I'm new to this so hello everyone

I'm 32 and I've started playing the viola again after a 9 year break. I've gone back having lessons and I'm absolutely loving it and only stopped becaause I went to uni away from home. I always found the piano a lot easier to play than the viola and so never panicked when taking an exam (and still play now and again- when I can be asked) However, my teacher and I have decided to work towards the grade 6 viola syllabus as she feels that I have simply slipped back into the viola with ease. I wish I was as confident as she is. I've always felt more confident playing the piano rather than the viola (and never had the same confidence despite getting a merit for my grade5 viola) but having said that I went out & got the grade 6 music and I'm now I'm panicking. They're beautiful pieces: The question is: Can I do them justice after a 9 year absence?
Handel 1st & 2nd movement from Sonata in G minor, Op1
Bridge- Serenade
Clarke- Lullably
Now I'm panicking about the aural and sight reading. God almighty!!! What's going on there! I need help in this area! I did Music A Level 13 years ago and the aural reminds me of that but like I said it was a heck of a long time ago.

1. Anyone out there who plays 2 instruments do you think you feel more confident on one than the other?
2. Is anyone else out there doing the same pieces as me and how do you find them and the aural/sightreading.
3. I need a new viola and I was recommended to get Evah Pirazzi strings and a Chinese made viola. Any thoughts. Desperately need one as playing on Stentor II Violla and do not want to use that for my exam. Need something that can get me through grade 6-8


For my sins I'm studying grade 6 theory as well. I thought that as I had grade 1-5 in theory I might as well continue. That's another panic within itself Have I taken on too much? arrrgg!!

Hello Greenie and welcome to the forums

I play the violin rather than the viola, and various other instruments too. Some I restarted as an adult, some, including the violin I began from scratch.

One thing I did find on restarting things - I couldn't actually start again immediately where I left off. There was inevitably some stuff I'd forgotten, or maybe not mastered securely enough in the past. It generally didn't take too long to catch up again, but there was definitely a bit of going back to do before going forwards.

The good news is, once that going back and going on happened, I've been able to progress beyond my old levels and on to higher things. Limited only by how many hours in the day one can practise before either fatigue sets in or the neighbours start to riot....

So don't be too disheartened if it takes a little while to get back up to speed. It will come.


As far as the pieces, and the choice of instrument go, I'll leave that to the violists to answer.

Sight-reading and aural - there's no easy answer. The main thing is to practise, as you would practise any other part of an exam. For aural, I like David Turnbull's "Aural Time" books with a CD that has tons of examples, so you can really get used to how the tests sound.

Grade 6 theory I did a couple of years ago - a quarter of a century after doing grade 5. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Have a check out of the Theory and Composition board - there's quite a few people working on it.

Also have a look at the Adult Learners board - lots of us in the same boat, a good place to share your experiences.

Hi greenie, welcome to the forums

I'm not a stringy person (yet), so can't really help you on most of your questions.

Last summer I restarted recorder after a 7(ish) year gap, so was probably in a similar position to you. It took me a couple of weeks to get back to where I was (grade 2ish i think). Less than a year later, I've just passed grade 6.

I also play the piano. Although I'm, on paper, better at piano, I would say i'm probably more confident at and feel i have a greater potential for recorder. But I have good and bad days on both.

If your teacher thinks you're ready for grade 6, then I wouldn't be too worried about the time you've had off.

Hello greenie, and welcome.
I can't help you much because I can only dream of being able to play those pieces. But, as far as getting a decent viola is concerned, I suggest you read this thread: http://forums.abrsm.org/index.php?showtopic=31677

I'm in a similar position to Primrose, (only I suspect he's a better violist than I...... ), but I can say that your teacher sees a lot of learners and will be speaking from experience, so try to trust their opinion as far as you can.

Having said that, only take on what you feel able to do without stressing yourself out dreadfully and take some time to think about why you're learning again. The answer to that may help you determine your priorities and how and how fast to proceed.

Good hunting and, yes, like Primmers, wish I could seriously consider playing those pieces too!!

In answer to elisabeth on why I started playing again it was a case of now that Im older I can afford to pay for the lessons as up and till uni my parents were paying. Also, I feel I'm more settled in life so I really want to return to the instrument as I'm able to really apppreciate it and it's always been an ambition that by hook and by crook I would love to complete the exams (in theory as well).

I have to agree with you katyjay that I've definitely gone back on myself to go foward as my teacher also said would have to happen. I'm on music that was roughly grade 4 at the mo and I'm currently doing grade 5 scales at the moment which I find horrendous. How I actually passed grade 5 I'll never know because I'm struggling on the scales. I don't plan to take my grade 6 till next year (March) but I'm panicking already because I'm not sure if I can do those pieces justice and before you know it you're submitting an entry at the end of the year.
Saying that I'm determined to do it but it can be disheartening and I think I have a rocky road ahead and as mentioned by one of you lovely peeps I should have faith in my teacher because I'm sure she wouldn't recommend me to sit the exam if she didn't think it could be done.
Some really good advice about buying violas by the way. Thanks for the thread

Hi there,

Snap! I too have recently returned to viola lessons after a long break enforced by going to uni. Only I had a break of 13 years But having had that break I feel more inclined to practise regularly and properly (i.e. not just play the pieces through) and I appreciate the lessons a lot more. Also, in the meantime I've become aware of how little I knew of music generally when I scraped a pass at grade 7. My technique was there but there was no feeling - I must have played like a robot! So I feel I'm in a far stronger position now to take exams than when I was 18.

Have you done any of the advanced grades on piano? Just thinking, that would probably stand you in good stead for the aural if you had. If not, practise will get you a long way. Ditto with sight-reading. Try and get yourself a book of short pieces (half a page or so each) of moderate difficulty, and sight-read one a day. It gets easier, honestly.

If you're definitely going for your grade 6 in March AND you want to buy a new viola, I would say either get it as soon as possible or wait until after your exam. Because they vary so much in size, the chances are that your new instrument will take a bit of getting used to, and you don't want to be worrying about that in the last couple of months before an exam when you're adding the finishing touches to your pieces.

I'm not familiar with the Handel and the Bridge that you're playing, but the Clarke is absolutely lush. Clarke was a violist and understands and writes for the instrument really well, so do enjoy. Find out as much as you can about each piece, listen to recordings of it, and with any luck you will fall in love with it, work hard on it and, yes, play it really well. Absolutely, you can do it justice. Taking exams when more mature, I am convinced, will work to our benefit once we've regained that technical ground we lost during our breaks from playing.

Hi Greenie, welcome to the forum.
I'm having a try at grade 6 next summer, but am doing Trinity Guildhall. I don't know the Handel or the Bridge piece, but Rebecca Clarke was a violist and wrote some beautiful repertoire for the viola. One of her pieces is on the TG grade 6 syllabus, but not the one that you are studying.
I'm trying the Bach Viola da Gamba , Sonata in D major, Andante and Allegro
Scumannn, Marchenbilder, Langsam mit melancholischen Ausdruck
Beethoven ,Rondo.

It has been helpful to play a second instrument, I play piano , but not that well, f
Feel free to PM me,
Good luck

Rebecca

Thanks for the reply viola-mad and gummidge

Even though I had a 9 year break I too feel so inclined to practise everyday. I think I'm more mature about the instrument and like I mentioned in my original post I really do appreciate it and realised what a beautiful instrument it is. I really look forward in going home to practise. I definitely agree that I can feel the music now rather than just play it.

I've done grade 6 on the piano and I began to learn my grade 7 but like I said I left to go to uni but that was all such a long tme ago. The funny thing is that as I've got older something has dawned on me. All through my school years when I was having piano lessons my parents would also pay for me to have singing lessons along with my piano lessons as my teacher did both and to be honest I can't sing for toffee but I found my aurals not half as difficult as they are now. I've been wondering lately if my singing had a lot to do with it rather than my piano. Doesn't make a difference really because I find them a nightmare now.

I'm just worried that Stentor II won't produce a decent enough tone for a grade 6 exam. I was looking to get a new viola in September. Do you think that would be enough time to 'break in' the instrument by the time the exams come round in March? My currently viola is 16" in length but it has no width. I really would like to invest in something reasonable in price but with some width as my teacher believes that violas of width give out a better tone. Does anyone agree with that?

By the way gummidge, what Rebecca Clark piece are you playing?

As I understand it the examiner assesses your performance, not the instrument. However you will probably find it easier to produce a good tone on a superior instrument.

I would have thought six months was enough to get used to a new instrument, but one thing to be aware of is if you move onto a bigger instrument you may not be able to practice for as long as you're used to. Tendons etc will need time to adapt to the bigger stretches. I would definitely recommend starting to look for an instrument ASAP - apart from anything else it could take you a while to find one you really like.

With regards the width, I've not tried enough violas to make a generalisation. But just as each player is different, each viola is also individual - yes, including the Chinese ones which for years I mistakenly thought were manufactured. Have fun trying lots of them and deciding what you like.


If you think going home to practise is good, try practising first thing, it's amazing! I find it hard as I'm really not a morning person, but half an hour before I go to work really sets me up for the day. I bet my colleagues find me SO annoying when I've been playing in the morning!

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