Adults.. do you shake hands with your examiner during your grade exam (I know diplomas etc are a bit different as they are longer and you get to really chat with the examiner and there probably is an appropriate place to shake hands after the interview part)

It has been some years since I took an ABRSM exam, and with a 10 minute exam I am not sure if it is the polite thing to do, or whether approaching the table to shake their hand is a 'no no' as I might see a mark/comment.. I know its a silly thing, but I want to make the right impression (or atleast leave feeling that I made the right impression regardless of how many wrong notes I played!!!)

Thanks

I've never done it, and neither have any of my students. A polite "good morning/afternoon" is all that's required I think. And "Thank you, goodbye" when the exam is over. That's my experience..others may encourage hand-shaking.

I've never come across this before but would say that you shouldn't attempt to shake the examiner's hand. I may be wrong and there may be people who do, but I've certainly never heard of anyone doing that. I think a friendly hello and smile would be sufficient, but know from accompanying grade exams that sometimes candidates don't say anything to the examiner when they walk in, due to nerves. I don't think it would make a difference to the marks, but if it was me I would be walking in smiling and say hello to the examiner.

Good luck! Lucid

Perhaps if you have a couple of 50 quid notes concealed in your palm which you carefully leave in his after shaking hands....

This is my Plan B

Yes - both before and after. It's probably my age and background, but it seems the most polite and natural thing to do. The first upon introduction and the second on 'completing the business'. It also helps me settle before playing. I don't think my two recent examiners have seen it as anything other than politeness. They were in both cases standing face to face. Had they been sat down writing, no eye contact, etc., then maybe there would have been no handshake.

I shake hands lots, and couldn't imagine anybody objecting to this. Indeed, I'm away from home at the moment and, today and tomorrow, have met and am meeting one of the examiners of one of my 'F' practical exams who has since become a much valued friend. I shook his hand at the time of the exam, but was too impecunious to put any money in his palm at the time....

I agree. In fact it would be ludicrous if it did.

This is what I have always done in graded exams (I think)- but as I stated, it has been some years. Teenaged then I may have shook their hand.



I'm already paying them once!!




This is what is confusing me. Having now had the benefit of interviews and auditions of all kinds, It would seem weird to meet a respected musician and not shake their hand!




I don't think it will make any difference to the mark. I would be upset if it did. It is just a matter of ol' fashioned (exam) ettiquette. I can't remember if i did when I was younger, but I probably did. Now I am older wiser and the thought had crossed my mind. Asking seemed the best way to find out views and answers from people who are going through, or have gone through, the same process. Thank you for all the answers so far.

My usual stategey is to arrange for the exams for my pupils to be held after luncheon at which the examiner will hopefully have been offered a freshly opened bottle of wine.

My daughter offered her hand to her examiner at her grade 2 cello, because the school she was at always insist on a handshake to the teacher before they leave at the end of the day, the examiner turned around and said 'no, we don't do that' and told her to settle herself down. Rude I thought, she was only 7 at the time and it threw her a bit (not too much though she got a merit for that one)

Maybe he/she was worried about all of the over the top child protection laws etc. Examiners probably have to be really careful because it's just them and the child in the room. I know all examiners are checked and are perfectly safe, but some people seem to think that any sort of body contact is innapropriate and they might accuse the examiner.

Jacob.

I think if someone offered their hand that wouldn't even occur to me - if a hand is offered it's an insult not to shake. Robert Mugabe makes a thing out of embarrassing people by it - Prince Charles, Tony Blair to name but 2.

Mind you, folks, if swine flu carries on as it's doing, they'll probably want to discourage handshaking .

I have only taken one exam since becoming an Adult Learner, and the subject never came up with my teacher before the exam. However, on the day it turned out that I was the only adult and when I went into the room he immediately stood up and welcomed me so I just automatically went over to him and shook his hand. I do remember thinking that he might find it a refreshing change from having so many young children coming into the room who would not do that. He was standing behind his desk, but I have no idea what was on it. When we finished, he again stood up, looked straight at me and made some nice comments about me starting a new instrument and obviously getting pleasure from playing it, and wished me all the best for the future, so it seemed natural to me to shake his hand again as I said thank you. Again, my eyes were on him and I did not even want to get a sneak preview of my marks even if he had left them on view.

So I fully agree with oldnotes, and that may be because we are of similar age and upbringing.

It makes me nervous that I'll probably be the only adult taking the grade 1 exam, so I might very well shake the examiners hand as it will probably make me feel more like the examiner is a human rather than a scary person who is going to make my violin squeek If they said no I would be quite shocked. I guess it's personal preferance really and it might do well to judge the situation.

I could be wrong but I don't think that's how you catch flu!

On topic, I think of the examiner as my audience for the occasion: I don't think musicians usually shake hands with the audience.

I'm the only adult on my day

Usually I'm a confident person with strangers and am first to offer a hand. At my last exam I made a comment about being taller than most of his Grade 3 candidates and he had the grace to laugh.

This time I feel extremely nervous already and will probably creep in and try and hide in a corner

It is perhaps worth bearing in mind that some relegions do not allow male/female contact (I know strict jewish women are not allowed to touch the hands of a man)

I agree that child protections issues could come into play as well, and handshaking may make some people uncomfortable and it may be difficult if the candidate is carrying an instrument and a sheet of music.

I'd stick to a hello and goodbye - but in both my exams the examiner has been seated at a table and I've been directed to the other side of the room so it's never really been something I've thought about.


It's very easy to catch flu this way, if an infected person sneezes they are almost certain to get flu germs on their hands even if they use a tissue, handshake passes them on then a simple brush of the hand against the eyes or nose and the germs are transfered.

Oh this is a tricky one,

Good manners are so rare these days and a hand offered should in normal circumstances never be refused, to do so would be very bad mannered..However I do see the point about examiners not wishing to touch children and are being very careful not to behave inapropriately..though how and hand shake can be viewed as innapropriate escapes me..Sadly I suspect that people have become so wrapped up in what they should or should not do or are so insecure that they feel any physical contact is out of the question..I think its nice that a child shows respect and offers their hand and feel that the examiner was a bit harsh to decline it and inform the child that "They dont do that" ...the effect is simple, firstly the child is unnerved and secondly it teaches the child bad manners and they wont be so confident to offer their hand again...It takes alot of courage on a young persons part to offer a handshake and the child has plainly be raised with good manners, what a shame their demonstration of good manners was so rudely declined..

Personally I would shake an examiners hand and would consider them very bad mannered if they didnt respond..and woe betide anyone who declined, exam or not they would be in no doubt that they had committed a social gaff..Exam aside there is no call for bad manners EVER.

Andrew

Andrew, Gerald and Oldnotes.............perfect gentlemen.

Oi! What about HG...?

Hmmmmm. Sorry.

What a nice compliment, thank you Bev .

I suspect you spoiled it for yourself with the idea of the £50 notes .

I've met three of the above named..and can confirm they are gents!

*Can I have smaller currency please..£50 notes are hard to get rid of these days!*

Yup, no doubt!


Thanks for that! Here's that £50 I promised you for saying that - all in loose change!

I'm saying nothing.


But then the 'audience' doesn't normally deliver a mark out of 150 when you've finished playing... (Britain's Got Talent and similar nonsense excepted.)

Thanks pal!

You don't get your £50 until you say which three of the four you are talking about .

Ho, Hum. Flu virus transmission (is a virus a germ? depends on your point of view I suppose). Actually, despite what public dis-information films may have you believe, the vast majority of flu transmission is by aerosol inhalation, not from hand (or any other contact). I'm not saying it's not possible to transfer by shaking hands, just not common - certainly not as common as most people think.

I'm not that keen on shaking other guys' hands these days... purely because of the amount of times I see blokes walk out of the pub toilets without washing their hands!!!

And it's not just blokes.

Not washing their hands Yuk...dirty beggers..

Maybe you should shake hands with the examiner, and as you do it, shove £10 into their hand and wink! You might get a better mark! This is what my piano teacher sugested!

Jacob.

Teachers encouraging bribery??? Oh, how are we to stop this decline in moral standards ?...

I attempted to shake hands with my examiner on leaving the exam room following my grade 8 piano exam. My examiner looked so startled, I actually laughed, to which he replied:

'Sorry, didn't mean to be rude, but in our training, we are repeatedly told "Do Not Touch The Candidate..."'

I felt as though candidates must be viewed as 'The Great Unwashed'...

But he shook hands eventually, saying:

'But as you are an adult, I guess it's ok'.

So I then realised it must be a 'Child Protction' policy.

I feel it's very sad that we have arrived at such things...

denmark



correction *protction* = protection

That must be it then. I still think the scenario mentioned by the OP was handled very badly - surely an exception to the 'no touching' rule can be made for shaking hands, particularly if instigated by the candidate?

I think it depends on whether you can find a chance to shake the hand of the examiner. For my G5 piano exam last year, the examiner was standing at the door as I was brought in, so there was no barrier between us, and hence it was only natural to shake hands and say hello. After shaking hands, I handed her my marks sheet. I think we shook hands again as I left the room, since I was the last candidate before lunchtime.

For my G6 piano exam, the examiner was sitting behind the table when I entered. She was still gathering some papers, so I just placed my marks sheet and programme slip on the table while greeting her good afternoon. She smiled, thanked me for the programme slip and gestured to the piano. At the end of the exam, she stood up and showed me to the door, so I offered my hand to her, which she took, of course.

For my G3 singing exam, the examiner was male, and he did look a little taken aback for a split second when I offered to shake his hand, but he took it anyway.

As for my past exams as a child decades ago, I think I went in, nervously looked at the examiner(s), and bowed. How very traditional I have since forgotten how to bow properly after leaving school, as people have teased me for it.

It would have been very embarrassing if I held out my hand and the examiner refused to shake it. I might be thinking about it all the time during the exam. So maybe it would be best to attempt a handshake after the exam?

I know! Dreadful, ain't it....

Although of course one needn't worry if one's moral standards have already declined as far as they can possibly go. Just teasing!

Exam Yesterday: I didn't. To be honest, the opportunity never arose.

My examiner yesterday was such a nice man that I could have happily given him a little cuddle

I made lots of stupid errors but he completely put me at my ease and we had a little humorous banter too which was delightful. (He looked cuddly. )

When I took my grade 8 I shook hands with the examiner on the way in and out. It wasn't planned but he was a nice gentleman so I felt it was OK.

He stood up to greet me when I came into the room so it just seemed like the natural thing to do. He also held the door open for me as I was leaving - so again it seemed polite and didn't feel awkward at all.

If he'd stayed sitting when I came in to the room and hadn't made eye contact I probably wouldn't have felt compelled.

I wouldn't shake hands unless the examiner offered or if it felt the right thing to do at the time.
Certainly, the two young chaps whom I accompanied for their exams yesterday didn't!

I never have,
Thinking about it, I feel quite rude now.

I don't think it's anything you can really decide yes or no in advance. I think when you enter the room you'll know if it's right or not by the examiner's body language.

I remember all of my piano exams as a child and in most of them the examiner would stand up behind their desk or walk to the door to greet me and offer their hand for a shake. It just seemed normal and natural at the time.

But if the examiner just stayed seated or showed no signs of moving in for a shake I certainly wouldn't approach them for it, it'd feel too forced and awkward.

Just done my Grade 5 clarinet exam. I was so scared & could feel my heart thumping and my mouth was so dry!
I played several wrong notes, despite being able to play the pieces perfectly at home!
Good Luck to everyone still waiting to take exams!

Well done Maisie. I expect you have done better than you thought.
I did mine yesterday, and the examiner shook my hand at the end.........he offered his hand first and it was OK.

I know they were not examiners, but at the Music Festival last weekend both the adjudicators, the man on Saturday and the lady on Sunday, shook hands with absolutely every entrant, regardless of age or ### (oh all right, let's try gender) when handing over the certificate or prize.

Had my exam today- didnt get a chance to shake hands as he was over the other side of the room. He was also sat behind the table at the beginning so not a chance- mind you with this heat my hands were a bit hot...!