Advanced Aural Skills for Ages 16-18

Public booking opens at 11am, Thursday 28 November. Join our mailing list before Monday 25 November to receive priority booking.

Ages 16–18

Course Dates & Times

Monday 21 – Friday 25 July 2025
10am–4pm, BST (UTC+1)

About Advanced Aural Skills for Ages 16-18

This five-day music course will help develop your existing aural skills to the level required for ABRSM and Trinity Grade 8 and above.

Who is the course for?

Singers, musicians and/or composers aged 16-18 wanting to refine aural skills at a post-grade 5 level.

What can I expect?

You will be taught listening and memorising skills up to the level required for ABRSM and Trinity Grade 8 and above for the following topics:

• Melody:
  
  • copying longer melodic phrases vocally and instrumentally
  • singing and playing upper/lower melodies of a two-part phrase
  • interval recognition, including compound intervals
  • advanced sight-singing
• Harmony:
  
  • revision of cadences
  • detailed chord-naming
  • tonality, including chromaticism, whole-tone, serialism
  • modulation (including practical work)
• Rhythm:
  
  • recognising time-signatures, musical pulse
  • advanced rhythm and sight clapping

In addition to the topics listed above, the course will also cover:

• Practical working knowledge of advanced theory
• Mistake spotting: pitch, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, speed
• Style and historical period recognition
• Recognising character and form of music (dance, chorale, elegy, fugue etc.)
• Understanding of structure within form

Do I need anything for the course?

• Your instrument/voice
• Manuscript paper
• Pencil

Course Fee

£475

Public booking opens at 11am, Thursday 28 November. Join our mailing list before Monday 25 November to receive priority booking.

Participation Bursaries are available for this course. Please note the application deadline for Participation Bursaries is 28 April 2025.

Eligibility

• For everyone aged 16-18
• ABRSM Grade 5 instrument and theory (or equivalent level) recommended
• Participants must have sufficient English language skills in order to fully engage with the course 

Online Short Courses Requirements

All sessions will take place online using Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to you in advance of the course start date with further instructions.

To participate in online classes you will need the following:

• An email address
• A reliable internet connection
• A laptop/tablet/desktop computer with a microphone and camera (most have these included)
• Speakers/headphones (the speakers in your laptop/tablet/computer should be sufficient)
• A fully updated web browser able to use the most up to date version of Zoom, or a fully updated Zoom client

If you have any questions regarding joining one of our online courses, please contact us.

About the Course Tutor

This course is taught by Shelagh Sutherland.

Shelagh is a freelance pianist who has been teaching piano, violin, singing and Alexander Technique since 1972. She has been teaching the aural course at Guildhall School since 1990, which she was instrumental in designing.