Just wondering

Started singing lessons Jan 2003.

Grade 5 singing Nov 2003.
Grade 8 singing Mar 2004
ATCL singing Dec 2004.

Cheers

Katyjay

4 years and a few months; rather pedestrian, but I had to squeeze my first degree in there too .

I took a year between sitting the Grade 8 and DipABRSM exam in piano, but I had delayed my grade 8 exam so that I was grade 8 standard for quite a while before then. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to pass the Dip a year afterwards!

With the pupils I've put in it for the Dip, it has been between 18 months and 2 years after their Grade 8. The Dip is by no means a 'Grade 9' (more like a Grade 12!) - it's a completely different kettle of fish and demands quite a different approach.

Em, I did grade 8 in November 2003, still not done dip. It's more when I get round to it than when I'm ready though.

I did do a music degree though so I should have reached the level required already. The only thing is it's longer than any recital I did at university, and I never had to do programme notes (only the honours recital has that whihc I didn't do), or vivas.

Grade VIII - Dec 2000, DipABRSM - July 2001
had been playing the organ for about 20 years before I took on Grade VIII though

Grade 8 1988, ATCL 1993, Dip 2004.

Hmm, a bit of an outlier - hope I don't distort your stats!

Not as much as I will! Grade 8 July 1974, DipABRSM December 2000.

I took Grade 8 in 1986, the Advanced Certificate in 1998 and LRSM in 2000.

Oboe:
Grade 5: Nov 1992
Grade 8: Nov 1993
DipABRSM: May 2001
LRSM: May 2002
FRSM: June 2003

Recorder:
Grade 8: May 2001
DipABRSM: June 2004 (failed )
DipABRSM: Dec 2005 (retake)

Bassoon:
Adv. Cert.: Nov 2000 (didn't take grades )

I took the Dip this year and grade8 2 years ago.

I took Grade 8 Piano in March 2004 and am planning on taking the Diploma (Performance) in December 2006. Depending on how well it fits in with Uni of course...

....so you are telling us that you started learning and finish the dip exam in two years time.... a horrific talent if that's really true...

Absolutely true. And I take exception to the word horrific.

Katyjay

What about a wonderful talent?

Thankyou John. You're a friend for life now

... please don't feel being offended, I was just really really amazed how quick you finished the ATCL dip exam in such a short time. Is singing your first instrument...well.....not instrument...you know what i mean...

Yes it is my first instrument.

Since passing my ATCL, I have re-started the piano (I'm at about grade 3 level), re-started the recorder (about grade 4-5 level) and started the violin (not a nice noise yet, aiming for grade 1 in spring).

Cheers

Katyjay

Yes, I can be sure that Katyjay has an amazing talent

So people before was calling me a talent, now surely there is someone who is more talented than me!!

I think you'll find that there are an awful lot of talented people on this forum, and I'm sure you're one of them. Talent isn't just given to one person at a time, you know.

Cheers

Katyjay

But if anyone thinks they have too much and can spare me a bit....

Well I had a gap of 27 years between Grade 5 and Grade 7....so I'm hoping it won't take me as long to get from 8 to Dip!

Ok....WOW!

What next? LRSM Recorder? FTCL Bassoon?

In fact, what does one do after FRSM/FTCL in an instrument? (in your case oboe)

IrisH - LoonY

To answer the original question, I did a dip. standard exam about 5 months after grade 8. By the time I do my next one it will have been about 2 years since my last......

I quit playing the oboe after I got my FRSM

Stupid question, but why exactly?

IrisH - LoonY

Probably because it yeilded the simplest answer to "what are you going to do next"

or did I detect a bijou hint of irony from the oboeist...

I just got tired of practising and wanted to move on to other instruments.

Violin:

Grade 8 October 2005
DipABRSM December 2005

(Though not convinced that I have passed the Dip!)

So, about 10 weeks between the two exams. Is that the record? :D

B

Quite possibly. Assuming you needed Grade 8 to enter the DipABRSM, it's lucky the results got through quick enough

Hold on though, since the closing date for Dip was approx 30th September.. how did that happen? Just curious!

Hi

Yes, I got special dispensation from the Board - I was meant to do the Grade 8 in July but my teacher (who was playing piano for me) and I were both ill so had to postpone the exam. Teacher explained situation to Board who said I could apply for Dip with the understanding that if I failed the Grade 8 I would not be refunded my 100-odd quid entry fee for Dip (hmmm). (Luckily I passed the Grade 8!)

That's how it happened!

Ooh, that can't have helped the nerves.

Well, quite! Hehehe. Had to try to put that part of it out of my head!

hallo there. i took Grade 8 piano in August and i have got the result. but now my teacher is giving me lessons for "performance certificate", what is it? is it a type of "diploma"? my teacher says that it is like a preparation test for diploma because i am too young for diploma. can you answer me these questions? Thank you. Have a nice day!

The Performer's Certificate (Trinity College of Music) is a post-Grade 8 qualification but NOT a diploma. You can consider it pre-Associate diploma (or pre-DipABRSM) in standard. The main focus of the exam is on performance - a recital of 30-35 minutes' duration (typically four pieces for keyboard candidates) is worth 85% of the total marks. Performance from memory or viva voce (an oral exam relating to the repertoire performed) constitutes a further 10%, and presentation skills (including programme notes/verbal introductions) make up the final 5% of the total marks. London College of Music & Media and Guildhall School of Music & Drama also hold their own performer's certificate exams similar to Trinity College's.

Fair enough


benjaminja THATS INCREDIBLE!!!

IrisH - LoonY

I have reported this...

Dear Wai Kit:

hi! i really admire your talents-u completed all 3 dip exams in 3 consecutive years n got high marks in them all in one go!!

were u granted any exemptions from the ABRSM when you entered for your Ad Cert bassoon exam? How come you hadn't taken G8 b4 that?

In the old syllabus, in order to proceed to Ad Cert, one MUST pass G8! when i entered for my Ad Cert exam, i had to submit a copy of my G8 cert!!

PS. Nice meeting u up yesterday!!

Duen Duen

Further to Xue Li's comment, I have a very similar query. Have read many messages here, but not quite found a clear answer. Not an easy question though.

My 13 year old son passed his ABRSM Grade 8 Piano in December 2004 and spent the last year doing a Grade 8 Performance certificate with the UK Rockschool popular music organisation. He took his Rockschool exam last month (12/05) and is now looking to DipABRSM/other diploma.

But, being young, his teacher suggests another year for the Trinity Solo Piano (G8) Performance Certificate. Then a Trinity Diploma. And only then a DipABRSM. My son is happy to shoot for DipABRSM and I do feel another Performance Cert year is wasteful.

Given that my son has shown great talent on the piano, I am trying to help him plan best way forward. He is too young (just) to get a future career fixed in mind, although he likes music. Therefore, can anyone comment on any/all of the following: (?)

1. Is 13-14 years of age too young to start work on DipABRSM? (For exam at age 14-15 yrs. One year later.)
2. Do young learners (being musically immature) tend to suffer poor DipABRSM results?
3. If so, what is best course of action? Best age to aim for DipABRSM?
Some options...
4. Would a Grade 8 Theory of Music help in preparation? (Along with some performance work.)
5. Forgive the question here (!) but is a Trinity diploma before DipABRSM a good idea?
6. With full-blown adolescence not far away, would anyone advise getting on with DipABRSM now rather than risk a total drop off in interest, and possible restart many years later? (Nothing really wrong with that of course.)

Hope I have expressed problem well enough. I am also considering getting my son involved in electronic synthesisers and such which is where I (Dad) come from (a baby-boomer self-taught Michel-Jarre tribute player!).

Thanks for any advice. So pleased to find such a valuable community here.

Happy New Year!
Richard
Hong Kong

Richard - I've put several pupils in for the DipABRSM, at the ages of 16 and 17. They each spent about two years in between taking their Grade 8 and actually taking the Dip exam. Two pupils passed straight away, the third failed the recital but took that part again and subsequently passed.

It's a tough exam, as others on here will testify. In the recital you do need to show a lot of musicality and maturity of approach in order to succeed. There are the programme notes to research, as well as knowing the musical and contextual background of the chosen composers and pieces and the history of the instrument itself, which will be tested in the Viva Voce. The Quick Study is marked very strictly - they seem to expect a near-perfect performance (the three pupils concerned are all what I would term excellent sight-readers, but none of them scored more than a few marks above the bare pass mark for the QS).

Have you asked your son's teacher why he wishes him to wait? I wondered if it was perhaps that since he has been playing more rock-type music lately, the teacher feels that he needs a bit of time to re-adjust to classical work?

Thanks Jo,

Yes, I had better talk more with his teacher. Most likely that some re-adjustment time is needed. The Rockschool diversion was to give him more time to mature, as well as try and get him to focus more on performing rather than more theory and such. He got his Grade 5 Theory at age 11 with no problems which is whyI thought a go at Grade 8 would help him with the more creative and mature needs of music composition.

Another issue for me/him is that he never wants to practice! Have seen comments here by others who managed a diploma with only 2-3 hours a week, and this seems to be my son's preference. He still gets good results although slipping from distinction to merit for his last AB G8 piano. I think he is back to distinction though for his Rockschool as he played everything near perfect. Oh how I wish I could play half as well.

Seems from reading others comments on Trinity here, it may well be best to send him that way first. If still seriously keen on music when 15+ years old he might want to plan on AB then.

Whatever happens, given the competition out there for his future bread-winning needs, I had better keep him tuned and playing popular music too. I can help him more there.

Best regards,
Richard
Hong Kong

I took the Grade 8 in 1997 and ATCL in 1999. I think one year is okay for the preparation of the diploma.