6 replies to this topic

[Misterioso]

Can anyone help? Today in my organ lesson I asked my teacher if, at G2, changes between manuals would be required. In one of my exam pieces, there are a number of changes printed in, but in the other two, there are no such stipulations. Does that mean it is left up to the feelings (and skill ) of the player, or does is rather indicate that no changes are needed / recommended? My organ teacher hasn't actually done exam prep with anyone else, and is unsure. I can list the pieces I'm planning to do (summer sessions) if it would help.

 

Also, would changes of registration be advisable? I don't think this is an actual requirement until G3.

 

There is also a problem that happens intermittently on the great manual, in the form of an A staying down even after I release it. Would I be penalised for this? The organ is very old, has undergone extensive reburbishment / repair a few years ago, and no further work is currently due. It is possible (or even likely?) that the examiner might try out the organ, and the A might not stick. Would it be right to advise him in case it happens during an exam piece? 

 

Many thanks.

[fsharpminor]

I'd change manuals when indicated in the one piece. If you and teacher feel there is scope for a manual change in the others, then it does usually help. The same would apply to a registration change, provided you can do it smoothly.  Id certainly tell th examiner about the sticky 'A'.  Are you having to travel to mainland to take the exam ?

[Misterioso]

Thanks, f#minor. No, as far as I know I won't be travelling to the mainland for the exam - I will just do it at my local Church. (I will be freaked out quite enough without having to cope with an unfamiliar instrument!) There isn't a piano at the Church, but my teacher thinks - as there will almost certainly be other summer session exams - that I can do the aural with the other exams earlier / later where there will be pianos available.

 

Scary, huh?!

[fsharpminor]

Aurals were done on the organ in my day, but it was in the early 60's when I did Gr5 Gr6 and Gr8.  Anyway  Good luck with it !

[Vox Humana]

If there is no piano the examiner will need to play the aural tests on the organ so you will certainly need to warn him/her about the sticky A. I thought that the aural tests had to be taken at the same time as the practical, but I am very happy to be corrected on this. Hopefully your teacher has checked this out with the board.

[Misterioso]

If there is no piano the examiner will need to play the aural tests on the organ so you will certainly need to warn him/her about the sticky A. I thought that the aural tests had to be taken at the same time as the practical, but I am very happy to be corrected on this. Hopefully your teacher has checked this out with the board.

 

The syllabus says there has to be a piano, and yes, ideally the aural tests would be done at the same time as the practical. But I can't "invent" a piano at the Church, and my teacher thinks that a 5-minute trip down the road to where the other candidates will be taking exams won't be a problem. I wouldn't have thought so either, but as you say, it should really be checked with the board. I can't really see the difficulty with doing the aurals on an organ (as f#minor says they used to be) so perhaps if we have a "friendly" examiner, perhaps he might just do it there and then. Many thanks for the feedback.

[Vox Humana]

When you mentioned earlier/later I thought you meant on another occasion. If it is just a short trundle down the road I doubt that will be any problem.  I thought I remembered the piano being essential, but when I tried to check on the ABRSM website for the aural requirements I couldn't find the relevant bit of the printed syllabus, only html versions, which didn't say anything about this. As you can tell, I'm a bit out of touch. It's years since I have entered anyone for an exam!