The Macau branch of Britain’s Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) said in a recent statement that local music educator Dr Cecilia I-Ian Long became Macau’s first graded examiner.
The statement said that Long obtained her doctorate degree from the University of Bristol, is currently a lecturer at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the president of the Greater Bay Area Arts Education Association. Besides winning and obtaining scholarships in numerous local competitions and institutions, she has been a soloist with the China National Traditional Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Australian SBS Youth Orchestra, and the Macao Orchestra.
According to the statement, the ABRSM, established in 1889, holds more than 650,000 examination assessments in over 93 countries yearly, with over 700 qualified musicians on their examiner panel. The statement said that not only does each examiner have strong music education and performing backgrounds but is also trained in comprehensive and ongoing professional development programmes provided by the ABRSM.
The statement said that the ABRSM used to have examiners only either from the United Kingdom or those who were UK-based, but recently they have been training examiners from other regions. An ABRSM staff member told The Macau Post Daily over the phone yesterday that last year the ABRSM started training examiners based in Asia, and Long was among the first to receive the title of graded examiner.
The statement said that the ABRSM’s local representative, the Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO), will be holding a webinar on Zoom featuring Long next Wednesday at 3 p.m. Long will be presenting helpful tips for the “ABRSM 2023 – 2024 initial to Grade 8 exam pieces”, the statement said, adding that teachers, students and interested parties are welcome to join. The ABRSM staff member said that the advice that Long will give includes the approach towards choosing pieces for examinees.
Admission to the webinar is 350 patacas. For more information, call the Macau ABRSM department: 68281963
Undated file photo of Dr Cecilia I-Ian Long downloaded from ABRSM’s Facebook page last night.
