Hello

I just wanted to say a huge thank you to those of you who took the time and trouble to post such kind words of support and encouragement in view of my recent exam fail.

I've been deeply touched by your words and you really are the most wonderful forumites ever. I'm going to keep going with the violin and just see what happens in the next few months.

But I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your support and advice and how wonderful I think you are.

Blackbird x

I am really sorry Blackbird, I have just read your post but had no idea you had had a bad exam. I've gone back and had a bit of a read (hope you don't mind), and I'm pretty horrified at your teacher's comment, especially after the fact. The 2 exams you failed, I don't know what grade they were but were they both with this same teacher? In any case, I think it would be wise to have a consultation lesson with someone else.
I hope you are feeling a bit more positive now, I'm sorry I wasn't around to support you.
If you think there's anything I can help you with, just say

Oh no Blackbird

where was this posted??? I missed it all, I was not there to give you comfort/support either! how come I missed it?

(probably because I have my head stuck in stringsforumland as usual, sorry )



no no no, I would hate it if you were to give up the violin, I heard you play and I could hear talent and love for the instrument coming from you that day Blackbird!

am glad you have managed to pick yourself up and can see forward again

It was in the Exams Session B results thread.

Blackbird, thanks for your thanks. You're more than welcome

thank you Organistin

So sorry Blackbird - as I'm not currently planning to take any exams (well not soon) so I didn't read that thread. I'm so sorry to hear you had a bad time of it, and from the sound of Miffy's post an unsupportive teacher response. I hope the encouragement you've been getting spurs you on for the future.

Hugs!

That's the best thankyou we could ever ask for

Go you!

with katyjay. Again. She always gets there first and says it best

Just wanted to add a little update........have now seen the comments sheet and I have to admit that the examiner tried to let me down as gently as they could. There was some good constructive feedback and it implies that nerves cost me a pass - I wasn't expecting a comments sheet that appears to be so sensitively written.

OH arranged for me to have a consultation lesson and it was wonderful - for the first time in ages, I'm excited and can't wait to pick up the violin

That's brilliant news Blackbird77, and I'm so glad the consultation lesson was inspiring! You've put a big smile on my face x

That is absolutely wonderful on both counts! Well done to sensitive examiner (shock! horror! examiners are human!), to OH, to consultation-lesson-teacher and above all to Blackbird77

Thank you Blackbird to let us know.
You made me smile with this post.

As a nervous performer myself I know how much nerves can affect playing. And I know also of 2 adult pianists who failed exams through nerves - if that's any consolation.

But I also know that lots of experience playing in front of people helps to manage the nerves, particularly if you wheel out the exam pieces, for example. So if you have friends round for coffee, or something similar, ask them earn their coffee by listening to your beautiful music. If you play a piece several times in front of an audience you become more confident that it will go well.

Well done for persevering and lovely that you have a very supportive OH.

(By the way, one of the pianists I mentioned above got on with her pieces again, and had another go and passed.)

I'm glad the examiner's comments were constructive.
And also that your OH arranged the consultation lesson (another person that believes in you, see?) and that it was such a good experience. But the best news is hearing that you are re-inspired.
Onwards and upwards

Really pleased for you Blackbird77, that is such good news! And what a lovely examiner . All the very best with your future playing.

Excellent news! I'm so pleased for you.

It sounds like a whole new beginning for you. Congratulations.

Thank you all so much for your good wishes. This exam fail is potentially the best thing that has happened to me on my violin journey. If I hadn't failed, I would never have had the chance to meet such an amazing, wonderful teacher as the one I have now.

This teacher doesn't care that I come with a large amount of baggage but they do seem to really care about turning it all around. Every lesson I get strategies to cope with my nerves, but what I find so wonderful is that I'm being taught to communicate music and it's really opened my eyes (and my vocal chords as I have to sing it then play it).

Plus Hamish is getting so much attention I have absolutely no excuse to not clean him after playing

I just hope that if anyone ever finds themselves in a situation similar to mine (and I do hope not) that it is possible to find a way to turn something bad into something good and I wanted you to know that this forum was a major factor in turning things round for me.

Thank you so much for sharing that, Blackbird77. It's great to hear how you've turned round your violining and made something joyful out of the whole experience.

That is splendid, Blackbird77. I'm so pleased the new teacher is proving such a find.

In a different, but related situation, I had a pupil fail an exam at Easter, which she admitted was through not putting enough work in. It proved such a wake-up call for her that she worked her socks off, resat the exam last term and got a distinction. The overall outcome for her was far better than had she scraped through the exam at Easter.

Blackbird77, how wonderful....I pray my new teacher will do the same xx

Thank you Blackbird,
I do love stories of turning bad things into good. And I am so happy you managed to make this.

@Andante_in_C
thank you for your comment. It's a nice story.

What an inspiring story - you could have given up, but instead something really good has come out of the whole thing. Nerves are a terrible thing, I think I deserved to fail my grade 6 because nerves totally gotthe better of me, but I actually passed with 100.

Well done on putting your exam comments sheet to such good use! Son also failed an exam earlier in the year, and the comments sheet has been a really useful resource.

This is a lovely story