Is it possible to get grade 8 (aiming for a distinction) in just a couple of sessions after doing grade 7 (say I got a merrit, but am aiming for distinction) I'm doing grade 7 Oboe in June

Sight reading - not a problem if I practice enough.
Aural - My teacher tends to think I can do it when I can't. I do pass this section, but not with a good mark.
Scales - Just practice, but if AB, It will take a whole hour just practicing the scales every day
Pieces - I need to expand my repertoire after I do grade 7, which will take time.
Stamina - NO!!! I don't have enough reliable stamina.


I'm in year 10, so I (probably) can't do grades june next year because of final GCSEs, so If I want to do Grade 8 Oboe, it will have to be in March or Nov next year.

I realy want to do the march session, because I don't want the stress of exams when I just start my AS courses (and it'll mean I do grade 8 before starting AS, but that's not too importaint)

I think the two most important issues you've hit on are reliable stamina and expanding your repertoire. The former will develop by expanding the latter.

You don't need to bring everything you learn up to performance standard, but it's good to look at standard repertoire material from about Grade 6 onwards (regardless of instrument).

Not playing with such hard reeds might help on the stamina side. I don't know why so many students insist on playing M and MH reeds so soon. If you were a professional playing a long programme, you'd be opting for a suitable MS reed to get you through the evening without losing control of your mouth and cheek muscles.

Covering just the exam material for Grade 8 in nine months is just about possible, but from my own teaching experience, not highly recommended - especially since you've got other educational commitments aside from music. A lot would depend on how much time you honestly have available to devote to the work it will require. Even the best laid plans can go horribly pear-shaped, so have a back-up scenario in place.... just in case.

On my first instrument (clarinet) I did grade 7 in March and 8 in July, to avoid taking music exams in the Upper 6th. Despite practising for 1.5 hours a day, I dropped from 132 to 117 marks, although this was enough for university. On subsequent instruments, I've gone much, much faster, but on a first one a 6-9 month gap sounds quite quick. Why is the distinction important?

If you can get a July date, after GCSEs, this can work out brilliantly! I did grade 6 clarinet and grade 2 piano in the same term as GCSEs and it worked because I was on study leave and then finished my school exams in mid-June, giving me a month to do nothing but music!

Really?? Only if they wanted to sound like a beginner, surely? There's no way I'd play in public on anything less than an M, and I wouldn't be too happy doing that. (Not that I'm a pro. But reasonably competent.)

I try and get my students onto M reeds by around grade 5, and MH by grade 8. It's not just about stamina but also about making a reasonable tone, surely?

(Although I do agree some student oboists play on too hard reeds, too - it's a fine balance.)

A fine balance indeed, but the majority of professionals will play on as soft reed as possible. No point in trying to be the hero and doing Smetana's 'Ma Vlast' (for example) on a too hard reed, it would be suicidal for your playing and your mouth.

Makers vary (I don't make my own) and some reeds have a better tone than others regardless of strength, but from what I was taught, it is better to find a good toned M reed or adjust one to suit the music being played, rather than go for a harder reed just because that's what is expected at that level of playing.

Although I agree that reeds can be the bain of a woodwind players life, bad workmen and a constant blaming of tools come to mind.

I don't know what my reeds are as my teacher makes them but I do know that too easy a reed is just as tiring (but in a different way) as too hard a reed (and a reed which is too soft is prone to squeaking and makes dynamics more difficult).

I am playing the cor anglais in a trio on Saturday (the first time I am playing it in public) and am currently having a dither as to what effects nerves are likely to have and what would be the best choice of reed.

Why rush grade 8 when you're still quite young? I agree that the November of AS year is a bad time, but March 2010 would be OK - probably better than March 2009, when you'll be finishing endless GCSE coursework.

You don't have to be learning exam pieces all that time, of course. It would give you loads of time to learn lots of repertoire, up to and beyond grade 8, so that when you do start the grade 8 pieces you'll be more than capable of playing them. It's really nice to get a distinction at grade 8 - it can open doors for you - so worth waiting until you and your teacher feel you are well capable of getting it.

I hate to be a killjoy but I'm inclined to agree with Berkshire Mum...I'm just about to start working on G8 piece (Haydn Oboe Concerto). I think that it is the first movement that is the exam piece and it is very very long. If stamina is a difficulty I would be inclined to wait a bit longer and build up your stamina and technique so that you can get a G8 distinction. Personally I would hate to take an exam too early and then know I wasn't ready in time to get the result I wanted. Also I understand that there is quite a gap between G7 and G8. Why not take some time to expand your repertoire, play some non exam music and build up your stamina and technique??
Sorry Liz, but I'd hate you to try too early and be disappointed. What does your teacher think??

Hi Liz
My advice would be to just keep on playing at the rate you're comfortable with and see where it leads. If you're ready to do the Grade 8 next June, then it is very unlikely to clash with GCSEs because they will be May/June and it's not as if you won't be practising your oboe anyway, even with the exams looming. If you leave it until the Nov session, you could well get a higher mark, though, which is important if oboe is to be your first study. Just a few thoughts...

Sara

I understand the point, but my teacher thinks I can do it in march. She wouldn't put me in if she thought I wasn't ready.(grade 7 was in june instead of march because of this)


General update:
Stamina - getting better. Still on mh reeds.
repertoire - expanding slowly.
Aural -
Sight reading - good enough. sight reading one passage a day from the bach difficult passages book so need more varaety of styles


Pieces are probably:
Krommer 3rd mvt
Poulenc 1st mvt OR saint saens 2nd mvt
Bach difficult passages no28

They are all quite secure, so just need to polish up whatever I choose to do for grade 8

Are you sticking with Trinity or switching to AB this time Liz?

Emsoboe did Grade 6 last session in a silly timescale, from the decision to the exam, scales and aural were always going to be a problem. Grade 7 pieces are making rapid progress, she's got several of them well on the way (not just 3), but she's going nowhere near the exam until the other elements are sorted.

Liz have you ever played in a masterclass? Emsoboe played in a Flute one last week, the advice she was given on breathing has really helped on Oboe and Recorder as well. Sometimes it's worth getting a different perspective on your playing.

Hi there Liz
It's good to hear what you're thinking about G8...I suppose the best advice is to go with what your teacher thinks. I quite agree about getting some different sight reading apart from Bach. I've played a number of those passages and although I love playing them, they are all in the same style. Apparently the G8 sight reading is at the level of G6 type pieces, have you thought about getting some collections of oboe solos at about that level to use as sight reading practice??

As to the aural, have you tried those CDs that have specimen aural tests on them? I know AB do one, but I don't know about Trinity.

I might get one. The format is different but they're looking for the same sort of info I think.





I have to do it with trinity because the piano is in march as well. If I do oboe on ab, I'll have it on the same day or very close, but if I do trinity I might have a week or so gap between each one.

Yep. In dartington summer school

I don't know the Krommer and I'm not keen on the Poulenc but I like both the Saint Saens and the Bach you have chosen. I played the Bach on the oboe and the cor anglais last year and on the cor anglais it is really beautiful

How is your stamina holding out when you play all three one after the other?

I wish I had a cor...

I seem to be able to manage stamina wise. The reed sometimes gets wet and slippery and it's hard to keep the embouchure then.

If stamina is an issue I would strongly reccomend the Poulenc over the Saint Saens - the SS doesn't give you a moment off throughout, the Poulenc is much more balanced and gives you time to chill out and imo is FAR less tiring.
As for the time, its definitely possible to do the exam but I'm not sure about the distinction. Of course if you feel confident about it then don't let us stop you!

Have you done any more youtube recordings?

Will do this afternoon.



The Krommer will have to wait if the reed is too hard but the others will be ok even with a slightly hardish reed. (the very fast high to low note jumps in Krommer don't come out well unless the reed is quite soft)

Will look forward to seeing them.

Well, I did it this morning.

It took about 2 hours (well, including uploading them onto computer) of takes and retakes, so my lips were pretty tired by the end of the Krommer (3rd piece recorded) Despite this, the best ones aren't that good

So, in order of taking
my C piece - Bach cantata no.82 'Ich habe genug'
It's generally bad

my possible B piece - Saint saens sonata 2nd movt
The part near the ending was a disaster and it's sometimes out of tune.

my A piece (probably) - Krommer concerto 3rd movt

my embouchure was very nealy gone near the end (you can't see it in the video) and it's quite out of tune at times. people might comment on how my fingers should be closer to the keys, which I can't get out of the habit of it seems.

And all of them especially the saint-saens - THE CAMERA WON'T RECORD THE DYNAMICS. I'm 99% sure that I play with a decent dynamic range.

Will listen to them tomorrow when I have more time - I look forward to it.

When are you thinking of doing grade 8 again? (Sorry, too lazy to scroll back).

Lizbun, please take the following as constructive friendly criticism!
I think you're making a nice sound on the whole, but I wouldn't say it's quite up to grade 8 standard yet (and definitely not grade 8 distinction). Three main things:
1) that reed is too hard! Scrape it now! You will get much more colour and flexibility with a slightly softer reed.
2) watch the tuning, especially on your top notes, but also sometimes elsewhere.
3) are you using vibrato yet? I can't tell, maybe your video is not picking it up. If not, you should ask your teacher how to do it; I would have thought it was part of being a grade 8 oboist myself.

March



Thanks for the advice. Yes, it was on the hard side. I'm getting reeds from a new supplier which has a much better sound than the reed I used for the video. I don't know if it'll be good enough then. Yes, i'm using vibrato.

Hello Liz,

may I ask what you are hurrying for, why the rush to do grade 8, it doesnt seem like five minutes ago you were doing grade 7...

I note that you are worried about stamina...maybe take some time and play non exam music for awhile, maybe a couple of years even to build on your stamina slowly and consistently...its not like you are heading for a conservatiore audition for a few more years if you decide to go that route so take your time and enjoy the huge repetoire that is out there...have some fun but steer away from exams for the moment...

Vibrato is essential at grade 8, tone and tuning have to be as near to spot on as possible and you have a bit of tidying up to do there...this is not a criticism but an observation...if you want a distinction you must have total mastery of the instrument and the set pieces...the scales must be flawless and the sight reading more than competent...

Please Liz dont rush into grades, there is no immediate rush or panic...take your time, your playing is coming along very well but I think grade 8 is a bit of a stretch at the moment...

I dont mean to sound hurtful I am just trying to help you realise that you have plenty of time and that music is far more than just taking exams


Regards

Andrew

I know...
I won't be overly dissapointed if I get a bad mark. My teacher never said it was going to be easy, but she really wouldn't suggest it if she thought I had no chance. I'm only aiming for a distinction because aiming high is why I practice even if the end result isn't quite as good.



That's what I mean by 'it won't be easy'. I've got from now 'till grade 8 to practice getting pieces/scales in tune (the notes are there), getting my vibrato better and getting my sight reading as good as I can get it (it's not TOO bad). I don't know if the new reeds will get my tone to grade 8 standard but I think they at least a bit better that the other ones.



I know. I am playing pieces other than exam music. I think that if I take the exam in march and pass, I can concentrate on the Oboe knowing that I havn't got exams at the end (I would want to take it eventually if I didn't in march) and concentrate on my A levels without the pressure of extra exams.



sorry if this all sounds like excuces to do grade 8 in march. maybe it is.

Liz are you in year 10 or 11 at the moment?

Why don't you wait for Grade 8 until the summer after GCSE's? Just keep working on your playing until then. I'm sure Claire and Andrew know what they are talking about when urging caution. You don't really need to do it before A levels assuming you're not going to give up after G8.

You could carry on playing pieces, working on tone and come back down to G8 after your school exams it might even give you the incentive to keep going when things get hectic. I'm only saying this because my eldest put music aside when doing GCSE's and it's not so easy to get back into.

I listened to the Saint-Saens on the tube and it has the potential to be really good - some things I would say though: in the 9/8 bit you're chopping the last note of each group off, let it ring out more, its making the melody sound very jerky. Also you can relax loads! take it a little slower - you're rushing as you get towards the bottom of the first page, its much slower than you think!
Througout the piece thats definitely not the most efficient way to breathe, if you give yourself a little more time it'll become so much easier. Stamina wise this piece is very hard and you really need to not overfill your lungs or rush through a phrase on too little air.
Something I've seen a lot of recently is very quick in-out breaths - if you breath out most of the way at one breath point and breath in at the next one it will sound much less rushed and you'll have a chance to get far more air.

I still would have done the Poulenc

Hi Liz

I haven't heard your videos, and am not an oboe player so wouldn't want to comment on your playing ability.

Many years ago I did exactly what you're trying to do and took my grade 8 in the March before I took my GCSEs and whilst I got a solid pass I wasn't too happy with the mark.

In the nice long summer after the exams I spent loads and loads of time really covering the whole of the syllabus (every piece) and putting each of them into context by learning (not to exam standard) the other movements of each work. By the time I went back into 6th form I had all 3 pieces selected and pretty much to exam standard so it didn't interfere with the start of A-levels. I also had the basis of a rounded repertoire.

The only point in this that fell apart was having an asthma attack during the exam - nothing prepared me properly for that, but I did get a high merit which 18 years and lots of playing further on matters a lot less to me than the solid backbone of a repertoire and the skill set of learning the vast majority of it unaided by a teacher.

just about the timing fo the exams, i dont play the oboe....

there is no rush, you ahve ages yet. I did my gr8 violin in november of L6 and it was fine, no problems. Give it a couple of weeks to settle in and then you can concentrate on the music. Settling in to 6th form really shouldn't stop you taking an exam. Also like others have said, if you do it in the summer, you're date will probably be after your exams have finished. I did gr8 piano along with the AS's, but my date was a month after the exams finished so i ahd a whole month to do only piano.

Would you prefer to rush it and get a lower mark then you are capable of (im not saying this will definately happen) or take your time and do well?
x