Giving back to the community
Jean Stewart, an HLR of over 15 years from Doncaster, enjoys the opportunity to meet other teachers: "As a private piano teacher, it can be lonely at times, so it's a fantastic way of keeping up to date with what's going on and the latest from ABRSM."
Our retired HLR for Truro, Michael Sadka, particularly enjoyed "feeling part of a community and helping spread the beauty of music".
But it's "not a job to be taken lightly", our longest-standing HLR, Helen Hopkins from Wales reminds us. "It can be time consuming and exhausting, but I feel it's my duty to accommodate the exams. I love providing a welcoming atmosphere for the children." Helen and her husband ran Wilks Music Store, the oldest music shop in Swansea, and have been holding exams in a purpose-built room adjoined to the shop for 40 years, with a lengthy visitors' book to prove it!
Another optional role of a representative is to organise High Scorers' Concerts. These provide a fantastic opportunity for local children to come and play their pieces in front of a friendly and supportive audience and celebrate their success. They always have a "real buzz about them" and are "a joy to arrange" notes Jean.
What we look for
So what qualities and skills do you need as a representative?
You should enjoy working with young people, have plenty of patience, good organisational skills and tremendous diplomacy. As a representative, you'll deal with the ordinary to the bizarre, from flat tyres and late candidates to noisy neighbours, forgotten music and occasional examiners locked in toilets!
You also need unfailing patience and the ability to keep calm under pressure. We want to ensure the conditions are right for each candidate and that their experience of the exam is positive.
Benefits you'll enjoy
As an HLR, you're assured of full support from staff at our London office and are kept up to date through webinars and annual seminars which we host in venues in London and across the UK. You also receive discounts on our publications and free or discounted places on our courses.
A more unusual benefit for Helen (and one we can't guarantee!) was the invitation by one of the examiners at her centre to sing Elgar's Sea Pictures with his orchestra in London.
"It was such a wonderful and unexpected opportunity," Helen reminisces, adding that it "really encouraged me to pursue my singing!"
