Can't get hold of her teacher at the moment so can someone confirm that pieces like Dvorak Sonatina Opus 100 and JB Accolay's Concerto are (I suspect but in doubt) indeed grade 6 pieces? Apparently, if one decides to pick a piece for a festival and gets the grade/class wrong, the rules state that such an inappropriate piece will be penalised.

Thanks.

Tess - just a word of warning - if you are talking about the Grade classes at the Stratford festival, the piece needs to be from an exam board's syllabus (AB, TG or LCM), not just any piece of Grade 6 standard, if you see what I mean! You can probably check each syllabus online if you haven't got them to hand.

Oh, I see. Boy, am I glad we asked. Thanks, Jo.

But if you're talking about the graded classes at Beckenham Festival, they certainly do not have to be from an actual exam syllabus! Much nicer to hear people playing non-exam repertoire.

Hmm, it's just a coincidence but we have just received a formal letter informing us that full attendance is required and absence (from Saturday music school) other than on grounds of illness is not tolerated so we are still thinking as we are not sure we want to rock the boat especially by asking this early. It's our kid's first year.

So, the question remains - Are they grade 6 pieces? Perhaps I shd just wait patiently and ask the teacher next week.

Tough, Juze, we've been told that Junior Academy has a concert on the very weekend of the Beckenham Festival! Looks like we'll have to miss it this time. It's a shame as she was really looking fwd to it.

Personally, I don't mind where she plays whether at festivals or for charities (although naturally as a parent, I would prefer the latter since they are by nature, non-competitive). She has one performance opportunity in Sept, one in Nov and in March!

We are very much hoping for one event in January 2007 to fill the GAP. She LOVES performing so she does these fun show pieces instead of graded exam ones. Oh well, there's always next year.

What a shame Tess, hopefully she'll be able to enter next year.

Did she enjoy Junior RAM?

Thanks for the good wishes, Juze. I know she will want to enter then. RAM? To cut a long sory short - She was very ill on Thurs and Fri, floppy on Sat and missed an important Open Day of a nearby school but yes, she insisted so we went despite the lethargy and yes, she said she liked it VERY much! That it was fantastic. Must be mind over matter as she fell ill again on Monday.