Hi there all,
Hoping all of you with musical children with your massive experience will help me here. My 10 year old has been learning the violin since last September (getting on for a year and a half). She's got a good ear (been in v good local choir for three years) so adjusts tuning as she goes etc. She's been hampered slightly by learning in a class of three but we've switched to individual lessons this term.
I am a musician myself but of course haven't done any Associated Board exams for a long time so have forgotten how it goes. I thought we were going to put her in for grade 1 this term (closing entry date tomorrow!). She's already got one piece nearly ready and is doing the scales and arpeggios. We haven't chosen the other two pieces but have played through them. But her teacher has said to wait until next term so that she'll have the pieces securely. I think she's a pretty good reader and we can knuckle down and practise, surely we can learn the pieces in two months? I think it will drive us nuts (especially me) if we have to wait till the summer and are playing them all that time.
She will need to practise more sight reading too but the aural tests won't present any problems.
What should I do? Go against teacher's advice and put her in anyway? I'm sure she'd be ok. Or wait until the summer (at the expense of my sanity)? I'm very conscious of her age and wanting to move her along, as is she (deep down). But if we do push it, maybe she won't do as well as she could do and that would be a blow to her confidence (she's quite unsure of herself).
Any input gratefully received, thanks!