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Just had my piano exam. A little dazed now... lemme try and recount...
Ok, I was practicing like mad for 1 hour plus before I left home for the exam venue. I dunno if it helped...
Went there a little early. The exam was scheduled at 11.41am. I reached at 11.05am. It wasn't that long a wait. I sat on one of the chairs there trying to keep my mind clear. There were 3 other candidates before me. Two girls and one boy. The boy was Grade 3, and the older girl was Grade 5. Good. I was hoping that no one before me would be Grade 6. Otherwise there's a chance he or she might outshine me. Anyway, I didn't manage to see the grade number on the exam pieces book the younger girl was holding, but I'm guessing she's taking a low grade.
Anyway, the examiner this time was a woman. Ita Herbert. I read her profile, which was pasted on the wall. She plays piano and violin. The examiners always damn pro one... Well, I'm not sexist or anything, but I've never had a female examiner. When I was visualising the exam conditions back at home, I always thought of an old british guy. Guess I got 2/3 correct. The examiner was an old british lady. btw, I think the photo on her profile should be changed, man. She looks a lot older in person than in her photo.
Ok, on to the exam. The exams were running a little behind schedule, so mine began at almost 12pm, instead of the scheduled time of 11.41am.
So, here's what she asked me to play for scales:
Similar motion: E Major, Ab major, C# minor harmonic, B minor melodic (if I remember correctly)
Contrary motion: hm... can't really remember... did she even ask me to play? lol, I think it was A Major
Thirds in staccato: Right hand C Major
Staccato: C Major, I think. It might've been Eb Major. Not too sure. but definitely right hand
Arpeggios(forgive the possible spelling error): aargh, my memory is failing me. it was one of the flats in major, then I think G Major. There might've been another one, not sure
Diminished broken chords: Starting from D#
Well, I think my scales were quite ok. I didn't suddenly stop for a split second like I did last year, but I did miss a few notes here and there. Luckily, I didn't miss any notes for the staccato
Next, I played the exam pieces. I think I did quite ok. The first piece was ok, I missed a few notes, but I didn't stop. I continued playing. The second was not very good. I didn't miss notes, but I made a very obvious and ugly mistake. There's one part in the melody with a high note, to be played by my left hand. I sort of hesitated when I got to that part, then I pressed the wrong key. Aargh. It was a loud and very out of the tune note. But I managed to continue playing without missing a beat. The third piece. I think I didn't pull it off. It's supposed to be my best piece of the three. Some of my dotted rhythms became straight quavers. Aargh. At least I didn't falter when playing the running right hand triplets at the end.
Then next was sight-reading. I'm typically not very good at sight-reading. When the examiner passed me the sight-reading book and pointed out the one I was supposed to do, I was a 'lil overwhelmed by the fact that the piece nearly filled one page. haha, I usually do half page pieces. Anyway, it had a lot of running semiquavers, flowing from the left hand to the right hand. In Bb Major. One flat only- very lucky. I played it ok, I think though I played a few notes at the end wrongly, and I think my dynamics (loud, soft, etc.) were not that good.
Finally, it was the Aural component of the exam. I usually do quite well in this section. The singing parts were ok. I faltered at one of the bars during the sight-singing, but I managed to keep my cool and continue singing. Then came the indentifying the cadence part. Easy. Imperfect cadence, in minor key. The last part of the Aural section was a little weird. Analysis of a piece. She asked me to look out for two things only. I was a little shocked- two only? Style and Period. Aargh. I was hoping I wouldn't be asked to describe the style. I'm not that good at that. So she played the piece. I was panicking a bit. Couldn't decide which period. So I said 19th Century. I regretted that immediately, even before I finished saying "century". Aargh. Maybe it was romantic period. Or classical. Or barouqe? 20th century? Sigh, I didn't really pay attention to the piece. I was a little distracted by the fact that the exam was almost over. So after saying "19th Century", I had to describe the style of the piece.
"Um, the piece had a wide range of dynamics, with a flowing accompaniment, and it was generally expressive." Aargh. Hope I was correct. But if I got the period wrong, the description of the style would be totally wrong too...
So the exam is finally over. I hope I pass. I don't feel as bad as I think after my Grade 5 exam last year. Last year I thought I might fail. This year I think I should pass. Last year I got merit. This year- distinction? Haha, I hope so, but it'll probably be merit. If I'm lucky.
At least now I don't need to keep practicing my exam pieces, which have been getting increasingly boring. I can play other stuff. Yeah!
Hm... this is one long post.
Oh, almost 1.30pm already. My classmates are probably still having their lessons, haha, and I'm here slacking at home.
Quote of the day: "Please lemme pass..."
hyperxi's life @
9/15/2005 12:39:00 pm
