Hey all, I'm rather new here, as well am I to Piano. And I'm curious what these grades are I keep hearing about. This is my first post so let me introduce myself alittle. I attend a college for Music(I major in piano), I was inspired to play the piano by a few songs that I had heard when I was younger, when I heard them on piano I was astounded some 15 years later. So a year has pasted since I've started playing, and I have fallen in love with classical music, though I'm rather confused as to the grading system and the likes. My repetoire is rather small only consisting of The Presto Agitato(Moonlight) and Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C# Mi. But it shall grow Thanks!

Welcome to the forum.
If you follow the Exams link from The home page you can find out about the exams offered by this examining board.
They tend to be used quite a lot in the UK though it's not compulsary to take exams if you are learning to play.

Hello and welcome! Good luck with the grades if you decide to do any. We will be happy to help/advise on here! I see you play the Moonlight! Well done... Do you like Beethoven?

Thanks for the help, and I love Beethoven. Beethoven, Liszt, Rachmaninoff are my 3 favourite composers.

Good!! You'll go far!!

**Have a listen to The Emperor Piano Concerto (No.5 in Eb if you're not familiar with it). It's just....lovely..

Grades are a certain level that one aims or aspires to attain, for personal achievement or for requirements. It gives you a sound and overview of what level that you are at.

You can get A's etc, telling how well you did at this particular level and if you don't think you did satisfactorily, you could repeat.

Some people tend to choose the "skipping the grade" option. This is a risky option, although it is good for some people. However, before skipping grades, you must make certain that you are up to the level! haha

Some people also do not believe in grades anyway, but that is the other story

Well if you can play that properly you are already beyond the standard of Grade 8, which is the highest grade (though there are arious diplomas beyond grade 8 standard).

A phenomenal achievement in just one year