Hi there,

I will be taking grade 6 theory this nov. I wonder whether there is a need to learn all performance directions. I am so worried that the question on performance direction will pop out something i never seen before and then it will ask what is the meaning of that expression.

what dictionary should i buy and whether is having a dictionary will help me.

It's useful to know the direction meanings but i don't think that it's really essential. It will probably only be worth one or two marks, and you'll probs have so many to learn that you won't have a chance. Hope this helps.

Purple dolphin

Hi!

As purple dolphin says it is useful to know them but dont worry if you can't learn all of them as they will only be worth a few marks. It would be better to concentrate more on something that carries a lot of marks!!

Nat

QUOTE

I wonder whether there is a need to learn all performance directions

I'm quite sure that it's impossible to know what every single performance direction ever used by any composer means; what you are expected to do is know all the common ones: others that are more rare would be looked up in a music dictionary in real life so they're not wanting a memory test just a reasonable knowledge (you would waste a lot of time if every time you read allegro you had to look it up to find out what it mens!).

For grade 6 they will certainly expect you to know the meaning of every term in the grades 1-5 music theory in practice books and possibly some more as well. I don't know if there are any in the grade 6 book: if there are then the only things that you will be asked are the ones from all the books grades 1-6; if not then it will be the 1-5 ones and perhaps a few extra. As people have said they'll probably only ask you for one in the exam which is worth two marks or so: but I would advise you to learn them: I'm not a believer in wasting two marks .