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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

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

218 replies

Floottoot · 06/03/2018 09:32

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! 🤣

OP posts:
Kutik73 · 26/03/2018 12:39

DS did his exam on 7th and got the result on 21st. But no report nor certificate yet. The teacher said it would take time so it may be until DS goes back to school.

Original poster
Floottoot · 26/03/2018 12:47

How did he do, Kutik?
Yes, my DS also plays better when the 'red light' is on!

OP posts:
Wafflenose · 26/03/2018 12:53

If it's ABRSM, they are now outsourcing their printing/ certificates. So results used to appear online once mark sheets and certificates were in the post, and now we have to wait another 10 days (it might even be 10 working days) for the paperwork to come through. We appear to be paying the same amount for a worse service...

My little pupil took her exam on March 20th, so I'll be looking out for her result next week.

BoundByBriars · 26/03/2018 13:12

Thanks Floottoot! I'm sure she will.

Yes, I think it might be the Prep test as her teacher did once mention it was called something else but always refers to it as preliminary. Great to hear there's no fail!

Kutik73 · 26/03/2018 13:19

Floot, he's got a distinction. Smile

Good luck to those who are doing exams this week!

stringmealong · 26/03/2018 16:04

My students took their ab exams on 14th - am I being impatient or are their results taking too long?

cantkeepawayforever · 26/03/2018 16:37

Well, DS has a bad cold and is now having gush-all-over-the-place nosebleeds (sent home from school today). Grade 8 in the morning is NOT what he needs right now....

cantkeepawayforever · 26/03/2018 16:45

(On a woodwind instrument ... just worried that he'll take one blow, erupt gorily all over the music and pass out on the floor....)

SadAboutTheBoy · 26/03/2018 16:52

Cantkeepaway - oh dear - you have our sympathy.... DS had his Grade 8 sax last week and was FULL of cold and heavily dosed up on paracetamol.
He said his pieces were fine, but his head was too foggy and his scales were a bit ropey Sad

It's such a shame, as it's his last exam.

Snowyberry · 26/03/2018 16:57

Can they retake it if it doesn't go as well as they are capable of because of illness?

Original poster
Floottoot · 26/03/2018 17:01

Bravo miniKutik! Fantastic news!
cantkeepaway, that's such a shame. 24 hours can make a big difference, so hopefully he won't be gushing tomorrow. Everything crossed for him.
Sadabout, hopefully the scale slips were insignificant overall and he will have done well in all other areas. So many scales at grade 8!

OP posts:
Original poster
Floottoot · 26/03/2018 17:04

Snowy, you can retake any exam for any reason if you're happy to pay the exam few again. It can be an issue if the syllabus has changed but there is usually an overlap period, so you'd only be unlucky if your taken the exam during that period in the first place.

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Snowyberry · 26/03/2018 17:04

Dd took grade 2 flute on Saturday. She thought it went ok. I was downstairs chatting to other parents during it. The women who host the exams found it odd that it went quiet for a while in the middle of it. Dd said the examiner was writing. I'm hoping that spending longer than normal writing isn't a sign that she failed and he was needing to spend longer explaining why!

Original poster
Floottoot · 26/03/2018 17:04

fee, not few.

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Original poster
Floottoot · 26/03/2018 17:08

stringmealong, the dates for exam results are on the ABRSM site. It can be up to 3 weeks, so you may have a while longer to wait. I'm still waiting for results from the 8th. Unfortunately, the pupil's mum entered her, so all I can do is...wait.

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cantkeepawayforever · 26/03/2018 23:13

Think we may have to cancel. 5 serious nosebleeds in 10 hours, and only managed to get through 1 of his exam pieces before having to dash for the tissues.

cantkeepawayforever · 26/03/2018 23:16

Anyone know how to get a 'medical certificate'?

CotswoldStrife · 26/03/2018 23:40

I'd have thought the medical certificate was a note from the GP, would they sign something for you? Sorry to hear about the nosebleeds.

Original poster
Floottoot · 27/03/2018 09:14

Probably best to ring the area rep to explain and see what they say. I suspect cancellations are non-refundable but I don't know for sure.
Such a shame and such bad timing - he must be very disappointed.

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Original poster
Floottoot · 27/03/2018 09:16

My grade 5 pupil finally got her results today - distinction. Better than I expected, as her sightseeing and aural were distinctly dodgy but she'd worked hard on everything else.

OP posts:
Madcats · 27/03/2018 11:25

cantkeep.. I do hope your DS gets his nosebleeds under control. DD has had some stonking great ones in the past. Leaving really cold water in her mouth for a minute or 2 seems to help (could you give him some icecubes in a thermos). That is such bad luck. I hope you sort something.

DD got a comfortable merit for her grade 3. I was about to phone the school and ask them to look (but it turns out DD has been keeping the result to herself for the past 5 days - so results took a fortnight or less). Her teacher is a little frustrated, I suspect, but I am glad we know the result and can move on.

In a way I am pleased DD is a little embarrassed/disappointed, but hopefully this will reinforce my message that being great at things is going to start needing a bit of work as she progresses (be it in dance/swimming/running/schoolwork).

Well done to Kutik and good luck to everybody still waiting for results. Wouldn't it be great if each candidate could have a parent login too!

2ndSopranos · 27/03/2018 11:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Floottoot · 27/03/2018 12:55

Madcats, a secure merit is still very good. A poor mark on sightseeing can take an otherwise distinction effort down, and sightreading is something that sometimes takes students a long time and experience to master.
Try not to feel too discouraged. DS took grade 4 last year and got a merit, despite his best efforts ( both his teacher and we thought it was a harsh mark, actually, which may be the case with your daughter). If she really didn't put her best effort in to prepare, it may just be the thing that gets her to up her game. She's still done well, though. (I say that as a flute teacher!)

OP posts:
Snowyberry · 27/03/2018 13:31

Eek! I was talking to a friend about the exam centre host finding it odd that it went quiet for a while in the middle of dd's flute exam and she said that happened when her ds failed his exam. Dd thought she did ok. Will have to wait and see!

stringmealong · 27/03/2018 13:54

Got by AB results from 14th - all passes, not merits or distinctions but no fails either. Phew! So the one I thought would scrape a pass got 106 & the one who I thought deserved distinction (but thought he'd got a bit nervous on the pieces & forgot all the dynamics) got 111. Such a shame as he deserved so much more for the work he'd put in! It's really made me think about getting all my pupils more performance practice with a proper pianist though - I'm sure their lack of experience at being followed puts them off !