Exams, why do people do it?? To show off?? Options

[neil.clarinet]

QUOTE (pianist_1210 @ May 20 2005, 11:57 AM)

QUOTE (Car Expert @ May 18 2005, 06:07 PM) I don't like doing exams, but I think they are a good idea because you need a good idea of how well you're doing. If you don't do well, your teacher will be quite cross with you. I've got a Grade 2 exam in June so I hope I do well! Yeah but sometimes an exam doesn't really mean how good you actually is....ie. if you're felling really bad on the day, you might do much worse than what you normally did... therefore I think exams ain't representative for your abilty.

That is part of exams, coping with nerves, or whatever. If you are good enough, you should play well however you are feeling. If it is anything extreme like illness, then you can cancel the exam. They understand things like that.

[AnotherPianist]

I agree with neil.clarinet: the exam is an assessment of your ability to play under pressure and I do think that the examiners are very good at sensing what is nerves on the day and seeing through to one's real abilities, although there still can be a few cases of disappointment.

The other thing which I would be more concerned about is that exams can actually say that the person is better than they really are due to overtraining and overinstruction on just three pieces, this is a lot harder to see through (except, perhaps in the sightreading section but examiners aren't allowed to knock off marks for the pieces due to bad sightreading!).

[neil.clarinet]

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ May 20 2005, 01:00 PM)

(except, perhaps in the sightreading section but examiners aren't allowed to knock off marks for the pieces due to bad sightreading!).

Then I'd be totally spooned. :lol:

[sarah-flute]

QUOTE (pianist_1210 @ May 20 2005, 10:57 AM)

Yeah but sometimes an exam doesn't really mean how good you actually is....ie. if you're felling really bad on the day, you might do much worse than what you normally did... therefore I think exams ain't representative for your abilty.

The whole point of the exam is that it tests you under exam conditions... getting really good grades depends on being able to play well under those conditions.

If you feel you can play better outside the exam room, then join the club - that goes for most people most of the time. Examiners bear that in mind, looking for how good you're playing is under the nerves, whilst always marking what they hear on the day (because they don't know how you sound outside the exam room). They can only mark what they see and hear...

If you feel you let yourself down due to nerves, then practice playing under adverse conditions (ie when people are trying to distract you), at times when you're not feeling 100%, and in front of an audience.

[pianist_1210]

Aha, thanks guys... I think I had been feeling better now....I meant I'm not that nevous of my piano considering that I 've done so many piano exams before....However I'm still worry about my Violin exam which is coming up in June....the problem is , my hand shakes when I get nervous ...and the shaking affected my violin playing badly especially at slow passages....the note's just shaky.....bad....But I'm feeling totally nervousless about my piano exam!! Thanks goodness!! My piano is my true love !! :wub:

[crazy_purple_piano_freak]

under nerves, like in concerts and exams i sometimes find that i play better because instinct kicks in. If i feel that im going wrong or make a mistake and want to stop, my hands just carry on without me! :P

[pianist_1210]

QUOTE (crazy_purple_piano_freak @ May 22 2005, 05:40 PM)

under nerves, like in concerts and exams i sometimes find that i play better because instinct kicks in. If i feel that im going wrong or make a mistake and want to stop, my hands just carry on without me! :P

Yeah, same here....how weird...

[musicmanNZ]

I don't know that a certain grade is a realistic measure of ability. I know a number of players who produce the grade X book to their teacher in January ( that is when term 1 starts here in NZ) and do nothing but work on those pieces until the exam in October. Seriously boring!! If you give them another piece at that grade level they can't cope.
My teacher insists that you are playing a big repetoire all at the level or above the level of grade X before you even start the exam pieces. I spend 2 mths max on my exam pieces and am playing other stuff as well while working on them. Works for me anyway.

[chocolatedog]

And I agree with your teacher musicmanNZ - it's what I also try to do with my pupils. And if any of them are taking their exams I tell them not to worry - the mark they get only tells people how they did in 3 pieces, and a few other tests IN THOSE 10-15 MINUTES ON ONE PARTICULAR DAY and are not necessarily a reflection of their true ability especially if they are prone to getting really nervous.

[Lisa87]

I don't particularly enjoy taking music exams but they have given me a lot more confidence as I know when I put my mind to something I can do really well and achieve what I set out to achieve. I think some people do it just to show off but that is certainly not the case with everyone. I, myself, am pleased that my family and friends are proud of what I've done but I don't go about telling everyone I meet that I have passed however many exams! I think it's nice when someone is not aware of their talent as I can't stand people who know they're good at something and are arrogant, if you know what I mean :D

Yeah but sometimes an exam doesn't really mean how good you actually is....ie. if you're felling really bad on the day, you might do much worse than what you normally did... therefore I think exams ain't representative for your abilty.

I agree with this as even though exams are a test of your ability to perform under pressure it doesn't neccessarily show you at your best. I always feel as though I could do better in exams but I think everyone experiences that at some point. It annoys me though because I could have been playing the same pieces at home, on the same day, totally relaxed, but as soon as I get into the examination room I'm shaking like a leaf! Usually my playing is ok in exams but I suppose it all depends on how confident you feel with the pieces and sometimes I think you just fight your nerves when you're in a certain situation.

Lisa xxx

[fawnfawn]

i enjoy taking music exams as it gives me a sense of achievement, and a goal to work towards.

[Silver pianist]

Exams are a wonderful wayof testing your all round ability. And they are carefully thought out to bring someone from complete beginner to a competent all rounder on their instrument by the time they have passed grade 8. If you are not up to scratch in one department you can bet your bottom dollar that the exam room will highlight it. I agree with anotherpianist. No use in overplaying three pieces to have them at the 'grade in question level' if your scales are rubbish and you cannot sightread to the requirements of that grade. You may as well put yourself in for performance assessment.

You have to ask yourself the question 'what are exams there for' and then 'do I want to do them' Many people for all sorts of reasons do not want to do them and there is nothing wrong in that. But if you do decide to do them, use them properly, understand the criteria by which they are set, and don't allow yourself to enter unless and until you are competent in every department that they are testing. If you don't, you are wasting your time and everyone else's. Use the exam system as an indicator of you progression. Do not abuse it! Bit like doing A level French when you can speak the language well, but have not bothered to learn the grammar and cannot write it ;)

[Car Expert]

I don't like doing exams, but I think they are a good idea because you need a good idea of how well you're doing. If you don't do well, your teacher will be quite cross with you.

I've got a Grade 2 exam in June so I hope I do well!

Yeah but sometimes an exam doesn't really mean how good you actually is....ie. if you're felling really bad on the day, you might do much worse than what you normally did... therefore I think exams ain't representative for your abilty.

That is part of exams, coping with nerves, or whatever. If you are good enough, you should play well however you are feeling. If it is anything extreme like illness, then you can cancel the exam. They understand things like that.

I agree because on the Mock SATS week, I felt sleepy on Monday and I had a bad cough on Tuesday and Wednesday, which meant I had to take Thursday and Friday off (because there weren't any exams on those days). Afterwards, I felt I could have done better in the exams if I was feeling better.

[musicbox]

Yeah exactly a milestone for someone to reach. I like to do exams though because I feel like have a chieved some thing and l am improving.

[Kate]

I can't understand why people will do exams, though, and then say, "OH! You've done your Grade 8 - What did you get? .....126? Well, I got 131 so that must mean I'm better than you!" ..I have heard it, though perhaps not directed at me! :angry:

I think you can only truly compare your exam result to someone else's if you took the exam the same day as them with the same examiner.... perhaps even as far as playing the same pieces as them, with the same sight-reading and aural tests! And even then you might be feeling under the weather, or perform better under pressure than the other person!

In the end it is actually impossibe and pointless comparing exam results with other people and that's why I dont do it!! Of course I will congratulate someone on their result and feel pleased with myself if I get a good result... but I'm not one of those people who will go so far as to judge someone on their exam result!!

So if someone is doing exams to try and show off.... they are sadly mistaken that it is a true indication of their full capabilities as a musician! I don't think you can judge someone's playing by just one concert alone either... you have to know that person. Everybody has their own strengths and weaknesses

And I completely agree with what everyone else has said :) .. I don't think exams are pointless and it's using them to show off that is!!

Kate