Two Distinctions in One Day
Last Friday I received not one but two wonderful messages from parents, letting me know that their children had both passed their Trinity College London Grade 1 Classical Guitar examination with Distinction.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Zach and Louie on their outstanding achievements. Receiving a Distinction is a fantastic reward for many months of consistent practice, determination and enthusiasm.
Although passing an exam is never the only reason to learn music, it provides children with a clear goal, a real sense of achievement and tangible recognition of all the hard work they have invested.
We are now busy laying the foundations for the next grade, working through one of my favourite classical guitar method books, First Class Guitar by Tatiana Stachak, with whom I had the pleasure of studying for around eighteen months as a classical guitar student myself. Her approach combines excellent technical development with genuinely musical playing, making it one of my favourite teaching resources for young classical guitarists.
Today I’d like to explain how to interpret the examiner’s report, because it contains far more valuable information than simply the final mark.
Understanding the Trinity Examination Report
Every performance is assessed in three separate areas.
Fluency and Accuracy
This measures how confidently and accurately the student performs the music.
The examiner considers:
- Keeping a steady pulse
- Correct notes
- Accurate rhythm
- Secure memory
- Maintaining continuity if small mistakes occur
A high score here shows that a student has developed dependable practice habits and can perform confidently under pressure.
Both Zach and Louie scored exceptionally highly in this category throughout their programmes.
Technical Facility
This assesses the physical side of playing.
The examiner listens for:
- Tone quality
- Finger coordination
- Hand position
- Control
- Balance between melody and accompaniment
- Overall ease of playing
Strong technical foundations allow young musicians to express themselves without being limited by the instrument.
As a teacher, this is something we build gradually over many years through relaxed posture, efficient movement and careful attention to detail.
Communication and Interpretation
This is my favourite category.
In fact, I personally place enormous importance on Communication and Interpretation, because this is where music truly comes alive.
Playing the correct notes is only the beginning. The greatest challenge is understanding what the composer was trying to say and communicating that message to the audience through phrasing, dynamics, tone colour and character.
A student who scores highly in this category demonstrates real musical understanding rather than simply reproducing notes on a page.
For me, this is where young musicians begin their journey from becoming guitar players to becoming genuine musicians.
What the Examiner Said About Zach
One of the nicest comments Zach received was:
“A musical performance was given, with good control of tone and a confident understanding of the style of the piece. Phrasing was idiomatic and well shaped, while coordination was secure throughout. Dynamic shaping was subtle but effective…”
This is wonderful feedback.
The examiner recognised not only Zach’s technical control but also his understanding of musical style and phrase shaping. “Phrasing” is rather like punctuation in spoken language—it allows the music to breathe naturally instead of sounding mechanical.
Later in the report the examiner commented that:
“The lively character of this piece was well understood and effectively communicated…”
Again, this tells us Zach wasn’t simply playing notes correctly—he was successfully conveying the personality of the music.
The report also contains constructive advice.
The examiner suggested developing even greater rhythmic consistency in places and exploring a wider range of dynamic contrasts in some pieces.
This kind of feedback becomes our roadmap for preparing the next examination.
What the Examiner Said About Louie
Louie’s report highlights a slightly different set of strengths.
The examiner wrote:
“This was played at a gentle lilting tempo… The phrasing was musically judged, the playing was fluent, and the piece came to an appropriate calm close.”
That is a lovely compliment because it acknowledges mature musical judgement.
Another particularly pleasing comment was:
“The dynamics were effective, and the musical picture was captured.”
This tells us Louie successfully created the atmosphere the composer intended rather than simply playing the notes accurately.
Perhaps my favourite comment appears in the final piece:
“There was a feeling for the shape of the phrases, and this danced along with a purposeful flow.”
That sentence perfectly illustrates why Communication and Interpretation matters so much.
The examiner could actually feel the music dancing.
Although Louie was encouraged to continue refining certain aspects of his technical facility, his musical communication was outstanding, earning 9/9 in three separate performances.
Why These Reports Matter
Parents sometimes look only at the final mark.
As teachers, we often spend much more time reading the written comments.
The numerical result tells us how well a student performed.
The written feedback tells us why.
It identifies strengths to celebrate, areas to develop and provides valuable guidance for future lessons.
Each report becomes a personalised roadmap for the next stage of a student’s musical journey.
Looking Ahead
Both Zach and Louie should feel incredibly proud of what they have achieved.
A Distinction represents many months of careful practice, patience and perseverance. More importantly, it shows that both students are developing into thoughtful young musicians who understand that music is about much more than simply playing the correct notes.
I look forward to helping both of them continue their musical journey as we begin preparing for the next grade.
Congratulations once again to Zach and Louie on two fantastic Distinctions.
Looking for Classical Guitar Lessons?
If you’re looking for classical guitar lessons for children in Epsom, Ewell, Surbiton, Kingston, Cheam, Morden, Worcester Park, Sutton, Banstead or nearby, I’d be delighted to help.
I offer friendly, structured tuition for complete beginners through to Grade 5, with lessons tailored to each child’s goals—whether that’s learning for fun, preparing for Trinity or ABRSM exams, or building the confidence to perform.