ABRSM Official Poll, Exam appointments - what matters most? Options

[cecilia]

QUOTE

QUOTE (Lisa B @ Mar 26 2004, 08:11 PM) ...the examiners need to be a little more friendly. In my experience, they don't move from their desks and barely speak other than to tell you what they want you to do.  <snip> The examiners from other exam boards are much friendlier - chatting to the student, helping out with chairs, stands etc and most importantly making them feel at ease so they can give their best performance. I'm an accompanist and play for lots of grade exams. I haven't experienced any consistent difference in friendliness and helpfulness (adjusting stands etc.) among examiners from different Boards. Most of the examiners I've seen recently have greeted me and the candidates in a friendly way and allowed us to get settled and tune up carefully. Most examiners are willing to allow the candidates to adjust their position so that the examiner has a good view and the candidate and I have eye contact, etc. From time to time I do come across examiners who make the whole thing feel very rushed and unnecessarily formal, but they have been the exception in recent years.

I've had varying experiences with examiners in this way, going from at one end of the scale the one from my grade 7 piano who didn't even say anything as I entered the room, which made me feel v. uncomfortable to the one for my grade 5 piano who was exceedingly friendly and offered to help me adjust the stool, allowed me ample time to get the feel of the piano, etc. I did better in the grade 5, not surprisingly.

[saxlover]

most of my examiners have said hardly anything to me in the exam, apart from one. the examiner for my grade 4 piano was really nice, she forgot to ask me broken chords and just as i was about to start my 1st piece she said oops sorry ive cheated and not asked you any broken chords sorry, ill have to ask you them!!

[dacapo]

QUOTE (Ony @ Apr 8 2004, 09:27 AM)

Our local centre has a fairly well arranged set-up for the examiner, in a sound-proofed room, but the poor pupils have to warm up in a music shop with no privacy and no security for their possessions. Not good enough!

I haven't checked this recently, but the last time I raised the matter with the Board I was told that they made no commitment to provide any warm up facilities at all. I find that unacceptable, and I feel it is particularly damaging for players of brass instruments not to have a chance to warm up properly. My nearest exam centre is very well organised, usually providing two small warm-up rooms with in tune pianos, but I've been faced in the past with one where candidates were told to warm up in their cars!! It wasn't clear how the trombonists, 'cellists or bass players were supposed to cope...

[dacapo]

QUOTE (Ony @ Apr 8 2004, 09:27 AM)

I would have preferred to have seen the sort of poll here where you can indicate priorities in order of preference, rather than just choosing one over all the others.

I agree. I think the results would have been more illuminating too. Only being able to choose one item is rather like the political "first past the post" system as against proportional representation.

[1stviolin]

As a parent of three children with a wide range of exam experience (wind, brass, piano & strings), recent grade 8 examinee myself and Grade 2 accompanist, I have a few points to add..

Being able to specify dates to avoid would be wonderful, together with earlier notice. I look at my diary for the expected week(s) with dread as other commitments (work, school, social) pile up and wonder where the clash will be. I had to ask a friend to take my daughter to her Grade 1 piano as I was away at a work training course booked months previously.

Warming up facilities are vital, and the waiting area should definitely be out of earshot! My most recent experience has a second-hand music book stall in the waiting area - I came back with a number of bargains!

For my son's Grade 7 we were able to arrange with the venue for him to practice on the piano one evening the week before (the premises were open for lessons) This was very useful, but was the first time this facility has ever been offered to him.

As for tuning, accompanists etc, my children's non-piano exams have all been arranged by the local music service who provide accompanists if required, with a rehearsal a couple of weeks beforehand, and the violin teacher was on hand to help with tuning - they would see this as part of the job and would not be teaching that day. I realise this is different for peris employed by a music service.

[Violinia]

What would be REALLY helpful would be if the AB could publish a list of willing accompanists for each region. Coupled with the fact that you often don't know the exact date of the exam until a couple of weeks beforehand, it can sometimes be a complete nightmare trying to track down an accompanist who is actually available, ie not working that morning or afternoon - to do the job.

When my son did his sax exam the accompanist we'd had lined up for months let me down and I nearly had a heart attack trying to find somebody in time. Admittedly it was the Guildhall and we had to travel 12 miles, but it could have been a problem even if the exam centre had been in my home town.

Generally though I think the AB is really efficient and effective.

Violinia

[violin-ann]

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Aug 1 2004, 11:13 AM)

QUOTE (Lisa B @ Mar 26 2004, 08:11 PM) ...the examiners need to be a little more friendly. In my experience, they don't move from their desks and barely speak other than to tell you what they want you to do. <snip> The examiners from other exam boards are much friendlier - chatting to the student, helping out with chairs, stands etc and most importantly making them feel at ease so they can give their best performance.

Hehehe... I would not be sure having a very friendly examiner is a good thing. Because the last VERY friendly examiner I had was a hard marker! Most of them are just normal, polite and that was alright. I got good marks even when I didn't think I played that well. But with the performance I was especially pleased with, I got just average marks. And the same happened to some of my students this year. Those who might have gotton a merit with the other more silent examiners only got a high pass with this super polite and friendly examiner. :blink:

[maggiemay]

QUOTE

What would be REALLY helpful would be if the AB could publish a list of willing accompanists for each region.

It would be useful I guess - except the AB would not wish to imply some kind of endorsement, so may be reluctant to list names.

I've mentioned this before but maybe not on this thread ......... a friend recently called me to ask if I could accompany her daughter in an exam; I had lessons booked and could not, but suggested she try www.musicteachers.co.uk. She called back within 5 or 10 minutes to say she had found someone.

Maggie

[noodle]

I consider a convenient date to be important in the allocation of exam appointments and I think it would be helpful if the entry form was a bit more flexible to make it easier for teachers to choose (within reason) a week to suit their candidates. There is no point in having the option of a preferred week on the entry form if it is totally disregarded when exam dates are allocated. Last term I had several students who due to A levels, GCSEs and school trips during the exam period were not available during all of June. I chose week 3 as my preferred week to avoid clashes. The result? Two of my students had to do piano exams within 24 hours of returning from a school exchange to France, another two had to change to a different centre because they had A level/GCSE clashes. I specifically entered a piano grade 8 candidate to a centre where she would be able to play a good piano to give her the best possible chance in her exam, but because of an A level clash she had to change centre and ended up doing the exam in a different centre 15 miles away on a poor piano during the week I had originally asked for when she was entered. Fortunately she still got a distinction, but when parents are paying so much money for these exams, pianists in particular should not be disadvantaged by having to play on a less adequate instrument.

private piano teacher & peri

[asyoulikeit]

id like there to be a practise piano, or at least a keyboard, with headphones at each venue

[hammond]

i have found most examiners to be on a par with driving test examiners. as well as teaching i have accompanied for other teachers and actually being in the room with the examiner reminded me of my exam days. [i think they are the same examiners!] they made me feel uneasy and i wasnt even sitting the exam!! I have come across two examiners who were really good and put the kids at ease so if any of you teachers out there have got margaret Madley examining your pupils, get as many entries in as you can. She was excellent!!! Really knew how to deal with kids [and adults]

[songflower]

I think that the venue is most important. Our local centre is a methodist church and the exam room is wonderful to sing in..light and spacious with a good grand piano and the pews add a lovely sense of occasion when performing as you have an 'imaginary' audience to sing to..!

I had two exams here and thoroughly enjoyed them! I think that is so important to ENJOY exams, and not see them as being scary. If you know the venue you will be examined in is good, it means you don't have to worry about that but can focus your energies on your PERFORMANCE!!

For my grade 7 exam however, the exam room was in a poky mobile classroom in a school with awful accoustics and i found it quite difficult to 'get into character' for my songs. Funnily enough though, I got my highest ever distinction for this one!! Perhaps I felt I had to work a bit harder!! :unsure:

[stephygal]

i never enjoyed my exams because i was too nervous, the piano examiners that graded me always look so stern and i fear to even look at them right at the face. The piano area always wet with sweats :lol:.

[maggiemay]

QUOTE

I had two exams here and thoroughly enjoyed them! I think that is so important to ENJOY exams, and not see them as being scary.

I really agree with this - although I know that for many people it's like asking them to fly ................
I try to encourage my pupils to regard exams as a mini-recital they will be giving to someone who is going to enjoy their playing. I don't ignore the nervous aspect but I don't stress it (oh dear! unintended) either.

A good venue certainly gives it a sense of occasion and helps it to feel special.

Maggie

[Ayshah]

QUOTE (1stviolin @ Sep 7 2004, 11:04 PM)

As a parent of three children with a wide range of exam experience (wind, brass, piano & strings), recent grade 8 examinee myself and Grade 2 accompanist, I have a few points to add.. Being able to specify dates to avoid would be wonderful, together with earlier notice. I look at my diary for the expected week(s) with dread as other commitments (work, school, social) pile up and wonder where the clash will be. I had to ask a friend to take my daughter to her Grade 1 piano as I was away at a work training course booked months previously. Warming up facilities are vital, and the waiting area should definitely be out of earshot! My most recent experience has a second-hand music book stall in the waiting area - I came back with a number of bargains! For my son's Grade 7 we were able to arrange with the venue for him to practice on the piano one evening the week before (the premises were open for lessons) This was very useful, but was the first time this facility has ever been offered to him. As for tuning, accompanists etc, my children's non-piano exams have all been arranged by the local music service who provide accompanists if required, with a rehearsal a couple of weeks beforehand, and the violin teacher was on hand to help with tuning - they would see this as part of the job and would not be teaching that day. I realise this is different for peris employed by a music service.

[QUOTE]