Mary Goodman BA GRSM ARCM
Violin teacher and author of the 'Fast Tracking' method...
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'Let's Play!'
Mary
Goodman had noticed that many pupils were afraid of any examination
board's "Aural Tests" which required them to sing. The same
requirement was in place for selecting pupils to learn an instrument
in the State schools.
Instead (after much research) Mary developed "games", which would test the pupil's ability to listen. "Let's Play!" (1975), a gramophone record (now on CD) was used for many years throughout the Grampian area of Scotland and elsewhere from the mid-1970's onwards. It was now possible for an entire class to take part simultaneously, all the answers being written down - a "fun" experience; no tensions and no anxiety. Those previously considered unlikely, ever, to learn an instrument were (as a result) given the opportunity to do so. One such pupil, Robert Markham, aged 6, subsequently went on to Chetham's School in Manchester, to study piano as 1st study and violin 2nd. 10 years later he became BBC Piano Musician of the Year (1986).
Before recording 'Let's Play!' Mary Goodman wrote to every Music Adviser in the entire United Kingdom to ask if such a recording was needed. Some were so desperate to receive this teaching aid that they answered and even sent definite orders by return of post.
"Let's Play!" was recorded by top recording artist John Bower at the Royal Northern College of Music, with 100% support from Ida Carroll - world famous Aural specialist and daughter of Sir Walter Carroll. She herself played the double bass examples - free of charge - and gathered RNCM students to play the other examples.
By 1993 (18 years later) the Associated Board and other examining boards changed their requirements to include totally different "new" Aural tests - remarkably similar to those in 'Let's Play!'. This CD now serves a dual purpose, as it trains and prepares pupils of any age for their first musical examinations. Included are such items as "echo games" and "Which note has changed?" - and in other examination boards "Which note is the higher, the first or the second?". The answers are required to be given verbally, not sung (as in the previous 50 years), and in line with "Let's Play!".