Exams, coming soon!!! Options

[lottie]

As for the MiL - (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) Mine's called the Outlaw..... I'm grinning and bearing for you.

Thank you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) I've just not-returned her last message - I can't deal with her just now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif)


I also told my teacher I wouldn't be taking lessons after the summer because I need to concentrate on my degree. It will be the first time in three years I won't have my lessons to look forward to and it's terribly sad. But I just wouldn't be able to practice enought to do justice to her time (which she will fill from her waiting list). Hopefully I'll be able to play a bit though and still want to join the orchestra (at the very back) for occasional practice.

Your pre-exam advice sounds spot-on so I'll try it out (will a pear work instead of a bannana - it's all I have? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif) )

[Minstrel]

Sorry, can't help about banana/pear - it's bound to be better than nothing.

No apologies for the next bit.....

TIME FOR BED !!!!

.....
where you have to visualise yourself enjoying yourself performing your pieces really well as you go to sleep.
Good luck,
M

[lottie]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Two hours to go. I've run through everything I'm playing, done my finger stretching exercises and a little meditation.

I still feel ill. This hasn't happened for years and it's horrid - I doubt I'll ever take another exam again.

I can only get my scales right if I trust my instinct and don't try to think-through them.


I think I'll go and hang some washing and play with the dogs.


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/ill.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

[Maizie]

I think I'll go and hang some washing and play with the dogs.

That sounds like a very good idea.
And keep on remembering that all that's happening is you are playing in front a different person. OK, that person is going to be marking you, but it doesn't actually matter what they say. The world will not end tomorrow if you get a scale wrong, or your sight-reading has flats in and you decline to even have a go (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) [I can be optimistic now; come November, you can get me back when I'm fretting!]

[elisabeth_rb]

How'd it go, Lottie?

[lottie]

Well.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

I got there. A good start!

The pieces were fine - actually I was quite pleased because the run-through before was awful with horrendous bow-shake but when I walked through the door I though to myself 'I have nothing to lose now', so they went quite well with no glaring errors.. just a little shake because the accp went too slow in the Gershwin and I had lots of long bows. Vibrato was good and steady and dynamics were 'landed safely'!

Then I played my scales too fast. I made one error in one of them.. and then he asked for Eflat major. I started it and lost it on the 3rd note. Then I started it again and lost it. Then again. And again... I was just about to give up when I got up it on all the wrong notes.. and then made about four errors coming down (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) It was just gone - the scale did not exist in my brain. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) Arpeggios were a bit squeaky but okay. Doms and Chroms okay.

Then he did the aural and I made a mistake with the first one!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) I said 4/4 when it was 2/4!!! He even looked up at me! Then the echo was really fast and my voice wouldn't pitch the correct note 3 or 4 times.. it was also too high!! The other two bits were okay.

And the sightreading?..... it was in E FLAT MAJOR!!!!!!!!! What kind of cruel evil man was he?????? Did he do that on purpose???? So I played myself the scale (it was fine) and then managed the 'mood' and tempo okay but made 2-3 note errors...but there was a 'trip-up' note and I got that okay.

So. There. Finished.!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

What a lovely man the examiner was! He really put me at my ease and was quite chatty and very positive about what I was doing. At one point he called Pan a 'violin' so I apologised but corrected him and said I was very proud of my viola and he laughed and said ".. well a violin wouldn't make such a lovely deep sound." !!!!!!!! Yayayayayaya... I hope that reflected my playing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) I also apologised about my singing and lack of 'voice' and he said "no, there's a lovely little singing voice in there.."... twice!!!!

I reckon I have a low range merit which is just fine. I will be perfectly happy with that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) But now I'm off to walk the dogs and shoot into the Uni library because I have sooooooo much work to do by Friday (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) Pan and Martha will have to entertain themselves for the next few weeks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

(but, on the whole.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

[pianocelloflute]

Sounds like a good exam. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Well done for getting through it Lottie, hope the Uni work goes OK in the next few days.

[jojo]

Hey Lottie, it sounds like it went really well (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

[barry-clari]

best of luck for the result lottie! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[BerkshireMum]

I've only just read through this thread, lottie, and I felt so sorry for you in the days just before the exam. It must be so good to be the other side of it! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Hope you get a great result!

[Minstrel]

Well done for being brave. Even though I am a professional teacher and performer, wild horses would not drag me into an exam room in order to lay myself bare. It's bad enough when I accompany for my early grade pupils!

Fingers crossed for the result, but, whatever happens, think of all the progress you've made in the last few months and especially since you discovered the viola. Keep playing, just for fun and especially to wind down around your uni work. Is there any possibility that you could just have the odd 'ticking over' lesson with your teacher, say, once a month, just to give your playing a little bit of a focus next year? - even if it's duets and fun repertoire, it's always reassuring to know that you can have a bit of help every now and again.

[lottie]

Is there any possibility that you could just have the odd 'ticking over' lesson with your teacher, say, once a month, just to give your playing a little bit of a focus next year? - even if it's duets and fun repertoire, it's always reassuring to know that you can have a bit of help every now and again.

Yes I think that's what I'm hoping to do. I'm still planning to join the local orchestra in August with my violin so I'm hoping to keep in touch with my teacher for fingering/bowing advice although apparently people in the orchestra will help out.

I'm even planning to take a lunch-break today and fit in some Telemann violin Fantasias... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

[nova]

Sounds like it went really well despite your worries, hope your result comes soon and then you can put it behind you. It's an achievement to have done all the work to exam standard anyway, whatever it says on the marksheet!

Anyone else doing violin G7 next term? I'm just in the process of choosing pieces; there are a lot I like.

N

[lottie]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) I've just been remembering I also lost my beat in the sight-reading and it was common time (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) . With that and the E flat scale debacle I still think I've passed but can drop the merit off the menu.

Do you think he gave me sightreading in E flat because I messed up the scale and he was testing me? My teacher thinks so. At the start of the sightreading '30 secs' I played the E flat scale to myself with no problem(!) and he must have heard me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) Why on earth did my brain do such a wobble????

Also, he asked me heaps of scales... far more than I was ever asked to play for my violin grade 3. He asked me two different chromatics and two different dominants even though I played them correctly.... I thought the scales part would never end!!!!

Anyway I googled him and here he is http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/APS-332-CLIVE-HARRIE...0618156002r3940

The photo must have been taken 20 years ago though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) But he was a lovely man (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) All of my examiners have been organists and really charming people... I hope they are as gentle with the kiddies (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[maya3]

well done lottie!

I have mine tomorrow and I'm nervous!