I stumbled across this forum trying to get a better understanding about scoring for Guild. My son is 8 (2nd Grade) and just finished his second Piano guild audition. He's been taking for a little under 2 years. Last year he got a superior on a National level. This year he prepared an international program (we don't have the report card yet) but his teacher told us he got a "top-talent" score. I think this is a superior plus. We are very proud of him and celebrated all his hard work and success. What I don't really understand is the EA, EB, IA classification. Also, I was curious if the early success is possibly just the judge "being nice" to a cute kid. Thanks for anyone that might respond with some insight for parent that's new to the world of Piano.

Hi tralliam, and welcome!
If you don't get any answers here, you might like to pop over to the Teachers' Forum. I know that some of them there are familiar with Piano Guild and someone will be able to decode all those little mysteries for you.

As for being nice to the cute kid - I don't know about Piano Guild, but the exam system I'm familiar with here in Australia has strict criteria for their gradings. Most of the examiners try to be nice and encouraging to cute kids, but this shouldn't extend to giving them scores they don't deserve. My guess is that your son deserved his excellent results!

The scoring system has been devised to encourage the student and give them a devastating report. I have entered as well as adjudicated for the Guild and try to be as honest in my judgment as I can be.

Some judges are very strict, some moderate, and some very generous in praise where it might not be deserved.

The quality of playing runs the gamut and depends on the instruction received and that, of course, depends on the ability and qualifications of the instructor, while in innate talent of the student and ability to learn and coordinate is the other factor.

The training of the judge is important as well as a poorly trained one has little ground to judge. On the other hand a highly trained one might not look at the reality of a beginning student and expect the highest standards which is not very realistic either.

I suggest you ask your instructor to loan you the Guild Syllabus which will explain everything about the scoring system. If you rated a superior plus (your child), then it is probably because he/she did a good job. My students rate in the superior/superior plus but they are well prepared.

I had one student who didn't do well because she didn't practise and memorize like she should have. The judge was kind to her but not to me.

Her mother insisted she go. I had advised against it. She had paid and they coddled the girl into thinking she was wonderful.

Ask for the loan of the syllabus and you will have a full understanding of how the Guild works. Or look it up on the internet and you can also find out information.

Ralph

That's my UK experience also. The expected standards are clear (as clear as they can be in the arts, anyhow) and there is no leniency shown to cute kids. Or, indeed, any kids.

'Cute' doesn't excuse a poor performance. Fair is fair.

But art is peculiar in that there is no one standard exactly. What is good to one is ok or less to another. Subjective at best, so when tempo, accuracy of notes, and interpretive ideas seem to be met the score should reflect that.

From what I remember from my youth, the National and International levels are purely determined by how many pieces are played. Back then it was 10 for National and 15 for International, I do not know if it is still the same. The other classifications are for the difficulty of the pieces. Elementary B will be harder pieces than Elementary A. Intermediate A will be even harder, etc.

Hello,

Some of my students participated in the National Guild Auditions this afternoon, as a matter of fact!

The classification EA-EF, IA-IF, etc. refer to the level of pieces.

I.E. - EA (Elementary A) is beginner's primer level materials. There is no minimum of the length of the piece.
EB (Elementary B) is taken from a method book, and has a minimum of 8 measures.
EF (Elementary F) can include sixteenth-note patterns.

IA is Intermediate A, and is the level for some of the easier Bach dances and Clementi sonatinas.

So far, I haven't seen judges be "nice to a cute kid." They should give fair ratings based on the expectation for the student's age, ability, and length of study.

Thank you all for the responses. He did great at his recital and got his report card 31/2 and 2nd most minutes practiced in the studio for elementary. I think I'll ask for the syllabus and the EA break down from Pianoeagle was very helpful as well.