I have a bit of an odd question to put to you all. If you are going into an exam in a not confident manner as such, but not looking nervous either, and make mistakes, are you likely to get less marks than if you were visibly nervous?
I know examiners take into account nerves and the such like, but what if you don't appear nervous? If you make mistakes will they mark you down further than if you were a bag of nerves?
Will they think you're being cocky if you go in there not looking worried?

I suspect that the examiners will assume you're nervous even if you go in looking confident: I doubt there are many people doing exams that aren't nervous! They'll probably just assume that you're good at hiding it if you don't look it and I don't think that they'll give you fewer marks. They'll probably enjoy a more confident performance more anyway.

Thanks, AP. I felt the need to look nervous in my last exam. I didn't like doing it because it made me feel nervous. I will bear that in mind the next time I go in there.

Hmmm, good question. To add to what AnotherPianist rightly said, I think it may depend on the examiner's own personality too - if they were always very nervous taking their own exams, maybe they'll be more sympathetic towards exam nerves.

I don't think they'll think you're being cocky if you go in there not looking worried - like AP said, they'll probably just think youy are good at hiding your nerves.

My understanding is that examiners are expected to mark what they hear a performer play, irrespective of how that performance produced. Most exams are taken by people of school age. Modern examiners are expected to understand how young people's minds work.

That is the theory, anyway.

What about those older than school age? Do they understand us too?

QUOTE (uberzoldat @ May 27 2005, 10:57 PM)

What about those older than school age? Do they understand us too?

An examiner once told me that he was more apprehensive about examining adults than children. He said they were more likely to fall apart through nerves; they caused him intense anxiety.

Nice to know that there are some circumstances when examiner and examinee are equally nervous.

Thanks for trying to make me feel better about feeling old

Nice to know they're not all monsters, some of them are human after all.

(Joke. All the examiners I've met were very nice.)

I certainly found the one exam I have taken as an adult far more scary than when I was a child, even though I was probably the most prepared I've ever been for an exam!

i have this weird thing that always applies:if i go into an exam and i only start getting nervous about 5 or 10minutes before the exam and come out instinctively smiling i know ive done ok. but if im a bag of nerves an hour before the exam, like i was for my grade 6 its really obvious and i do badly and it shows...either that or i walk into the wall, like i did at one point...

QUOTE (SteveHopwood @ May 27 2005, 11:05 PM)

An examiner once told me that he was more apprehensive about examining adults than children. He said they were more likely to fall apart through nerves; they caused him intense anxiety.

That's interesting. Never thought that it could work that way round but do remember in my grade 6 that the examiner went out of her way to make me feel less nervous. Expect she was at her wit's end with her own heart pounding trying to create a calm atmosphere... !

QUOTE (uberzoldat @ May 27 2005, 04:53 PM)

Thanks, AP. I felt the need to look nervous in my last exam...

Erm? Ya lost me there...

Sounds a bit odd, I know, but I didn't want to look cocky if I went in there not looking worried. I heard examiners are sympathetic towards nervous students, and didn't want to get marked down harshly if I made a mistake. Sounds stupid now I think about it.

QUOTE (uberzoldat @ May 30 2005, 06:01 PM)

Sounds a bit odd, I know, but I didn't want to look cocky if I went in there not looking worried. I heard examiners are sympathetic towards nervous students, and didn't want to get marked down harshly if I made a mistake. Sounds stupid now I think about it.

I think in the GDF area there was a discussion about the use of bananas for calming nerves.

Truth is - I consume lots of bananas
Truth is - I never get nervous not even in front of examiners... I forget they are in the room actually

Is there a correlation between Truths 1 and 2?
Maybe... maybe not....

QUOTE (grand choeur @ May 30 2005, 10:11 PM)

I think in the GDF area there was a discussion about the use of bananas for calming nerves. Truth is - I consume lots of bananas Truth is - I never get nervous not even in front of examiners... I forget they are in the room actually Is there a correlation between Truths 1 and 2? Maybe... maybe not....

I often had trouble sleeping in the past.

I read that bananas are good relaxing agents, so took to eating them last thing at night.

Sleep problems disappeared. Might be coincidence, but I will keep on eating the bananas.

QUOTE (SteveHopwood @ May 30 2005, 07:20 PM)

QUOTE (grand choeur @ May 30 2005, 10:11 PM) I think in the GDF area there was a discussion about the use of bananas for calming nerves. Truth is - I consume lots of bananas Truth is - I never get nervous not even in front of examiners... I forget they are in the room actually  B) Is there a correlation between Truths 1 and 2? Maybe... maybe not.... I often had trouble sleeping in the past. I read that bananas are good relaxing agents, so took to eating them last thing at night. Sleep problems disappeared. Might be coincidence, but I will keep on eating the bananas.

Erm.... of the few things that are permissible to be eaten last thing at night I don't think fruit qualifies....

QUOTE (uberzoldat @ May 27 2005, 08:53 PM)

I felt the need to look nervous in my last exam. I didn't like doing it because it made me feel nervous.

This made me chuckle so much, sorry

I used to be in the same boat, everyone said how confident I looked at festivals and going into exams, but of course, I wasn't. I'm sure examiners wouldn't mark according to whether they think a candidate is arrogant or not. My advice to you is to be yourself, and be thankful you're not as nervous as the rest of us

You know this banana thing...does it calm you just for music performing exams or does it work for all exams?

QUOTE (crazy_purple_piano_freak @ May 31 2005, 09:09 AM)

You know this banana thing...does it calm you just for music performing exams or does it work for all exams?

I suppose if it helps for music exams it will help for any other exam as well.

Even if not, it is healthy.

in the gd forum, banana nerve topic, theres a link that tells you all this random stuff about bananas and apparently they're not as fatty as people think...

Welcome to the Banana brigade