Have you evr accompanied someone for their exam? One of my friends wants me to accompany him. I have tried to dissuade him - i am nowhere near professional and have almost no experience - but he insists, and claims he cannot find another accompaniast. Luckily he, is only on Grade 3, though i do not want to mess up his exam.

What grade are you? I do quite a lot of accompanying having passed grade 8 last year. You need to have a steady nerve and be confident enough in your own part not to let it worry you too much. If he's doing grade 3 the pieces shouldn't be too hard. The important thing is to keep going - it's unlikely that your friend will be marked down if you mess up, but if ensemble is poor then this could cost him a few marks.

I've only just passed grade 6 piano and accompanied some grade 1 and 2 clarinettists for their recent exams.It's great fun. As long as the music isnt too difficult you should be ok

I haven't done accompanying in people's exams, but I've accompanied my friends for music festivals, prize day, played in a couple of school concerts. I don't really know how hard the stuff has been to play, it varies! I really enjoy it though, and it's useful being able to follow someone, instead of just plodding your way through and expecting everyone else to keep up! Especially when the person you're accompanying likes using rubato!

It's a really good skill to be able to do, and helps your sight reading, so try it! If towards the exam it gets too much, a teacher could take over for you?

I've only passed Grade 6 piano but have accompanied up to Grade 4 in exams and music festivals. Accompanying someone is a different skill in itself, but good fun. I tend to feel more nervous though as the expectation is that you shouldn't go wrong!

To all of you who have posted messages here:

Keep on accompanying. I have been an accompanist all my professional career, since leaving the RNCM in 1973.

The only way to become a good accompanist is to keep on doing it. Enjoy it. Bring pleasure and support to your 'soloists'.

Enjoy yourselves. Accompanying is brilliant fun.

There's a big bonus to accompanying or being accompanied by friends, which is having a friendly face in the exam room. My friend and piano teacher accompanied me for my piano exam, and besides the fact we'd had much more rehearsal time than people usually get, it was SO nice to look up as we started each piece and have a friend sitting smiling encouragingly at me - made the whole experience a whole lot nicer! Having someone who's "on your side" - I know the examiners are supposed to be but it doesn't always feel like it! - and also someone who's taken the time to really know your pieces and learn how you play them makes a world of difference.

It's really good experience accompanying - whether for exams or concerts or festivals. Yes I do feel a lot of pressure to get it right for the person that I'm accompanying but it's brilliant for having to keep going at the right tempo no matter what & also, for me, good for facing my nerves about playing in front of other people.
This time I'm playing for some violin grade 1 & 2, a trumpet grade 2 & a flute grade 1. Actually 2 of them are my own kids. I haven't asked whether they mind me playing for them - I think they just think that's what mums do! Don't know what it does for their confidence having me in the exam room?!

I also accompany my kids in their exams, and so far so good.

However, I'm really struggling with my daughter's Grade 7 recorder music - a Venezuelan Jazz Improvisation (written-out!). The rhythms are bizarre and rarely the same from one bar to the next, and the recorder rarely plays in the same rhythm as the piano. There is also a massive 32-bar PIANO solo in the middle of it. Do you think the examiner really wants to hear this solo - or should we chop it out and get on with the recorder part? I'd really appreciate feedback on this! Thanks!

QUOTE (Petite Joueuse @ May 16 2005, 08:56 PM)

I also accompany my kids in their exams, and so far so good. However, I'm really struggling with my daughter's Grade 7 recorder music - a Venezuelan Jazz Improvisation (written-out!). The rhythms are bizarre and rarely the same from one bar to the next, and the recorder rarely plays in the same rhythm as the piano. There is also a massive 32-bar PIANO solo in the middle of it. Do you think the examiner really wants to hear this solo - or should we chop it out and get on with the recorder part? I'd really appreciate feedback on this! Thanks!

Great that you can accompany your own kids. That is lovely - I accompanied my own child in violin exams.

AB exam time is short, so cut long piano solos every time - examiners appreciate your doing so. Piano introductions longer than four bars should also be cut - some examiners will even ask you to do so.

Thanks Steve.
Its actually a Trinity exam - and I don't want to ruin the overall "music" of the piece... but a 32 bar solo feels silly!

QUOTE (Petite Joueuse @ May 16 2005, 09:52 PM)

Thanks Steve. Its actually a Trinity exam - and I don't want to ruin the overall "music" of the piece... but a 32 bar solo feels silly!

My pleasure.

I am sure that the situation with Trinity is exactly the same. Still, if in doubt ask them; I have found their reps to be most friendly.

Apart from anything else, standing and 'looking involved' throughout a long piano solo is a bit of a professional skill. There is a balance to strike here between giving your daughter a breather and making her feel awkward. It is nearly always possible to give a 4 bar-or-so break without causing an awkward clash.

If you are not sure what to do, then feel free to scan the piano part and email it to me for suggestions - you can get my email address from my website at www.hopwood3.freeserve.co.uk. I am quite good at this kind of thing.

Wish your daughter good luck in her grade 7 from me.

Steve

QUOTE (p_2005 @ May 8 2005, 03:16 PM)

One of my friends wants me to accompany him. I have tried to dissuade him - i am nowhere near professional and have almost no experience - but he insists, and claims he cannot find another accompaniast.

The only way to get experience is to actually accompany. All accompanists have to start somewhere. Theres a first time for everything. Go for it!!


My mum used to accompany me in all my exams. It was great because I got extra practice with the piano accompaniment and I was less nervous when she was there.

Many thanks - particularly to Steve! If I can get my head round my scanner, I'll do as you suggest!

One thing I am doing (which might ne useful to others??) is entering the piece (piano part AND recorder part) into Sibelius, so I can then listen to the piece super slow or super fast and every possible speed in between - and at least I know Sibelius will play EXACTLY what is written.

For previous accompanying, I've sometimes managed to get hold of a recording - but there doesn't appear to be one of this piece, even though various bigwigs in the recorder world rave about it!

QUOTE (Petite Joueuse @ May 18 2005, 03:34 PM)

Many thanks - particularly to Steve! If I can get my head round my scanner, I'll do as you suggest! One thing I am doing (which might ne useful to others??) is entering the piece (piano part AND recorder part) into Sibelius, so I can then listen to the piece super slow or super fast and every possible speed in between - and at least I know Sibelius will play EXACTLY what is written.

Feel free to forward a scan of the passage anyway, but here is another thought. Feed the lot to Sibelius and play with editing from there.

Examination accompaniment experience is just about the best you can get. Ironically, I find the exam room one of the most relaxed places to accompany. I think it is because I perceive that it is the other instrumentalist that is really being assessed rather than me!!

I have enjoyed the accompanying that I have done. This includes piano/keyboard accompaniment for various local amateur dramatic groups and also accompanying some ABRSM violin exam candidates. I was a little nervous of doing the latter, but I had learnt the pieces very well and so knew I wouldn't let the soloists down. I was more concerned about them losing it and not being able to pick-up the music again. Fortunately, as their violin teacher is a very good one, all the performances were pretty secure and there were no major problems that I can remember. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience, financially rewarding and satisfying to know that they had a secure accompaniment to support their solo performances.

Gae

I met my wife when I was the accompanist for student performances of Gilbert and Sullivan. We have been married since 1972.

Poor Chris. Even murderers get less