Low pass grade 1 piano-daft mother needs help getting a grip and helping dc!

[BigBirthdayGloom]

Dd, year 4, has just done piano grade 1. She's had funny moments preparing and at times declared she wasn't doing it, or piano, any more. She was playing beautifully just before the exam. She said she made mistakes and that, plus being nervous made me feel she'd possibly get a merit. But I was surprised that she got 105, and her teacher said she thought she'd do better too.
My head knows this matters not a jot, that any music exam is an achievement, and that even if turns she isn't an exams girl then all will be well.
A bit of me wishes she could have the extra cherry on the cake of getting a merit or distinction and also fears that a couple of her friends who did grade I last year might be a bit rubbish about it.
And a little bit of me just wishes she was super amazing musical. There-I'm a dreadful mother.
Anything you can share to help me say the right thing to dd and to feel encouraged that she might be okay at this music thing?

Thanks!

Just as I was thinking we were done, at least for a bit, I had an email from the clarinet teacher wondering if she'd like to do grade one this term...

I know professional musicians who only got passes in their very first exams and children who have only got passes in their exsms but are members of various national childrens orchestras/bands.

Ive also known people who have struggled on at the lower grades never making much 'progress' but love playing nonetheless. Thats good too.

The most important thing really is that she enjoys it.

I know a professional pianist who never took any exams. She is up there now (she made it to the top) and never had the stress of grades exams. Also started piano at 10 yo.

So maybe exams are not for your DD, maybe you may want to ask her if she wants to stop taking exams?

Don't feel pushed into doing all the exams on all the instruments. It gets expensive apart from anything else. For instance DS2 has done Grade 1, 4 and 5 on piano, Grade 3 on trombone, (is 5+ standard now) and Grade 4 on clarinet.

You need to see the mark sheet (as others have said) as there is so much in the exam beyond the pieces - a different piano, a more echoey room, the aural and scales and sight reading - it can be really quite daunting when it's your first exam. Keep going with the praise and practice. In some ways 'just a pass' in grade 1 is good - the only way is up. My eldest got a distinction in grade 1 violin then a very low pass in grade 2. She was heartbroken and it took a long time to get her confidence back up - she's now preparing for grade 5 having not sat 3 or 4 and I hope to god it goes ok!

My son got a pass for grade 3 guitar. He after playing his pieces and sight reading to distinction standard he got an attack of nerves and did not even attempt his scales and was much anxious mess he did badly in his music aural. His guitar teacher has decided to let him skip grade 4 in spite of a pass grade. I feel you need to look at the comments sheet before passing judgement.

105/150 = 70% - SEVENTY percent! enough for an A/B in most subjects at GCSE level ! Well done to your DD.

No one cares the mark - she IS a Grade one pianist.

Mine has passes at G1 and 4, Merits at G2, 3 and 5 - just depends on the day when it is a performance based exam. She plays and loves it, does not love exams, but needs the discipline of learning FOR something in order to progress.

Does especially NOT love the theory work she is doing so she can go on to G6 - it is a slog, but she knows she has to do it. She is ok at it, so expecting a pass, no fireworks...