This is a bit of a strange question but bear with me! I have one arm shorter than the other (or rather I can't straighten one arm completely). This isn't so obvious when I stand up but I have to sit closer than normal to the piano - I don't think it affects my playing though. Should I mention this to the examiner? I don't want to get any comments about bad posture but I don't want any special treatment for my performance. What do you think?

I think you won't need to mention it as there is no mention of posture in the syllabus and in the guide 'these music exams' from ABRSM

Good posture is not exactly the same for everyone, there are variations as we are all different.
My previous teacher used to sit quite a lot closer to the piano than I do and he was almost a foot taller than me.

Jojo, I know there's no mention of it in the syllabus but I do think that obviously bad posture would be commented on somewhere on the marks sheet as an area that needs work even if it hadn't noticably affected the playing.

Tortellini, have you done anything to correct this problem with your arms, and does it affect your playing. If the answer is no, then sit as comfortabbly as you can.

IMO I would mention it to the examiner, or even get a doctors note, this helps to prevent prejudice, and helps them focus on the real issue: the sound you make from a piano.

BTW I have one leg shorter than the other and that makes posture for singing interesting.

If you think your posture's bad, take a look at this link! He didn't do too badly!

Edward

that's good, I know I would get a MASSIVE back ache if I played like that, but obviously it works really well for him

I don't think examiners concentrate too much on posture - that's not what they're there for. It's the results of your endeavours that they assess, not how you get to them. I can only recall one pupil who got a comment on posture in many years of entering candidates for exams.

However, if you're worried, why not drop the ABRSM Regional Office for your area a note and explain the situation? I should think that they might then let the examiner know.

I wouldn't leave it to the exam day to tell the examiner yourself. My feeling is that this can look like seeking a sympathy vote and get you off on the wrong foot with your examiner. If you inform ABRSM ahead of the day, it's no more than telling them if you are dyslexic, deaf, blind or whatever.

Hope the exam goes ok for you.

I'm not so sure.
I think that if there is obviously bad posture with any it's something that an examiner is not out of order in commenting on.
It alerts the teacher to something that is maybe happening during practice at home and needs dealing with or it alerts to parent/student to the fact that the teacher might never have taught this.


Mods, Please may we have some feedback on this?

I haven't found that examiners comment on posture very often, apart from in the Prep Test. They do occasionally point something out, such as feet pointed or crossed, not on the floor (not that I allow my pupils to sit like that, but they can do funny things in exams sometimes!). They're only trying to be helpful if they point out a problem with posture. If it worries you, perhaps you should contact the board in advance, so the examiner can be notified.

I've only been pulled up for posture in a music festival. I think with exams, the overall sound of the piece is important; not neccesarily your posture (not saying that good posture isn't important though....IT IS!)

Thanks for the input - it sounds as if, at most, they might make a comment but that they wouldn't take off marks - I could live with that! It's just that my teacher often comments and then says "sorry, I forgot!"