Why So Scary? Exams Versus Friendly People, Stupidity... Options

[Scaramouche]

I think you guys miss the 'fun' element of it.

Thing is, once I'm in the exam room it's not so bad - and it can even be vaguely fun, if things go reasonably well. But the lead up to it is (for me) the opposite of fun, and saps any confidence I had in myself (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Hehe Sarah (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) .

[anacrusis]

Some twit in my house has decided to find out what a competition festival is like to play in (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) . Experience of exams is that the fear comes from knowing that the examiner is trained to listen critically; an ordinary audience may well not be; an audience of musicians though is a scary idea. Thank goodness I'm not a kid doing the festival thing - don't have a heap of pushy parents to contend with as well as the other competitors (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) . I'll admit that whilst I find the idea of the forum concerts good, I'm very much in two minds about how threatening I'd find it to take part in one.
So far the experience I'd find the most intimidating of all hasn't happened - playing in front of some of the very well-respected professional musicians I've been lucky enough to meet...(though I'd love to be allowed to play music with them!)

[sneekymum]

The trouble with exams is that, like it or not, they validate where you're at.

I have played the flute for thirty+ years but only took Grade 1 in November. But will take Grade 6 a year later. Suddenly those I know actually believe I can play the flute.

Conversely, I have an aquaintance (Not a friend of mine - just someone whose company I suffer) who never misses a chance to tell everyone how good at singing she is and that she took it to a high level when she was young... - and when she found I was doing Grade 2 singing next term she decided that she would too. ("Oh, I thought by "high level" you'd done some grades?") Had me run through what she would need to do. I played a few things from the G2 book and she thought she did well ( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) ) and then we tried sight reading. Only she can't read music. At all. Not a note...

She plays the piano too (with one hand and no music).

When faced with people who will happily declare their "musical skills" suddenly getting to G8 feels important.... in flute and singing... piano?.... recorder?..... oboe? (even).... so I can quietly put them in a drawer and not tell anyone.

[katyjay]

The trouble with exams is that, like it or not, they validate where you're at.

I have played the flute for thirty+ years but only took Grade 1 in November. But will take Grade 6 a year later. Suddenly those I know actually believe I can play the flute.

Conversely, I have an aquaintance (Not a friend of mine - just someone whose company I suffer) who never misses a chance to tell everyone how good at singing she is and that she took it to a high level when she was young... - and when she found I was doing Grade 2 singing next term she decided that she would too. ("Oh, I thought by "high level" you'd done some grades?") Had me run through what she would need to do. I played a few things from the G2 book and she thought she did well ( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) ) and then we tried sight reading. Only she can't read music. At all. Not a note...

She plays the piano too (with one hand and no music).

When faced with people who will happily declare their "musical skills" suddenly getting to G8 feels important.... in flute and singing... and oboe....piano?.... recorder..... so I can quietly put them in a drawer and not tell anyone.

I know what you mean about people with "musical skills" - I expect everyone meets them from time to time.

But don't put the instruments away in a drawer, keep playing them. After all, that's what's important. Certificates are nice to have, but the music is what matters.

[nicki_flute]

The trouble with exams is that, like it or not, they validate where you're at.

I have played the flute for thirty+ years but only took Grade 1 in November. But will take Grade 6 a year later. Suddenly those I know actually believe I can play the flute.

Conversely, I have an aquaintance (Not a friend of mine - just someone whose company I suffer) who never misses a chance to tell everyone how good at singing she is and that she took it to a high level when she was young... - and when she found I was doing Grade 2 singing next term she decided that she would too. ("Oh, I thought by "high level" you'd done some grades?") Had me run through what she would need to do. I played a few things from the G2 book and she thought she did well ( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) ) and then we tried sight reading. Only she can't read music. At all. Not a note...

She plays the piano too (with one hand and no music).

When faced with people who will happily declare their "musical skills" suddenly getting to G8 feels important.... in flute and singing... and oboe....piano?.... recorder..... so I can quietly put them in a drawer and not tell anyone.

I know what you mean about people with "musical skills" - I expect everyone meets them from time to time.

But don't put the instruments away in a drawer, keep playing them. After all, that's what's important. Certificates are nice to have, but the music is what matters.

Hear hear!

[sneekymum]

I meant "put the certificates in a drawer" - so as not to be someone who tells everyone

[katyjay]

I meant "put the certificates in a drawer" - so as not to be someone who tells everyone

Oh, that's OK then.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[sbhoa]

I can't do exams or friendly people. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

I'm with you Kerioboe.
Shall we find ourselves a nice, safe hole to crawl into?

[mrbouffant]

The trouble with exams is that, like it or not, they validate where you're at.

Only insofar as they validate where you're at, in the context of a limited subsection of your technical and artistic skills, on one particular day.

We all know we can perform better in rehearsal, or the week before, or the week after!

[skylark]

I'd rather do friendly people.

Inclined to agree with you Nicki. I do get nerves before forum concerts, yes, but I do find playing to such a friendly and supportive crowd to be a very pleasant experience. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

In my recent exam I tried to think of the examiner as being a forum member (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (it helped that he was very smiley and friendly). And I tried to remember some of the advice I've seen here, like just trying to play as nicely as possible so that the examiner enjoys what s/he's listening to. And putting the music before yourself.

I think it also helped that I did the exam in a slightly different order - this time I did my scales first, and thinking about it, I think that made a big difference. I'm normally very secure on scales, but I did make one or two slip-ups presumably through nerves, even though I didn't feel particularly nervous. But at least in-between the scales, I had a few seconds to "recover". If I'd played the pieces first as I normally do, and slipped up in one of those, it could have thrown me for the rest of the piece. I think doing the scales first gave me chance to settle down so that I was more at ease when I came to do the pieces which obviously carry the most marks.

Conversely, I have an aquaintance (Not a friend of mine - just someone whose company I suffer) who never misses a chance to tell everyone how good at singing she is and that she took it to a high level when she was young... - and when she found I was doing Grade 2 singing next term she decided that she would too. ("Oh, I thought by "high level" you'd done some grades?") Had me run through what she would need to do. I played a few things from the G2 book and she thought she did well ( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) ) and then we tried sight reading. Only she can't read music. At all. Not a note...

I love that story (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rofl.gif)

[sarah-flute]

Hmmm interesting - I didn't even know till recently that you had a choice... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[nicki_flute]

I knew you had a choice, but I haven't done anything extravagant.

But I always do all the playing in one go, rather than letting my flute go cold.

[sarah-flute]

I've only had one flute exam - but I took the examiner's suggestion of splitting mine up to give myself a rest (till the guy said, I had no idea it was an option!). I think I did A&B lists, aurals, then study, scales, SR.

[Melody Amour]

For me, thinking of one of the scariest experiences in my life helps to put exams into perspective in comparison.

[Roseau]

I can't do exams or friendly people. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

I'm with you Kerioboe.
Shall we find ourselves a nice, safe hole to crawl into?

Yes lets and then we can play together.
While I am paranoid about playing to people I love playing with people.

And (and this is how I know I am totally irrational) provided I am playing with a group of people it doesn't bother me if I have solo parts.