performance (either in-house or in public) or have a recording session than to push towards exams. I don’t believe that the number of exams I did or didn’t do had any positive effect on my growth as a musician. In fact, I’m quite sure that had I been pushed into constant exams I would have become bored, frustrated, and quit far sooner.

However, the beautiful and key thing is this: every learner is different.

Every learner can choose for themselves, and whether or not they choose to try an exam, this can happen any time, at any level (regardless if they’ve done the earlier ones). That is definitely a system to be grateful for.