Hey guys.

A few hours ago I was sitting at the piano for my exam. I'm very sure that I passed. My pieces were fine. My scales were OK, except for G# minor scale and C# minor arpeggio. Sight-reading was fine, and my aural was not the best thing in the world, because I was guessing the rhythm I had to remember by memory and I got stuck on what period the song was from... it was a Grade 5 exam, by the way, and I can't do Grade 6 this year because I haven't done Grade 5 theory.

Anyway, I am seriously stuck, because I don't know whether I must do Grade 6 and 7 next year, or must I skip both and do Grade 8 in 2007.

Help guys, I'm STUCK!!

caseypianist

I'm totally missing something - what is the constraint the determines whether you should do 6&7 in 2006 or 8 in 2007?
Seems like #1 priority is to get g5 theory under your belt? Can't you do that in November?

Not sure how old you are, but you may be eligible to do a Performance Assessment, in which case you could start on the g6 pieces now, play them for an assessment or festival next year to see what your level's like , then take 6 or 7 midyear 2006 and maybe g8 in 2007?

Anyway, if we know what your "must have" list is for the end of 2007, I'm sure someone can give you a more considered answer!

I would also see what your teacher advises.

Most people will need to work towards the level of the next grade rather than just start in on exam pieces. Passing one grade shows you are ready for that grade... not the next one.
While you are doing that you can be starting on the scales/sightreading/aural requirements for the next grade.
(If you skip grades you will probably need to work through these for the grades you are not taking anyway).

get on with your grade 6...

Thanks guys, that actually helps me a lot.
By the way, I'm 12.

caseypianist

12? The can't see what the rush towards g8 is! Trundle through 6&7 and approach g8 at leisure?
You've got a couple of years before the major school exams kick in - maybe try and get g5 and g6 theory out of the way? I found that doing grade8 practical at the same time as School Certificate in New Zealand (like O levels or GCSEs I guess) was a nice break from school study, but the study for theory is so like school work you'll find it quite depressing I should think!

12? Yikes. Yes, I agree with Fen. You have masses and masses of time to get better and better, and time spent now increasing your repertoire and skills out sideways and not rushing through the exams will be time well spent which will stand you in very good stead later. Get on with grade 5 theory so you get it out of the way, but absolutely no rush to get through your grades, why not stop worrying about exams for a while and return to them when grade 6 will be a doddle to get great marks for!

never rush into exams.....NEVER EVER!!!..

i had at least 2 experiences that i had rushed into exams and i didn't do well on those...(that was my grade8 piano and grade8 singing....)

Hey guys,

It's me, caseypianist. I'm just using another computer. Well, I guess it was complicated to solve this problem because I forgot to mention that I wanted to do the 2005/6 Grade 8 syllabus. That's why I was so terrified of what to do after the Grade 5 exam. By the way, I got a good mark for it: 137 out of 150! Now it's just the theory to go!

caseypianist

QUOTE (hyperchik @ May 17 2005, 05:20 PM)

I'm just using another computer. Well, I guess it was complicated to solve this problem because I forgot to mention that I wanted to do the 2005/6 Grade 8 syllabus.

I realised you may like some of the pieces on the 05/06 syllabus, but you may equally like the pieces on the next one - and isn't it better to do grade 8 whenever you are ready?

Congrats on your mark by the way - that's very good!

plus even if you do it later, you can still do the pieces on the 05/06 list for pleasure, not for an exam. which in my opinion is a nicer way to play pieces anyway, because then you don't have the worry about getting them abslutely note perfect & you can just have fun with them

Yeah guys, I'll consider doing that. Oh well, I guess it's just Grade 6 and 7 then. Can one of you pleez tell me how you get the blue signature thingie?

caseypianist

QUOTE (flute_gurl @ May 17 2005, 05:33 PM)

plus even if you do it later, you can still do the pieces on the 05/06 list for pleasure, not for an exam. which in my opinion is a nicer way to play pieces anyway, because then you don't have the worry about getting them abslutely note perfect & you can just have fun with them

Yes - I meant to add that! When you have to practise and practise it can mean you end up hating pieces you used to really like...

This may sound a bit random, but I read one of you guys plays the harp. I have a teacher who says they cost about £30000!!!! Is that true, & if so, how do you get one?
thanks

QUOTE (pianoman84 @ May 17 2005, 06:28 PM)

& if so, how do you get one?

why, do you have £30, 000 lying around?
I think it depends on the quality of the harp, look at violins - I paid £40 for mine but you can pay thousands for a really good one.

QUOTE (pianoman84 @ May 17 2005, 06:28 PM)

This may sound a bit random, but I read one of you guys plays the harp. I have a teacher who says they cost about £30000!!!! Is that true, & if so, how do you get one? thanks

Your teacher obviously hasn't taken into account types/quality of harp.

I play the harp - Celtic (lever) harp.

Mine is an extremely high quality instrument (one of the best) - it cost a little under £2000 new and is worth about £4600 last I checked... it's almost 8 years old.

But a celtic harp can be had easily for a few hundred quid.

No- i dont have £30000, but could maybe afford a cheaper one!

Harpsicle

Probably the cheapest most portable decent harps available, though how easily available to this country I am not sure! By all accounts, they have much better tone than the majority of small cheap harps... I have not tried one, but they (and the Sharpsicle) look like a lot of fun!

In general, as with any musical instrument, you pays yer money and takes yer choice... if you don't spend very much, then you won't get as nice an instrument.

Hey, how did this become a harp forum? That was just plain random!

Randomness happens. Especially round here!

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ May 21 2005, 06:45 PM)

Randomness happens. Especially round here!

Amen to that!

Whatever!

Lol anyway if anyone's read my signature, my grade 5 theory exam is next month, and it's really a nuisance!

And when it's done it's done forever - no more theory! Or will you do grade 6?

Oops, I take that back- it's next week!!
I hafta do grade 6, 7 AND 8 after grade 5!!

I did my grade 4 at Easter and am now studying for Grade 5 theory and Grade 6 practical. Maybe this would be the way to go for you but as you are only 12 there is no rush so you could study them seperately.

That's what I'm going to do- since I've told just about everyone that my theory exam is tomorrow. But do you know that you can only do Grade 6 practical after you passed Grade 5 theory?

Hi

But anyway, not trying to kill the topic, my practical certificate hasn't come yet, and it's been over a month!

Hey

I'm publishing a funny on here tomorrow. It's going to be about my Grade 5 exam, but with made-up incidents! Can't wait!

Hi,

Regarding the signature thing: at the top of the screen on the right hand side you will see 'my controls', click on that then on the left there will be lots of options & you just click on 'edit signature' & you can write anything you want about yourself. Then just click on 'update my signature'.

I've just realised that this was posted in May so you may have already figured this out but I thought I would just send it in case you hadn't

Lisa xxx

Hi

Thanx Lisa87!

Here's the funny:

(kinda randomly edited- sentences with asterisks are made up):

NB: PLEASE DON’T GET THE IDEA THAT I’M BASHING THE ABRSM! It is just a random story that came out of the imagination of my mind!


My Grade 5 piano exam was at my local music store, and it was during school, so I got to bunk Tech class and do my exam. After Tech was Arts and Culture which everyone finds painfully B-O-R-I-N-G (I don’t, however, which is lucky for me that it was straight after my exam)

So I was not nervous or petrified,** I was actually too hyper for words, screaming and hopping like a mad rabbit on steroids** (OK that was random!). I got there, and I was waiting, **and acting like Sponge Bob, saying “I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready edy edy! I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready edy edy! I’m ready I’m ready, I’m ready edy edy! I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready e-” **Eventually the lady with the candidate list got so mad that she whacked my head with her papers.**

NOW IS THE MOMENT I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!! The examiner looks at me **and says, “Hi.” in a sinister type of voice, then he gives me a creepy smile and I squeak, “Hi.”.** Oh well… I got in, **while he was yakking on and on to my teacher, and lol when the door was shut, he grinned evilly, and said in a spine-chilling tone, “Hehehe… you are not going to get out this time…” and my face turned blue.**

He asked me **after taking some tranquillisers**, “What is your first piece?” I replied, “A2 from the purple book.” “When you’re ready.” he finished. I knew the Rondo well, so I waited a few secs to create the atmosphere. I smirked, seeing the examiner’s reflection on the piano. The piece started with forte, which was what I did. **But I had to stop when he got a BIG fright, and knocked over the coffee on his table, all over the exam page! And it was blank!** I then asked, “Something wrong, Sir?” he replied, “No. Just the loud intro you played. You may start again as it was not your fault. I will not penalize you for this. Just this time.”** So I started again. I felt good afterwards, knowing I’ll get a good mark for all those torturous hours of practicing.**

After playing Dream and NON (abbreviated version of C1’s title) it came. The dreaded scales…

Darn, I thought this was going to be a good part, but nooo…

***“All right, E flat minor contrary four octaves.” ***
***I protested, “But Sir, that is NOT in the Grade 5 syllabus!” ***
***“I know what I’m doing!” he snapped back and I had to do it. ***
***Next came something ridiculous like this: “Chromatic on C sharp four octaves. ***B flat major thirds three octaves. C minor arpeggio five octaves. Dominant seventh on D flat major four octaves. Diminished seventh on G sharp four octaves.” All of which I didn’t know!!***

**Gosh, it must have been the tranquillisers.**

Then came sight-reading: my favourite part!

****I smiled as the book was placed in front of me, but the smile was quickly replaced by shock as I saw the piece: Flight of the Bumblebee!! ****I freaked out and then 30 seconds later, I played the whole piece at a snail’s pace, which made the examiner fall asleep, but yah no slips were made… hope I got at least 19 for that!

Then came the WORST PART: AURAL!!!!! (I seriously loathe aural!!)

***He said, “OK, now would you mind going in the closet and listen?” My eyes widened and then muttered angrily, “Yeah sure…” the examiner stared, obviously confused.***

***He then said, “OK. I would like you to sing or play by memory the LOWEST part of a short three-part phrase played twice. Identify the cadence at the end of a phrase as perfect, imperfect, plagal or interrupted.”***

**’WHAT!!?? This is just like Trinity College London Grade 6, except that the extract is not in three parts… IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE!!??’ I wanted to scream. ‘Wasn’t aural like this…?’**

**FLASHBACK…**

**My teacher was giving me a mock-exam “OK. Please sing or play this two-part phrase by memory.”**

~*~*~LATER~*~*~

**“Now come over here and sing this short melody…”**
**”Do you want to sing it in the treble or bass clef?” I glared at him. “Duh! Isn’t it obvious? I’m a GIRL you know!! Men these days…”**

**FLASHBACK…**

**“Sing these five notes on this paper. (Points to notes)**

~*~*~LATER~*~*~

**“Identify two modulations from this passage. I’ll play them once each and you have to name the new keys.”**

**“Uh… in English please. I didn’t catch that line. Just what on Earth are modulations anyway?”**

~*~*~LATER~*~*~

**“I will play this passage. You are required to discuss matters to any musical features in it.”**

**”Um, it’s Scarlatti. It’s Baroque. It’s boring. Is that enough?”**

~*~*~LATER~*~*~

**“Thank you for a good exam,” the examiner said with a fake smile, and I left, shaking my head at the weirdness of the exam.**

~*~*~5 MONTHS LATER~*~*~

**When I arrived at my piano lesson, my teacher was frowning. I saw she was holding a stained brown piece of paper. I quirked an eyebrow.** (Definitely fake because 1, I haven’t got my results back yet and 2, the Associated Board wouldn’t take THAT long. I mean, 5 months is RIDICULOUS!)

**“Um… hi?” I waved.**

**My teacher glared at me and yelled, “LOOK AT THIS!!!! THIS IS THE WORST MARK I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!” I almost jumped through the roof.**

**“Wha…? NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I screamed as I gaped at the paper in shock. The coffee-stained exam paper, actually.


**Here were the results:**

***PIECE A 5/30

Wrong piece, but played well.***

***PIECE B 5/30

See above.***

***PIECE C 5/30

See above.***

***SCALES, ARPEGGIOS AND BROKEN CHORDS OR TRADITIONAL SONG 10/21

There were lots of halts and splashes in the technical work, and there was no musical shape whatsoever.***

***SIGHT-READING 20/21

Despite making me fall asleep, you kept in time. However, you can pick up the pace next time.***

***AURAL 8/18

A lot of slips and hesitations…***

***TOTAL 53/150***

***COMMENTS

I suggest you take Grade 8 again. It’s not easy. I failed it too… I cried my eyes out. But a pass will come. Keep trying.***

**My teacher then said, “Look, after all those months of practice, you STILL manage to fail your Grade 8 exam… WHAT!!!??? GRADE 8!!!??? *Ahem*… but… didn’t you do Grade 5?”**

**I nodded angrily. My teacher was FUMING.**

**“Do you know why this paper is brown?” she asked, cooling down.**

**“Um… when I played the Rondo, he got such a fright that he messed his coffee on it. And… I had to start again.” she was fuming again, this time smoke coming out of her ears.**

**“ALRIGHT THAT’S IT!! YOU’RE DOING IT AGAIN FOR FREE!! I WANT A REFUND!!!!”**

** I replied innocently, “Hey calm down! You look like you dunked your head in the kettle!”** (kinda rude…)

~*~*~5 MONTHS AGO, AFTER GRADE ‘5’ EXAM, AT THE EXAM VENUE…~*~*~

***A young pianist walks in with a thick purple book. The examiner eyes the book and says, “You also Grade 8?”***

**“Yeah.” the pianist replies. **

~*~*~PIECES~*~*~

**“What pieces are you playing?”**

**”Um… A3: Scarlatti Sonata in D, B4: Beethoven Presto Alla Tedesca and C9: Debussy Arabesque.”**

**(Examiner thinking) Why were the other girl’s pieces shorter and easier? (Now the tranquillisers have worn off and he doesn’t remember a thing)**


~*~*~DURING THE AURAL TESTS~*~*~

***The pianist is listening to the examiner play the full passage of a work. When the examiner finished, he saw his Grade 4-5 aural book lying on the floor. That’s when the examiner’s eyes widened to saucers.***

***“OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEE IS STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”***

***“Ooh, that’s a plagal chord!” the pianist giggles.***

**“You know what? I messed up the poor child’s exam!!” **

Silence.

**“I thought she was doing your exam, but she was doing Grade 5!!”**

Oops.

***Eventually the day of the refund exam came. I passed with high distinction and got an exam page without coffee stains on.***

And every exam after that was better than THAT one!

THE END

I would do your theory anytime recent and then do grade 6 or 7 before grade 8 so you dont rush and then find everything alot harder.

Musicbox

Is that a true story hyperchik??