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A Sound Education

Last week the GCSE results were published in England. These qualifications mark the end of key stage 4 and are increasingly feeling like a relic left behind from old-style O-levels which, in the past, marked the end of formal secondary education. In the future, England is looking to working towards a ‘Baccalaureate’ system that aims to draw together three features:

What should assessment look like in 2025’ AQA 2015?

By including ‘personal development’ it is recognised that this is a key element in the needs of future employment.

Why is this important to those of us working in the sound industry?

A hot topic on the SoundGirls Facebook page is the need (or not) for formal qualifications in our industry. Putting student debt aside, a large majority of those against formal qualifications would cite on-the-job training as a far more effective means of achievement. In fact, this is a well-researched area. Carr (1999) says,

‘It is possible for someone to have a mental grasp of procedural knowledge, but no ability to perform the given task’.

I’m sure many of us can recall a course or training programme we’ve attended whereby at the end of the day we have understood all of the procedures being demonstrated but have very little idea of how to apply it in a real-life situation.

The issue that we recognise here is that we are being assessed on one topic and being expected to perform another. Therefore the assessment needs to reflect the practical nature of our industry.

When looking for a course it goes without saying that you need to be as thorough as possible when checking out the credentials. Importantly, check that the assessment opportunities being offered are intrinsically linked to the teaching.

Choose a course where the outcomes fit with your future plans. Even if these plans change, a good course will allow you to develop the skills to continue lifelong learning.

Student Debt

Going back to the issue of student debt, if you speak to any teacher about their students they will without fail at some point speak of inclusion.

Affordability of undergraduate courses in the UK ( and elsewhere) has shot through the roof in recent years. This has naturally increased the doubt surrounding if a course in sound is actually needed or not.

There is no straightforward answer to this other than to say that you need to seriously consider the opportunities that you will be afforded. Would you have the same networking opportunities if you didn’t do the course? Will you receive a rich and rounded mentorship away from the structure of an institution? You are quite likely to find that there are as many professional sound engineers that followed an academic route as followed an amazing mentor or mentors within the industry. The decision of which route to take can only be decided by you.

Community Support

Living in a country that has seen an enormous leap in the availability of public education, highlights the importance of grassroots support and encouragement for young people joining the workplace. Music is one area where traditionally, Oman is rich in heritage.

Whichever path you decide to take, ensure that you have taken every opportunity around you. The number one piece of advice I’ve always given to students wanting to get into sound is… get into sound! Find your local amateur dramatic society/ a band/ music venue/ recording studio and get involved as much as possible. If a group doesn’t exist then create one.

In Muscat, there is a huge variety of musicians from different backgrounds and cultures. They are often brought together on my ‘open mic’ nights. This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to showcase their skills but also to learn new insights. Look hard enough and there will always be a way forward and it doesn’t have to involve spending any money.

Huddleston, Prue. “Http://Www.aqa.org.uk/about-Us/What-We-Do/Policy/the-Future-of-Assessment-2025-and-beyond/How-Should-We-Assess-Vocational-and-Practical-Learning.” Http://Www.aqa.org.uk/, filestore.aqa.org.uk/content/about-us/AQA-THE-FUTURE-OF-ASSESSMENT.PDF.

The Future of Assessment

SoundGirls in Muscat – Workshop

April 21, 2017, marked the first-ever SoundGirls workshops in Muscat. Two workshops were held at the Classical Music and Arts Institute in Qurum, kindly supported by manager Thanae Pachiyannaki. The first workshop was for 10-15-year-olds and the second for 16+. Due to the interest booking had to be closed earlier than expected and a waiting list for places was created.

Claudia and Dianis, music teachers at the Classical Music and Arts Institute, helped set up for the event and managed the door. A very wide range of people from across the community attended. Teachers, students, and musicians. All had a keen interest in the audio profession and had plenty of questions to ask.

A basic sound system was set up for the event. Two UPJ’s on stands, an Allen and HeathZed-12FX, a wired SM58 and two Zaxcom transmitters and receivers.

After a short introduction and explanation of the aims of ‘SoundGirls,’ the equipment was used to explain basic signal flow, with plenty of hands-on time. As my background is mainly musical theatre-based, we then looked at radio mics; the basic theory of how they work and some of the uses. We watched a clip from ‘Matilda the Musical’ and talked about the challenges that are faced on large-scale musicals including working with remote bands and how communication is maintained between stage and pit. Given that the Royal Opera House is the only theatre in the region, most of the workshop attendees had seen at least one performance. This gave rise to some enthusiastic discussion about the type of performances that we have here and cultural sensitivities in the region.

We rounded out the hour with some short feedback forms, differentiated to the needs of each group. The overwhelming response was that attendees enjoyed the workshop and would like to be involved in future events. In the future, I hope to arrange themed workshops, based on more specific areas such as live music, theatre, archiving and creating sound effects.

‘Community’ is ever more important in a city such as Muscat with such a hugely transient population. Friends come and go, and it is easy to get caught up in a world of work and not much else. Giving back just a small amount of time is immensely rewarding.

A wise friend once taught me that to serve another person is the greatest gift that you can give. As much as I hope that the workshop attendees gained new knowledge and inspiration, my own wish to serve this community was also fulfilled.

Huge thanks must go to everyone who helped support this SoundGirls event: Thanae Pachiyannaki, Claudia Reynaldo Prado and Dianis Catas Salas at The Classical Music and Arts Institute and Max White and Mike Compton at the Royal Opera House Muscat.

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