Hi,
I managed to make my entry for grade 8 flute. However, now i face a new problem my exam is on the 1st July and i need a pianist!!! The women i used for grade 8 singing wasn't available. I know i've left it really last minute but ive been doing my A-levels and so have been very buy!
ahhh what do i do?!

Don't panic. Phone your local rep tomorrow and ask their advice. They will almost certainly know of someone. Which is your exam centre? There may be someone here who might offer to help.

local rep? Its surbiton

sorry, i realised that was unclear the exam centre is surbiton

Each centre has an 'Honorary Local Representative' - local rep. These are the people who organise the exam centre and wotnot. They know things - like where to find short-notice tame accompianists!

If you look here you will find the local reps listed, there is a phone number for the Surbiton people (who I am sure will be very nice. Surbiton...all I can think of is that you're going to get Margot or Jerry on the other end of the line )

Wow, I'd literally be bricking it if I were you - it's additional stress you definitely don't need before an exam. Good luck sorting everything out

Local rep is a good starting point I reckon.

You could also post on the Piano Viva forum (yes I know you 're not supposed to double-post, but I think in an emergency you'd be forgiven!) in case there is a local pianist who would be able to help.

A third idea is to log on to pianoteachers.co.uk (I think that's right) and go to the accompanists' section - I remember someone found one very quickly via that route.

Good luck - you've got a week yet. I'm sure you'll find someone.

Also, contact the local music service in Kingston, they'll probably have lists of accompanists.

The very good accompanist I use for all my pupils' flute exams lives in New Malden and might be able to help. He is accompanying two grade 8s and three grade 7s of mine next Tuesday and might well even know your pieces. If you would like to e-mail me privately to have his details, I'd be very happy to supply them.

You could also try the music colleges.
Good luck
Dora

Try your local music shop. Our keeps a list of all the local music teachers and anyone can request or view it. Let us know how you get on. Good luck.

Also try emailing local university music departments, mine certainly has dozens of pianists able and willing to accompany.

Thank you all for your really good advice!
i hate to be the bearer of bad news..but i don't think i'm going to do the exam because i just feel too unprepared an haven't practiced throughout the A-level period
One of my pieces is ok
the other is far from ready
my study is iffy
i know half my scales
and sight reading and aural tests are appauling!

What do you guys think?? I really want to do the exam but i just dont think i will pass. Add on top to the stuff above the fact that ive never done my pieces propperly with a piano I feel really guilty though because ive already dropped out of one grade 8 flute exam before, at easter.
Do you think it is physically possible to do this exam on Wednesday!

On the topic of a pianist, i got a list of a lot of people from the exam centre, but i have not called any yet because i need to decide whether to do the exam!!!

I'm in a picklen

Also my flute teacher may kill me if i drop out again!!! But he does know im not ready.
But my last ever lesson is tommorrow because i dont know whats going to happen when i go to uni in September (e.g. will i be able to afford lessons!)

You have all weekend to get working on the study and to improve the pieces. Scales and arpeggios you can muddle through. You know some of them and you will get marks for attempting them all. Go for it! Phone an accompanist now and sort out a practice as soon as you can and then get playing. You can do a huge amount in a short time if you put your mind to it. Have a try. What will it matter if you don't quite make a pass mark? You will have done it and worked to a deadline and this is important. Ask your teacher to help you with the aural tests at your lesson. Then go in and do your best. With any luck and a lot of last minute work you may well gain a decent pass.

If you have enough time to pratice eveyrday between now and wednesday then go for it. You might suprise yourself. Admittedly the last minute pianist search is not ideal, but you have paid for the exam so what do you have to loose? (other than the pianist fee). I doubt the AB will refund any money?

If you have a goal to work to then the pressure can do wonders. BUT talk to your teacher as he will help you. You can always take it later on in life, but i have known musicians go to uni and get distracted and stop playing. It depends on what your teacher thinks. You could think you are playing badly but still pass. You can always practice over the weekend and pull out later next week.

Let us know what you decide.

You have grade 8 singing! So you must have studied aural/sight reading skills. These should be easy to rekindel with a bit of study. Im sure there are lots of online free resources you can use to help you.

Try and find a pianist who can learn the three pieces quickly!

You've got nothing to lose - and you may well pass. Go for it!

Which pieces are you playing?

I would go for the exam: It sounds like you're very much in the position I was when I took my flute G8 and I only just failed. I also didn't have the background musicianship you obviously have (with your singing G8) to get me through the aurals. I'd also had only one rehersal with my accompanist before the exam, and we rather disagreed on the tempo of some of my pieces which led to some interesting conflicts in the exam!

The worst that can happen is that you fail, and I can vouch for that not being the end of the world. And you're quite likely to pass (it sounds like you've had lots of time for preparation, even if you feel a little out of practise).

Best of luck.

heya,
sorry to dissapoint you all, but i've decided not to do the exam. I just didn't want to go in so unprepared and fail grade 8. Thank you all ever so much for your advice and help, it was much appreciated.
I have one final question, to pull out do i just call up ABRSM and explain??
Thanks again.

I think it would be polite to let them know so that they are aware of a gap in the schedule.
That can then be available if there's time for anyone trying to rearrange because their original appointment is less than ideal.

Yes i'm definately going to call them. Do i just call ABRSM's general office?

You've already paid for the exam so you have NOTHING to lose by having a go. The first time you do a Grade 8 it can seem unrealistically scary but the examiners are well trained and are excellent at putting candidates at their ease.

Even if you are convinced that you are insufficiently prepared to pass at this time I would strongly recommend that you do the exam and treat it as a mock and preparation experience. Do the exam to see what it really does feel like to play all those pieces, then all those scales, THEN the sightreading and aural. I know it may seem hard to think about now but you will really appreciate the practice when you come to do it 'for real' next time. Really focus on the whole Performance experience and not just the notes.

Who knows? you might even get a pleasant surprise!

I would do it as well.
Many years ago when I was taking A levels my teacher wanted me to take grade 8 piano. I had learnt the scales and pieces but when it came to send off the entry form, I got cold feet as I felt I already had enough to cope with doing A levels. I have always regretted it a little.

As Minstrel says, you have already paid for it and you have nothing to lose. If you do fail people will be understanding because of the pressure from A levels and once you're at university you don't even have to tell anyone you took it. Also, bizarrely, if you go in thinking it doesn't matter if you fail, you will have taken the pressure off yourself and will probably find that you play much better than you expected.

I would use it as part of the learning curve. you can always re-take at a later date and it would enable you to see where you needed to work.

Why didn't you just go for it once A levels were over?

My eldest is taking G6 Sax and I've made it very plain that if she gets a poor result due to lack of practice then she pays for the exam. I don't mind if she gets a poor result with practice. She just can't seem to focus.

So...... what did you decide?
If you did it, how did it go?
If you didn't, don't worry about 'fessing up here, we all have ups and downs!