I am doing my Grade 4 piano in December and am unsure of a few things

Can I play pieces from the latest syllabus ie. 2005 - 2006 ?

How many scales are you asked to play for Grade 4, there are 5 majors, 4 harmonics, and 4 starting on the same note.

At what stage is it compulsory to take grade 5 theory? Will grade 5 theory cover me up to Grade 8 practical?

Any help is much appreciated.

QUOTE (tenacious_student @ Oct 9 2004, 09:26 PM)

Can I play pieces from the latest syllabus ie. 2005 - 2006 ?

Not yet, you have to play the 2003-2004 ones in December. Have you started learning the 2005-2006 pieces or the 2003-2004 ones (or neither!)? This is the rule in the UK and I think everywhere else (but there are different rules for pieces expiring in different countries so it could possibly be different but I think it's unlikely).

QUOTE (tenacious_student @ Oct 9 2004, 09:26 PM)

How many scales are you asked to play for Grade 4, there are 5 majors, 4 harmonics, and 4 starting on the same note.

4 starting on the same note? Do you mean 4 contrary motion ones (which don't start on the same note...)? Plus there's the chromatic ones. All hands together and hands seperately. In the exam they don't ask for every one, usually not more than one or two from each group hands together, one with each hand from each group. Obviously you have to learn them all as you don't know which ones they'll ask for...

QUOTE (tenacious_student @ Oct 9 2004, 09:26 PM)

At what stage is it compulsory to take grade 5 theory? Will grade 5 theory cover me up to Grade 8 practical?

You must do grade 5 theory before you're allowed to enter grade 6 practical; after that you don't have to do any more theory if you don't want (unless you want to do a teaching dipABRSM but that would be post grade 8...).

One final thing to check, you have entered already haven't you? Otherwise in the UK it's too late; although in other countries the exam closing dates will be different.

Good luck!

QUOTE

you have to play the 2003-2004 ones in December

This is terrible news, are you sure this is the case? I have basically finished learning all three grade 4 pieces from the 2005 syllabus. Tell me, what is the earliest date I can take my Grade 4 piano using the new music, im from the UK btw.

Thanks

QUOTE

This is terrible news, are you sure this is the case? I have basically finished learning all three grade 4 pieces from the 2005 syllabus. Tell me, what is the earliest date I can take my Grade 4 piano using the new music, im from the UK btw.

Yes, this is true. The earliest you can use the 2005 syllabus is 2005. But if you were hoping to do it sooner, i.e. before November/December, you would need to have entered for the exam before now anyway.

Bad luck - the earliest you can take the exam using the 2005 syllabus is February - March 2005 if you are in the UK - assuming you are entering in the main entry period in the normal way.

The closing date for entries for next term will be during the first half of January - haven't got the exact date in front of me but it's usually around Jan 10th. You can probably find it on line.

Can your teacher not advise you ?

Maggie

It's not so bad, you can just get a better mark doing it later... You did have to enter by October the 1st (and that's the online date with an extra week) to take the exam this year anyway.

You can continue to work on those pieces and improve them until the next exam session (maybe along side some others, you could even try some more pieces from the grade 4 book if you like, or some completely different ones). If you feel that you have reached the peak of your abilities with your current rendition of your pieces and don't feel that you can play them any better through further practice then have a break from them for a while and play some other pieces, this will have a number of positive effects: firstly that you'll come back to them as a better pianist than you are now so will be able to improve them, secondly that they'll be fresh when you come back to them and thirdly that you'll have a lot more experience of repertoire.

Remember there's no rush to do everything so quickly, don't feel so disappointed just use the opportunity to enjoy playing some pieces that you like.

Thanks for all the replies. I suppose you are right, I'll keep practising for another few months and get on with Grade 5 theory, btw - when can you enter for grade 5 theory? I must cancel my grade 4 practical then, how are ABRSM with that?

QUOTE

when can you enter for grade 5 theory? I must cancel my grade 4 practical then, how are ABRSM with that?

You can enter for grade 5 theory in January - actually I guess you can enter any time, but the closing date will be in January.

If you have already entered for grade 4, and definitely need to cancel, do so as soon as possible. The AB are fine with that - they already have your fee!
and they may not refund. As it's still fairly early in the session I don't know - it's possible you may get some of it back. I've only ever cancelled fairly late, and then you do lose the whole fee.

If someone else made the entry for you (eg a teacher) you can't deal with it yourself, but only the person who made the original entry can do it.

Maggie

Could I not tell them to book it for the next period in the new year?

The ABRSM do not "hold" entries over into the next period. If you have entered this time you must either take the examination or withdraw and, unless you are ill, you will have to forfeit the fee you have paid. If you are ill you can produce a doctor's note and sometimes they will refund part of the fee.

Entries for Theory have now closed for this November but you can enter for February next year soon.

If you have prepared completely the wrong music you could try ringing the Examinations Department at the Board and asking them if they would allow you to play the pieces you have prepared (and entered for) this time. Occasionally people to make this sort of mistake when new a new syllabus comes in and I have heard of people who've played the pieces from another syllabus (with permission) and taken the exam but I think it just depends what the people in London say. You certainly need to find out - I wouldn't risk turning up to the examination with completely the wrong pieces this December and hoping the examiner will listen to you. He/she might not!