At the grand old age of 33. Looking forward to learning some new music afterwards!

Always practiced on a digital so I know the biggest issue will be switching pianos. Usually when I play on an acoustic for about the first hour my abilities are reduced by about a quarter while my fingers get used to the keys. Usually the dynamic range is the first thing to go and I struggle to shape melodies as well. Thankfully I have arrangements in place with, and agreement with, the wife to look for a real piano in the new year so I won't have this problem in the future.

Fingers crossed!

The bestest of luck dude!! Hope it goes really well.

Good luck! Let us know how it went!!

Thanks guys.

Just got back.

Overall pretty average really, hopefully it's enough.

Scales and arpeggios all pretty fluid other than one slip, not the greatest shape to them but no obvious accents.

A piece was full of mistakes but I didn't stop at least.

B piece was pretty good other than one slip where the left hand completely went for about half a bar.

C piece was perfect, good shaping, other than one wrong note near the end but it wasn't too obvious.

Sight reading started well but then had some wrong notes and hesitation towards the end.

Aural, singing the melody was poor, I just forgot the second part of it! Singing from the score was, I think, good, and the questions/clapping were I think good as well.

Now chillin' with a Starbucks (I should've gone to Costa!)

Cheers

Congrats - an achievement just to have the guts to do it! What level/grade did you do? I'm doing my RCM (Canada) Grade 1 in January, 3 days after my 50th birthday! The worst part is my teacher wants me to register for my Grade 2 exam in April, and the deadline to register is 4 days before my Grade 1 exam, so even if I completely fail, I'm on the hook for the next one (and $100 fee)!

Hi there LisaE,

It was grade 4 ABRSM. I was a bit disappointed with certain aspects of it and there isn't much I think I did well but trying to be optimistic I don't think i've, sort of, done enough wrong to fail.

Good luck with your exams. I think you should register for the grade 2 to focus your mind and provide extra motivation. You can do it!

Cheers

Nick

The results are in... Pass! Not only a pass but a merit! Not only a merit but only 3 marks away from a distinction. All this after thinking I'd done badly and only practising on a digital. Roll on the new year, a new piano, a better performance and hopefully a distinction. Get in!!!

Congratulations!

Congratulations

Yahoo! Great job! I am so happy for you!! Great stuff! Are you planning on doing grade 5 too? I am planning on doing grade 4 RCM in April. I was getting back to my technical exercises again after several weeks break when I did Christmas music. I hope I can do as well as you!

Congratulations. Well done. I salute you

Congratulations! - it's well deserved!

Not bad for an old man. keep up the good work. i am sure doing the graded tests gives you quite a bit of motivation and something to focus on. enjoy your current success and accomplishment. success breeds success.
gw

Congratulations! What an accomplishment. You must feel so proud of yourself, and rightly so. I'm going to take this as inspiration to start my Grade 2 stuff and hopefully get through Grade 1 in - yikes - 3 weeks!!

Congratulations!

Thanks everyone!

Zoe, yes, I intend to get right into grade 5.

Should be a good Christmas!

Congratulations!

Congratulations!! Good for you to do the work for the exams AND the courage to perform under pressure. Best wishes in your continued success.

A pass with a merit! That is quite an accomplishment. Congratulations!!

Congrats! I'm glad it was a pleasant suprise for you from what you expected!

Well done, I'm pleased for you. I'm thinking of going the exam route myself, a long way off yet, haven't even started lessons. Your story is quite motivational.

Good luck with No.5 and enjoy the new piano when it arrives.

Neil.

Thanks again everyone.

Neil, the exam route certainly helped me. Before working towards an exam, whilst I worked with a teacher there was no ultimate goal. It was just learn this piece/that piece, polish it to a reasonable level if I wanted to, then move on. With an exam looming then of course you have to prepare more and get them much more polished knowing that they have to be performed and assessed. Not for everyone but good for me.

Cheers

Nick

Without wanting to start a new thread, just got the new piano! My first 'real' piano having practised solely on a digital. Not an all singing all dancing Steinway or anything but a reasonable first upright. Can't wait to get cracking!

Congrats ukbuk! What type of piano did you get? Is it new or used? More info and pictures!

Used, but only 3 or 4 years old. It's a Chinese piano (Steinmayer) which I know isn't brilliant but the tone is quite nice (not too bright or too mellow) and it fit into the budget better than anything else. Not sure how to upload photos I'm afraid!

To upload photos you have to have them on a site like photobucket or some such thing and then link them into your post in full reply screen.

If your new Steinmayer makes you happy and you like the sound then wonderful! Congrats! I have a used Kimball (that's a name that makes piano lovers shudder. lol) and I love it.

Adults can take Achievement Exams? I thought they were only for 18 and under?

Err, not sure what you mean by 'achievement exams' but anyone can take ABRSM graded exams.