Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Grade 8 exam in less than 24 hours!

Any last minute tips? I'm just going through my general knowledge, memorizing the modulations for each piece. I bombed my last recital, so frankly, I'm not too nervous about this exam since I dont think I can get anymore embarrassed than that last incident (seriously, people were actually giggling, and my piano teacher covered her face with her hands, it was that bad!) Crushed my spirit at the time, but in a way, it has made me a more determined student.

Yes, relax and get some sleep!

Good luck!

Relax and enjoy playing the pieces. if you worry too much it won't be fun and that'll show. Little mistakes don't matter too much particularly if you look like you're having fun and your audience (the examiner) gets sucked in to that fun vibe.

Yes, I agree with trying to enjoy it. You love piano, so it's a real treat to get to share the pieces you have spent so long practising with someone who is really interested in seeing you do well.

This is what I will tell myself anyway.... When I do my exam next year...

You must be doing something right to get that far anyway. When you pass, you'll be my hero as I'm sick of people telling me as an adult I'm never going to be very good xxx

good luck! good sleep +1

Thanks! I'm so excited I can't sleep! But I'll try. I'll keep you updated on how I go. Fingers cross I don't bomb this exam like I did in the recital.

Relax into the music and let it be the only thing on your mind. I wonder if we say "break a leg" before piano performances? Well the sentiment is there anyway

I was thinking break a leg too but then realized it makes pedaling much harder.

Good luck!

Enjoy your exam. Imagine you are practicing. Have fun!
Good luck!

Break a leg - pedal with the other. Good luck!

Woohoo!! All done! The examiner was a very nice lady. Had a memory lapse in the Beethoven sonata but otherwise I think the rest went well. The examiner said I did very well which was reassuring, at least I know I won't fail. I think I'm going to get a B or a B+ if
If I'm lucky!

Hmm I wish I I didn't stuff up the Beethoven sonata.... WHY!???! Why?!!! How could I forget that line when I played it so many times before without fail

Grats! Not that I've ever been graded on my (few) public performances, but getting a B or B+ on a public performance would be great. I don't think I've ever reached that bar!

Thanks. A public performance is a very valuable experience too, if not more.

Congratulations on getting through this! The examiner sounds nice and probably helped you relax. Dont worry about the mistakes. You're a student after all not a paid performer! They will know from all you did right that it was a slip up probably due to nerves not ability.

Keep us posted on your outcome! I know how much work goes into getting ready for an exam! Good for you for doing this!!

Thanks Zoe. It was quite disappointing that I practiced the sonata so much but then my memory slips during the exam, out of all time it has to be during the exam. I wasn't actually that nervous during the exam surprisingly. I think the memory slips happened because I was looking at my hands and it sort of threw me off. I was used to practicing just looking either at the music or a blank wall.

Stop beating yourself up over mistakes. What's done is done. Sounds like you did great and they will have seen far worse mistakes that your small issue.

Perfection is unrealistic in music. My piano teacher said that to me at some point when I was harshly berating myself for some small error.

Well done! Reward yourself now for working so hard.

Thanks Toastie. It's funny after the messed-up Beethoven Sonata I was already aware that I should stop looking at my hands, so for the rest of the pieces I played just staring blankly ahead. The examiner must've thought I was trying to show off. For those wondering, I played Bach Italian Concerto presto movement, a Schumann Romance, and a Bartok Suite, and of course, a movement from a Beethoven sonata. I had only 6 months to prepare for this exam from scratch, I did grade 6 back in May (skipped grade 7). The last few weeks had been really hard because I had to stay back late at work and had very little time to practice.

I'm going to do Diploma next but this time I'll spend a year on it. I'm happy that my childhood dream of finishing grade 8 has finally been fulfilled! I now have the bragging rights that I have completed all my piano grades .. except for diplomas.

By the way, I got to play on a Hamburg Steinway during the exam! The piano sounds so tinny almost like I was playing a harpsichord! It does really well on pp though (much better than my rusty yamaha anyway). I was suprised I was able to easily articulate the soft notes on the last passage of the schumann's romance, usually it doesn't make any sound at all on my Yamaha. Also, I noticed the gap between the keys are very pronounced and the black keys are much narrow... it would have thrown me off-guard but lucky I was exposed to a similar piano during the recital so I was mentally (and physically) prepared for it.

Thanks everyone for your kind support and encouragement. Any questions about exams etc, feel free to ask.

Congrats!


>Hmm I wish I I didn't stuff up the Beethoven sonata.... WHY!???! Why?!!! How could I forget that line when I played it so many times before without fail frown

This seems all to common... practiced till death, then fails during the performance. I have one piece that keeps doing this - plays fine from memory whenb at home but not with anyone near...

Congratulations! That is indeed an accomplishment. I hope you realized we were all there as an invisible and supportive audience enjoying the music and not noticing any mistakes. Good for you.