My good friend, Vicky van der Vliet, who is also the local ABRSM rep for Plymouth & SE Cornwall, sent me this cutting from the paper I actually write for!
Alex Basso, whose dad, Giorgio, is Italian, recently not only got a Distinction in his Grade 1 Piano exam, but achieved this with a very high score of 141! At his last lesson, I was delighted to hear that he had also just passed his 11+ exam, and was, in fact, going to my old school, Devonport High School for Boys this September.
Plymouth still retains the 11+ (fortunately, in my opinion!) but makes it a real obstacle course for those children who want to take it! Unfortunately, with all the dimming down of educational standards in this country, we can't bear to conced that some children will be more able than others, and therefore deserve exactly the same opportunity for 'Special Needs', as those at the other exact of the spectrum.
In these days when you're afraid to praise anyone for a traditional and respected success, it's great to see this little ad in the paper, along with others, too. Obviously they're proud of Alex's achievement - and why not! Well done, Alex!
