We can’t say exactly why music has so great influence on people, and why, since ancient times, people have used a wide range of materials and household items to produce sounds. But for sure, music was an integral part of happy and sad events, of religious rites and everyday life.

Music is one of the most important components of the culture, and as cliché as this might sound, it’s the soul of the nation, its history, and centuries-old traditions. Ukrainian folk musical instruments are known since ancient times and have deep roots in the national culture. On the murals of St. Sofia Cathedral (11^th century) in Kyiv musicians that played on the different stringed, percussion, and wind instruments are depicted. Let’s find out more about the most popular folk musical instruments and which of them are still used in modern times.

TREMBITA

This unique and distinctive wind instrument was listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest musical instrument in the world. The Trembita is made of solid wood and looks like a tube length of which is up to 4 meters. It was widespread in the Western part of Ukraine, particularly in the Carpathians, and used mainly by hutsuls. Shepherds used the trembita to communicate with each other and to send some messages from a hilltop to a village. This instrument makes impressively beautiful low sounds and nowadays we can hear the trembita not only in folk but also in modern Ukrainian music.

KOBZA

The Kobza and the kobza players (kobzars) are probably the most recognizable symbols of Ukrainian culture. Supposedly, this lute-like stringed instrument appeared in Kyiv Rus but become extremely popular only in the 16^th century, in times of Cossacks. For example, famous folkloric hero Cossack Mamay was traditionally depicted with the kobza. The strings of this instrument plucked with one hand and pressed on the fingerboard by the other. The kobzars played on their instruments and sang “dumy” – epic songs which depicted different historical events, glorified Cossacks and their heroic acts. The kobzars were well-respected and beloved by the locals, and the kobza became a national symbol. The kobza is often confused with the bandura; these instruments are related but have some differences.

BANDURA

Ukrainian bandura, which is often referred to as “Ukrainian harp”, allegedly originated from the kobza and almost displaced this instrument in the 18^th century. The bandura is larger than the kobza, it has a longer neck and more strings. This classical instrument had 5 bass strings and 16 accompaniment strings. Over time, however, the appearance of the instrument and the number of strings has changed; modern bandura has 10 – 14 and 40 – 50 strings respectively. The bandura playing is pretty much the same asthe harp playing: the strings are plucked with fingers of one or two hands, and the strings are not pressed against the frets. The bandura has an incredibly melodious sound; nowadays this instrument is studied in music schools and often used by musicians.

TORBAN

This ancient stringed instrument is closely related to the kobza and the bandura. The torban appeared in the 18^th century and became widespread among Cossack leaders and Ukrainian nobility. It has some common features with European theorbo but has additional strings as Ukrainian kobza. The torban playing is almost the same as the kobza playing. It is said that even Ukrainian Hetman Ivan Mazepa and famous poet Taras Shevchenko played the torban. Unfortunately, this instrument with beautiful sound was almost forgotten till the end of the 19^th century.

LIRA

One more folk instrument that associated with Cossacks and epic historical ballads (dumy) is the lira. The history of this instrument goes back centuries. The lira had been used in Western Europe since the 10^th century, and since the 1600^s it had become popular in Ukraine. Ukrainian lira, which was called wheel lira, is a type of the hurdy-gurdy; usually, ithad three strings and a wooden wheel. While playing, the performer rotated a wooden wheel, which rubbed against the strings. Often the lyra players were blind; they were respected by people and invited to different celebrations and events.

SOPILKA

The sopilka is one of the most ancient folk instruments, widespread all over the country. This wind instrument that looks like the fife and belonged to the lute family most commonly was used by shepherds and peasants. The sopilka is usually made of wood, has a length up to 40 cm and 6 – 8 holes for fingers. Modern sopilka has 10 finger holes and is often performed by musicians and folk ensembles.

TSYMBALY

No one Ukrainian wedding was complete without lively and cheerful music of the tsymbaly. Tsymbaly-like instruments were widespread in many countries; in Europe, it was known as the dulcimer. In Ukraine, the tsymbaly became popular in the 16^th – 17^th centuries. This stringed and percussion instrument consists of a wooden deck, often trapezoidal, and 16 – 35 strings stretched over it. To play on the tsymbaly, the musician had to hit the strings with two small sticks. This instrument was commonly used by popular Ukrainian folk ensembles – Troisti Muzyky, along with the violin and the tambourine.

SURMA

In Ukraine, the surma is often associated with Cossacks and military music. This oboe-like wind instrument has been known in the country since the Kyiv Rus but became widespread only in the 16^th century. Every regiment of Cossacks had its own surma players who could not only play the music but also giv

e signals. The surma was made of wood and had a double-reed mouthpiece; it could have different size and number of finger holes, usually from five to ten. Nowadays wooden surmas are very rare. Modern surma is a brass instrument, frequently used in folk ensembles and orchestras.

BUHALO AND TARILKA (CYMBAL)

Percussions are, probably, the most ancient instruments that were ever created by people. Ukrainians used a large variety of percussions, especially in lively and dance music. Some of the most interesting folk instruments of this group are the Buhalo and the Tarilka (Cymbal) which were frequently joined together.

The buhalo is a type of big drum, which was fixed to the musician with a belt, so it was possible to dance and play at the same time. To the one side of the buhalo was fixed the tarilka (cymbal) – a round instrument made of metal. Musician played on the buhalo with a stick, and on the tarilka – with a metal stick or another cymbal.

BASOLIA (BASS VIOL)

This distinctive stringed instrument became popular at the beginning of the 18^th century and mainly in Western Ukraine. The basolia looks like the violoncello and has from 3 to 5 strings. The Basolia has never been used as a solo instrument; traditionally, it was used in the folk ensembles such as Troisti Muzyky. To play on the basolia, the performer had to put the instrument on the knee, like the guitar, and played with a bow; with the other hand, the musicians pressed strings on the fingerboard. As we can see, Ukraine has a rich collection of unique and ancient musical instruments which draw attention to music admirers. Fortunately, nowadays we can not only see these instruments at the museums but also to listen to them and enjoy their beautiful sounds.

WHAT IS AN RCM EXAM?

TYPES OF RCM EXAMS

PRACTICAL EXAMS – Practical exams are mostly about your ability and expertise on your instrument. They available from Preparatory to Level 10. Furthermore there are Associate Diploma (ARCT) in Piano Performance and Pedagogy and Licentiate Diploma (LRCM) in Piano Performance. Exams take place in an examination room or remotely and are generally made up of four parts: “repertoire”, “technical requirements”, “ear tests” and “sight reading”.

1. Repertoire – for this part, students are required to perform a set number of musical pieces, each representing a different style and musical period. Each piece can be chosen from a wide selection of options that RCM provides. The higher the student’s level, the more pieces they must perform and the bigger their complexity. This is the longest part of the exam.

2. Technical Requirements – designed to complement the demands of the repertoire, this part is sub-divided into “technical tests” and “etudes”. Technical tests are things like scales, chords, and arpeggios, which are meant to develop students’ technical prowess and finger dexterity. Etudes are shorter musical pieces designed to develop a specific technical skill within a musical context.

3. Ear Tests – this part of the practical exam involves almost no playing on the part of the student. Instead, the the student is asked to listen to and correctly identify things like intervals, chord qualities, and chord progressions, which are played by the examiner. Students are also required to listen to a short melody and then play it back to the examiner.

4. Sight Reading – this is where students are given a musical excerpt that they have (hopefully) never encountered before. After clapping the rhythm of a short passage from this excerpt, they must play the whole excerpt. As a general rule, the difficulty level of the sight-reading excerpt is 3 levels below the level for which you are doing the exam. E.g. For a level 6 exam, the sight-reading excerpt will be comparable in difficulty to RCM level 3. 

WRITTEN EXAMS – These exams take place in a classroom setting with a supervisor or online with a proctor. The most common written exams are “theory”, “history”, and “harmony”. Theory Exams are co-requisite for Levels 5 to 8, then it is substituted by Harmony on Level 9, Level 10 Harmony & Counterpoint along with History for Levels 9 and 10. Finally, in order to acquire your ARCT Diploma you must take ARCT Harmony & Counterpoint, History and Analysis Exams. 

1. Theory – these exams test students’ knowledge of the building blocks of music and include topics such as major and minor scales, chords, intervals, rhythm, transposition, etc.

2. History – as the name suggests, history exams test students’ knowledge of important dates, musical eras and developments associated with each one, biographical information of well-known composers, etc. Expect to do plenty of memorizing here.

3. Harmony – harmony is what happens when many sounds come together. On this exam, students are tested on their knowledge of concepts such as counterpoint, chord progressions, harmonization, cadences, modulations, phrase structures, compositional techniques, and more.

HOW LONG ARE RCM EXAMS?

This week we’re going to do things a little differently, and talk a bit about the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), a Canadian music school that offers standardized exams called “grades.” If you’ve ever heard anyone say something like “I have my grade 6 in music,” it likely means they’re talking about RCM and RCM exams.

And they’re talking about the RCM because of its high standards and long history. In fact, it’s one of the oldest music schools (still in operation) in the world, having been founded in 1886 with the name “The Toronto Conservatory of Music.”

If you’re considering taking the exams, we’ve got some information that you may find interesting.

EXAMS VS UNIVERSITY

So, how exactly do music schools like the RCM differ from going to a university or music college?

Well, to start, it you’re applying to a music program at a university, most entrance exams/auditions will ask you to play at a certain grade level, which can act as an important credential. Having exam/audition experience looks great on an application.

In Ontario (and likely most universities across Canada), you need to audition at a Grade 8 level or higher and write a test on theory at the same level. That means gaining at least your grade 8 before auditioning will help immensely.

If you’re trying to get into a musical college, which tend to be a bit more difficult, you’ll need an even higher level of experience. For example, if you are auditioning for the Glenn Gould School of Music in Toronto, you’d probably want to audition at an ARCT level (which we will discuss later), which is one level higher than grade 10 and is the second highest level in the entire RCM system.

In a nutshell, you can think of these music schools running parallel to regular school. In a regular school, students generally progress from kindergarten to grade 12, and then perhaps will go off to college or university. While going through the school grade levels, a student could also do their piano grades up until 10/ARCT level, which could open more opportunities.

Of course, you don’t have to be a kid to take the RCM exams – they’re open to anyone, of all ages – and you can take them purely for the personal and musical development.

EXAM CURRICULUM

We’ve talked a bit about RCM “grades,” but what does that really refer to?

RCM grades go from 1 to 10, but there are levels both before and after that. Before grade 1 there is a “preparatory” level, which you can think of as a sort of musical kindergarten. After grade 10, you’re into the “university courses”: ARCT (which is sort of like a bachelor’s degree) and LRCT (which is sort of like a master’s degree).

The average student – one who works hard at music, but their life doesn’t revolve around practice – can reasonably expect to get a grade 8 RCM level by the time they’ve finished high school. Grade 8 represents a solid understanding and competency in music. Anyone who reaches this level will be able to enjoy music for the rest of their life, even if they choose not to study music after graduation.

The more competitive student – one who practices constantly and chooses to focus on music over other activities – can likely hit a grade 10/ARCT level by the end high school. These students are the kind to be interested in pursuing music in their post-secondary career, and beyond.

RCM EXAMS: HIGH SCHOOL ACCREDITATION

In Canada at least, taking the RCM exams while still in high school can give you credits for it!

• Passing your RCM 6 (and associated theory) will give you a high school grade 10 credit.
• Passing your RCM 7 (and associated theory) will give you a high school grade 11 credit.
• Passing your RCM 8 (and associated theory) will give you a high school grade 12 credit.

RCM EXAMS: ARCT

As I mentioned, the ARCT in performance via the RCM is an extremely high level – in fact, it’s somewhat equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. To be clear, it is not the same – you would not be able to teach in a school setting with an RCM certificate – but the skill level you develop is similar to that of a bachelor’s degree.

The highest level of the RCM is the LRCT (the “L” standing for “licentiate”), and is the skill level equivalent of a master’s degree. In fact, if you have a music degree from a regular university, but not the ARCT certificate, you would be able to transfer the credit to then study for the LRCM without having to go through the ARCT exam first.

If you’re interested in going into business as a music instructor, having RCM credentials is almost as useful as having a Bachelor of Music – but the two work even better together, opening up even more career opportunities. Neither work as a substitute for the other, rather, they complement each other very well.

ADULTS

So, what if you’re not a kid anymore? Can you still take the exams?

Of course! And you don’t need to progress through all the levels to do it. Once you hit around the grade 8 level you’ll need to do each test to move on to the next level, but you won’t need to start at the grade 1 level to get there. That said, it you’ve been playing for a bit and  you’ve reached a grade 3 level of playing, you can start your exams at grade 3.

HOW TO TELL WHAT GRADE YOU’RE IN

Generally speaking, you should be in the grade level that you can learn pieces in comfortably. For example, in you’re a grade 1 student, you should be able to learn a grade 1 piece in about a month without needing to go overboard with practice. A grade 1 student might be able to stretch themselves to a grade 3 piece, but if it takes intensive practice to make it work it’s likely too much of a stretch.

It’s best to be honest with yourself when going into the testing because if you stretch yourself too much (for example, someone who is comfortable at grade 8 or 9 trying for the grade 10 test), you’ll likely do poorly, which can be very discouraging. In the end, stick to the grade level you’re most comfortable playing in – if you stick to it you will progress, there’s no need to push yourself too hard.

Among the many traditional musical instruments of China, the most popular nowadays include the stringed instruments called the erhu, pipa, and guzheng, and the dizi flutes.

These stringed instruments originated in foreign regions and were modified. When tourists think of their experiences in China, the poignant sounds of these Chinese instruments often colour their memories.

Erhu 二胡

The erhu will probably be the most popular traditional instrument in China. You might see it played non-professionally for entertainment in public parks, and it is also played by street musicians.

Peasants like it since it is comparatively inexpensive and portable, and it is also now popular in Chinese opera performances and traditional orchestras. It was once mainly used in operatic performances, but now it is popular as a solo instrument.

Pronounced èrhú (urrh-hoo) in Mandarin, it is a two-string, violin-like instrument that is played with a bow like a violin bow. It isn’t as loud a violin because the sound box is small. The sound box traditionally has a snakeskin cover, but modern instruments are made with modern materials.

Erhus generally retains the traditional tuning system, so they may sound odd to Western ears. It allows for a high degree of virtuosity, covers three octaves, and can be made to imitate the sound of Chinese singing and birds and horses. It produces a melancholy sound.

Guzheng 古箏

Pronounced gǔzhēng (goo-jung) in Mandarin, it is a large 18–23-or-more stringed instrument. It is said that it is an ancestor of the Japanese koto.

It isn’t commonly played in parks or on the streets. It is meant for Chinese opera and concert performances, and it is often played in traditional music ensembles. It is usually played by female musicians.

Unlike Japanese koto players who kneel of the floor, Chinese musicians sit in chairs in front of guzheng desks. Unlike the koto ensembles, the guzheng is more often performed solo. Modern guzheng instruments are often played by pinching the strings to play heptatonic notes and chords.

Pipa 琵琶

The pipa (pípá, pee-pah) is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument. The instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with frets like those on a guitar. It sounds like a banjo.

The pipa became popular as Silk Road trade and travel brought Buddhism, and great change, to the region. It is thought that the instrument originated somewhere in western or southern Asia. The instrument was popular in Chengdu, the capital of the Tang Empire (618–907). Paintings and artwork of the Tang era depict the pipa being played by musicians in flowing robes.

Nowadays, pipa musicians will mainly be seen on the stage or perhaps as entertainers at special parties or restaurants. Modern pipas have been re-engineered to fit better with Western-style music. Steel strings are now used, so players wear special finger plectra.

Dizi 笛子

Dizis are generally made of bamboo, and they generally have six or more finger holes. One hole is covered with paper so that the flute has a peculiar buzzing sound that people like.

Modern dizis may have a range of about two and a half octaves. Since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it has been used for theatrical performance. You may see these being played in the cities and countryside for fun.

There are several kinds of dizi (dízi /dee-dz/) flutes such as the qudi and bangdi depending mainly on the length. The longer ones like the changdi allow for deeper sounds.

Dulcimer 扬琴

Dulcimer is a kind of strike-stringed instrument. It was firstly introduced to China by Persian (an ancient Arabic country) at the end of Ming Dynasty. In the performance, it plays a role like the piano. Two jean bamboos (a kind of elastic small bamboo hammer) are used to strike the strings.

Guqin 古琴

Also called heptachord (7 strings), Guqin is one of the oldest plucked instruments in China, which appeared not late than Yao and Shun period. Players pluck the string by right hand and press by left hand.

Huqin 胡琴

Huqin is a kind of Mongolian arco instrument. Due to its gentle and resonant sound that is full of prairie flavor, Huqin is a good choice for solo, accompaniment and instrumental ensemble. Now Huqin is very popular in Inner Mongolia.

Liuqin 柳琴

Liuqin, a plucked stringed musical instrument, firstly appeared in Suzhou, Shandong and Anhui, which has been one of the stringed instruments with a pear-shaped body since the Tang Dynasty. Its appearance, structure and the law of playing are similar to Pipa. Liuqin is often used to accompany the traditional Chinese opera.

Hulus 葫芦丝

Hulus, a kind of free reed wind instrument, is one of the special music instruments among Yunnan ethnic minorities. Because of its unique and beautiful sound, simple, gentle and elegant appearance, and easy to learn, Hulus is welcome by primary and middle school students, music lovers and visitors from home and abroad.

Xiao 箫

Xiao, also named, is a Chinese vertical end-blown flute. Usually it is made of bamboo and has blow holes on the top. The performance techniques of Xiao are similar to bamboo flute, and Xiao is suitable for playing some long, quiet and sentimental songs.

Suona 唢呐

Introduced by Persian, Suona, also named horn, is a kind of Chinese playing music instrument. Because of its keen and resonant sound, Suona is often used in yangko, drum music and to accompany local opera and ballad.

Lusheng 芦笙

Lusheng is a yellow wind instrument for Miao, Yao and Dong ethnic minority in southwestern area. Lusheng is made of Sheng measure, Sheng tube, reeds and resonance tube. As a popular music instrument for ethnic minorities, people like holding Lusheng party to celebrate their own national festivals.

Sun 埙

Sun is an egg-shaped playing music instrument with six holes, which is made of clay. It is mainly used for court music in Chinese music history. The playing techniques of Sun are air blowing and tongue blowing, and the fingering techniques form its performance techniques.

Chimes 编钟

Made of bronze, Chimes are percussion instruments. Chimes are a set of bells hanging on a big bell-cot, arranging according to different tones of bells. if you use wooden hammer and bar to knock the bronze bell, it will have different sound.

So much of what we enjoy today has ancient origins. People have been fermenting grapes into wine for 10,000 years. Baking bread goes back even farther. The way these things are made by hand varies little today from the ancient methods. The same can be said for luthiers who craft violins.

It may be up for debate who created the first violin, but most scholars agree it was made in northern Italy in the early 16th century, and is remarkably similar to the instrument we know today. By the 17th century, violins were made with slightly longer necks and fingerboards. The chin rest wasn’t added until the 1800s. What remains relatively unchanged is the materials, tools, and methods used for making a violin.

All About the Wood

Then, as now, violins are made mostly from wood. Typically it’s spruce for the top and maple for the bottom and ribs. Both types of wood are dense – but light – and can be shaved thin without compromising integrity. The violin’s neck is usually made of maple, while ebony or another hardwood is preferred for the fingerboard.

Maple is also the go-to wood for the bridge, chin rest, and scroll box. Pegs are made of ebony or another hardwood. While the tailpiece used to be made of wood, plastic is more common today.

Some Basic Tools

Many of the same tools used in routine carpentry are in a luthier’s kit: saws, gouges, chisels, planes, and clamps are the most common. Tools that are essential to making violins and other stringed instruments include a bending iron and a purfling cutter. Hide glue is used to bond the pieces together.

One of the most important skills needed to make a violin that produces  good sound is precise measurements.  A scientific study, that compared the Stradivari and Guarneri violins to contemporary violins, concluded that consistent density in separate pieces gives those vintage violins a superior sound. Imagine that level of precise craftsmanship 500 years ago!

Most of the work involves careful shaving of the wood to the desired thinness, and painstakingly cutting notches and grooves. We’re not going to get into every detail here, but rather provide a broad overview of how to make a violin. That said, let’s get started!

Templates Guide the Way

After selecting or creating a design, a luthier makes templates for the various pieces from plywood. Once a piece of maple is cut into strips, they are used to form the ribs, or sides of the violin, with a bending iron. The iron uses steam to gently make the wood flexible. Bent into shape, the ribs are then glued to blocks on a form. This is used to trace an outline on the spruce and maple that will become the top and bottom of the body. 

Watch a violin being made

Let the Carving Begin

After following the pattern to cut out the wood for the top and bottom, the violin maker uses gouges, starting with a larger one and gradually working down to a finer tool to carve the pieces. Planes and scrapers are used to further hone and smooth the wood. The body is then rounded into shape following guides with exact measurements.

Next, channels are cut into the top and bottom pieces, followed by inlaying the purfling (three layered strips of wood) into the channels. Once the purfling is in place, the bottom is essentially finished.

When the top has been carved and smoothed, it’s time to measure and cut out the f-holes. Next up is adding the bass bar. Then the top and bottom can be joined together and the bridge attached.

Now it’s back to a good deal of gouging and carving as the neck and scroll are fashioned. There’s no template for the scroll, which is carved from the luthier’s imagination. After the pegs are fashioned, they are inserted into the neck below the scroll.

At this point, the bulk of the work is done. Before attaching and setting up the strings, the violin requires several coats of varnish. It could take weeks to dry and once it does, a finish is added. The violin can now be strung, tuned, and ready to play!

Watch how a violin is set up

Even in shops where violins are mass-produced in a type of assembly-line approach, the individuals responsible for each piece work the same way as a single luthier. There may be subtle differences in the way different violins are made, but the fundamentals remain the same. Starting with the proper wood, patterns are cut out, pieces are purposefully honed and shaped and then assembled with hide glue. Like the wheel, there’s no point trying to re-invent what’s already perfect! 

Now enjoy a beautifully played violin:

*Taken from a publication by StringOvation Team