music bachelor. - Music-Web Forums

tawei82 · #1 11-09-2006, 02:43 PM

I am from malaysia. I have a mechanical engineering degree. I am now working. I feel quite bored.
As i am still young, I want to take music degree in other country and fulfill my drream. I want to learn some composing and arranging skill by the time explore the world.
Can you recomend some good university for me that can provide scholarship?
Thank you very much first!!

Sheba Queen · #2 11-09-2006, 04:38 PM

Hello Tawei82, you have beautiful expectations.
What country are you most interested in? (They have different systems and curriculms.)
Let me know...

Regards,
Sheba Queen

tawei82 · #3 12-09-2006, 05:59 AM

I prefer europe. But now, I have only grade7 in piano and grade 5 in theory. I know how to play guitar quite well and I have compose quite a lot of song and know about computer music production. But I think those things doesn't help me because I don't have any certificate achivement in those things. By the way, I work as a acoustic engineer now designing loudspeaker and I know how to listen critically in some way.

I have done some survey and notice the basic requirement is grade 8 in one of instrument. I am not quite sure about the theory requirement. I also know that most of the university need me to go there for audition. I think that will be quite hard for me.

I would like to learn about music in overall but I am interest in classical. If need grade 8 in practical, then I will have to go for some piano class and pass the grade 8 exam.

I know my sightreading isn't good enough. But I am a very hardworking and determine person. Can you give me some advise or some technique to improve my sightreading skill.

I am not so interest about performing.
Thank you very much for your attention.

MaestroX · #4 12-09-2006, 11:21 AM

Sight-reading in essence is all about how good you are with rhythms. I would recommend you buy a piano book that has pieces below your playing standard and learn a new one each day. Or buy an exercise book. The main aspect is to remember patterns and rhythms so when they appear in other pieces you will be able to play easier.

Hope this helps

Thorolf · #5 12-09-2006, 12:51 PM

Another shortcut to learning sight reading is to stydy scores while listening. Then study without listening. On and off. Then you see that there is only a limited range of rhytmical “words” (rhytmic combinations consisting of small recognizable patterns) and you just have to learn how the “words” sound. This will rapidly get you beyond the need to “spell” a rhythm, note by note. And on rare occations, where you haven’t seen the “word” before, you’ll have to spell it out, but then memorize it, so you know next time.

It’s really not different from reading…

Regards

Sheba Queen · #6 12-09-2006, 05:08 PM

Hi Tawei82,
let me get my ideas clear by restating some of the evidence. So you're in Malaysia, and have a degree in mechanical engineering. Supposing that the 82 next to your screen name stands for the year in which you were born, you're about 24 years old. You want to study in Europe music-correlated courses and obtain a second, European degree. However you're not fully confident in your performance skills. Good.
I'm not sure whether your degrees are accepted in Europe (do you know?).If they are accepted, you could work for some company as mechanical engineer while studying for your second degree. Most people who don't succeed in receiving a scholarship do like this. As you mention, most Universities do require an audition for entrance. You could study Music composition, or history of music, or Music theory. You could even give a try for becoming a music critic. Music offers broad choice among its careers. I may be wrong, but I believe that for Music Conducting they don't require a high level of performance on an instrument. Of course you should know how to play some piano, and study the other instruments you're interested in. You could consider doing that as well.
What kind of degree are you most interested in.
Regarding the country, I'd suggest England. However watch out, many colleges there are very demanding. I wouldn't suggest another country because primarily of the language. You know english, and this gives you a possibility for England (there are many public colleges). Do you know any other languages?

Sight reading is about exercise. Try getting a piece you know well but that you have never played, and listen to the mp3 while reading the sheet music. Then, helped by your ear, try playing it on the piano. Are you acquainted at all with rythms? Did you take music theory classes? Theory helps very much in sightreading. What has helped me incredibly with sight reading was playing in a group (first a rock band, then a classic ensemble, then a crazy one). In a group, you really must know how to sigthread, and if you can't, you learn it quick. Try, if you have the possibility, to play in a group. Even a small one of 3 or 4 people would be great. As Thorolf said, it's pretty much like reading words.

I hope this was helpful to you in some way.

Regards,
Sheba Queen

tawei82 · #7 13-09-2006, 06:59 AM

Thanks for the coment. I will take your technique to practice my sight reading. Conclusion, is it a must to pass the grade 8 exam, what is the minimum theory grade? Music conducting is excellent for me. I like to involve in classical things, something that can give me experience the beauty of music. Most of all, I like to learn about the world music in general, from past to present to future trend.

England would be great. I only know english among european language.
I think I will have to take at least 1 year to master my sightreading. So I will have to decide whether i have to take grade8 as soon as possible.

Could you recomend any universities that good, has good teacher and equipment? no need very high standard. normal is OK cause I afraid I cannot get it. I will have to do some research. Thank you.

MaestroX · #8 13-09-2006, 02:15 PM

I think the general trend for colleges is to expect a grade 5 theory pass. Most universities will ask you to sit their own exams which are about grade 5/6 theory standard. Usually not too difficult.

reith · #9 13-09-2006, 09:53 PM

One way to improve sightreading is to take every opportunity to do some, no matter how faltering. So look at a few grade 6 pieces and have a go. Little by little you'll improve.

Another way is to get into a situation where you are forced to sightread. Do some accompaniment work but keep it relatively simple at first.

How do you feel about the Royal Academy? It's now part of London University. Unless things have changed you may have to compete for a place.

jw · #10 14-09-2006, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by reith

Another way is to get into a situation where you are forced to sightread.

Good sugestion, That worked for me. When I was 13, I was appointed church pianist. I hadn't learned to play by ear then (my piano teacher discouraged it). So I was forced to sight read. Many times a guest singer would walk by the piano on the way to the podium and hand me a piece of sheet music I had never seen before.
Being put on the spot not only helped me with sightreading but also to overcome stage fright. I soon learned to focus on the task of doing my best with disregard to what listeners would think about my mistakes.