Hi all.
I have to say that this forum has been a real inspiration to me over the past few weeks, and has partly urged me to consider doing piano exams again. I originally started playing the piano in the mid 90's (i'm 16 now) and after passing the first 3 grades with merit I lost interest, and just play regular pieces and feeling as though i'm not getting too far - although it never really bothered me as I used to hate music lessons.

Now my lack of interested has not only come back to bite me, but also reverse itself as i'd now like to really improve my skill due to taking a new found interest in analog synthesis, and needing it for higher education. After looking through university music requirements I see that most universities require grades 7 and 8. Now at the moment i've recently just passed grade 5 theory, and also got my GCSE results (yesterday infact!) and was happy to find I got an A in music, so I will be taking music for my A level's too. But with 2 years to go, how the devil am I supposed to go from grade 3 to grade 7/8?

I see people on the forum have done much better than me in a considerably shorter space of time, and this has really inspired me - but I am unsure as to how to go about this task. Would you recommend skipping grades and just taking some of the higher ones, or should I just progress as far as I can and see whether i'm good enough?

I was in a similar position to you a few years ago.

Piano is harder to progress quickly on in my opinion but if you have the drive and enthusiasm then you can improve quickly.

You could learn a few of the exam pieces for grades 4 and 5 and other repertoire around that level and then possibly take grade 6 in the Summer of your AS levels. That is of course if you can cope with doing academic exams and music exams at the same time

Yes most uni's ask for grade 7/8 but if you went an auditionedwith only grade 5 but showed promise and it was evident that you are willing to learn etc then they would quite popssibly offer you a place. It might not be at Oxford and the like but you could still get into a good uni.

Getting your grade 5 theory and an A in Music GCSE shows you are musically talented.

At the time of applying to you uni, I only had grade 5 clarinet, piano and theory and a B in GCSE Music. I didn't know when preparing my application that I had got an A in AS level

Gosh that's some waffle. Hope it helped/made sense

It might be waffle, but it was exactly the kick up the (you know what) I needed.

Thank you.

I went from grade 3 merit in 2002 to Grade 8 distinction in January 2005. So it is possible, work hard and you will be fine.

Freedom

It sounds to me as though you may well already have done some of the work of getting from grade 3 to grade 7: if you've been playing for quite a while since then, even though you may feel that you've not progressed greatly in the absence of exams you may well have done so.

It's also possible, if it's absolutely necessary, to train for just the exam to be able to pass that when you're not really that standard of playing (simply (well not so simply...) by learning three pieecs and all of the scale requirements) and then catch up to yourself again later when you've got in to university. It's not really advisable to do this but if you're desperate to get in then it's one possible way to do it.

You don't mention a teacher.
Maybe having proper lessons again (if you are not already) would help as you would then have some guidance with what you are trying to achieve.

I think its possible if you want it badly enough!

You don't necessarily have to have passed your grade 8 exam when you apply, I didn't, but on my ucas form I mentioned that I was planning to take it in the next session, so they knew that i was serious.

If you don't have the higher grades you will possibly have to audition to prove to them that you have the skill and the potential!
But thats not a bad thing, if you can let them see how dedicated you are, and convince them that you are prepared to work hard (and have done so in trying to jump 5 grades!) it could work to your advantage!

Good luck!

It depends on how hard you work, what else you have on, and of course, your actual ability. If you have passed a piano exam with a really good mark or just passed but felt you'd done REALLY badly on the day because of something or other but could have done better, you could try skipping a grade. Obviously it'd be hard but if you REALLY struggle, then it might be better to not skip and go down a level and pass with good marks. I've skipped grades 2 and 4 and am skipping 7 soon...

Big thanks to all of you for your replies.

I shall speak with my music teacher next week and discuss what would be best.