Well folks, I did my first 'exam' this morning - the viola prep test. I know, it's not a 'proper' exam, but it was good to get the feel of the real thing and to also now believe that I could indeed be ready for Grade 1 by November. However, I think I'll leave it a bit longer so that exam prep doesn't have to take up my whole lesson time at the expense of continuing with my regular programme. March, perhaps.

The examiner had a really dry sense of humour and, as I wasn't feeling overly nervous and had had a decent long time in the prep room (I got there about 50 minutes before my exam time at 08:40 - even before the examiner had arrived!!), I quite enjoyed the whole thing.

I also took 5 books worth of old viola sheet music off their hands (Tune a Day for viola vols 1-3, v old editions, plus a simple shifting book and sight reading prep for G2-8 - I could do the G2 stuff already, so I know I'll have no trouble with the sight reading element of G1) for only 50p each.

So, all in all, quite a successful day and a nice certificate to look at and show my teacher tomorrow.

Also took my G2 theory on 14th and found that very do-able. Planning on doing G4 in November as G3 isn't enough new material to merit the exam fee, I think.

So that's how music learning etc is going at my end.

Glad to hear it's all going well !

Was it at the college where you took your prep test???

Well done for taking the plunge, and for your theory exam too.

Onwards and upwards

WELL DONE Elisabeth! That's a brilliant start to the world of performance *nods*

And a good scoop on the sheet music too.

And great news about your theory too.. I'm sure you'll easily manage the jump to grade 4.

Thanks Guys! I really do fell like I've achieved something music-wise - at last! What with Jojo doing her Grade 3 and only having played a month longer than me, (although to be fair to me, she hasn't been very ill or had to change teachers (I think/hope!!)), I was beginning to feel very much left in the baby class!!! Will let you know my theory result when it comes.


Yup, sure was! I guess that Q means you didn't get my e-mail about a possible public appearance (Shall I play my unaccompanied Prep Test piece?? ) as I asked you about warm up room facilities at the Coll!! In a way that's good, as I was worried I'd said something idiotic!!!!!

That's fantastic news! Well done!

Best of luck with your theory results.

PS you can never do anything more idiotic than leaving the exam without your instrument! I left my violin behind and had to go back into the room to get it. Even then I couldn't remember where I'd left it. "You left your violin over there......"

That's great news Elizabeth!
maybe you have mentioned already but what did you play for the examiner?
I did not take my grade 3 at the end as I had a bad back for a while, then had problems with my wrists and then my pianist could not make either so all in all a mess and could not take it. I have now decided to try to go for Grade 5 by next March, am learning a piece from grade 5 book at present and doing bits and bobs here and there like the Schubert sonatinas (my violin teacher gave those ones to do), am not concentrating on exams, i am just playing/learning and enjoying it and coming next January if I am at a level where I could successfully do grade 5 by March then good I'll go for it, if not by June?
Anyway, the best as always is that you are still enjoying it and still keeping it up, just look back...hasn't this year of learning gone quick? it has for me, it feels like yesterday I was taking my first lesson!
x
Jo

Sorry to hear you had back probs, Jo! I've had troubles there myself and I couldn't recommend it! Anyway, good to hear you're doing so well and that you'll be enjoying your Grade 5 cert when I'm jumping up and down excitedly at my Grade 1 or 2!!! I'll have Grade 5 theory by March though, so at least that aspect will be in the bag, so to speak. We'll almost certainly be moving abroad anytime from early 2010, so I wanted to get the paper tests done (as they'll be harder to take out of the country, I shoud think and it would be good to get my theory know-how in my mind before I have to fight with it in a different language!!!), and then get on to as much technical stuff as I can reasonably manage without just learning for exams, if you see what I mean! I could get Grade 3 before we go, but I won't do it if it means all I can play are my Grade 2 and 3 exam pieces!

Oh, for the test, apart from the exercises and set piece in the booklet you get, I did a simple piece called 'Follow my Leader' from 'First Concert - for viola/cello and piano' which is a set of 15 simple pieces that beginning string and piano players can do together. It used all 4 strings, but only open string and first finger, so wasn't technically hard, although it was quite hard to play 'against' the piano as that part was exactly one bar behind me and there's always a tendancy to wait for it..... Eeek!!

Look back over the last year? Well, this time last year I was looking for a new teacher, and I often feel that we haven't covered much ground, (only having done part of book 1 and the first section of 6 in book 2), but she has made a great difference to what I can do and I have been very ill and stressed, plus still trying to recover fully, so I can't complain and I have managed to get something done. Yup, I am still enjoying though, although what the neighbours have to say there may be informative!!!

well done , good luck with preparations for the next exam, what are you going to do meanwhile.

Carry on learning to play!! I have only very basic skills and can't play in anything other than the simplest fingering (1-23-4 pattern), so I have a long way to go, but a good teacher. I hope we can finish the Essential String Method books over the next 9 months or so, which should give a good basis and I have a lot of other material for lower levels (both tutor type books and repertoire), so I shan't be bored.

I think you have done very well with the situation you have been in, not being very well, having to change teachers round etc!
I think my neighbours might have a 'few things to say' now that yesterday my teacher took me through the 'learning ropes' of VIBRATO something I have been trying VERY hard to AVOID as long as possible but I can't keep hiding away forever!
Anyway, my neighbours will have to listen to 'drunken/wobbly' sounds for days on end now (poor them, I shall provide them with free 'antisickness' prescriptions LOL )

Thanks Hun!

True! Esp as you're expected to have made some progress with vibrato to pass Grade 5 well! All the best with it! It'll come in time.