Running order in woodwind exam Options

[owainsutton]

perhaps it would be worthwhile for ABRSM to consider replacing the little forms for candidtes to list their pieces on with one where candidates could indicate the running order for the full exam.

Good idea, although it's worth noting that many examiners don't use the forms for a lot of bread-and-butter (violin, piano etc.) exams, and I get the impression that they prefer asking the candidates as a way to have a short conversation to put them at ease.

[dotted quaver]

perhaps it would be worthwhile for ABRSM to consider replacing the little forms for candidtes to list their pieces on with one where candidates could indicate the running order for the full exam.

Good idea, although it's worth noting that many examiners don't use the forms for a lot of bread-and-butter (violin, piano etc.) exams, and I get the impression that they prefer asking the candidates as a way to have a short conversation to put them at ease.

Most of the centres I use, make candidates /teachers complete them before they go into the exam room. Maybe AB should insist on it and then the running order would definitely be at the candidates choce. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[BerkshireMum]

Some examiners just won't let the candidate do things in the order they choose. When my son did his grade 8 clarinet he took in a list of the order he would like, with aural at the end, which he gave to the examiner.

I think the examiner was just trying to be kind and give his lip time to recover, but I felt it was rather unfair to put pressure on him. He said afterwards that he was so shaky after the aural (for which he got 10/18) that he thought it affected his scales quite a bit.

maybe so, but she should have let him do what he wanted, even if it did affect his playing of the 3rd piece. The examiner should have known that candidates have the right to choose the running order of the exam. Did you let AB know about this?

I did ask my son whether he would like me to ask his teacher to contact the Board, but he was at that awkward age (16) when they would rather die than have a fuss made, so I dropped the idea. He re-took grade 8 the following year and had a much nicer examiner who let him do the aural last - but he still got 10/18 despite having tried to practise aural all year! Fortunately his playing was so much better by then that he got a distinction anyway. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clarinet.gif)