I am doing my grade 4 exam in the summer and i am hoping to grade 5 in the winter. (I already have got the pieces). I am planning to do my grade six in 2005 and missing grade 7 and doing my grade 8 in 2006. (this is on my flute)

Also I am starting to play the basson. Would 2006 be too bigger goal to get to grade 5 or 6 and by 2008 grade 8?????

Are these too big goals because I would like to get the dipABRSM before I go to uni (autumn 2008), so I can teach while I'm there to get some money.



Thanks for any help

Mousey

It's a good thing to aim for. It is possible, but there are a lot of things to consider. I play the flute, and I found it took me longer and longer between each grade as I progressed through the syllabus, and I was considered to be "good". I got to grade five in two and a half years but after that it was five years or so until I got grade eight. If you set a timetable and things don't work out you'll be disappointed, but if you have a short term goal for your next grade all the time that's more realistic and you'll feel good when you achieve it. You also have to take into account unexpected things which may hold you back, e.g. I had to slow the pace for a couple of years when my father was very ill, and a friend of mine failed grade five theory the first time and therefore couldn't be entered for grade six when she was expecting to be.

Deep down you'll know if you're truly ready to be entered for your next exam, and when you are, go for it. Don't enter for the sake of it though, I had a friend who really wanted to get grade 8 piano before she went to university, so she entered before she was really ready for it (and it was at the same time as her A-levels), and she failed.

I think getting the grade five pieces in advance will really help you keep to your planned timetable. I also found I was able to play my grade five pieces for GCSE (because they get you the maximum marks for difficulty so there was no point playing anything harder, and I'd been playing them for four years by then), and my grade eight pieces for A-level.

Best of luck, I hope things work out for you,
Helena

Hey, practice makes perfect. If you practice, i think there is no problem!! Go for it!

I would actually advise you to miss grade 6 and do 7 and 8 as there isn't alot of difference between 6 and 7. I did my grade 5 in 1999 and grade 8 in 2002 so it can be done in the timescale you are aiming for.
David