I know I am only going for a Grade 3 Singing exam, but my accompanist posted a question to me:

What are you going to wear? Is there a dress code?

I didn't find any dress code in the rules and regulations, but I suddenly realised that this time round, I won't be hiding behind a piano, with my back facing the examiner. I will be facing the examiner, with no barrier before me, straight in the eye. Now some fashion sense would be helpful to create a good impression.

It is clear that both my accompanist and I should wear covered shoes instead of sandals (popular in my region). My accompanist asked whether we should wear skirts instead of jeans. Frankly I don't know. I was thinking of wear a presentable trench-coat-like long top (what I wear to office), jeans and leather shoes. I told my accompanist to wear anything that is full-length (no three-quarters or bermudas) and comfortable for her, as long as she is neat and tidy.

The reason my accompanist asked, was that she was required to wear concert attire when she went for her diploma exam in piano.

Has anyone some idea of what is appropriate for a Singing exam, and what is not? I will be going on to my higher grades soon. If I should wear a proper dress or skirt, and my accompanist has to do the same, we have some shopping to do!

Oh, I worry about this every time I have an exam. It's not supposed to make the slightest bit of difference, hypothetically you could turn up in a clown costume, and have it make no difference... My old singing teacher always said to treat it like a performance - not in a huge posh evening-dress type concert, but just to look a bit smart, wear a dress, or nice trousers and a top, and make sure my shoes are clean and shiny (and that they always have a bit of a heel).

I'm sure loads of people turn up in scruffy jeans and hoodies though, and it doesn't make the slightest bit of difference. It's just that it feels more like a performance if you're a little bit dressed up, and can make it easier to give it your best. As long as you're comfortable, obviously, and your clothes don't make it difficult to breathe.

I think what is considered appropriate in Singapore could be very different from what people would chose to wear in the UK.

If it's any help, I've never seen any candidates really dressed up for exams in Japan (that is, of the small number of people I have seen coming and going at various exams here).

I think performance diploma is a different case, but for grade exams, people are not dressed up the way they tend to dress up in East Asia for student concerts. In Japan, most people seem to be in conservative casual clothing - e.g. dark pants and a nice shirt, but not a shirt and tie, or nice skirt and top, but not a suit.

Hope that helps!

Most of the adults and accompanists I've seen turning up to exams tend to wear smart casual clothes. However I accompanied one lady at the last session who looked like she had just been doing the gardening (jeans and baggy sweater and hair with that 'dragged through a hedge backwards' look.) She still walked away with a distinction. As an accompanist I go for plain black and white on the whole - nothing distracting!

I wouldn't worry about it. I went to my grade 6 recorder exam in scruffy jeans and trainers and still managed to get a good mark.

Go in something that you would where anywhere else - you dont want to worry about looking silly and overdressed, or looking scruffy. Wear something that you arent going to be self conscious about wearing.

My theory is that if you go in looking really smart and like you've made an effort, they'll expect you to give a good performance, so you'll look a bit of a prat if you muck up, whereas, if you just go wearing whatever you normally would, they won't have quite so high expectations, so it will be a nice surprise when you play nicely and you won't look quite so stupid if you muck up.

This is the extreme case, but imagine someone went in the sort of outfit you'd wear to perform in a formal concert, acted all professional, then proceeded to sing horribly flat the whole way through and forget their words.

I can imagine someone dressing formal and doing the same - on recorder

*quickly ducks to miss sarahs slap*

My pupils tend to dress up for performances if they aren't wearing school uniform. I ask them not to turn up in jeans and trainers or tops with large logos on, especailly French Connection ones! They are all very sensible and seem to like having the chance to wear clothes other than school outfits for exams. Clean, tidy and comfortable to play in is the best way to go.

True, but the examiner comes from the UK.




Yes it does help, all ears. I know that the Japanese are very conservative in their clothing. Pants are usually dark in colour for Japanese adults. Jeans are more common and widely acceptable in most occasions in Singapore, so I will go with a nice, ironed pair of jeans and a nice top.




Heehee... that is funny. I was thinking about the same thing last night. Low-key appearance with acceptable performance But I think as respect, I will still aim towards being neat and tidy.




The French Connection ones are indeed provocative. Thank you for the reminder. I do have a few tops with large and loud prints that I have to filter out. I'll pass that advice on to my accompanist too.

I expect pupils to be smart for exams. This either means School Uniform, or a shirt with a collar for a boy and no jeans. Girls can wear smart trousers, but I prefer it when they wear a skirt or a dress.

Personally I'm a dress person as cut with an empire line there is loads of room to breathe.

I'm not suggesting that it's a good idea to go to an exam looking scruffy, but isn't the most important thing for the candidate to feel comfortable so they can focus on their performance? As a teacher I wouldn't want to add to the pressure of the occasion by making a pupil feel obliged to wear a style of clothing they weren't accustomed to, just to keep me happy.

Once an acceptable level of smartness is reached, I think the most important thing is for the outfit not to be constrictive, not to be too warm or not warm enough, and not to make the wearer feel self-conscious. Exams aren't public performances, after all (and yes I agree diplomas should be viewed differently in this respect).

Indeed.


You may need to duck for cover now!

Not one single skirt/dress in my wardrobe...

I'd dress reasonably smartly for a concert, but for grades it's a bit different : for my last grade 5 exam I wore a particularly scruffy pair of jeans, jumper and white trainers that were a little past their best!

Got 130

Can't remember what I wore for the 'mock' exam, but seeing as the ABRSM are about to release a DVD with highlights from this mock exam to the world, I'll soon be reminded!

Nor mine!

I wore a dress (the same one) precisely four times in 2008. Three Belle Epoque gigs and one very formal dinner.

I assume you have carried out an extensive survey in order to come up with this statement?


I shouldn't think the examiners care two hoots, to be honest - I'm sure they've seen it all (including lots of candidates' bottoms during the phase when low-rise trousers were all the rage).

The joy of being a pianist is that one can always wear trousers

Like being a weatherman. I saw Ian McCaskill at the Royal Agricultural Show once. Very smart jacket and tie and scruffy trousers and shoes.

Hmm... what are you implying about my trousers and shoes?

Nothing.

I only wore a dress on three occasions (I didn't go to any posh dinners).

But to balance that scarcity of appearances, the dress in question each time was VERY VERY PINK!

Indeed it was!

Thats funny; I had such trouble this winter - I was so so cold for a while because I only own 1 pair of jeans in my entire wardrobe, and they don't fit because I put on a stone since I bought them!

I've only just bought another pair of trousers (when it was snowing and even the thickest tights wouldn't cut it), but they don't get many appearances.



Can you imagine performing in a short skirt and having to use lots of pedal?!
Not an elegant sight!!

Nope!
(I don't really do elegant though! )

Big fibber!

I have seen that picture of you in your red silk gown.

I have loads of dresses from my earlier performing days but, sadly few of them fit at the moment although I am shrinking a little as each week passes.

My singers actually enjoy dressing up for performances. Is this unusual?

Maybe its a hang up from childhood followed by years grubbing around the floor after small children.

I like wearing dresses and skirts. They make me feel feminine, and when it comes to singing, or playing the piano, given I tend to go for a decent skirt length, I feel more comfortable. Besides they do a very good job at hidind the top of my thighs, something that takes an extremely well cut pair of trousers to cover.

I do view exams in the same league as public performances. Is is as if you are doing your best performance for the examiner. You might as well dress smartly too.

Just in case anyone wondered, here is what I eventually wore to my grade 3 singing exam, and I think it was quite OK:

Dark purple long trench-coat-like top, with inconspicuous buttons (with large pockets to put tissue packs and book clips)

Dark blue jeans

Black leather shoes with heels

Grape-pearl earrings

Crystal Cat Necklace


And of course, I put on some light makeup and tied up my hair in a ponytail. Think I was neat enough, and the trench-coat-like top kept me warm while allowing lots of movement and deep breathing.


My accompanist had a black top with frills around the neckline, dark jeans and black leather shoes with heels too.


OK, sorry to interrupt. Carry on with the discussion. I always wonder what the UK candidates wear

Sounds very smart, Teoani, and I hope it made the exam go well too

Hmm, maybe it did help my performance, as I felt confident that I looked pleasant .
But I'll never know until I receive my results.

I liked my attire, so I will probably wear the same to the next singing exam at G6 (Oh I am too lazy to shop).

I think singers like to dress up more than other musicians (or maybe that's just the kind of singers I hang out with...)
[EDIT - I am excluding katyjay from the above comment in fear of retribution ]

As an accompanist, I am usually in my everyday scruffy jeans kinda thing...

for my last exams:

grade 8 theory - jeans and hoodie

grade 8 violin - violin is much more tricky becuase of the restrictions of some clothes. I can't wear hoodies or thick clothes when playing violin properly as they get in the way, so I wore jeans and a thin jumper.

Grade 8 piano - (shortish) skirt and vest top. It was the middle of summer and very very hot.

I don't think its necessary to dress excessively smartly, but I do feel as though I play better when I am comfortable.

I always dress up, and encourage pupils to do the same for practical exams, but you are right comfort is the most important thing. I think the one thing wearing my teachers hat I would say is no jeans unless you really feel so uncomfortable in anything else, then the new jeans no holes no logos look, and certainly be very careful about stuff from French Connection.

The Person marking your theory exam will not know what you wear so dress for the building you are in. If you are the type of person who can only think clearly in a suit, and as soon as you put your jeans and hoodie on brain goes offline then dress smart, If you have to be warm and comfortable the comfy warm clothing that can be taken off in layers if and when you get too hot is also fine.

I've spent too long grubbing around floors with children in scruff to want to wear them in exams, but if I was 18 again I might feel differently. I also have my business head on when I wear a jacket, but it doesn't have to be that tidy a jacket. However I hate feeling cold, so would rather pile the woolies on to do a theory exam than feel cold.

I spent time in an office with a rather strict dress code and it does rather colour the way I think now. Jacket = assertive = clear thinking. Trouser suit much more comfy that skirt and Jacket. I know that hall is always freezing means forget jacket and wear soft layered clothing so I don't freeze. I'm performing means dress, often with jacket.

Oh and for a girl (unless your playing a woodwind instrument) Lipstick = power. I don't know why, but well applied lipstick can be a really good mask to hide behind. Or am I just wierd.

woodwind+lipstick= looks like you've been dribbling blood (or tomato ketchup) down the reed or mouthpiece...

Eurgh no - lipstick is icky

I did say lipstick and woodwind did not go, I would not put lipstick anywhere near my Oboe, Cor Anglais or recorders

LOL. love the description!

I've just had the priviledge of seeing Teoani's Grade 3 Certificate and marksheet.

Well whatever she wore to the exam, I'm sure she won't mind me saying she got a really good mark (a merit) and some excellent comments (which owing to the handwriting of the examiner I had to fully decipher for her).

Congratulations Teoani!

Thank you again for helping me, jod I think the comments were consistent throughout and helpful. I have lots of work to do to improve on my singing! I must say I was lucky to receive a merit, and my supporting tests clearly contributed a lot to my final result

They were a really positive set of comments. At grade 3, expect comments on Diction and Tone Production.

No doubt your teacher will be able to help you build on these. The marksheet tells you where you need to pinpoint your work.

All the best.

Jo

I just wear smart clothes, not particularly dressy.
They can't judge you how you look, so it doesn't really matter, so it's best if you're comfortable, but you'll feel better if you're not too scruffy.

I had my first exam the other day as an adult student.....I must admit I never even thought about what to wear, never so much as crossed my mind. Just went in my normal everyday clothes - jeans and trainers, shock horror! I paid for the exam so feel confident enough to wear whatever I want.

Maybe I'm wrong - just seemed sensible to me to wear something I felt most comfortable in.

[quote name='Czerny' date='Feb 16 2009, 05:57 PM' post='793308']
[quote name='dcmbarton' post='793299' date='Feb 16 2009, 05:43 PM']
[quote name='Czerny' post='793291' date='Feb 16 2009, 05:36 PM']
I'm not suggesting that it's a good idea to go to an exam looking scruffy, but isn't the most important thing for the candidate to feel comfortable so they can focus on their performance? As a teacher I wouldn't want to add to the pressure of the occasion by making a pupil feel obliged to wear a style of clothing they weren't accustomed to, just to keep me happy.
[/quote]
I am in some agreement with this; besides that, very few young girls or even adult females for that matter actually own dresses or skirts anymore
[/quote]
I assume you have carried out an extensive survey in order to come up with this statement?


[/quote]
I shouldn't think the examiners care two hoots, to be honest - I'm sure they've seen it all (including lots of candidates' bottoms during the phase when low-rise trousers were all the rage).
[/quote]

I've only just read this thread after seeing the similar one in the cafe. Now I don't know if one needs to carry out an extensive survey to comment that few young girls or women wear skirts. All I can say is that
of the two hundred and fifty odd in the lycéee where I used to teach, only an infinitely small minority of girls ever turned up in a skirt. The same could be said of the women teachers. I confess to not having possessed a skirt for at least the last forty years.

I was a bit suprised at the posters who discourage jeans for exams. I would rather my pupils turned up for an exam in a smart pair of jeans than in a long skirt. But that is a personal opinion. If the pupil felt better in a skirt I wouldn't comment. However, I do like them to be decently covered. I think that halfway down the chest or up to the navel is not acceptable. As we don't have school uniform here they do sometimes ask what I think they should wear and I tell to come looking smart but not to overdo it and above all to wear what they feel comfortable in.

Wearing is not the same as owning! I probably own around twenty dresses and skirts but I very rarely wear them, especially to work (and with most of the dresses I'd look jolly silly if I did...).

I wonder why the assumption is made that jeans=comfortable?

Some of the rear ends I see in tight stretchy jeans look as though they are in grave danger of bursting out, and if they don't hide the dimples then I think they would cloud the judgement of the examiner. (They certainly distract me, and not in a good way!)

Everyone needs at least one thoroughly respectable outfit for exams, interviews, etc, and there is no reason why it should not be comfortable - keep the killer heels for when out gallivanting, celebrating the results.