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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

Questions re grade 1 piano

11 replies

bohemimum · 09/05/2013 14:03

My dd has been practising her grade 1 pieces for ages. We are now ready to enter the exam, but the tutor has missed the deadline!!!! This means now instead of doing it in July she will have to wait til Nov. A few questions for you?
Do you think the long wait could put her off the piano/ exams, etc?
Would she get bored playing the same pieces for the next 6 months?
Do you really 'need' grade 1 - should I just persuade the teacher to go for grade 2 instead?
WWYD? Don't want my dd to be put off as now she can do her pieces she is enjoying playing, whereas before it has been a challenge!

OP posts:
Original poster
bohemimum · 09/05/2013 14:32

:)

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 09/05/2013 14:35

Very similar happened to DS. His teacher decided that he had "done" Grade 1, and they moved straight on to Grade 2. The only issue that it caused was that it was a long time from prep test to Grade 2 so he was very very nervous about the exam - but he survived and did well.

OldBeanbagz · 09/05/2013 14:37

We were in this position at the end of 2011 with my DD - only it was Grade 1 guitar.

The teacher missed the deadline but was very honest with us. She offered to pay the late application fee if DD was desperate to do the exam it but advised that by waiting until the following Spring she could go straight to Grade 2 instead (which she did and passed with a Merit).

Maybe your DD could start on Grade 2 peices now and take that exam in November? Does she has lessons over the summer holidays? Or are they school based? How old is she? Is she good at practising?

I don't think missing exams matters so long as you've reached the standard required. My DH skipped Grade 1-4 on his instrument and then gave up after takign Grade 5.

Original poster
bohemimum · 09/05/2013 14:40

thanks stealth and OBB. She is 10 and practices everyday now as I had her sufficiently excited about forthcoming exam. Didn't know about late application fee but will question piano teacher tonight. Thank you!

OP posts:
flatmouse · 09/05/2013 14:42

Don't leave her playing grade 1 pieces for 6 months if she is ready now! If you/DD/teacher want her to do grade 1 and she does have to wait 6 months, then let her play some grade 1-2 pieces (eg the Upgrade books) for the next 4 months and then come back and polish up the grade 1 ones again.

I guess it depends on the exam board/who the coordinator is - my DD is due to take Grade 3 in June and teacher said if she's not ready she'll move it back to July - (which is why i'm surprised your DD would have to wait 6 months).

Probably depends on the age of your DD and her confidence/teachers' opinion - i think it is good for them to do all the grades - but there is no harm them skipping them - or even doing them at the same time (apart from the expense). DD did level 1 and level 2 at the same time (or whatever they're called - the pre Grade 1 exams).

flatmouse · 09/05/2013 14:45

She could always focus on grade 1 theory in the interim time - so less focus on the practical.

CloudsAway · 09/05/2013 15:09

should be easy to pick up grade 1 pieces again for November! Don't keep playing them now - work on other similar level pieces and harder ones towards grade 2, and with the extra maturity, she should do well on Grade 1 then. Also good for working on sight reading.

CloudsAway · 09/05/2013 16:00

also you could check at any local schools and/or private teachers who might be organising special visit sessions - that's where they choose the date of the visit and the exam board sends out an examiner to them, as long as they have a certain number of hours' worth of examining work. Those applications don't have to be in until something like a month before the date of the exam, and sometimes they are looking for extra people in to make up the right amount of work (or even if they don't need extras, it can be easy enough to slot an extra person in).

singinggirl · 09/05/2013 19:03

It is not necessarily too late! Phone the ABRSM (you can find the number on their website) and explain thhe situation. As a piano teacher I have twice been late with entries - once because DS2 was in hospital, and once because a student transferring to me didn't have her first lesson with me till the day after the deadline. They told me to download and print off a paper form and send it in, which I did.

On both occasions I was able to put the student in - although they did say it would depend on if they could fit me in. (When they took credit card payment it meant the student was in).

And there are no additional fees for this, the people at ABRSM are really helpful.

Original poster
bohemimum · 09/05/2013 22:10

all ok - she can do in July; phew! One excited 10 year old and 1 relieved mum. Thanks for tips though Thanks

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 09/05/2013 22:45

Oh good. By far the best solution. Good Luck to her.

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