Hi all

This is the first time I am posting here. I sat my Grade 8 piano on Friday, which was the first exam I have done in 15 years. Nerve-racking? Yes. Now the wait until I get the results. I can't really remember how well you have to do to pass. I think my pieces were not bad, except for a few little mistakes here and there and I might not have played the Allegro quite fast enough. The scales were ok except I misheard the examiner and when she asked for Dominant 7ths I played Diminished 7ths and then realised after I had made the mistake and she let me have a second go at the Dominant 7ths. I guess this will affect my marks and I will be marked down for this. I think sight-reading was ok, not great but not terrible. The piece was a lot longer than the examples in my practise book. Aural tests were disastrous (except 8D) but this was expected and I'm hoping that as they only count for a small portion of marks hopefully the rest of the sections will help me. Any words of advice? I hope I pass as if not then I can't resit with the same pieces as the syllabus has now expired so I would need to learn new pieces - which I would consider doing although it is a big committment when you are an adult with a demanding job, a husband and loads of other commitments! Again, thoughts anyone? Has anyone been in a similar position?

Does anyone else agree that examiners don't at all give away how well you have done? I guess this is part of their job description! They are very pleasant and nice, which helps with the nerves somewhat :-)

Thanks for any responses.

DJA

Hope you wouldn't have to wait too long for the result. And fingers crossed for it.
I agree with the point that examiners don't at all give away how well you have done.

I don't *think* you will be marked down for the scale mistake. I started my chromatic thirds on the wrong note and the examiner asked me to do it again - it wasn't mentioned in the comments and the marks weren't any lower than I would have expected without that mistake. Like you, my aural tests were also a bit of a mess (partially because my teacher was under the false impression that I had perfect pitch and as a result didn't practice enough with me... ). It wasn't a problem, though I think the examiner might have tweaked a few marks so I could just manage a distinction...

Thanks for your reply lilly. Wow well done on getting a distinction! That is an amazing achievement, especially on Grade 8. I am sitting tight waiting for my results...

I also think that the examiner take into consideration how you are under stress on that day and would not really cut your marks . I remember I also misheard in my piano exam for the arpeggios and didn't lose marks for this error.
Similarly, my aural part is always a disaster
Good luck for your results !

Congratulations on taking on the challenge of Grade 8! I took my Grade 8 at the age of 39 having had a huge, long break from the piano.

I messed up my Dom 7th arpeggio and was asked for it again but I got a really good mark for my scales depite the slip. There were other mistakes too in all areas of the exam but I managed a good Distinction.

I sensed that my examiner really wanted me to do well, possibly on account of the fact that I was an adult. I don't mean to suggest at all that examiners don't want youngsters to do well, but I do think there might be a feeling of great respect from examiners that adults have made the effort to take their music seriously, particularly when in your case, you have a busy life with family and job etc.

So.......well done and I really hope that you enjoy receiving the mark that you wish for yourself!

Let us all know when you get it!

No, I don't think you will either. If you demonstrated you could play both dom and dims I don't think it should make much difference. I'm always doing things like that under the pressure of the exam, like doing melodic instead of harmonic etc, but I've never been marked dwn particularly for it. In my sax exam, I completely messed up all of my minor scales and arpeggios, but I was asked one more minor at the end and managed it, and ended up getting 18/21 for scales!

Good luck for the result, I'm sure you will have done well!

Sounds very like my Grade 8, which I took after a very, very long break from exams. I managed 114 so I would guess (hope) you do too. Good luck!

I have only sat Grades 6 and 7 ever (2003 and last year), and like you have a busy full-time job and many other commitments. On both occasions though, I found the examiner much more lenient than I had expected, even though to my ears there were lots of appalling mistakes. I am doing Grade 8 now and I think you ought to give yourself credit for having attempted it at all, regardless of the outcome. Focus on the benefits you have derived from all the effort you have put in, in terms of being able to play much better. Whatever the result, you have worked hard and that is bound to have rewards.

Hi, this is my 1st time to post the message at the forum. i plan to sit my piano practical exam on next yr Aug 2012. May i know normally it take how long to prepare for the 3 pieces of the piano song? coz my piano center not given the pieces for me to start practice yet. It has make me feel worry i got no enough time to prepare the 3 pieces song i am thinking to start practice by myself 1st. Is there anybody can provide the 2010-2011 piano pieces?

How long it takes depends on how well you learn and at higher grades it will probably take longer.
It's probably too soon to be tying yourself down to 3 exam pieces for August 2012 just yet though if you wanted to explore more of the syllabus and so give yourself more choice of what to play in the exam you may want to begin looking at pieces sooner.
If your teacher is working with you to prepare for your exam he or she will probably have an idea of timing for preparation.
Meanwhile are you on the way to getting the scales for the grade in order? It's never too early to do this.

Many thanks for the replied & advice after listen your advice i feel more calm. Yes, i have started praticing the scales its really many of them really worry i will mess up. I had run through the 3 pieces it look many pages and really make me feel tention not manage to complete 3pieces within 1yr + So far my teacher not discuss with me yet when is a good timing for me to start the 3 pieces.
i not dare to ask this is because when i request to skip my piano 7 exam it had make the center of the bos very unhappy of it until he did mentioned that he will consider not to continue take me as his center student it have make me very sad until now even he didn't kick me out of hs center but the bos still angry me & not even wan to talk much with me

Why did you decide to skip grade 7 against advice? It's usually better to take your time over learning to play an instrument, so that you are already at the required level before you start to learn the exam pieces.

I'm sure your teacher will discuss grade 8 with you soon. In the UK, 9 months would be considered ample time to learn three grade 8 pieces; it's normal to start them in September for a June exam. For now, why not have fun looking through some old grade 8 exam pieces and getting a feel for the different styles?

my piano center bos also had a same advice with u and i understand also. It just i told him, he can't treat me like others student still in the school time. I had married but got no kid & i very bz with my work thus i have to commit my work & my family as well. Many times i really consider stop my piano lesson coz tire & bz but to complete my piano lesson until Grade 8 & be a piano teacher is my ambitious + the support from my husband so i told myself i can do it.

Many thanks for your advice . Really hope my teacher will discuss with me soonat least i could plan my time & my target as well. My teacher now give me some practicing for only the hardest part for different piano books. Because she know i am bz got not many times for practicing so she won't ask me to play for whole pieces but she just pick for me for the challenge & difficult parts.