I'm taking my grade 3 piano in July, and I can play all my pieces from memory, my teacher says I should play them from memory in the exam, but I'm not sure if I should, I'm really scared that I'll slip up in one of my pieces and not be able to get back into it. Has anyone played ever played their pieces from memory in an exam, and if you did, how did it go?

There is another thread on this under Adult Beginners and another one not so long ago but cannot remember where.

I always play my pieces from memory as I feel that I can play them more musically if I do that but you have to have them so complete that you can pick up again from any bar if you do make a blip.

Go for it girl!!
Why not have a practice infront of a few friends first to help with the nerve thing?
You won't get any extra marks for playing from memory .
Wish I could do it!

I played 2 out of my three pieces by memory in my last exam and did well. I find it easier to find my place again after a slip up if I'm playing by memory, although I'm sure others might find the opposite.

If you have been practising and doing your pieces from memory up until now the absolute worse thing you can do is change your mind and play from the book, its a completely different technique and you are likely to make more mistakes because you are not used to reading the music on these pieces.

Also if you play from memory it is likely to

a) sound more musical (well mine does anyway)
if its a different piano the music won't be in a different place for example if you are used to using an upright the music is lower down so you will have to have your head in a different place than if you are playing a grand, this can be really offputting.
c) No page turning issues

So go for it - if you decide to play from the music make the decision now and practise with the music up until your exam

I agree with Digby.

I play everything from memory (not by choice) inc exam pieces.

It's a habit I 've always had with music. You must decide which way you are going to do it.

All my GIII pieces are comitted to memory for the exam and my teacher tells me to follow the score on one of them because of a tricky bit. There's no way I can do it !

When I try to see where I am on the music at this point, I loose it !
I've decided to get over this difficult part so I don't have to even look at the page.

If you feel quite confident playing without the music, go for it.

Fiona

Although you don't get any extra marks directly for playing from memory, it does make it sound more musical - and if you really can memorize it properly -then technically safe as well, which will, in general, give you more marks.

Personally, I have never tried playing my pieces from memory in an exam, but when I practice for one I usually learn to memorize them anyways for those "just-in-cases"... in CASE I forget my book on the day, lose my spot in the music... AND so that I'm used to both ways of reading the music.

isabelsmells, (And yes everyone, I know I'm advertising for it again...) If you really aren't sure if you're pieces are complete enough to perform from memory in the exam, you can practice for it with tips from the PracticeSpot webpage. Click the link, go to the banner on your left hand side, and click Infopedia. Then click the tab called "On practicing" beside "On Teaching". Finally go to the banner on your right hand side, and there are a list of practice tips. I would suggest you look at the pages under these categories: "Memorizing it", "Making you piece secure", and "Surviving Performance", and maybe "Polishing your piece".

I used all of the practice tips, and BOY did they help me!!! Go to that site...you might change your mind about whether or not you should memorize!!!

Question: Do they ever use grand pianos in the exams??? I have always used an upright and in my last exam they used one too...is it the right thing to expect a grand piano?

dcomposer in my recent grade 8 I played on a baby grand - it was ok but nothing special. Mine is a grand anyway!!
What i found off putting was the fact the examiner was sitting about 2 feet away behind me. I blame that on getting only a pass!!

i have always had grand pianos in my exams

QUOTE

Question: Do they ever use grand pianos in the exams???  I have always used an upright and in my last exam they used one too...is it the right thing to expect a grand piano?

It depends on what piano the centre has; the piano can be either an upright or a grand as long as it is in good condition.

They have two(!!!) grand pianos in the exam room in the place where I go! So I assume the pianists use them for their exams.

I own an upright, take lessons on an upright and I took my GI on a Yamaha grand !

Was it at the lyceum in Oldham?
I found that piano so difficult to play