A bit about music exams in UK and France
They're really different. I think I have already mentioned that while in the UK people generally find a private teacher for their instrument, or do it through a school scheme, here there are municipal music school, conservatoires and so on. The situation is a little more complex than I had first understood, because the schools vary in the rigidity of their organisation: the most, the conservatoires, next the municipals, then the associations. Our music school is an association, but it tends to apply the standards of the municipal schools with its programme of cycles, etc. Britain - grade 1 to 8, grade 8 being roughly equivalent to A-level, pre university/conservatoire. France - 3 cycles, each taking about 4 years, with 3ème cycle being roughly equivalent to grade 8. Theory of music - UK to take grade 8 you need theory grade 5. In France you study theory alongside your instrumental studies, very slowly. Catrin's flute music is MUCH more difficult than the stuff she does in theor...
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They also have a fine American associate pastor, mission funded, because many of the pastors here have to care for two or three churches. He did his French at the Sorbonne in a similar outfit to ours, I think.
They also have a lovely guy from Chile who is a prison chaplain at the local remand centre.
The church seems to be growing, though there's not much room for chairs in that building, beautiful though it be!
Probably the most encouraging EREI church in our South-West Region.