Hi all,

I had my first flute lesson yesterday and my teacher asked me if I was thinking about aiming for grade exams at some point in the (probably quite distant!) future. The truth is I quite like exams (although I've never done a exam that involves performing before ) and I thought might be a good benchmark to aim for. Can I have some opinions from you guys as to what it's like to sit them, especially as as an adult?

Thanks!

Many of my adult students take grades, even though they hadn't considered it first off. OK, I agree they are not everything, but, without exception, although they found it nerve wracking, they all agreed it was a real boost to the ego to get that certificate, and they progressed much faster as a result of having a goal. One lady (50) who really didn't have any natural talent - "I never want to do exams/festivals/sing in public/learn theory" - has just passed grade 6 singing (of course, having got grade 5 theory first), has sung at 3 student concerts, and is just about to do her first festival. If I'd told her that 3 years ago, she would have run a mile...

Hi,
I've been playing just over 2 years now and I just sat (and passed with Merit) my grade 3 piano exam. I've only taken one other music exam in my life and that was my grade 2 (again passed with merit.)

My experience of the ABRSM exams was that Grade 2 was fine, the exam went so fast I never really got a chance too nervous and mess up.

Grade 3, I knew what to expect, was very, very, nervous my hands just would not stop shaking, but managed to hold it together through everything nonetheless.

So I guess the nerves will lessen now over time and as long as you have put the work in you'll get the coveted pass.

I actually enjoy the exam experience as it is my chance to measure where I am in my learning. I use it as a milestone to progress towards. You'll learn the new techniques for each grade and as you progress it's much more structured. I go back to my grade 2 stuff now and can play it straight away. When I first saw grade 2 stuff I didn't think I'd ever be able to play it. (Kind of like now since I had Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag placed in front of me yesterday - how I'm going to play that is a mystery, but I know I will if I study it and practice properly.)

Rich.

I only started playing the piano in July, and having no-one around me who plays, I thought exams would be a good way of tracking progress as well. In that respect, they are a means to an end. I took grade 1 in November, and am taking grade 4 in March. I'm probably pragmatic about the experience, in that I loathe the nervousness - more so because I don't think as an adult I should be feeling that way! - and enjoy the opportunity to prove to myself that the effort I've put in has been fruitful, through hopefully passing. Exams also give you a reason to learn and practice scales!

Good luck
Leon

If you enjoy doing exams then why not give it a shot when your teacher feels you are ready to do one. I think it's good to have a goal to work towards, as others as mentioned. Plus getting a nice certificate may be a good confidence booster too. Whatever you decide, good luck with your music making

They're a useful benchmark but I think people should be careful if they find themselves ploughing through the grades with one scraped pass after another. If they really want to be a good player, this is not the way. Either the teacher isn't good enough, or they're putting the student in for their grades too early, or the student isn't practising enough or in the right way. Anyway, a string of scraped passes will not a good player make! I know this only too well having inherited countless students who've been through this route.

The best thing in my view is to take them off the grade treadmill for at least a while, find out what their musical tastes are and give them lots of varied repertoire to play. Something will eventually fire them up and their playing will start to radically improve. Two scaped passes in a row should be a warning bell and no more should be attempted until some real remedial work has been carried out - that's my view anyway.

However, I'm only pointing out the pitfalls here and not suggesting in any way that this is about to happen to you! Go for it, but bear in mind that a string of certificates doesn't necessarily mean an awful lot about the student's playing - aim for merits and distinctions if at all possible.

I started learning the flute last year and initially didn't want to do any gradings but just enjoy learning an instrument and playing music. Eventually, I changed my mind and decided to do the exams, having never done any before. I did feel very awkward as the only adult in the exam venue plus I was doing Grade 1 and everyone else was doing Grade 3 and above!

On the plus side, working towards an exam gives you something to aim for and a sense of achievement but exams are not for some people (and I think I'm one of them). If you enjoy exams then I go for it but what about doing a performance assessment initially and if that goes well, then progress to the exams?

All best wishes.
Blackbird

Dont forget there is always the performance assessment if you do not want to go the whole hog and do exams and all that goes with em eg scales aural etc. Examiners will listen and give written feedback on your performance.

When I first started learning the clarinet (3 years ago, brand new adult learner) and my teacher first told me that exams existed, I don't think I gave it any thought, because I was just learning for own amusement... Then after a while I thought, yeah OK, Grade 1, why not Now I'm Grades 2 and 3 older, and pondering about Grade 4. Which I keep mentally putting back because the more I play, the more I realise how far I've got to go....

One of the benefits in doing exams for me is that it makes me polish some of the pieces I play, to the point where they are as perfect as I have the ability to make them. Others may have different motivations for polishing a piece, but I doubt if I would do it if it wasn't for the exams.

I did Grade 1 without too many nerves, mainly because I was just recovering from an illness and just wanted to to get it over and done with and get back to bed For Grade 2 I was quite badly affected by nerves, but it didn't put me off doing Grade 3 - I just did things like playing at forum concerts to help me get more performance confidence and I got a much better mark.



If you like doing written exams, you might enjoy doing the theory exams Most students miss the earlier grades and go straight in at Grade 5 (which is needed in order to progress to G6 practical), but I've loved doing all the theory exams, right from Grade 1. Nobody could understand why I wanted to take theory exams when I didn't need to, but I've really enjoyed doing them and will be very sad when I've done G5 because G6 theory will be such a long way off Have a look in the theory forum for chat about theory exams!

If you liked doing them before, I think you would be OK; the one problem can be that adults are often more self-conscious and self-critical than kids are, and those who were nervous about exams as kids are likely to be more so in adulthood as a result. Having said that, as we mature we tend to bring together all our learning experiences - not just of a musical instrument, of all sorts of other skills, and that can help us to learn more effectively; certainly that is how it was for me .

I think it is sensible to be sure of your level - not to over-work pieces but to be secure in your playing before you attempt an exam, because if nerves do kick in, it's useful to have that safety net - that may mean doing a grade lower than the level you could play at, just to be sure. I agree that it's fine not to drag yourself through each and every level in the grades either - better to plump for a few well-chosen levels once you're a little past them, and do well, than to slog through them all - I did it the first way as an adult, the second way as a kid, and doing exams as an adult was by far the better experience .

I had though about that - geek as I am, I love written exams and I'd quite like to have a go at theory at some point - can anyone tell me what they're like? Are we talking big exam hall in the style of GCSEs or is it more informal (esp. in lower grades where there are presumably quite young children taking part)? Also, where do you find info on exam fees?

Exactly how the theory exam room is set out depends on the centre.
Having said that I think it's better to use a centre where the desks are set out separately in rows rather than having candidates sitting around tables as happens in some places. In the latter case it's possible to be at a table with fairly disruptive children (fidgety, heavy rubbers out etc.)
All grades are usually in the same room though some centres use more than one room to fit people in and so the rooms may be divived by grade.

To see what the exams themselves are like you can get past papers.
Info on fees is on the entry form. A download version is available if t you follow the 'download centre' lin kon the ABRSM home page.

they found it nerve wracking, they all agreed it was a real boost to the ego to get that certificate

Yes. I'd agree with that.

All the best for your playing!

At the centre where I take the exam, the large assembly hall is used in the June session because the hall is already laid out with tables for the school exams. In the other sessions, the students are divided up into the classrooms. The age makes no difference to the layout at the centre I go to, and I doubt if it's different anywhere else. It's true that not that many adults take the theory exams, particularly at the lower levels, but it's nothing to worry about. You soon get absorbed in doing the paper

The exam fees are on a sliding scale - I've just paid £25 to enter G5 but the lower grades would cost less than that.

The theory exams take place 3 times a year on a fixed date. The next one is on 27 Feb and the online entry date is 18 Jan. The next exam after that will be in June, and then November.

I'm learning the violin as an adult and decided to use the exams as a structure to my learning because you cover scales, sightreading etc., in addition to pieces.

I took music exams 20 years ago and hated them and I also hated school exams. But I went to University as a mature student and started to love exams. I really enjoyed studying and being prepared for them.

Now I've taken grade 2 violin as an adult and again I thoroughly enjoyed it! The examiner was a bit severe but nice enough as I was the only adult there (which didn't bother me). I really enjoyed giving my little performance with the pianist! My certificate is in folder in the bookshelf but I'm secretly very proud of achieving it

I've also been the oldest person to stand up and play at my teacher's concert. Now that wasn't easy because the audience was mostly parents but they were all really supportive and gave me some really kind comments at the interval. I was worried I would make a fool of myself but most of them thought I was very brave for giving it a try!

Hi - I started playing piano again a year ago (after a twenty year gap!) and decided to do Grade 4 in the autumn. I must admit I was quite excited about taking an exam as it seemed something "real" to aim for - any other goals seem such a looooong way off! But as it got closer and closer I started to get really nervous - and almost chickened out! I'm so glad I didn't though because a) I passed and b) it was a really positive experience just doing the exam and talking to the other candidates. If I were you I'd try one and see if you enjoy it!

Go for it - as others have said, exams are a good way of honing your skills. I'm taking grade 4 cello in March, and I know I wouldn't have persevered with those pesky arpeggios if I hadn't had an exam looming. I love playing the pieces, but again, it makes you take that extra bit of care in preparation when you know you are going to be marked on them. I do stewarding at my local AB centre, and there are a fair sprinkling of adults taking exams - I love talking to them (if they're in the mood!) and hearing about how they have got on and what their aspirations are. I'm also doing grade 6 Theory in February and know that I'll be in a definite minority age-wise, but that's something you just have to accept and not be embarrased about.