Hello all. ive just passed my grade 6 piano exam with 138. i was really pleased because i worked real hard for the exam. My teacher is suggesting that I skip grade 7 and go onto grade 8. i think because ive done so well I should forget about grade exams and try a diploma instead. does anyone have any advice? the examiner was really impressed with me and i think it would be a waste of time to be sitting more grades when i could be working on some big pieces instead. thanks.

Well, you're very confident. It's like saying you've walked up Snowden and now are going to climb K2. Grade 8 is very easy when compared to diplomas. Grade 6 is a walk in the park. The jump from Grade 6 to diplomas is vast, enormous, stretching beyond the horizon.

Well done for passing Grade 6 with such a good mark. Listen seriously to what your teacher says though.

Keep going!

my mate is doing a trinity one cos the ABRSM diplomas are well hard... if youve just done grade 6 do one of those first cos there easier

You need Grade 8 practical to take the ABRSM diplomas, plus Grade 6 - DipABRSM is a huge jump.

Firstly, well done on your results, that's quite something! Must be really pleased ... I know I would be! Yes, it is a huge jump. If you don't want to do the grades, then why not learn some 'harder' pieces anyway, if you feel you have the confidence and ability to do so. I am hoping to do a diploma soon, with LCM, and the pieces are lovely on the repetoire list, but still very challenging. Best speak to your teacher, to see what they think.

Is it you that doesn't want to do grades 7 and 8, or is it your teacher saying that?

Grade 8 - diploma is a huge jump in difficulty! Grade 6 - diploma................. rather you than me

Good Luck

Well done on your mark! I just passed grade 6 with 139 and to be honest I think it is a pathetic idea to go on to diploma. It is of course your choice but why the need to jump to diploma? Why risk failure when there is no rush? I don't envisage myself taking diploma for at least 3 or 4 years. Learn some repertoire before you decide what to do next. See my 'Dead Chuffed' thread for a list of what I will be learning before grade 7.

138 is a good mark, some would say a great mark but it isn't THAT brilliant.

It all depends on how you got it - for example how long were you preparing your pieces - 2 months, 6 mths, a year??

Can you now confidently pick up almost any grade 6 pieces and play it within a week or so. If the answer is yes, then you are a decent grade 6.

What is your sight reading like, your musicality, your technique, your interpretation???
There is a huge list of attributes a ' grade 8' pianist needs as well as just being able to play 3 set pieces.

Can you accompany, play in Chamber groups .. all the things a pianist needs to do. Maybe you disagree and just want to be able to claim ' diploma status' but personally for me becoming a pianist is my major aim - grade exams are a small part of the process.

Sure you might be able to pass grade 8 , or even a Trinity diploma if you spend enough time on each piece.. but I sincerely doubt that you'd be diploma standard player. (You won't pass ABRSM as grade 8 is a pre-requiste)

I have 2 things to say..

1. Congratulations!

2. I heard that the gap between Grade 8 and Dip-ABRSM is quite large so I think Grade 6 ----Dip-ABRSM is more likely a suicide!

You should AT LEAST do grade8 ( You Must do it anyway inrder to enter the Diploma exam)

Good luck whetver your decision is though

**Double troll alert**

Please do not feed them.

hmm....i've just taken grade 5 exam recently...but according to what my frens said...he passed his performance exam lately.with 80+he said that when u reach grade 6, its wise to have exams step by step and not by skipping it because each grade has their own skills that are to b tested.if u skipped it(what say 2 grades)it might b hard for u to pass with flying colours in the advanced grades.im not sure..bt my fren said that performance exam = diploma exam.and those exams are supposed to b tested on GRAND piano.unlike upright piano, my fren said that its harder to express yourself on it becuase the key seems to b....denser?my fren is also the pianist and orchestra member of his church(which allows him to play on a grand piano a lot)bt he stil finds it hard to play a flawless and expressive piece on a grand piano.so...as my word of advice, take grade 7 or even if u really wanna skip, you should at least take grade 8 exam.

p/s:my fren got 136 for grade 7 and 133 for grade 8.tis is to show u that no matter how good you are.....u stil need to learn it step by step.^^

hahahaha

thanks for all ur advice, my teacher thinks i shud do grade 7 nxt but i really want to pass a diploma before i take my GCSE music exam a year early nxt year i was told that i would get a bettr grade with a diploma than justa grade8 distinction .. hmm i need to think hard about it, but i like the look of the trinty diplomas since they are quite easy. thanks guys, ur all gr8 :>

Please do not use text speak.....it's against forum rules for one thing, and it's annoying to have to try to read it if you're either not conversant in text spelling or if English is not your first language (and there are plenty of forum members from other countries on here for whom the latter is the case)



Take your teacher's advice......there are plenty of people who do a grade 8, and pass, and go straight on to diploma and then fail, so what makes you think you'd be able to do a diploma straight from grade 6? And by the way, Trinity diplomas are also difficult otherwise they wouldn't be diplomas......There's no point trying to get a diploma before your GCSE since it won't alter the mark one little bit....but there's no way you'll manage a diploma before then, don't even think it.....

(Sorry, I'm a dreadful one for feeding poor little animals and birds.....hmmm an ugly great troll doesn't really come into either category does it........)