As I said on an earlier thread, I quit piano a while back. The other day I picked up my grade 3 book and played through some of the pieces, they were ok! Then I tried the scales - also ok! The sight reading didn't seem too bad either, and i'd be able to the the aurals seeing as i've already passed the grade 4 aurals on the violin. I'm thinking about entering myself for grade 3 piano but with no teacher. Is this a) allowed by ABRSM or b) easy to do on my own without a teacher's guidance.

I'd do it in session A 2011 because I have Grade 6 violin in session C 2010.

Hey!!

Its definitely ALLOWED, you just have to get your own applicant number from ABRSM, then you're set... I reckon you could probably prepare most of the stuff yourself, as you say, you can already do the aural, sightreading is just a case of doing lots of it!!! Scales you should be able to do yourself. As for the pieces I would be inclined to get a few lessons once you know them pretty well with a good teacher, to tidy them up and check there is nothing major going wrong. I would also listen to as many different recordings of the pieces as possible so you know how they should go and have some ideas about how to interpret them. Thats just my thoughts... I had a pupil who is grade 6 piano and voice, and with only a couple of lessons on technique, then a few run throughs and tidying up before the exam managed to get a distinction in grade 1 violin, and is now doing grade 2 easily himself.

Thanks , and that's interesting about the violin pupil. And for scales, are there specific finger patterns that you must follow, and if you don't follow them you'll loose marks (eg chromatics) or can I do whatever as long as it sounds right?

Assuming you're an adult, it's certainly allowed and is perfectly easy to do.

Is there any particular reason you want to put yourself through this in preference to having some lessons?!

There is fingering recommended, and which you could find in the scale book, but it does say its not compulsory.
I'd be inclined for most of the scales to use the fingering given, as it seems to be the most sensible, but as long as your fingering is sensible, you do it the same way every time, and it doesn't affect the flow or speed of the scales you should be fine.

Unfortunatley i've just noticed that the pieces i've made a start on expire after 2010

can't you use the 2009-2010 pieces in the overlap period of session A 2011 though......

Ooh I hope you can! If not i'll just have te learn the new pieces instead.

Yes you can still use them in session A of 2011, so the march period, or special visits up to may ish time...

Just make sure you check the 2011-12 syllabus, as you will have to use the new requirements in spring next year for everything besides the pieces. Probably minor changes, if any at all, but as well to check.

(ed) a quick look at next year's syllabus and it seems there are very minor modifications to the aural - that's probably it.

Scales and SR the same, small (and I mean VERY small) changes to aural as far as I know

Last time I checked grade 3 aural was unchanged.
Had to check because I've been asked to work on it with a student of mine who is preparing for grade 3 sax with another teacher.

It's easy to enter yourself. They don't check that you have a teacher, in fact, if you want to enter for grade 8 piano they'll let you (as long as you have at least grade 5 theory)!!

I guess if you get hold of all the materials, like sight reading practice tests, the aural CDs, maybe a CD of the pieces being played (although there is often a debate on how useful these are). Scales are fairly straightforward.

I guess the bit you would be missing out on is the teacher feedback on the piece and scales. It is certainly doable - is this the reason for trying it ("because it's there!") sort of thing?

N

Yes you can still use the pieces until Easter of 2011. Good luck and go for it. Lots of good advice already given.

Thanks everyone, I think i'm gonna go for it at easter!

Nearer the time I might put the pieces on youtube and ask for pointers etc, and check them with my violin teacher.

I did Grade 3 myself - but I did have a lesson coming up to the exam just to make sure I wasn't making any horrendously obvious errors in the pieces.

Go for it!!!
Elizabeth