Haven't had a piano lesson for about a month now and not due to see my teacher again until mid Sep due to school hols. She gave me lots of stuff to be getting on with, but I feel a bit overwhelmed and don't feel as if I'm getting on particularly well with anything as there's nothing immediate to to work towards.

Also, my teacher suggested I do grade 2 just to get back into classical exams at Christmas. I've chosen the pieces and have the notes under my fingers (did this within days). I've learned (or should I say 'relearned') all the G2 and G3 scales.

Assuming the exam would be early December, I think four months seems a long time to be working on interpretation, polishing etc. Considering I've learned them so quickly, I'm wondering whether I should just polish the ones I like most then move onto the grade 3 jazz pieces and work towards that instead. Feel a bit at sea without a lesson coming up!

How do others keep themselves motivated during the long summer break?

I've just been sight-reading through some Chopin Waltzes as a teacher wanting to keep up momentum over the holidays. I want to start lessons for myself too in September. Maybe use the holiday time to develop your sight-reading at Grade 2-3 classical and jazz. I will be going on holiday soon for a nice long break which can be very beneficial for renewed enthusiasm for the new term - especially if you have been working very hard.

How about just playing something fun? Just sightread through whatever is at hand, or you could try learning and polishing a couple of pieces on your own without the help of your teacher - maybe something you've always wanted to play but never have time for in lessons. Also, playing duets is great fun (if you can find someone to play with you).

I am having slightly reduced number of lessons. My teacher is on tour, visiting parents etc..

Still one lesson every 2 weeks is pretty good for holidays. This is the advantage of lessons out of school, keep going during holidays.

At chirstmas and easter it was still one lesson a week.

Anyway just try some stuff for fun, nothing to hard mind. A good way to practice sight resding for your exam anyway.

I have lessons outside school but dont have lessons in the holidays - my teacher doesnt teach in the holidays.
I dont have a problem keeping myself motivated because I love playing, I fin pieces I really want to play and practicing isnt a chore.
x

It's not that I'm not motivated/don't enjoy playing, it's that I like to feel I'm making progress rather than just 'playing around' with loads of different pieces.

In that case, chose a piece that you would like to play and learn it 'properly'.

You should get some other piano books or technical studies and play those for fun. The more pieces you can play, the better you'll get. Teaching yourself new pieces can also improve your sight reading and rhythm. If you play the graded pieces too much, you might get sick of them. So maybe try and do the best you can with those pieces, then wait for your teacher to come back and then you can work on perfecting it. I prefer playing things for fun than working on exam pieces.