Unlocking Aural Training: Beyond Practice Papers and Towards Strategic Development

As a music educator, it's not uncommon to encounter students who struggle with aural tests. However, I firmly believe that aural training can be challenging for even the most advanced musicians. It's crucial to reawaken our ears and develop our skills strategically through specific exercises.

In my experience, simply running through successive practice papers does not improve one's ability. While these papers do serve as a benchmark, they are primarily used for summative assessment. However, if we focus on identifying specific problems and using them to inform future study, we can turn these sessions into formative assessments that promote aural learning.

Good aural training or aural teaching does not involve practice papers. Instead, it requires targeted exercises designed to develop our skills in a strategic manner. This approach is applicable to all exam boards and can be adapted for students of various ages, instruments, and nationalities.

To support musicians on their journey towards aural mastery, I will be hosting two online webinar courses starting soon. These 5-week programs, hosted by the Royal College of Organists (RCO), are open to all and will provide a comprehensive introduction to aural training modulations.

The first course is aimed at students preparing for Grades 1-6 and will begin on Thursday, September 30th, at 6:00 pm BST. The second course is designed for students working towards Grades 7-8 and diplomas and will start on Thursday, November 4th, at 6:00 pm GMT.

By joining one of these courses, musicians can develop their aural skills in a supportive and engaging environment. With the right approach, even the most challenging aural tests can become manageable, and our ears can be reawakened to new heights of musical understanding.

Aural training modulations