163 replies to this topic

[JWpiano]

 

Todays the day for my Grade 3 Piano. I practiced last night and was good, played this morning and not so good. Just need to keep myself calm and relaxed whilst I am at work, before this afternoons big moment!. I don't know why we all put ourselves through this sometimes!

From one grade 3-er to another, do yourself proud and the very best in your exam!

 

Thanks Ligneo. I'll let you know how I get on later!. I really want to enjoy the exam as I love the pieces I have learnt.

[De Sisti]

Mate, it was the same for me last Thursday. It all came right in the end. Good luck. 

[JWpiano]

 

 

Todays the day for my Grade 3 Piano. I practiced last night and was good, played this morning and not so good. Just need to keep myself calm and relaxed whilst I am at work, before this afternoons big moment!. I don't know why we all put ourselves through this sometimes!

From one grade 3-er to another, do yourself proud and the very best in your exam!

 

Thanks Ligneo. I'll let you know how I get on later!. I really want to enjoy the exam as I love the pieces I have learnt.

 

Just got my Grade 3 theory result on the same day as my Grade 3 practical this afternoon. 95 Distinction. That will do me just fine!!. Bit of a boost for this afternoon.

[dynari]

Congratulations JWpiano! I hope the practical went well!

 

I have just received my certificate and comments, so as promised, here are the comments! Pretty much in line with what I expected 

 

https://imgur.com/x6A6yu9

[thara96]

Good luck!

[wendym]

What lovely comments Kait! And a well deserved result.

My comment would be, why couldn’t MY students’ examiner, have YOUR examiner’s handwriting?! I’ve just been reading through 7 comment sheets and I have headache, and have given up even trying to read some sections. Much as I hate new technology and losing the personal touch of handwritten comments, this round has been the worst. Roll on 2020!!!

[JWpiano]

Well, finally took my Grade 3 Piano practical yesterday afternoon. My nerves were horrific before and I felt like I could not even take the exam whilst I was sitting outside waiting. Went into the warm up room and one of my pieces just fell to bits at the end after 4 goes at it I gave up. Yet, normally I can always play it!.

 

Then onto the exam...

 

Scales went very well for me I think. Probably best I have done, even better than all the mock exams I have had over the last few weeks with my teacher.

 

Piece 1 - Mozart piece. Went pretty well I think, maybe 1/2 wrong notes hit and maybe rhythm slightly out in places but I was quite happy.

Piece 2 - Prelude - Great to start with then of course as I neared the end it all went pear-shaped as per my warm up, but I finished the piece anyway and work through it.

Piece 3 - Wouldn't it be loverly - Went fairly well, maybe rhythm a bit off in places, but all in all quite happy, other than 1 incorrect note right at the end and it would be the last note too!.

 

Sight Reading - As good as can be expected, If I pass I will be very happy, but usually I scrape just below pass.

 

Aural - Overall I think this went very well, maybe my singing is not so good, but probably only lost a mark or too here. On the Pitch/Rhythm he asked 3 questions, pitch/rhythm, where in the piece?... and when I said 'pitch', he also asked was it a lower or higher note!.

 

So all in all, I came out quite happy. Hopefully a good pass at the very least. I did much better than I thought I would and maybe I self doubt myself too much. Onwards and upwards.

 

Good luck to everyone else who still has to take their exams.

[EllieD]

Congratulations JWpiano! I hope the practical went well!

 

I have just received my certificate and comments, so as promised, here are the comments! Pretty much in line with what I expected 

 

https://imgur.com/x6A6yu9

 

What does the examiner mean in the scale comment by "All patterns were well paced with just occasional accentuation"? Since one mark was deducted for the scales, does s/he imply more accentuation needed? I assume "pattern" is a broad word to encompass all scales and arpeggios, but I've never come across that term before.

 

Well done anyway!! You get the distinction, I may only award your examiner a merit due to the lack of clarity.

[OllyBee]

Grade 2 Piano 

 

I posted earlier & not in a positive way about my exam last week.

Well I got my results last night and I got a Pass; surprised/pleased with the marks too which just re-emphasises how self-critical we can feel at the time.

 

I've hopefully learned this time around about getting into the 'zone' and blanking out the things that we don't have any control over.

 

Best of luck to everyone.

 

OllyBee

[dynari]

Well done OllyBee!!! That must feel like a relief. We are definitely prone to self-criticism, but our performances usually sound better to our audience than they do to our own ears.

 

EllieD - interestingly, my previous examiner (Grade 5) also referred to "patterns"! See here: https://imgur.com/wMHq9BS

I think "scale patterns" or "arpeggio patterns" might just be a long way of saying "scales" or "arpeggios." 

 

In terms of accentuation, I think the examiner intended to suggest that it should be avoided. I had a lesson a few weeks before my exam, and my teacher mentioned that sometimes my thumbs land on the keys more strongly than my other fingers, leading to undue accentuation in the scale notes played by thumbs. 

[ejw21]

Well done everyone! I have my LCM Grade 7 leisure play tomorrow. Currently not feeling too nervous... 

[chris13]

Good luck ejw21. I am sure you will do very well.

[EllieD]

 

 

In terms of accentuation, I think the examiner intended to suggest that it should be avoided. I had a lesson a few weeks before my exam, and my teacher mentioned that sometimes my thumbs land on the keys more strongly than my other fingers, leading to undue accentuation in the scale notes played by thumbs. 

 

I see, yes, I've spent ages trying to avoid that. What my teacher has told me is slightly to accent the first note of each four, so it's effectively mini-groups of four semiquavers to each crotchet, each crotchet beat being slightly accented. Probably just makes the scale patterns a bit more meaningful. (Hope you observed my use of my new word for the day, there's an examiner in me yet!)

[ejw21]

Good luck ejw21. I am sure you will do very well.

Thanks! The exam flew by! Examiner was nice though I was a bit more nervous than I thought I might be! Brains are weird - I can perform in front of a roomful of people pretty well, but one person on their own who is 'an examiner'?!? 3 pieces went between OK and rather well (definitely got into my stride by the 3rd piece) but the last piece less so, 2 (separate) bars completely went awry. I went for the easiest/best/then the rest/most difficult order of pieces - used to write essay based exams in this order back in the day - and I think it worked. Apparently anything from 2 days to 2 weeks for the results.

Yesterday in way of light relief my ukulele club were busking Christmas songs in our local supermarket. Raised almost £250 for charity