I'm sixteen and only started playing piano in September. I have yet to take any grades but am ready for my grade one and, a few scales away from grade two. I was planning on becoming adoctor but I decided that I should try going for a DipABRSM instead. The problem is that (Iwant to do it when my friends start University) I will have to acheive Grade 8 in around two years. I want to know if anyone else has done this or if it is even possible?

It depends on musicality, work and if you have played an instrument before i think? I would carry through your doctor ambitions and keep the piano as a hobby or take a dipolma at a later stage. I have been playing for 1 year and am taking grade 8 next year. so it is possible but i played instruments before!

I would advise you not throw away your career aspirations so quickly relying on that. Why not do as Emily says: continue with your piano studies alongside your A levels and a medicine degree: then, if it does transpire that you're being successful and you get a diploma you could always have a change of career; if not you've got a good, safe, well-paying career to fall back on.

I think that your plans sound rather adventurous and would be incredibly difficult to pull off: sorry to sound negative. To get into the music industry (which I'm presuming is what you'd like to do) you'd be competing against incredibly talented musicians, some of whom will have ten (maybe more) years experience more than yourself. They are good both because of their talent and because of all the years of practice they have done; so you'd have to be very very talented to beat them.

But if you take the plan above you can still achieve your goals; just in a longer time frame. Twenty years against Twelve is a lot less severe than ten against two.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

I havent played any other instruments before. But i'm already playing pieces like Rondo Alla Turca and Beethoven's moonlight sonata

QUOTE (Joe16 @ Mar 15 2004, 05:56 PM)

I was planning on becoming adoctor but I decided that I should try going for a DipABRSM instead.

Performance? Teaching?

A DipABRSM isn't exactly as useful as a Medical Degree

QUOTE (emilyX @ Mar 15 2004, 06:37 PM)

I have been playing for 1 year and am taking grade 8 next year. so it is possible but i played instruments before!

Wow emilyX, that is amazing! (and very inspiring too).

How much practice have you done each day to get to that standard so quickly? Have you taken earlier grades in piano?

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ Mar 15 2004, 06:56 PM)

I think that your plans sound rather adventurous and would be incredibly difficult to pull off: sorry to sound negative.  To get into the music industry (which I'm presuming is what you'd like to do) you'd be competing against incredibly talented musicians, some of whom will have ten (maybe more) years experience more than yourself. They are good both because of their talent and because of all the years of practice they have done; so you'd have to be very very talented to beat them.

I must agree with Anotherpianist here.

It depends what you want the GVIII for. If it's just for the certificate, fine. But I do think thats all you will gain.

I personally think you need quite a lot of experience and play lots of different pieces over a period of time.

If you just learn the exam pieces and scales etc for each grade, you will probably pass. Trouble is, thats all you will be able to play.

You mention 'Moonlight' Joe. I can play this too and a few other pieces around that grade but I still can't pick up any piece of music at that level. I have only just passed GII and sitting GIII June.

The reason I can't just pick up any piece of music is mainly because I don't have the ability to sight read something at that level. My main music only consists of GII & GIII so it's a bit of a jump really.

I would continue with medicine and keep the piano as a hobby and enjoy playing lots of music building up your musical experience.

Good luck with whatever you do !

Fiona

Carys, Thanks, i have not taken any earlier grades but did about 1 year of piano at age 6 before i stopped. i also have played flute since age 9 and am taking grade 8 , and i have sung from very young, now at post grade 8 so obviously this has helped loads and i red music fluently and stuff! also i could play chords on paino and taught myself stuff before. although have to say my technique is not as good as other grade 8 pianists by along way and scales need alot of work! wot do u all play?

p.s joe, i think doing a doctor qualification is much more reliable than a muisc dip. wot wud u be planning to do with the music? it is a really hard industry to get in to or earn money evn if you are extremely talented. good luck anyway with it all!

you can alos do a dipABRSM at any time whilst working!

yeah, u hav 2 be like the best in the WORLD to get anywhere!
i wantd 2, but am sorta deflated now ive realised this!
do it in ure spare time!
my mum had a little music quartet going so u can still meet up with ppl and play - accompany !

The piano is my second instrument and I only started it because you need some keyboard skills if you want to go to college or do music at uni. I started last year and I'm doing Grade Six (which isn't nearly as good as Emily!!!! ). I think your goals are quite unrealistic. The Dip.ABRSM isn't worth nearly as much as a medical degree. I definitely think you should keep working at becoming a doctor and keep your piano playing as a hobby. For some reason, all the most talented musicians that I know want to become doctors!From their experience, I know it is certainly possible to study for a med degree and still keep your music going. Once you've got your degree you can always go back to the music. The third horn player in the RPO (I think it's the RPO- some brilliant English orchestra anyway) is a fully qualified doctor who went to Cambridge!!!!

DipABRSM is something that you can do at any time of life, but I think studying medicine at university is easiest to do straight after A-levels rather than if you change your mind later. Music is something that can play a major part in your life whatever your career - universities have all sorts of opportunities, just join the music society in freshers week! Don't set yourself an unrealistic goal, there's no need to put yourself under that much pressure. I have a friend (a Mathematician) who really wanted to get grade eight piano before she went to university, and it fell right in the middle of her A-levels, and she ended up failing (the grade eight, not the A-levels). However, if she'd done the exam without the pressure she'd set for herself I'm sure she wouldn't have, as she was already under a lot of pressure to get the A-level grades to go to Oxford (which she did).

QUOTE

For some reason, all the most talented musicians that I know want to become doctors!

At my sixth form, it was often joked that you could form a string orchestra from the staff of the science department (and on occasion, it actually happened!). All these people had PhDs in science subjects, so they must have spent at least six years of their lives at university doing subjects other than music, and they were all amazingly talented at music on at least two instruments. They used their music in college (e.g. the top-physics-boffin playing the organ for the choir, the deputy principal who taught Chemistry accompanying people's A-level recitals) and out of college in other orchestras, churches, competitions etc. Don't think that doing another subject at university will stop you from doing music for the rest of your life.

It was the same at university. When I was an undergraduate, some of the most talented musicians I knew weren't doing music either - I was amazed to find my conductor in orchestra was doing English, and our soloist for various cello concertos was a Classics tutor! There were plenty of examples of people who'd gone up through the grades amazingly fast - one girl who didn't do music (can't remember what she did, actually), took up the cello at 14 and was the soloist for Elgar's cello concerto at 18... (I'm not jealous ) However, none of these people placed all their hopes on that!

DipABRSM is a wonderful thing to aim for, but it is no substitute for a degree in any subject (I wish it was, as I considered attempting to switch to music after my first degree). Please think about it.

Helena

I think you would be great doing your doctoring degree but doing Music along side at uni, or something to do with the piano.depends what you want the music for.if you feel that you can't go without doing it, as i do, go for it, but i'm going to be a music teacher so fair enough.I have no negative feedback for you.i just wish you all the luck in the world, cause whatever you do, you should be happy!
Naomi xxxx

Personally, I can't agree more with what other posters have already said. It's very unrealistic to give up doing a medical degree and in turn pursuing a DipABRSM. As someone has already pointed out, you can always pursue your medical degree and come back to the Dip later on. There's always time. Use music more as a supplement to your life...so that if it just doesn't cut out, at least you still can become a doctor. =) I hope this helps.