KangaBoy has his Grade 1 ...... Trumpet exam ....on saturday.....Any tips ......please help

[RTKangaMummy]

It is on saturday

Have any of your DS or DD done their Grade 1 Trumpet???

Please tell us any tips you can think of

How good does he have to be?

Sometimes it is better than others

He has gone for a practise with the guy who is accompianing him on the piano this afternoon

Please tell us any tips






.

[WigWamBam]

I don't play trumpet but I did up to Grade 8 clarinet, and the only thing I can advise is that he tries to relax. The examiner isn't going to do anything to try and trip him up. There's a good range of scores between a pass and a distinction so it's highly unlikely that he'll fail, particularly at Grade 1 level. The scales and arpeggios will be simple, and the examiner won't be expecting perfection.

He needs to relax and enjoy it - and if he can, get a bit more practice with the accompanist just to make sure that he's happy playing with someone else there.

Good luck, KangaBoy

[RTKangaMummy]

DEFFO BRILL on getting to grade 8

He has just got home

DH said he played well for the 1st run through and then went a bit dodgy

Will he get another chance if he goes wrong?

I played trumpet but didn't want to do exams

[WigWamBam]

I was allowed to restart a piece in my Grade 8 exam (although it was many years ago!), all the examiners I had were lovely and they do recognise that children will be nervous.

Will he get another chance to run through with the pianist again before his exam, just to settle any nerves?

[chenin]

Hi RTK - your DS will be fine. My DD2 has done her grades, starting with 1 and last year passed grade 5! (she is 13 mind you!)
My tips would be to tell him to blast it out (as opposed to just a little puff!) as the examiners seem to like it noisy.
Also, if he makes a mistake and my DD certainly did in all her exams, she just used to say "sorry, can I start that again?" and the examiners never seem to mind.
Best of luck with it for your DD - let us know how he got on!

[chenin]

Sorry, I should say, best of luck for your DS not DD!!!

[RTKangaMummy]

Thanks guys

No he won't get another chance with this bloke

He has his lesson at school tomorrow and his teacher plays the piano with him

Sometimes he doesn't notice if he goes wrong

I don't want to make him nervous he is ok about it atm

what he will be like on saturday afternoon I don't know

I have been telling him that he should just do his best

There will be no problem with noise level

During practise it is certainly loud

[RTKangaMummy]

How long is it before we get the results

do they get sent to us or to his teacher {who is a parapetetic one at his primary school

[WigWamBam]

I don't know what it's like now but it used to take about 6 weeks, and the results went through the school.

[fastasleep]

He'll do brilliantly! I used to get my results straight away I'm sure... at least I think I did (god it was a while ago!)

[RTKangaMummy]

Thanks guys

Hope so

School breaks up in couple of weeks

[tortoiseshell]

Tips are - don't panic. The examiners expect you to go wrong, they're more interested in how you cope if it does - obviously they'd love everything to go right but in reality nerves can kick in, so if he can just keep going that's the best thing. If he fluffs the beginning of a piece or the scales, he can ask to start again, but I would only do that if it's right at the beginning. Make sure he remembers to breathe, and take some water for beforehand.

Good luck to your ds!

[RTKangaMummy]

Thanks

so I guess the fact that quite often he doesn't seem to notice then he will keep going is prob a good thing then

So will say that if he goes wrong right at the beginning to ask to start again but if not then to keep going

He is on first @ 2.15 and so at least he won't have to listen to others

He can do his bit and then leave. IYSWIM

He has a busy day Drama Club then Trumpet then a Quad bike party

[tamum]

Ds did violin Grade 2 at Easter and the results were sent to his teacher- took about 3 weeks. He was terribly nervous when he was waiting, having never done another exam in his life. He actually messed up his first piece near the end and the examiner stopped him and said "why don't you start again from this bar" and was very nice, so he might even get some guidance from the examiner he has a problem. Good luck to him

[Yorkiegirl]

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[RTKangaMummy]

Tamum Thanks that sounds encouraging

I guess I was thinking they would expect too much of him

[RTKangaMummy]

Thanks YG water deffo seems great idea

Will write to his teacher tomorrow with our numbers

DS doesn't seem nervous atm

just his mummy is

[RTKangaMummy]

It is only going to last about 13 mins

A long 13 mins for Kangamummy and kangadaddy sitting outside

[tortoiseshell]

Results could come more quickly than 3 weeks - my kids have just got their results from their exams 10 days ago, but that is lightning fast! Results do go to the teacher.

We had a talk from Clara Taylor who is the chief examiner of the AssBoard, and she said the main thing to remember is that everybody has a weak section, be it sightreading, scales, whatever, and to remember that that is only 1 section and not to get too worked up about it. And they do honestly expect them to go wrong! One girl I knew of fell off the piano stool during her piano exam, and it really broke the ice and helped her relax.

I'm sure he'll be fine!

[tortoiseshell]

When I say my kids, I mean the ones I teach, not MY kids iyswim!

[RTKangaMummy]

Thanks

I hope he doesn't have sight reading for grade 1

he isn't prepared for that

He does RONDE, MATCH OF THE DAY AND SMALL STEPS SCALES AND ARPEGIOS

Does he take his music stand or is there one there?????????

[RTKangaMummy]

in fact he does know about sight reading

just kangamummy who didn't

He really doesn't seem phased by it though

[Yorkiegirl]

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[RTKangaMummy]

[Janh]

DS2 did tenor horn grade 1 when he was 9 or 10 - his teacher (peripatetic from school) accompanied him and he did fine. The pieces are quite simple and only playing one note at a time helps a lot! Main thing is to try not to get anxious - practise deep breathing for both of you! - also I hope it won't be hot because sweaty fingers can be a problem.

Yesterday he did Grade 3 piano and stumbled alarmingly in 2 pieces - there was a distinct pause at one point before he went back a bar or so and started again. He wasn't nervous and had played everything beautifully earlier - just one of those things - he says he found the piano keyboard stiff compared with the ones he is used to, this is a big advantage of playing a portable instrument! His aural was OK, scales pretty average and sight-reading appalling (family failing) - the impression I have from previous kids' exams is that as long as they seem reasonably competent and practised they will pass even if not brilliantly

[RTKangaMummy]

I will really try to be calm

Am very very pleased that DS is first

Then all the others will be waiting for him

Rahter than them being smug mother syndrome while I am sitting there worrying