Two of my students - both took Grade 2 recently - have complained to me about the piano at the exam centre. They both said that they found it difficult to play softly on it. On both of their reports, and also on those of most of my Grade 1 students, the examiner commented that he would like to have heard more dynamic contrast. Should I complain to the board about the piano?
Also, one of my Grade 2 students arrived in good time and was told that they were running early and he could go in straight away. He felt that he was rushed in without being ready and came out knowing that he had played very badly (by his standards) and his father told me that he was sure he would fail and was very upset. He did pass, but only just, after getting as merit for Grade 1 last year. I feel that this was a very unfortunate experience for him and could very well put him off taking more exams.
Was does everyone think?

I wouldn't complain for either of these situations. The examiner would have tried out the piano at the start of the day to check it's suitability. Playing the piano in an exam can be tricky as it's not a piano you're used to (usually).

I always tell my pupils to arrive in plenty of time (as you obviously did), but that there may or may not be time to get your mind engaged before they enter the exam room. It's unfortunate that your pupil wasn't ready to go straight in - but he passed!

I'm still waiting for my results to come back. One of mine cried when she came out, feeling she could have done better. I wonder how she got on!

I could be wrong but I don't think you are actually obliged to go in early if asked to do so, although admittedly anyone could easily feel reluctant to refuse the request. Perhaps it's just one more point we should raise with our students when faced with the exam situation, i.e. be prepared for a request to juggle times a bit if necessary and not to be flustered by such a request, but also to be confident enough to point out if you have not had sufficient time to warm up beforehand.

I'm not a teacher but a pupil and have had both of those situations happen to me and did not feel that a complaint was necessary. On the occasion when I had the absolute worst piano I have ever played on for my exam, I felt that the examiner took into account the state of the piano, and I did actually pass. When asked to take my exam earlier the examiner did ask me if that would be all right and I felt I had the opportunity to decline and ask for a warm-up session. As it happens, I was happy to do this as at least I didn't have to sit around sweating. Come to think of it, it was the same exam that these two incidents occurred.

At our music centre, where I often steward, we have a very firm rule that no-one should be rushed into an exam, even if the examiner is ahead of time. We simply inform the examiner that the candidate is still warming up, or whatever, and present them at the exam room door on time.

Don't think we've ever had feedback from either an examiner or AB offices that this isn't ok.

Probably best to just encourage your pupils to put the experience behind them and look towards another exam at sometime in the future. Maybe not Grade 3, I've never seen the point of going through every grade, much better to develop repertoire and technique and miss one or two out.

Agree with the above replies. This session, the examiner was ready early and the steward asked if we wanted to go in, my pupil was ready and so we did, but there was no pressure to do so, and if we had said no it would have been ok.

Sometimes if the examiner is running early my students have gone in ahead of time. But I always ask them to get to the centre 15 minutes, not ten as requested, before the appointment time. That way, if someone has traffic problems, I've always got someone who CAN take their place. However, if the student is not ready to go in early, we say so, and have never been pressurised. That's one reason I attend all exams, so that if a situation like this arises, and the student or parent is unsure how to handle it, I can take charge and look after their best interests.
Re the piano - whilst not recommending complaining about the actual exam result (after all, you weren't in the exam with the student to hear and make a judgement if the remarks were justified), I would make a comment to the Board, if only to make sure it doesn't happen again. Perhaps also talk to the local Honorary Rep, who may be responsible for hiring the piano in (which is what happens at our centre). Unless someone complains, no-one knows there is a problem.

I'm so sorry for your young pupils. It sounds as if some stewards offer the chance to go in early, but I have heard tales from friends of stewards who are much pushier, and it can be very off-putting.

If I were a teacher (rather than just a mum) I would try to be there for exams, so that you can be in charge of when your pupils go in. Your presence in itself gives the pupil confidence. If this is impossible, make sure the parent knows the ropes and what the pupil has the right to expect. The worst scenario is for the pupil to have to decide - I have heard of 17 year olds sitting their grade 8 who have been seriously upset by feeling they have not had time to warm up.

I wouldn't complain about it at such an early level. The experience will stand the pupil in good stead for the next exam, and the best you would get if you do complain is a free resit at grade 2, which you'd be unlikely to take up.

I'd agree with the above, on occasions I have been asked if I'm willing to go in early; I've never been made to go in early though, it's always been worded 'are you happy to...' or similar. Once there was a problem with the previous candidate (some sort of temporary instrument malfunction) so I was asked if I minded going in early to swap. I've always been happy to comply with the requeists, however, to get it over with quicker. I would just tell youir students that if they don't feel ready to go in, and it's running early just to say that they don't feel ready yet in the future . Even if the requests are not put in the nicest of ways....

Regarding the piano, the examiner will have played it and would have noticed if all candidates were having the same problem: perhaps your piano is just too nice . Maybe it would help your students if you could arrange for them to get some experience of playing different pianos before their next exams .

As others have said the appeals policy doesn't give very satisfactory results if one is successful: simply a free resit, it's probably better for the children to move on .

I agree, I've been asked at least twice "would I mind" but never felt like I was being forced to. (I've always been happy to, much rather get it over with


My sentiments exactly! Get in, get on, get out! I really hate it when things are running late - happened in one of my oral exams at uni and the nerves just kept building up and I was a wreck by the time I went in!

Like others who have replied, I wouldn't launch a pushy "complaint" sort of letter in the direction of the Board but I do think you could write an "I am concerned" letter about the piano. Our local Centre had some very iffy pianos brought in for ABRSM exams for a number of sessions and finally a group of local teachers got together and wrote a joint letter saying we were unhappy. It resulted in action - possibly because several highly experienced teachers all said "this won't do" - and now we get really good pianos for our candidates most of the time. Perhaps you could find out if others in your area feel the same and try a similar approach.

However, remember the examiner does use the piano throughout the day so they know it's limitations. That said, an ABRSM examiner is, hopefully, going to have more experience of playing difficult pianos than a Grade 1 candidate .

As to being rushed in: examiners are under huge time pressures (know that as I've been a steward sometimes at my local centre) and they are often really pleased if someone's ready to come in early because it creates a bit of space for the candidate who does everything very slowly (and quite a few do!) and keeps them, overall, running to time. However, I have always been told when stewarding that we must not insist a candidate enters the room before their scheduled time and if that means the examiner waits, then they wait!

I agree with others - prepare the candidate for all eventualities and, if you cannot go with them, make sure parents know the realities of what they can and cannot expect. Pushy parents are a complete nightmare at exam centres but the one who says politely, "Excuse me but I don't think my son/daughter can be made to come in early can they?" shows reasonable attitude and knowledge.

Re the piano, its interesting that for My LRSM I was asked to complete a survey stating how happy or otherwise I was with the venue. The only criticism I had was with the Piano. It was a Yamaha Grand and had gone "tinny" nothing that a revoice wouldn't sort out, but I felt minded to tell the board anyway.

I'm sure under these cirumstances applicants expressing concerns about the piano, particularly if they are constructive criticisms would not cause offense.

My experience is that the local regional office are excellent at fielding telephone calls about this sort of matter so I contact them first before drafting a letter as that way they get the letter they need to get the problem fixed.

However the examiner would be aware of the quality of the piano, and I'm sure make some allowances.

I always recommend 15 rather than 10 minutes, and was really glad I did last winter session. Our exam centre is a church hall and when we arrived some idiot had lifted the snib on the yale lock on the door and we were locked out! It was freezing, and we couldn't make too much of a fuss since the exam room is above the door and we could hear someone else's exam going on. There was no bell or anything and I knew the steward was upstairs and through at least 2 fire doors. I eventually sent the pupil and parent back to the car - in fact, now I think of it, they had given a lift to another pupil, not mine, so there were two candidates freezing their fingers off - while I hopped about and tried to be heard.
Eventually I saw a movement in a window off to the side and - jumping up and down to be seen in the window - I caught the attention of a chap who was painting stuff inside. After a few gestures (he was obviously thinking, 'why doesn't she just go in?') he came and opened the door for us. But this had taken the full quarter of an hour, and we no sooner got to the top of the stairs than my pupil was taken straight off to the exam room. She was a laid back soul and didn't really mind - first exam so she didn't know better - but I was in a state by that time!

When we left I saw that the door had a 'don't leave the door open' sign on it which some well-meaning character had taken a bit too far...

It's difficult sometimes standing your ground when asked to go into the examination early. We arrived for the girls exams about 40 Mins early, we are asked to be there 20 Mins before the exam and the traffic was lighter than expected. As soon as we arrived the pianist asked if they were ready, I was confident enough to ask her not to rush them. The examiner had opted not to have a coffee break and one of the candidates had withdrawn, no wonder they were running early. It wouldn't have made much difference in our case but I wasn't aware that you could ask to wait for the exam time, not that I would have done.

The only problem with this scenario is that if people do arrive very early and agree to be taken early, it leaves the following candidates faced with an adrenaline rush on their arrival - why is nobody in the exam waiting room? Have I misread my time? Why am I being asked to go in early? Ideally there should be something written into the policies and procedures that there MAY be a flexibility in the timings and the OPTION of going slightly earlier etc. The good thing about that is that if someone is delayed in heavier-than-expected traffic, they won't necessarily forfeit their slot and can take the place of someone who went in before their allocated time. As long as people don't take this as a licence to arrive when they like!

Regarding the other situation - i.e. of the dodgy piano, my daughter's piano teacher tried to get me (as a fellow teacher - to complain about a particular piano in a certain centre. I decided not to do so as my own pupils were largely content with it. However, this other teacher and others did complain, following up some discontentment expressed by a series of adult candidates and accompanists. I don't know - perhaps adults' and accompanists' dissatisfaction does count for more than that of 7-year-old candidates. At any rate, to cut a long story short, the centre was closed down and relocated to another part of the town, albeit with the same stewart but a different piano, acoustics, etc.

LR

There is a very big "it depends". My candidates this session were early and took their exams early, however they both felt ready to go in and that was the acid test. If they had insisted on extra time to prepare, I would have stuck up for them... on the grounds that their appointment says.... and it's 15 mins before that... they want that time to prepare.

But in evry case this has happened the candidates have wanted to go in and get their exam over. As the applicant and their teacher my job is to be their advocate and make sure they get what they want within the regs.

This is one of the reasons I like to be present at the exam centre. It has often happened that they've been asked to go in early, and I'd tend to encourage them to go ahead, because nerves don't usually improve by sitting and waiting for the sake of it! But I like to make sure they're comfortable - I tell them they're under no obligation to go in unless it's 15 minutes before their appointment (I assume this type of thing is the reason why they're asked to arrive early) but explain that another 10 minutes won't make them play better! They've been practising for weeks and months, and a last minute rush to the practice piano is more likely to knock them off than anything.

About the piano - Unless it was Grade 7 or 8, and subtleties that have been worked hard at have proved a waste of time, I'd avoid complaining unless I knew for sure it was really bad; like somebody else said, the examiner will be aware of what it was like. It's one of those unfortunate things for pianists; we don't get to perform on our own instrument, and need to adapt to whatever we're presented with. But another reason why I would avoid complaining is that it might give the candidates the idea that they've got an opt-out clause, or excuse, for the future if things don't go well.

It's not in the regs, but this is about as close as it gets:

It can be found here

Point taken, Maizie, thanks for the clarification.

LR

i had the same problem at an exam, yet i was accompanying and it was that bad, i had to hold the soft pedal down through each piece! i dont suppose the room we were in helped either.
but wouldnt it be the centres problem, rather than the boards?

Ultimately it's the Board's problem surely as they are supposed to vet and administer the centres. They provide the centres after all when you apply on-line. So, yes, if it's serious enough, complain to HQ so to speak: ABRSM - in the rare event of dissatisfaction.

LR

In my experience, there's usually been a steward around to reassure, and a list of timings one can check. As Maizie has pointed out, the situation is addressed in the regs


I've always been only too happy to go in early!


They're not ever obligated to go in early, are they? Or at least I've never read it as such...

I've always been only too happy to go in early!


One of my pupils really suffers from nerves... and usually gets a slightly lower mark than I anticipate. This time, she came in running slightly late (I tell them they should be there 15 mins early so she was still early) and the examiner was running early. I literally put her clarinet together, she blew down it to warm it up, she played a scale to check it was working... I sorted her music out, checked her reed and she went straight in. It worked really well... she did not have time to get herself nervous and got 136 for her Grade 3.... what she should have got for her other Grades.... but then she had had the time to get herself worked up.
I'd always go in early!!!!!

I've been asked to go in early several times and i've also been late in. Being early is definitely better! I even got asked to go in early for my DipABRSM flute exam as the candidate before me had pulled out. Luckily I had plenty of time to warm up before hand but I was still surprised to be asked in early. I was out just after 12pm when my exam was only due to start at 11.50am.

As for the piano complaint i'm quite sure the examiner knows the quality of the instrument as they play it in every exam for aurals and I dare say they take this into consideration when marking. The centre I played in for my Grade 5 borrowed a piano for exam times and I have to say it was a beautiful Yamaha. At the time I found playing a different piano very strange as i'd only ever played a digital one during my lessons and practiced on my old Witton which you'd need a sledge hammer to make a note sound. Your pupils probably don't have much experience playing different pianos and getting used to their touch so that's why they found dynamics difficult. I now make a point of practicing on a different piano every day in university.