My teacher caught me at school today after doing some volunteer work on a Saturday morning and told me that I have my grade 8 singing exam and grade 5 piano exam on the same day!!!

Friday 2nd March

Grade 8 singing 2.15pm - 2.45pm
Grade 5 piano 2.45pm - 3.05 pm

AND THEY ARE ONE AFTER THE OTHER...I REALLY REALLY WANTED TO CRY AND SCREM BUT I DIDN'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THAT POINT IN TIME!!!

I really hope that the singing doesn't go bad otherwise I'll be upset for my piano exam and I get the most nervous when playing the piano as well!

Any advice would be great

Thanks

Annetta

Yikes! Well, looking at the bright side - you won't have time to feel nervous about the piano exam (and indeed, your nerves may have left you by then).

Also, with your exams being Voice and Piano, you won't have to worry about leaving the room and putting one instrument away then getting a new one out. You can just concentrate on collecting your piano music.

Good luck Annetta. At least you'll be getting them both over and done with on the same day.

well im sure the examiner will have sympathy for you! And i see you're taking your theory the day before? Amazing! Good luck with it and keep calm and smiley

I would get your teacher to sort it out so that there is another candidate between your two exams. That way you can have a short time to recharge your batteries/regroup/focus before you go in again. Swapping the order of candidates is very easy. Good luck.

Just try your best! don't be too nervous. Take a deep breath before you start any pieces or scales.

dennis~~

I'd be horrified if this happened to me!

It's not really fair on you, and I'm sure the ABRSM (?) will be helpful about changing it if asked. As JohnS said, your teacher should be able to sort it out. I don't know whether John has in mind that your teacher would contact the ABRSM directly or contact the representative or steward, but I would have thought that your teacher would realise that this is not giving you the best chance and would be just as keen as you are to try and change the times, however he/she does it.

Good luck with them!

Be calm, and I think the examiner will feel sorry for you! Try asking your teacher to change the times because it will be stressful. Even if it's just one person between, and then it would give you a chance to drink some water and calm down again for the next one! Good Luck!

You can swop your place on the list and your teacher should arrange this immediately.

Age 6 my daughter did her first two exams one after the other (Violin & Recorder). The examiner then was extremely kind and help her get her violin out etc. She has now had this experience several times. The last time, November last year, on the same day there were two exams (Viola & Sax), with two different examiners in separate parts of the school. So she swopped with someone else just so that she could have time to walk over to the other building and get the second instrument ready.

Good Luck and let us know if you managed to get a gap inbetween sorted!

I've had 2 exams on the same day twice. The first time, I arranged for my piano student to take her exam between mine (grade 7 flute and grade 5 saxophone) which gave me a 10 minute break to get my breath back and my saxophone out. Years later, I did grade 2 singing and grade 3 violin without an official break - but the examiner did give me a couple of minutes to get organised. Have a word with your teacher, and, failing that, the steward, if you think you'd prefer a short break - it will probably be possible to have someone else go in before your piano exam. Better to contact them now so everyone gets plenty of notice.

My daughterhas taken two exams on the same day several times, in the last session she did grade 4 Treble followed by Grade 4 Oboe, but she's always had someone between them. How do you warm up without? If there's no chance of putting someone between the two exam slots make sure you decide if it's singing or piano first.

I think those of you who have managed two exams on one day are amazing and your levels of concentration must be brilliant!

My daughter took 2 graded exams on the same day last session (she is 9). The first on trombone G5 and then about an hour later on her baritone G3. She had tim to rest and get a drink, banana and some fresh air in between before going and warming up for her second exam.

As I am her teacher I entered the candidates in that order to allow her time to do so ( I do it for others taking 2 exams too). It shouldn't be too difficult to change the running order to give you a break - talk to yiur teacher as she will need to let the Steward know the updated order

Best of luck!

On one occasion my daughter had 2 exams in 2 different centres 20miles apart on the same day (due to different teachers entering to different centres). She sat 2 grade 3 exams in the Nov/ Dec session but I Emailed the board and requested exams on different days, and had a reply that they would try and accomodate this and her exams were on 2 consecutive days.

Thanks for all the advice everyone...I shall talk to my teacher and ask her to email or phone the steward and see if they can move my piano exam to the candidate afterwards.
This might be a good idea to have a break but it might be good to get the exams out of the way, but I'm sure that a break is definately better.

I will let you know what happens with regards to this!

Thanks

Annetta

If you are not the only candidate you teacher has doing exams that day then I would think it's possible.
If you are the only one then it's probably trickier as it invloves another teacher's students.

I think I am the only one that has been entered for exams this time round although there is another piano student doing their grade 3 and we are really good friends so I shall see if I can swap with her and then talk to my teacher about this and see what she can arrange with the steward!

See if you can at least have a break between exams. Get your teacher to contact the local rep. Even if the steward gives the examiner a cup of tea it'll make things slightly easier. Make sure you have a drink of water before your singing exam (room temperature) and try to have soemthing to eat between exams to boost your blood sugar levels.

This does seem unreasonable, but I'm sure there is a way around things.

Have you managed to get it changed, Annetta?

The more I think of this the more I feel uncomfortable. Annetta's Grade 8 singing fine, but that is going to take a lot out of her... nerves...concentration...memory etc than she's expected to go straight back into the room and do a grade 5 piano exam. If that isn't going to disadvantage her I don't know what will.

Annetta if I were your teacher the staff at the correct division of ABRSM would have now received a telephone call, and even if it means moving centre for one exam you would not be sitting the two exams in one day let alone on after another. I'm sure I've read something in the regs that would get around this. Also on the appointment letter it says normally correspondence will only be entered into with the applicant. If your teacher can't do anything I'd try yourself.

What was the board thinking of?

I haven't spoken to my teacher yet as it is half term and I don't want to phone her or text her during the holidays! I shall speak to her on Monday when I see her about this.
I am rather nervous about my grade 8 singing exam as I haven't learnt the words to most of the songs yet and there is still one song which I am find really hard to pick up so I am going to be really nervous and the fact that I am rubbish at aural...well the singing back of melodies *believe it or not* and I am finding it really hard to pick out the bass line but I am getting there.

I get really nervous when playing the piano at the best of times and I have only been playing for 2 years so I am even more nervous and the fact that one of the pieces still needs quite a bit of work but I suppose that I am going to have to find the time and just commit to practicing over and over again, small parts of it!

I take your point very seriously JoD and a very valid point as well. I am definately going to mention this to my teacher. She enters everyone for exams as she is head of the music department, but the thing that got me was that she didn't eem the slightest bit worried or bothered that both my exams were one after the other! Thanks!

'The board' doesn't think. 'Tis all done by the computer.

I had a Grade 8 flautist whose exam was scheduled immediately after her Grade 8 singing. As she also had two A level exams on the same day, they both ended up being moved.

glad you shared my gut reaction about the regs.

I really feel what is being asked of Annetta here is unreasonable and will have a negative effect on both exams unless resolved. I she meant to be super-human?

Annetta, sounds like if Andante in C and I were teaching you we would be jumping up and down to get things changed to so can do your best. Lets hope you get the same support at school.

Half the time I do seem to think that everyone thinks that I am some sort of superhuman. I definately will talk to my teacher whenI have an extra singing lesson on Monday!

It does seem to be rather unreasonable in my eyes and I do feel a lot of pressure from this. I am sure my teacher will take in my view and I will see when the other piano student is doing her exam, if she is, and see if I can swap if her piano exam is supposed to be after mine.

Thanks for all your support especially JoD and Andante in C!

I spoke to my teacher today and askedif we could move the exam and she said.....'NO'!!

She said that in a way it could be good to get it over and done with, she is right in that respect but still not looking forward to it!

I don't accept your teacher's reason that it is good to get it over and done with - that reason would only be valid is she herself was taking those exams. It is unfair to impose this on you and I suspect she said this just to get out of the extra hassle involved.

I absolutely agree. If the exams were on the same day but had some space in-between, then that would be a different matter. But to have one after the other, with no chance to collect your thoughts, refocus, have a drink, or even "use the facilities", is not right, in my opinion. And to put this added pressure on you, plus the worry now of talking to your teacher about it - it's all so unnecessary.

Is this a teacher at school, Annetta? Are you leaving school this year? If so, then you can't count on the teacher having your long-term best interests at heart - she may even have given her notice in herself and not be the slightest bit bothered what results her pupils get. These exams are important for you and if the teacher is less important than the exams, I would be inclined to pursue it and to get your parents support with the teacher if necessary.

And to be honest, if this is the last few months of tuition at your school with this teacher and keeping a good relationship with her is not critical, and she still won't do anything about it, I would be inclined to go over her head and ask your parents to contact the steward or the AB representative themselves. Your exams are too important to let them suffer because of the laziness of an insensitive teacher. Sorry to be so blunt, but I am disgusted that she won't put herself out in order to avoid what is, in fact, a handicap.

Thanks for that. My teacher is quite sensitive in some ways but canbe insensitive in others. She is like a mum to me and I wouldn't want to ruin this relationship even though we have only got a few months left! We are going to still keep in contact when I go to uni and are going to meet up at weekends etc... because we are so close in school and outside of it aswell.

Maybe the pressure might be good on the actual exam day but maybe 2 minutes to breathe might be necessary. There usually is becuase the examiner is usually still writing or wants a 2 minute break so maybe I might have a bit of time! I did speak to her yesterday but her reaction was almost non-existent...maybe I need to put my foot down and really say what I mean and get her to put herself in my position, considering that I have grade 8 theory the day before.

But...at the end of the day I can always do it again in June when maybe I am more prepared. This may sound like I am being really harsh on myself, but, if I don't get a distinction then I will do it again in June to try and chieve this or if not...a higher mark with an extra 3 months of practice. The piano exam I cannot take again as this is the last session that I can oplay these pieces in as it is the 2005-2006 book!

Annetta

The extra pressure on exam day isn't good for you, and it's not good for you now leading up to the exams. Please talk to her again and try and make her understand how it's worrying you, and how important these exams are to you. You shouldn't have to be thinking about taking them again in June if you're adversely affected by the timings this session - not for the sake of a simple phone call to remove this handicap.

Best of luck Annetta, I do hope you do well whatever the outcome of the timings

Annetta, as a teacher I rarely ask other students to do lay the law down to other teachers, but in this case you have an examination clash so get her to change the date. There is provision in the regs to do this to make the best of it. Don't take no for an answer from your teacher and if necessary contact your divisional board rep yourself. (You can: they don't like it much but you can)

You are now being tooo pragmantic. What your teacher is asking you to do will do neither of the grades any good. You need to put it to her starighter and if necessary take action yourself.

Jo

Thanks Jo! Hopefully I won't let the nerves get the better of me on the day and hopefulyl I will be able to pull off both safe and get a decent grade. It will be good experience even if I don't do well adn you can't really get much worse than this in the future. Good preparation for university when I am trying to do several things at once. Thank you all for the advice any way and I will let you know how I feel it went after the exam on friday week!
I will let you all know whow I got on as well in the exam centre!

Annetta

Ask the steward whether you can have a water/tea break. The examiner would probably appreciate it too. Of course if you do mess one of them up, get your teacher to arrange a resit later this session (I've done this for a candidate so I know it is possible if you get off your posterior and telephone the board, then back it up with a letter) on the basis they were too thick pig-headed to ask for one due to this exam clash in the first place.

Jo

Thanks for that. I will ask for a break! I didn't know you could arrange resits but piano is definately the one that i would resit and leave singing until the summer so it will give me more time and more pratice as well as the possibility of learning new repertoires that could change my current exam pieces for next time so maybe I hv more variety of doing different songs!

Thanks

Annetta

Annetta You shouldn't be thinking about failing, at this point it should be polishing up exam pieces ready to take the grades. I feel your teacher has let you down putting you in this situation, we all make mistakes and that's fine we are after all only human, but it shouldn't be at someone else's expense.

Be positive go in to the exam with the intention of getting the best grade you can, you choose which you do first and make it the one you're most confident with. If you really think the time is going to lower your marks push to have the times changed, it's your money, your exam not to mention future. I agree with jo if you don't get the result you would expect make a fuss about the times.

I can't help thinking that if your teacher isn't willing to make a very tiny fuss before the exam, she's unlikely to make a big fuss after the exam if you don't do as well as expected. If she has to apply for a re-sit on the basis that you haven't done as well as expected because of the timings, the obvious question is - well why didn't she do something about it beforehand if the timings were a problem. I can't see her wanting to put herself in that position, particularly if you pass and just want to take a re-sit in order to get a better mark. And who would pay for any resit anyway? Suppose you can't be fitted in?

To give your teacher the benefit of the doubt, perhaps she doesn't realise just how worried you are about it. Perhaps she would be upset to know how much anxiety her non-action has caused you, and that you didn't feel able to talk to her about it more frankly, and that inadvertently, she has caused you to get lower marks than expected by not trying to change the timings.

You don't deserve to be handicapped in this way. Please give your teacher another chance to sort it out

I agree with skylark, Annetta! Also, no matter how close you are, it doesn't mean that you can't make a stand for what you feel is right. In fact, in the closest of relationships, one feels able to do this and each respects the other enough to make sure that they give the other room. It looks like one is insisting on what they think is best whilst the other is anxious, unsure and unhappy enough to seek support and advice from people she doesn't know in an on-line setting! This isn't a healthy closeness! You must firmly, but respectfully say that you would feel happier about it if the exams were at least x-amount of time apart and could she please arrange that as soon as possible. Don't give in, but stay calm and stay polite and friendly. Tell her you understand her reasons, but that you don't feel comfy with them and, as it's you taking the exam, you feel that it's important for you to be comfy with the arrangements, esp with other exams etc looming. You're the candidate, it's up to you!

Regardless of your relationship with your teacher, you need decide what you think is best. Be selfish for a minute - would you prefer to do them straight after each other, or with a break?

If you have decided that you want a break, approach your teacher again and tell her how much it is worrying you. She will appreciate the honesty, rather than you feeling resentful after the exams. If she still decides not to do anything about it, then make it clear to her that you (or your parents) will be approaching AB to organise it. Again, the honesty will be appreciated. It may also make her realise how concerned you are about it, and stop her from putting future students in this situation.

I would make a decision about this and act on it immediately, so that you can focus on preparing for your exams. Do not consider resits, etc before the exam. This will only have a negative impact on your exam prep and the performance on the day.

Good luck

I would be inclined to push for separate days, even if this means bringing one exam forward rather than later in the session. Then you can prepare much better individually for each exam and I think that particularly your piano exam would benefit. If this is not possible then I'm inclined to agree with your teacher that back to back exams would be better than say a 20 minute break when you have to get all psyched up again. The other way there will be no time for any post mortem on your singing and you'll still be on the same adrenalyn rush that got you through the first exam. Then you can pass out afterwards! Good luck. Let us know what you decide to do.

Sara

I don't like the thought of anyone doing two exams on the same day - two, one after the other, seems rather too tight for comfort.

If you are the only candidate entered by your teacher, then they should phone the Board asap and see if one exam can be put somewhere else. If you are one of several candidates then ask your teacher to revise the order of candidates so you get some gap between them. These are your exams and you are perfectly within your rights to ask if a change can be made now to help you.

That said, examiners have a closely-timed schedule. As someone who has acted as a steward for exams, I have seen this happen before and whilst the examiners have, generally, been sympathetic they can't allow their timetables to slip whilst you have a nice break between two exams scheduled to follow each other. I cannot tell you how irate some candidates/parents/teachers etc get when the examiner runs late, courtesy of other candidates. If you were to ask for a 5-10 minute gap between your exams, that would be equivalent to a large chunk of a Grade 1 exam. The examiner would then either run late or have to try to make that time up - not fair to you, or other candidates.

So, the choices seem fairly simple:

- go with the flow, one exam after the other; or
- get a different order for your teacher's candidates with your exams spaced out; or
- ask your teacher to see if the Board can move one of your exams

I agree with other people who've said that ABRSM are unlikely to look kindly on a request for a re-sit if the results aren't good, simply on the grounds of timetabling. That can and usually should be sorted before the exams - not complain afterwards.

Best of luck with the exams, whatever you decide to do.

What happened with my candidate was that before the exam I explained it clashed with a school trip, but he was prepared to "have a go". Fine they said and off we went. On the way to the exam due to the stress/fast pace of everything (my candidate was 7 years old) he developed a headache and made a complete has of the exam. Before the marks came in I rang the board again and they said they could annull the original exam provided I was prepared to write them a letter outlining this all in writing. He couldn't sit his exam in Cambridge but there were spaces at Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill for him to re-run it. great I said got a date booked at Bury, and wrote the letter.

However this is not the ideal way of doing it as it does potentially take another candidates slot. Deep in the regs there is provision for this sort of thing, and I'd get them to change your exam either by reordering your teachers pupils (which she can do) or by reorganising one of the exams. Its there in black and white. Why oh why won't your teacher do this for you?

OK the candidate who I stuck my neck out for was also my own son. Howvever now I've done it once I would do it again for any of my pupils. I had to live through my son's h-e-l-l as teacher, accompanist and parent so I had a triple whammy. I now would not let any of pupils even try to take an exam where I knew there was a clash. The regs are there to protect everyone... including Annetta.

I have just this minute spoken to my piano teacher adn he is going to see if he can swap me with someone else or with the other pupil that they have entered!

Hopefully this will then get resolved and he understands the pressure that I am under and has been totally understanding about the situation within the space of 2 minutes. I am hoping that this is going to resolved asap so that i know i will be confortable with the exams that i am doing and the timings of them!

Thank you all again

I will let you know if this is resolved and what it has been resolved to

Annetta

This is great news Annetta, I'm so pleased that your piano teacher seems to completely understand the problem. The fact that he's taken it on board so quickly and without hesitation means that he will probably move heaven and earth to get it sorted because he understands. Eureka! Now you can concentrate on your studies instead of on this problem, so now go for it, all the way! Good luck!

Fantastic news Annetta! You must be really relieved.

Good luck with your preparation and best wishes for both exams

Definately relieved...well at the moment unless it doesn't get sorted out but I am trying not to ponder over that scenario.

Thank you!

Definitely! Your piano teacher's emphathy radar is working!
We are all so relieved for you!

Agreed - good luck with the exams now!

Really pleased to hear this. With a break you can go for it. The way things were organised otherwise was sheer folly. Glad your piano teacher has seen the light.

Good luck with the exams (including the theory) keep calm and make sure that you get enough sleep all of the remainder of this week and the next. It will help with any last minute nerves.

Thanks for all your support everyone, but especially to you Jo as you have given me all the greatest advice anyone could give and made me change the times and I am glad that my piano teacher has seen the light too!
Thanks, I shall take all your advice!

Annetta xx

This is the best outcome for you! I'm so glad it was resolved, good luck with the exams we'll all be thinking of you!

Don't forget to change your signature, Annetta - you're not under pressure now and your problem is solved

You sweetie! You're welcome.

Jo