I am taking grade 7 violin on Friday. It's the first ABRSM exam I have taken for nearly 30 years!!!!!! I have never played my violin to anybody on its own - I play in an orchestra. Played to a friend yesterday and another friend today to try and get over my nerves. The bow bounced about all over the place.

The pieces are OK, but the SCALES. Why can't I remember the diminished 7ths? No matter how hard I try. Also, slurring the scales and arpeggios is impossible!!

Just needed to share my anxiety with those who must surely understand. It's a pain knowing you can play but just not being able to perform in front of people! What is the point of playing well all by yourself!!????

Hi Marianne, nice to see you round here again.

Congratulations on getting as far as being ready for the exam. That of itself is an enormous achievement.

You've done the right things so far - road-testing stuff with a friendly listener is a huge benefit before the exam.

I'm sure the day itself will be fine, and we'll keep our fingers crossed here for you.

Cheers

Katyjay

Very best of luck with your exam, and please let us know how you get on.

I was very nervous last week at the prospect of singing in public last Saturday. I found it really helped to just come on here and say so, it sort of helped me to get back on top of my nerves rather than getting buried underneath them. So hopefully it will have the same effect on you too.

Kind wishes

Ambs
x

wow, I didn't know that people taking the higher grades also suffer from 'shaking bow syndrome' at times
On a more serious note...
if the place where you take the exam has a spare room where you can 'warm up' your fingers, do so, I found it helped me a GREAT deal just before my exam...I was all alone in this spare room so I also got the chance to talk to myself (told myself lots of positive things) and took some long deep breaths (meditation style). It made a world of difference!
Something else that helped was to talk to the friendly lady who was there as a 'stewardess' (I was the only person above the age of 9 )
Last thing which helped was to smile at the examiner and telling him how this was the first EVER music exam for me ( you could tell him/her it is your first in 30 years!).
All the best

Oh how brave. Good luck! As one who also started playing again after a similar number of years I've decided not to go down the examine route every again nor have a teacher (the latter I do miss on occasion). Anyway fingers crossed.

Goldfinch

I played all my pieces with the cd in front of my husband a few days before my exam and I was more nervous in front of him than the examiner!!! But he is quite critical and has proclaimed he 'doesn't like violins'. (I think he's warming to it now though )

Thanks for the comforting words, guys! I played in front of my husband too, but he's not a musical bod, so I didn't really count him!!!!!!!

Just had my last lesson. STILL don't know my scales v. well!! very hit and miss. Just hope there's not time for her to ask me too many! I think the main thing I have to do is take my time and not rush in without thinking, which is what I tend to do.

Looking forward to this time tomorrow!!!

Goldfinch, I know what you mean. I first started playing again 'for fun' but I have now found that the discipline of having a weekly lesson and ultimately an exam has made a mahoosive difference to my playing. I thought I was too old to improve at all! But no, I feel I play much better now, so it's been worth it regardless of the final result - tho it would be very nice to pass!

At least you can play in tune, Goldfinch!

PS, Marianne - Good hunting!

Good Luck, and best wishes for the exam.

Nerves are good (in moderation) it gets the adrenalin flowing.

I hope all your scales are easy ones, and that your subconscious takes over (because of course you DO know them in there), and you play like a star.

Good luck for today!

Good luck for today, go and show them what you can do!

Good luck!

Except for the times when I don't! But I do know when I'm not which I suppose has its painful advantages

Hope it went well Marianne. And hope the scales were benign and trouble free. Oh the thought of learning them from memory again just wilts my soul.

It certainly does! We know how bad it is when the player doesn't realise how out of tune they are, huh???

Yes, it can be hideous when someone doesn't know they're way out of tune

So how did it go, Marianne?

Well folks, I'm afraid I was in a bit of an alcohol induced haze last night! Other Half bought a bottle of champers to celebrate it all being over!!! So only just got round to catching up computer-wise!

Thanks for all your support and good wishes - it really meant a lot to me.

The pieces went really well and so did the sight reading, but sadly I really pooped the scales!!!! Some of the aural I wasn't sure about either, but the examiner made it clear that she thought the pieces were OK! I was really chuffed about that, anyway. Let's hope that carried me through!!!

Now is the period of 'blissful ignorance'!

I will let you know what the result is as soon as I get it.

Well done, Marianne! Good luck for the results - hope they arrive soon!