Hi everybody, I just took my Grade 5 violin exam yesterday - went okay Got through it without any major slip-ups or freezing/stopping

Anyhow, what grade do you reckon I should do next? I quite fancy going straight to grade 7 and skipping grade 6!!!! My teacher is not so sure though - she thinks maybe I should do grade 6 next? What do you reckon I should do?

Thanks a lot.

Fergus

I wouldn't skip any grades at this level unless you have a very good reason to do so. Much better to get a distinction at grade 6 then a distinction at grade 7 ...

Liz

The grade 5 - 6 gap is bigger than any of the previous gaps in the change in standard required - the pieces tend to be longer and it requires more commitment overall. I wouldn't skip 6 unless your teacher really supports you in it

QUOTE (elidatrading @ Nov 18 2004, 03:37 PM)

I wouldn't skip any grades at this level unless you have a very good reason to do so. Much better to get a distinction at grade 6 then a distinction at grade 7 ... Liz

Did you mean a pass at Grade 7?

I skipped grade 6 and found it quite tough going starting on the grade 7 repetoire. I did get there though, and I think if you're going to skip grade 6 you just have to be prepared to put the work in!

QUOTE

Did you mean a pass at Grade 7?

Better clean your specs... it says thEn, not thAn.

It is always possible to work through until you are the standard for grade 7 without stopping off to do ther grdae 6 exam.
I would not have thought it a good idea generally to go straight from one exam to another anyway. Better do other things first to consolidate your learning and improve technically. I would start on the scale requirements for the next grade at once, but that is all.

QUOTE (sbhoa @ Nov 18 2004, 07:20 PM)

Better clean your specs... it says thEn, not thAn.

Oops, yes, so it does. Sorry!



Well, I do have an appointment at the eye hospital on Monday so I suppose I do have a bit of an excuse... I hate going to the eye hospital. I have actually memorised those charts they use to test your vision where you have to read the letters, so it's quite difficult to stop myself when I know what's there but can't actually see it!

If only I could memorise my music that way... hmm...

Great - thanks a lot for your replies everybody

Not sure what I will do - tempted to go straight to grade 7, but then again, a reasonable number of people seem to think I should stick with grade 6

Fergus

HI Fergus

As a violin teacher myself I wouldn't let a student skip Gr6 unless he/she was going to wait an extra year before doing Gr7. As previous people have said there is a big jump between Gr5 & 6 so you would need to build up your technique a lot before going on to Gr7. It is a good idea to take a year out though and build up your repertoire because at your standard there is a lot of good music to play and the exam pieces take up so much time and prevent students from working on just pieces if you know what I mean. Basically don't be in too musch of a hurry to jump to the next exam pieces.

Soory about the "musch". That was meant to be "much" of course.

Oops can't believe I made another typo on "soory". Think I'll quit now...

If the edit button at the top right to change your posts you can do it without posting again!

If you wait to do grade 7 you'll be a better player than you would be if you do it sooner. Your playing will improve at a rate linked to the amount you practise not the number you have on your certificate. If your teacher says that you should not skip it I would take her advice she's obviously saying it for a reason.

QUOTE (fiddlingfee @ Nov 19 2004, 12:59 PM)

HI Fergus As a violin teacher myself I wouldn't let a student skip Gr6 unless he/she was going to wait an extra year before doing Gr7. As previous people have said there is a big jump between Gr5 & 6 so you would need to build up your technique a lot before going on to Gr7. It is a good idea to take a year out though and build up your repertoire because at your standard  there is a lot of good music to play and the exam pieces take up so much time and prevent students from working on just pieces if you know what I mean. Basically don't be in too musch of a hurry to jump to the next exam pieces.

Absolutely right. Unless you need to whip through the grades to notch up a grade 8 for entry to music school or similar, then I would not skip. And even then a distinction at the grade below is infinitely better than a pass at the grade above. Follow what your teacher advises! She knows best.