I'm in for grade 6 organ - aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!

grade 8 theory

Grade 7 piano I'm so not ready!!

Still pondering - I've got a saved application for me to do G5 theory...which is all well and good, but if I'm going to take it, I really ought to start looking at the books! (I know the 'factual' bits, but haven't done any composition since 1992...)

Grade 7 Piano
Grade 6 Singing

IM gonna do grade 1 theory if i ever get round to putting in the application

Grade 8 flute on 14th July!!!! I still haven't decided on a study yet, and top B and C are very weedy at present! It'll all work out by July though i'm sure, though with it being my 3rd/4th instrument, i'm not holding out for a distinction this time!

Good luck to all!

Grade 8 piano: Pieces and runs are OK, sight reading improving by the day, aural still awful. Will probably get a date late in the session according to the centre where I'm taking it. Does anyone know how much notice we get?

It varies.
Typically about 2-3 weeks but it could be up to 5.

2008 - for me is ...

Spring - G1 Jazz Piano & G3 Piano (done)
Summer - G5 Piano & G5 Singing
Autumn - G6 Piano & G6 Singing & G7 Theory.

(I reserve the right to back out of any of the Autumn ones )

Grade 1 piano apparently

Grade 5 piano.

Car Expert

grade 7 oboe

In 2008, i'm doing:
spring- Grade 5 flute and grade 6 theory (done)
summer- Grade 7 piano
Autumn- Grade 8 piano, and possibly grade 7 flute and theory, and i'm accompanying my mum's grade 7 Cello if she decides to do it!

Jacob.

Probably grade 7 flute and possibly grade 7 theory.

Did Grade 1 piano in Nov. Did Grade 5 theory in March. Have a rest in June. Grade 6 Flute in Nov.
Bev.

Grade 5 in clarinet AND cello .

grade 8 piano.
I know half of my scales, 2 and 3/4 of my pieces, aural is fine, and sight reading is in between grade 7/8 standard.
I dont feel ready...

Grade 6 recorder

Oh, and grade 2 jazz flute, just for a laugh!

Grade 4 piano - 1st music exam in 30 years!

Grade 1 Jazz piano - maybe
Grade 3 recorder - maybe
Grade 8 theory - maybe

Hmm. Exams are during the day. Adult learners work. I need 6 weeks notice to book a day off. As it happens I think my exam is likely to be on the afternoon set aside for me to do admin, so I might well be lucky, but that's just chance and in any case may not work. What about other adult learners? How do the board deal with this?

Also adult learner and taking time off work is also awkward as I also have to give a few weeks notice for anything other than a day or so off unless I've toil to use up (I'm typically paranoid anyway so like to take at least a week off to prepare for any exam!)

In this world of flexible working (google "work time directive" for example) where more and more people can work from home or work flexi-time to specific hours, would also be interested to see if the exam boards would be willing to offer evening or weekend exams? May even encourage more people to take the plunge as there's sooooo many people just can't get a specific day/time off at short notice at all.

Grade one on the 14th june, should be a breeze, im predicting a distinction.
Revise and get Grade 2 solid for November,
revise and do greade 3 in march (or whenever A is)
And so on.

OK. Stopped dithering and decided:

Grade 5 violin and grade 8 practical musicianship.


As far as the scheduling goes, Robodoc, I had a similar problem for one exam I took - my accompanist had a limited range of times she could actually make available for the exam. My teacher e-mailed the Board when putting my application in, explaining the problem and saying that we would be prepared to change centres to achieve an available date. The Board found a suitable date for us at the original choice of centre

I think they will try to accommodate people as best they can. The main thing is to ask rather than leaving it to chance.

It's not just adult learners who have this problem. It's just as difficult for working parents when their children have exams!

To be fair, I've always been lucky, as the centre where my girls learn have a special visit (if that's the right teminology) so we know the date well in advance. This term, for example, I already know it will be 7 or 8 July (depends on whether or not there are enough entries for a second day) so I can provisionally book both days off now.

I've just entered for:

grade 7 jazz saxophone
and
grade 3 popular music theory

Grade 6 piano - feel sick at the thought!

Pieces: All generally ok but one needs speeding up but when I try to play it faster it goes completely out of control!

Scales: OK but keep getting mixed up between harmonic and melodic minors and inevitably make up the new 'Jumper Minor' scale!

Sight Reading: I can now sight read at about G4 level - still going to fail but at least I'm improving

Aural: Still same complete hit or miss!



For my Grade 5, I specifically stated my last possible date when filling in the application form but when I got my date, it was after this. However, I just phoned the board and they were very supportive. We actually worked the new date on the phone when I had my diary open in front of me!

I'm hoping they will be as supportive this time as my diary is already pretty much full for June so unless I'm really lucky I'm going to have to juggle things!

I did point out to the AB the the last time that 2 weeks notice is insufficient for those who have other committements like a full time job. I also stated this in the poll that we had somewhere on the forum which I think was started by the AB. I'm sure there is a reason why you can't do this but it would be perfect for me if the exam slots all came up when you were booking online and you could simply pick one. Even just the day would be a start as I'm likely to take the full day off (I'll be a gibbering wreck so there is no point being in the office!)

Judster, Rob -

Interesting. I started a thread about this a few weeks back, asking why the ABRSM couldn't offer the option of opting out of certain days when one had unavoidable commitments. I got a couple of grumpy responses! I think the assumption may be that Grade exams are primarily for kids, and adults jolly well ought to have the same degree of flexibility.

I also e-mailed the Board asking the same thing, and mailed them explained my difficulty - and got no reply at all. I'm in the same position; I am a university teacher, working 120 miles from home so I can't easily nip out of the office for an hour, and taking certain days off would leave 50+ students sitting in a lecture theatre twiddling their thumbs.

So I'm taking a gamble - I've put in for G3 flute, and will have to see if it comes up on a day I can manage - otherwise, I will have to plead the 'unavoidable commitments' clause in the exam regs.

nick

Edit: sorry, I now see that other people are also concerned about this. Jumper - I don't see why 'slot-picking' software should be a problem - one could go for suitable slots at first choice centres, and if they were all taken, move on to another... if railway companies, hotels and airlines can manage to book online in this way, why not ABRSM? It would be nice not to have to book on spec...

I am in exactly the same position - well only 60km for me but the rest is the same! It would be so good to be able to book, if not a time, then at least a day.

Grade 3 flute:-)

I once again said that I'd do my Grade 8 cornet.
And I once again bottled out

It does take me a lot of guts to even think about it to be honest, they scare me that much.
But I guess I'm making progress

To all in this position - I have posted a question about this to Clara Taylor in the 'ask the chief examiner' thread - you may wish to endorse the points I make there

nick

Beth aged 11 is doing Grade 5 Theory (Grade 1 merit last June) and Grade 3 Sax (Began playing in January). This goes with her Grade 4 Flute and Grade 2 Piano she got in March.
Add it SATS and it is hard to keep up here.
Dora

Grade 7 Clarinet

Grade 8 piano

My pieces are ok, scales pretty much there although arpeggios a bit of a sticking point. Re Aural I'm ok with some bits and rubbish with other bits My sightreading is usually ok. As for being able to spout some sensible points re short piece the examiner will play, well, I'm sure my mind will probably go a complete blank.

Not sure if am going to be 100% ready, but going to go in and give it my best shot - if I pass great, if not then its fab experience for me to build on. Am still waiting on my exam date

LLCM flute

DipMusP clarinet performance

Grade 2 Tuned percussion!!! (Grade one-a-thon :In aid of give kids a chance)

Good luck everyone!



Im doing grade 7 Oboe with trinity and the CYO audition before that (more important)

I hope my reeds are in good condition for both...



The grade 7's probably (VERY likely) going to clash with yr10 mock GCSEs, but they aren't that important are they? I don't think the teacher's would be pleased, so I hope it's after school or during a subject with no mock GCSE to do.

Hey all

I ran out time to get any grades done this term - hopefully will get a couple in during the Autumn term

Anxiously waiting dates / times for students as usual - I always expect the dates to come thru earlier then they do

Ho hum

Good luck everyone!

Grade 3 flute. Next Tuesday. Unfortunately, I spent the whole of last week in bed with flu, and I've been left with a horrible cough and cold. This is not great.

My daughter's also doing her Grade 1 flute.

Grade 2 theory and viola prep test.

I've booked one exam with Trinity and one with LCM so hopefully I might be able to make one or the other - probably not both though. It's a gamble.

Grade 5 Piano and theory with ABRSM. Grade 5 guitar with Trinity (Rockschool).

Grade 7 flute *gulp* I'm more bothered with uni exams at the moment though...

Anyone know when we get dates through for this term??

Yeah, good luck

Decided to go for Grade 8 theory this time, maybe the rest next time.

Good luck. I'm sure you'll do fine.

Grade 2 Flute

Well, that kinda answers the Q I was going to ask, namely, has anyone actually got their date yet??? Guess we're all still waiting.