ABRSM, Trinity etc Spring session exams - who's on the bench?

[Floottoot]

DS is taking grade 5 cello ABRSM next week, and I have a flute pupil taking grade 5 this week ( both dates different exam centres).
Pupil is destined for a merit, I think. Her pieces are pretty good, scales could go well if she concentrates, aurals should be fine as she's already passed grade 7 piano, but sightreading is inexplicably weak; she really struggles with rhythm, despite my best efforts and her piano experience.

DS's pieces are great, his scales are pretty secure but he's finding legato arpeggios a bit of a chore ( made harder by changing from a 1/2 size to a 4/4 size cello this term), his sightreading has the potential to be good ( he does well when I'm standing over him, cheering him on!) but he's prone to forgetting the last sharp/flat in the key signature and making the odd silly rhythm mistake, and his aurals are ok...IF he would just sing!
He's taking the exam at school, which is very convenient but does mean I won't be able to hiss last minute reminders at him!

So, what grades are other people's children/ pupils taking, and how's it all going?
As a parent of an exam child, I can now fully empathise with my own mum, who had to endure 2 of us taking exams in 3 different instruments, plus theory - much easier to be the child doing the exams! 🤣

Good luck every body. I have one in this session Trinity grade 2, I will be very surprised if she doesn't get a distinction.

But Oh God I am an idiot, I've just done my list for next term and if everyone goes for it, which they probably will I have 22 in across multiple centres. Including 1 grade 8 and 3 grade 5's and possibly a grade 6. Please reassure me, I know I'm in for a long term.

billy, you may want to arrange the exams to be taken place at yours? I heard you could call an examiner if you have plenty pupils taking the exams on a day. If it's piano, your pupils can play on the familiar piano too.

DS's teacher doesn't do this so I am not sure how true this is. But just a thought.

I think if you have 3 hours you can arrange a visit from ABRSM yes.

I see. Grade 8 is roughly 30 mins, isn't it? Suppose you can fill 2 hours and half easily with the numbers you are entering, billy. The exam centre DS's teacher uses has such a crappy piano. We would be super happy if the teacher let her pupils take exams on her lovely Stanley & Son piano! (but she won't for several reasons..).

I might have 21 exam candidates in the Autumn term - probably at three different venues. But I expect that some won't be ready/ won't want to, and others might give notice to stop by then, for all I know... lots of them are little recorder players, and the promising ones seem to be encouraged to stop (by parents) and learn something different! :(

@MadCats lol - I meant cats! Sorry for the derail

My ds is doing grade 2 piano end of this month, after no teacher for 6 months since July last year. We needed to go for it since he has been practicing since he did his grade 1 last spring. Finally got teacher back in Feb, but fingers crossed, for mostly DIY exam prep 2 years in a row.

Actually thats a really good idea, I have a decent Bechstein piano, could just about fit a reasonable chair and table in for the examiner. Thank you all, I will consider further. still petrified though its the most I've had by far.

billybagpuss, are you a private piano teacher?
That's certainly a good number of candidates! Definitely worth considering a special visit at your home - at least that guarantees your pupils are playing on a piano they're used to.

Irvine, well done to your son for keeping motivated whilst not having a teacher - that's impressive! Everything crossed for him for the exam - sounds like he'll do great.

Japanese, yes, it was an unusual situation to have a parent insist their child take the exam when advised against it. Even moreso when I recommended that, in that case, she needed 45 minute lessons in the run up to the exam...but the parent refused.
Always a tricky situation when a parent has a different view; in this case, the parent argued that she didn't mind what result the child got...

Always a tricky situation when a parent has a different view; in this case, the parent argued that she didn't mind what result the child got...

Sheesh, you're kind to keep on teaching the pupil at all after that. Pupils' results do impact on a teacher's reputation, it's not just up to the parent and child.

My DD has a grade 1 coming up, neither of us have much idea what to expect. Do they tell you there and then or do you find out later?

2 grade 7's & a Grade 3 being taken by my students this term- only one do I have confidence in that they have put in the work to get a really good result, others have pratted about too much for my liking. As a teacher I hate entering students for exams as I find it holds up their learning & shackles us to learning everything in such a prescribed order. But being pushed by these parents to enter them. I'd be less nervous if I were taking them myself!

Making me nervous. I'm nearly 55 and going to sit trinity grade 8 piano in June. I sat grade 7 2 years ago and got a distinction. But don't think I will this time. I find my fingers just don't go as fast as they used to. Wish I'd done it as a teenager but career got in the way

Wow, good for you musical! I think anything like that is much more of an achievement for an adult with all our other responsibilities in life.

string, we're the other way around - I wasn't bothered about exams but teacher thought it would be good for them.

Hi paradise, first time exam takers here too. I was told that trinity we'd find out at the end of the week (which is also the end of the exam session at this venue). I think ABRSM may be a bit longer but not the weeks it used to be when I was a child?

Musical I'm in awe - I'm finding grade 5 very challenging! Very best of luck!

My attitude to exams is to use them as way markers, rather than work towards them. I've seen too many children who take exam after exam, without ever really exploring other repertoire of working on good technique; the worst example was a pianist who declared that he was glad he'd never have to play another scale again after taking grade 8.
They are useful for motivating students, but IMO the student should already have reached the approximate standard before entry is discussed, and they should be a means to an end, not the end itself.

I can pretty much predict that my grade 5 pupil will turn up at her next lesson with the grade 6 music, sadly.

We are doing ABRSM here. My DS has Grade III piano and my DD has Grade V violin, both on Friday. So far they have passed all exams, but do any parents have experience of their children failing one? As we move up the grades, I am wondering how to handle it if this did happen!

I have a positive tale of exam failure! A friend's dd took an exam (not sure which grade) and failed it due partly (but not only) to a scales disaster. She's a very able girl who doesn't fail things. She promptly put in for a retake, got some ad hoc lessons with another teacher to fix her scales and technique and got a merit on the second attempt!

I think fails are pretty rare for students who have previously done well, unless they go to pieces on the day, in which case a retake usually results in at least a pass.I
The way to handle it is to say that it in no way negates the work they've put in leading up to the exam and is only a reflection of one performance, not their entire playing or ability. The most important thing is to focus on the effort, not the outcome and emphasise what they have learnt and achieved from the process.
Good luck to your DCs, Letlovewin - I'm sure they'll be fine.

Musicaltheatremum, that is awesome!! I have huge admiration for adult learners, and actually anyone taking piano exams; I eventually got grade 8 distinction in piano as my second study, but my goodness, it was a Labour of love...and blood, sweat and tears!

Tanks Floottoot. My daughter passed grade 8 abrsm piano aged 15 so I was determined to catch up. She is now teaching herself flute and guitar to make herself more attractive as a musical theatre graduate. (Guess where I got my username!)

Floot, your attitude is very similar to DS's piano teacher. So DS has never really worked towards exams.

He has done four exams so far (and zero for his first study), and he had learnt and performed some of the exam pieces one or two terms before each exam, so no panic nor cramming up but just a bit of shaping up prior to the exam day was all needed (though I must say I was nervous when he did his first exam as simply didn't know what to expect!).

I know the teacher varies her approach according to each pupil so she does uses exams for certain types. She said she would usually encourage to take exam for those who wouldn't practise otherwise.

I hear about teachers who enter their pupils for each exam diligently, or teach only exam pieces... I am so glad DS's teacher is not like that. DS doesn't mind taking exams as he likes any opportunity to perform for audiences (yes, even examiners are audience! ). But he doesn't really get motivated by the prospect of getting a certificate. He is probably not very aware of pass/merit/distinction neither. Pass is pass for him (which reduce my stress level thankfully....).

First Grade 8 (Trinity Jazz) here at the end of March.

Teacher is a 'take exams that reflect your level, not use exams as a way as preparing for the level' type, so it'll probably be OK...