Have decided that the only way to get this Grade 8 thing done and dusted is to enter and be done with it. I've decided to enter for session B with Trinity Guildhall - I've chosen TG because the scale preparation is less onerous and I've always done better on the pieces side of things rather than the supporting tests.

So here's what I hope to play:

Haydn Sonata in D Hob XVI/37 1st movement

Granados Spanish Dance No 5 (Andaluza) - just love all the Spanish dances

and either Hindemith Praeludium from Ludus Tonalis or Schoenberg Nos 3 and 5 from 6 Kleine Klavierstucke op 19

I've chosen these because (a) I like them and (b) I hope they give me a sufficient spread of different styles and technical challenges - but means I don't have to play baroque, which I like but find really hard to play!

Any thoughts? Anyone else going for grade 8 with any of the boards? Even if not I thought I'd be self-centred enough to use this thread as a sounding board for my progress... just in case anyone wants to comment as I still don't have a teacher!

Very excited for you. I've been wondering these past two years whether to go for grade 8 but really don't think I'm good enough (I don't have a teacher either). You are brave to try it on your own, but I wish you all the best.

As to your programme, I think choosing pieces you like is great as long as they're also the pieces you play best. I would always go for Bach over Schoenberg, but there is so much choice of repertoire that it's easy to find the right pieces for you.

I'll be interested to read of your progress, so please keep posting!

A very interesting programme. I don't know the Trinity syllabus at all, and which other pieces are available, but personally I always avoid Schoenberg like the plague! There are some composers with whom I just don't get on with, and he is one of them. Hindemith is bearable and the Ludus Tonalis is a great work, so I would certainly choose that over Schoenberg, unless of course there isn't another piece in the list which I would prefer.

I definitely think Schoenberg is a bit marmite but I quite like it in limited doses. I'm currently leaning towards the Hindemith as I played the flute sonata for one of my recitals when I did my degree and enjoyed playing that. Having said that I like to play 20th Century composers (I did a solo flute piece written for me with all sorts of weird key clicks and buzzes and humming at one recital at university) but not necessarily listen to them!

The TG syllabus is quite varied with composers from Bach to Joplin - I like the fact that you have a list A and B, choose 1 from each and then an option which is from either. I think it lets you play to your strengths which, as an adult with limited time resources, is always a good thing. Not to say that I don't want to learn the skills necessary to play Bach or similar well, just I don't want to play them under exam conditions at the present time.

BerkshireMum - from your posts you seem to be knowledgeable so no reason why you can't give it a try... I've decided to do it because otherwise I need something to aim for, otherwise there's always something which gets in the way. It's all far too easy just to pootle along.

I'm going to do my first public piano performance since I was 11 at the Egham Adult Learners Concert this weekend so I may well change my mind completely after that. It could all go horribly wrong!

Hindemith and Schoenberg are two composers Ive never even tried, I must have a go sometime. The other two choices I do play and like. Pity you cant do the Trygve Madsen on the ABRSM syllabus.

Indeed! Their respective piano music is wa-a-ay beyond my abilities, but I've dipped my toe into some of their string music over the last year or so, and it is fabulous - a completely different sound world from what I'm used to. Before attempting to play any, I would recommend hunting for some on Youtube, and allowing it more than one listen before you decide you don't like it! I'm so glad that I did.

Well done! I will be joining you on your Grade 8 quest. I have decided to go for session B with ABRSM and just get it out of the way. I scraped a grade 8 pass many years ago, but it has never felt like a proper pass as I failed one of my pieces, my scales and my aural. I barely passed my other two pieces (just on the pass mark) and I somehow managed to pull the whole thing up with good sight reading and got 101 overall. It is the only time I failed one of my pieces which is one of the reasons I'd like to retake, and also I've finally decided that I am never going to do a piano diploma so this will be the highest level exam I'll do and I'd like to finish better - I'm not bothered about merit or distinction I'd just like to pass more convincingly.

I don't have a teacher either, though I have had a one off session with a friend who is a teacher. She listened to my three pieces and gave me some good advice on areas to improve and how to polish them off. She didn't seem to think I was completely deluded in my ambition! I would definitely recommend trying to get at least one session with a teacher - I found it really, really useful! I'll probably book another couple before the exam if I can.

I decided to go with AB because I am familiar with it - I know the aural tests (passed them last year - how nice would it be to be able to carry over aural marks from the same grade if you wanted to!), I am a bit of a scales fiend so they feel more like easy marks than a chore and sight reading should be OK. I also really like the pieces.

I am planning to play:
Madsen Prelude and Fugue
Beethoven - Rondo, Pathetique Sonata 3rd movement
Chopin - Nocturne in B major.

The pieces are pretty much there notewise, it is about turning them into music and building security.
Scales are mainly there too, need to make sure that my scales in thirds are a bit more legato.

I probably could have just about have got away with this session, but I didn't want to enter before having a teachers opinion and we didn't manage to get together before the deadline.

I hope you enjoy your preparation, Impressionist - do keep posting how you are getting on! Good luck with your performance this weekend!

Those would have been my choices for A and B, but maybe the Schumann instead of Chopin (I played the Schumann at a Leeds Forums event 2 yrs ago) ! Nothing really tricky except for a couple of spots in the Madsen Fugue !

I like the Madsen and as fsharpminor says, it is shame it's not on the TG list. The Beethoven is nice too.

I have a mental block with Chopin and find it really hard to get to grips with any of his pieces.

I'd very much like to have at least a couple of run throughs with a teacher or experience pianist prior to the exams but still trying to find one locally(ish) that suits. Either they're fully booked up or not someone I feel I could work with. As an adult learner I think it's important that you have lessons with a teacher who suits your personality and playing style. Not to say that constructive criticism etc isn't welcome, just that one teacher I tried was quite intimidating - sort of "it's my way or no way" type approach which I found a gave little scope for personal expression or experience.

In past exams I've always done well on the pieces and not so well on the supporting tests - after 30 years it seems nothing much has changed! I think the TG weighting towards the performance side is better for me. Having said that, I won't be looking at doing performance exams at diploma level as I'm wanting to develop a piano teaching practice and so will concentrate on the teaching side of things.

Keep posting too - moral support is always welcome and thanks for the good wishes for Saturday. I think I'm about as prepared as I ever have been so here's hoping that the nerves and shaking hands don't get the better of me!

Re Hindemith and Schoenberg - I got out my flute and had a very rough gasp as the Hindemith Sonata again this week. I really like it to play and I think once you know it, it definitely grows on you - it's quite lyrical and certainly very dramatic. Must get back to "proper" flute playing too once I have a handle on the piano side of things... Oh for my dream of winning enough money on the lottery and building a dedicated music studio!

After seeing you play yesterday, go for it.

Oh, thank you so much! I had such a fit of the nerves that I felt I really messed up and was quite disappointed in the way I played. (As I think showed as I left the stage - oops!). It was nice to chat to you yesterday and good luck with the Colourstrings training - it's fun working with the little ones with music as they're like sponges and very receptive to new things - very very rewarding.

I was about to make a post here about the nerves - I think I'm going to need a lot more playing in front of people before I sit the exam. I was that nervous about playing in front of a sympathetic and kind audience (at one point my hands were shaking so badly I could barely hit the keyboard), so goodness only know what I would be like in front of an examiner unless I work out how to control it. More public playing would be ideal but there are limited opportunities - I might see if any churches want a pianist just to get more practise of playing in front of people but where I'm not the centre of attention.

Very much enjoying playing the Haydn at the moment.

Choirs often want/need accompanists, sometimes on an ad-hoc basis (my chamber choir for instance)

I might be doing grade 8 in Session B too - TG syllabus. I was going to sit it in Session A but with pieces from the old syllabus - which I decided I didn't like very much and changed pieces just before Christmas.

I really like your programme Impressionist.

Like you I am doing the Haydn - and loving it too. It is such a lovely piece.


I am doing Amy Beach, Scottish Legend (takes me back to my Scottish roots) and the Chopin Valse in Ab opus 69 no 1.

I am really pleased with my choice of pieces. I did consider the Fig Leaf Rag but I had done the Joplin from the old syllabus so didn't want to do a similar sort of piece.

Good luck with the exam.

Hope you won't mind me saying this but from "up close" (for anyone who wasn't there, I turned pages for Impressionist yesterday), I could see that you were following the music and doing musical stuff with it. It didn't feel like you were playing mechanically. At no point did it seem that you were out of control. I enjoyed the end product

If you'd rather I delete this, I'm happy to do so but I just wanted to tell you that. (Also, in no way am I trying to convince you that you weren't nervous)

There's a good thread on performance anxiety here: http://www.abrsm.org/forum/index.php?showt...ormance+anxiety , maybe it will be helpful?

Thanks Corenfa - no need for deletion, it's all very helpful.

I think that from someone else's perspective the nerves probably don't show as much as you're actually experiencing (for example I thought you were incredibly composed throughout your solo performance and the accompanying slots too although you have said elsewhere that you weren't!) and I was probably so focused on how anxious I was (to my detriment) that I had absolutely no awareness of what else was going on around me.

I'll have a read through the performance anxiety thread (I did post on there very early on) and see any pointers I can pick up. I've been doing a lot of analysing about it all over the last couple of days so will put up my thoughts on there too.

Scotliz Hi fellow possible grader 8er! I like the pieces you have chosen - I looked at the Joplin too but found it made my hands very tired with all the chords and stretching so ditched that one.

Have you sat TG exams before? I've only done one, and that was my flute LTCL a million years ago, so no experience of TG piano at all. And if you have, how have you found the technical exercises?

Thanks Impressionist - sometimes people don't like such things posted quite so publicly so I try to be cautious.

I was taught how to remain composed while performing no matter what happened by my horn teacher, who actually made me rehearse things like walking on stage, bowing, etc. There's a link on the performance anxiety thread to a post I did about what I can remember of the checklist she gave me. I find it helpful to have something to "hang on to" even if I'm freaking out.

This time I had a lot better awareness of my nervousness - I'll go and post about that on the performance anxiety thread now...

That happened to me too at one point. It must have been the Piano!

A few years ago at my first "real" piano recital when I was 16 (I had performed piano only a few times before when I was 12-13, and in less formal situations), I chose to wear high heels, without having practiced pedalling on a hard surface. During the entirety of my first piece (an early Debussy, with virtually constant pedal), my feet were shaking so much that I almost lost grip on the pedal several times, and worseI was so terrified of losing grip that I could barely concentrate on the actual playing I've always worn flats to piano recitals after that - I daresay I could learn to play in heels without shaking, but I'm not taking any chances!

Absolutely agree, it must have been the piano (now why didn't I think of that!).



I had an issue with heels too when I did my first year flute recital at University. I chose to wear heels, when normal day to day attire was Dr Martens, baggy oversized jumpers and leggings (this was when leggings were fashionable the first time around). Not being used to tottering along elevated by another 3 inches I tripped walking onto the stage and then found it so hard to stay upright I took them off after the first piece. Fortunately I had a very long skirt on so it hid my toes!!

Hi Impressionist - I have done grade 6 and 7 with both ABRSM and TG - the ABRSM exams were 25 years ago though! I really like the technical exercises and prefer them to the scales in sixths and thirds. I daresay I could master them as I actually like scales but decided against ABRSM because of the scales.

I like the technical exercises too. The scales for TG are fine apart from the thirds - I've not done these before and I just find them hard to remember. Having said that I've only practising them for three days! Must crack on.

Not been on here for ages. Life has intervened as is often the case and I've not been able to practise much.

Also I had a bit of a crisis of faith in my abilities as I recorded myself playing. Not just the exam pieces (which I am still very much working on) but some other pieces I thought I played quite well adequately. I was horrified! It's highlighted an awful lot of issues I need to resolve, so is good in some ways but it did stick a huge dent in my confidence, so much so that I stopped playing altogether for a week.

Oddly enough when I restarted I found that some of the problems seemed to have sorted themselves out but I'm still along way from feeling comfortable of gaining a good pass at grade 8. It set me to thinking about the differences between scraping a pass (which I was happy with at 15) or gaining a good pass/merit/distinction. I think now, as an adult returned to playing I want to play as well as I can, but perhaps I'm also comparing what I do against a professional performance.

I think I need a teacher or mentor or similar. The search is back on but it seems a desert here for finding someone who (a) wants to teach me (b) can do it when I can attend and ( c) I feel I could work with!

I relate to this - it is very hard to know what is expected at Grade 8 not having heard many grade 8 pianists - I don't know how I compare. I am pretty sure that I am playing better than I was when I was taking exams as a teenager which makes me think I should manage a good pass...on the other hand I am far more aware of my shortcomings and how it "should" sound than I used to be.

I've always found recording myself on any instrument rather horrifying but at least it does identify areas that need working on so it will help - but it is probably best not to get too dispondant about it. I'm sure it sounds worse than it really is.

Good luck in finding a mentor/ teacher. I found just one session with a teacher immensely helpful is identifying thinsg to work on but also giving me confidence that it wasn't completely terrible! I am hoping to have another session with her before putting in my application.

Things are progressing OK here, but similarly I've not had a lot of time for practising. I've been focussing on standardising my fingering for scales in thirds and they seem to be getting better.

I know the feeling you mean when first listening to myself recorded... However once you get over the initial shock, it's a really good tool. It helped me to think that I played like that in the "safety" of my room, so nobody else heard it. I then started to use it to focus on short passages by recording and then listening immediately. The instant feedback really helped.

There's a "how to practise better" thread that has fallen a bit into disuse (but I mean to post somehting when I'm actually practising again), don't know if that would help you have somewhere to talk about practising until you can find a teacher or mentor? Or Viva Piano has plenty of room for new threads on piano things.

Good luck!

Got a trial lesson booked for next Thursday! Very excited, but a bit nervous as I'm not quite sure what expect. Potential teacher sounded very pleasant and knowledgeable and, happily, is flexible regarding scheduling lessons so I don't have to book up every week.

Lots of practise over the coming seven days for me!

Quick update - have seen two potential teachers over the last fortnight and now have to make a decision as to which to go with... not sure at the moment... lots to think about! I'll probably post a separate thread in Adult Learners about this one.

However good news is that both have said I'm of grade 8 level, with just a few technical issues to sort out and familiarity with the supporting tests to work on. So it should, hopefully, happen in the summer but if not, certainly towards the end of the year. Phew! Means that the rusty old fingers aren't so bad after all.

Still deciding on the pieces - definitely doing the Granados and have decided to do the Chopin Waltz. Not sure about the third piece yet - tossing up between Schoenberg and Haydn. Schoenberg is quite technically difficult, but the Haydn is causing me problems at the moment with finger speed so I think I'll work on both and then decide in a month or so.

How are other people getting on in their grade 8 quest?

Sounds like you are getting on well. I have just put my application in for Session B. I've not been able to practice very much this week though as have had family staying, and have been working during the day. Pieces are OK I think, scales getting there (weakest bit is scales in thirds), sight reading OK and I haven't done anything on aural tests since my oboe exam so probably need to do something on that.

I need to have another session with piano teacher which will hopefully be arranged when I see her tomorrow morning. I will also see whether any piano owning friends will let me play my exam pieces to them on their pianos.

My biggest concern is nerves causing me to fall apart a bit. But in the end the worst thing that can happen is that I fail - and while that would be disappointing, it wouldn't be the end of the world. So I've decided I would rather try and fail than not try at all. I may need reminding of this philosophy nearer the time.

You and me both then! My inability to play as well as I can in front of an audience is driving me bonkers. My teacher said to me my biggest problem is lack of confidence - when I went to my lesson last week her earlier pupil (also an adult) was still there and we were chatting about levels and what we hoped to achieve. My teacher said "she's actually quite good, but doesn't believe she is" and I think there is the issue. I can't play in front of others so goodness only knows what the exam is going to do to me...

I will have to take your philosophy as a mantra flobiano - "I would rather try and fail than not try at all" - and repeat it constantly!

I have 2 pieces under control, but am struggling a little with the Haydn sonata - there are so many notes! My teacher was constantly telling me to relax when I was playing at my last lesson, but I just see all those semi-quavers and panic. Anyone got any tips for keeping Alberti-type left hand semis even? Been practising them staccato so that I get the finger movement precise but when playing legato and quickly it all falls to bits.

How are you getting on Impressionist? Is the Haydn getting there now?

I am trying to make my LH triplets as even as the RH ones in the Beethoven, have slowed it down a bit and am doing some focussed metronome practice to improve them. Other pieces and scales seem to be coming together OK. I still need to do some aural but I have been doing some sight reading practice.

To be honest I will be very glad when it is all over now - hopefully I will get an early exam date. I know that my playing has improved immensely as a result of preparing for the exam and i have enjoyed putting some work into the piano but I am very much looking forward to not having to practice so regularly and just being able to dip in and play when I feel like it. The last week has confirmed to me, yet again, that working full time and routinely practising two instruments at grade 8 is frankly one instrument too many for me.

Haydn is going to be my bete noire I think! But I am plugging away at it and have resolved some of the issues with the finger speed by thinking about groups of notes rather than individual notes. Just need to tidy it up so am also doing a lot of work with the metronome at a very steady speed. Other pieces are competent, although my teacher did pick apart the Granados at my last lesson so I've been working hard at that too. Chopin is fine, with even the chromatic runs coming together (with a bit of help from my friend rubato!).



Haven't look at aural yet - will be my focus over the next couple of weeks. Sightreading is going okay as are the scales and technical exercises.



I'll be glad when it's finished too - I feel under pressure to practise rather than just play but my playing has also improved dramatically just with the focus required. However it will be over shortly as I have my exam date through the post this morning! It's set for 24 June - 4 weeks to go...

I played the Haydn Sonata for my A level back in the day. I loved it! I played all three movements though. Although not as fast as some of them on youtube

I'm redo-ing my grades at the moment. I did G5 AB last year and this term I'm down for G6 TG and I'm much preferring the extra technical exercises to the mammoth AB scales! I have 2 children under 6 and it's hard work trying to find the time to practice so I'd much rather do TG!

If I get through G7 before the syllabus runs out I'll have to decide whether to do the Haydn for G8 or something new. Something new I think, otherwise it kind of defeats the object!

Good luck!

I played the third movement for my grade 5 (too many years ago!). I do like it but find it perhaps not to my strengths (putting it kindly).



Pretty much why I opted for TG as well. I have 2 children too (although older than yours) and work pretty much full time. I like the technical exercises - they are very useful for picking up things that are lacking in your technique (which you could avoid by choosing different pieces), but they avoid the horrendous repetition of hundreds of scales, of which you're only likely to be asked to play 4 or 5. Even with the limited number of keys for the scales for TG for grade 8 you've still got a myriad of combinations to work through with the dynamic and articulation requirements.



Thank you! I have got performance anxiety big time now and sat the piano earlier today thinking "what if I can't remember what B melodic minor scale is, or the dominant 7th in the key of F#?!" Will just have to work my way through it...

Just found out my exam date - 5th July - 2 1/2 weeks from now...

Car Expert

Good luck Car Expert.

Mine is on 28th June. I played pieces to someone this morning, didn't fall to pieces too much. I also got some gen on the exam centre piano as they did their Grade 8 in the same centre a couple of years ago! Apparently it's nice to play (fortunately).

Playing for someone else later this week.

Just trying to keep pieces and scales ticking over this week and I really need to brush up on aural tests and sight reading.

All I can say is that this time next week I will never, ever, ever have to play Haydn again! (Unless I really want to!). Just after 2pm on Sunday 24th, I'll be in there...

Good luck Car Expert and Flobiano for your exams. Wish me luck for mine!

I've been playing the dreaded Haydn (really MUST stop thinking of it like that) very slowly and precisely since last week, so will start picking the speed up by metronome notches each day. I'm aiming for around crotchet = 104-108 on exam day, without too many errors. Other pieces are fine, and scales, technical work adequate. Aural is surprising me as I can remember an awful lot I thought I'd forgotten over 20 years or so, with a bit of work from Hoftnotes and the TG book (although boring the family with describing the technical aspects of the music we've been listening to).

I've the opportunity to play to another forumite on Thursday, on a strange piano, so am looking forward to that. So now I just need confidence that I AM fully prepared and a positive mental attitude... unfortunately the little devil at the back of my mind keeps telling me I'm not really a pianist! <sigh> Need a slap and someone to tell me to pull myself together!

Good luck both of you

Only just stumbled upon this, but I too have finally plucked up the courage to take my Grade 8 piano. Having failed it as a teenager it's always been one of those nagging things I'd wanted to achieve. Finally, I have taken the plunge & now have my exam date....10th July so have 3 weeks to go...

Looking forward to hearing your pieces again - I am sure they will be fab!!

Congratulations on taking the plunge ksj and best of luck for the 10th July.
Which pieces are you playing?

I played my pieces for my friend tonight on her piano. It was an interesting experience. My hands didn't shake, which was good but I did have a major stumble in the Madsen which I need to get sorted out. The Beethoven I think didn't have a consistent speed and there were a few untidy corners. I think I started too quickly and then had to slow down a little bit, so need to sort that out. The Chopin was OK note wise but the piano was much more bass heavy than mine and I don't think I got the balance right - something else to think about when trying out the exam piano.

I was pleased that I managed to keep going despite the stumbles and there were some tricky bits that were absolutely spot on.

Overall a really useful exercise which has shown me what I need to work on in the last few days.

Good luck to you! What pieces are you playing?



Looking forward to it too - will email you later on today :-)

I had my final lesson today - went okay. Even managed to get through the Haydn without too many errors, although it's a little pedestrian. Teacher gave me some really evil pieces of sightreading to do - one in Bb minor, with a syncopated tango-esque feel to it; the other in 5:4 with changes to 4:4 part way through. I'm hoping for something easier in the exam!

Roll on Sunday though, so I can look ahead to learning some things for fun!



Hopefully I'll have the same experience on Thursday!

I am becoming increasingly philosophical about it now though - if it comes off on the day, brilliant! If not, then it's a learning experience and I will bounce back. Actually, my 12 year old summed it well when I said "if I pass the exam I'll ..." He said "No Mum, when you pass - you won't if you don't think you will!" Wise words from a small boy.

Good luck to both of you!

Hope things go well tomorrow.

Wise words indeed from your son.

I have always accepted the possibility that tackling this without a teacher means that there is a reasonable chance that I will fail due to not knowing what I don't know. I have had one session with a teacher but due to demands on both our time I have not been able to set up another one. But I still think it was worth a go, and I feel like I've done my best with the time and resources available to me. I've enjoyed the process and I know that my playing has improved as a result. Passing the actual exam would just be an added bonus at this point.

Thank you! 'm playing the Mozart Allegro, Schumann Prelude & Fugue & King for a Day...having hated all type of Fugues in my younger years it is now my favourite out of all 3!

Been struggling a bit with the Mozart lately, semiquavers getting uneven all over the shop & as much as I love King for a Day it's been a fiend for my small hands. But I just couldn't give up on it! I'm hoping to play to a friend on her piano too & get some feedback from her.

Just got back from my exam.

Scales/technical work fine (few slips in one of the technical excerpts);

Sighteading easy peasy - examiner said "I thought you'd be good at this" and then went on to talk about how good sightreaders were usually bad practisers !!

Chopin went well - no major slips, although not quite as flowing as normal

Granados - annoyed myself by some odd mistakes which have never happened before, but the octave passages went well with no obvious wrong notes

Haydn - well... I made it through it, but the one bit I play really well (usually) with the left hand running passages I completely fluffed as I did some arpeggiated passages. But, the bit I always muck up I played the best I ever have done.

Aural - dreadful. Couldn't think of a thing to say and things that I warbled off about were wrong once I had the score in my hand. Picked up two of the changes out of three. Hey ho.

Nice piano - Yamaha Grand but with a very firm action. I actually preferred the warm up piano which seemed to be more responsive.

I think I may have scraped a pass, but I'm a bit disappointed at the Granados as I can play this really well and generally I don't think I played up to the standard I can. My nerves seemed to ebb and flow through the pieces so I think it resulted in a bit of an uneven performance.

Good luck to everyone else with exams coming up. Now mine's over it's a bit of anti-climax and I'm wondering what on earth to do with myself!

Well done for getting through! Sounds like you did fine - and the worst bits are always more memorable than the bits you did well!

hopefully not too long a wait for results now! I'm sure you'll quickly find some new things to play!

Today I've been sight reading (or trying to!) Chopin Preludes in horrible keys in the hope that it'll make the exam sightreading seem easy. I've also been putting off doing my aural practice but I really need to do some.

Having had a bit of wobble last week when I began to feel convinced I was going to fail, I am now feeling quietly confident on pieces and scales- provided the nerves don't kick in! Only 4 days to go!

I was expecting something with 5 sharps or 6 flats, in 5:4 with tempo changes and lots of chords interpersed with semiquavers! But I got an Andante piece in 6:8, C major(ish); a treble clef in the left hand part way through and fairly simple dynamics. I even remembered the rit at the end! Something of a relief - perhaps the examiner was feeling kind and thought "lets give her an easy one because everything was so dreadful she needs to make up a few points to pass!" <always look on the bright side, me

I wish I had practised my aural more - it's one of things I try to avoid

4 days to go for you - I'm sure you'll do well. Have fun and enjoy it!

Best of luck!

Thank you! I think it went OK.

Hope it went well for everyone.

I got my results today.

I passed! I passed! I passed! And did I mention... I passed!

And even better, I got a distinction - first one ever for piano playing. (Although I think the examiner was being kind on my aural - he tippexed out the first mark and added in one extra so I just scraped the 87 out 100 I needed).

I am doing a happy dance.

yay yay
well done indeed - you must be walking on air