Is it possible for a P1 student to reach piano grade 8?

[phankao]

ksi:

phankao:

[quote=\"ksi\"]
Technically, how about musically? So Aural not that critical to be holistic? :?

Important in the long run, esp if they want music to be their career? But if they want it for leisure, I think as a parent, I'm happy that they can play well. If they really enjoy music, the rest tends to follow on as they grow older. By then, you can't stop them from exploring! ;D

So play well technically first whether enjoy or not so like drive it academically frst, then the rest will follow later after all the exams and they discover they like music......this sounds like NAFA's approach?[/quote]haha - really depends on the child too!

I certainly WOULD NOT let any child of mine take a grade 8 exam if he/she is of this standard. So embarassing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EqgcEb2gFY&feature=related
(*cringing*).

Actually if I'm not mistaken, NAFA's students would not do too badly in Aural either, since they get regular drilling in that. This is unlike private students where instrumental students (other than piano), get aural training only 1 to 2mths before their actual exam. Of course for piano students, most have their theory & aural lessons regularly, unlike instrumental students.

[corneyAmber]

phankao:

ksi:

So play well technically first whether enjoy or not so like drive it academically frst, then the rest will follow later after all the exams and they discover they like music......this sounds like NAFA's approach?

haha - really depends on the child too!

I certainly WOULD NOT let any child of mine take a grade 8 exam if he/she is of this standard. So embarassing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EqgcEb2gFY&feature=related
(*cringing*).

Actually if I'm not mistaken, NAFA's students would not do too badly in Aural either, since they get regular drilling in that. This is unlike private students where instrumental students (other than piano), get aural training only 1 to 2mths before their actual exam. Of course for piano students, most have their theory & aural lessons regularly, unlike instrumental students.

I was told typically they are weak in sight reading and they may not even be musically inclined but can learn music academically.

:slapshead: OMG!! she passed??? There you go...Mark...pass grade 8 is possible...from the very good to the not-so-good..

[phankao]

ksi:

phankao:

haha - really depends on the child too!

I certainly WOULD NOT let any child of mine take a grade 8 exam if he/she is of this standard. So embarassing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EqgcEb2gFY&feature=related
(*cringing*).

Actually if I'm not mistaken, NAFA's students would not do too badly in Aural either, since they get regular drilling in that. This is unlike private students where instrumental students (other than piano), get aural training only 1 to 2mths before their actual exam. Of course for piano students, most have their theory & aural lessons regularly, unlike instrumental students.

I was told typically they are weak in sight reading and they may not even be musically inclined but can learn music academically.

:slapshead: OMG!! she passed??? There you go...Mark...pass grade 8 is possible...from the very good to the not-so-good..

Most NAFA students aim to get 140+, so cannot be that bad at sight-reading lah....

NAFA standard at least like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHgyd8WWmY4
That is a grade 8 standard piece, and that boy is only 7. Younger than that girl in that horrid video!!! And I don't think he even took grade 8 exam, bc the other videos taken around the same time showed that he took grade 5 exam! Not so \"kan cheong\".

[markfch]

phankao:

I certainly WOULD NOT let any child of mine take a grade 8 exam if he/she is of this standard. So embarassing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EqgcEb2gFY&feature=related
(*cringing*).

Oh man, this is bad (sorry to the girl for saying this). After watching this, I'm more determined not to let ds skip any grades. 10,000 hrs of practice (and no short-cuts) to ensure that he plays good music for his own enjoyment.

ksi:

:slapshead: OMG!! she passed??? There you go...Mark...pass grade 8 is possible...from the very good to the not-so-good..

Luckily my ds is learning piano. For a well-tuned piano, no matter how unskilled one is, it will still sound tolerable. Violin really needs skilled hands.

[phankao]

markfch:

Luckily my ds is learning piano. For a well-tuned piano, no matter how unskilled one is, it will still sound tolerable. Violin really needs skilled hands.

It will not sound tolerable if keep making mistakes on that piano though. :roll:

[radiantmum]

Eh... does that mean that the advice to parents whom want to engage a pte piano teacher without recommendations then is : better to have diploma as miniumum qualification and if grade 8 only, tests the fella and make sure he/she knows how to play more than 3 songs *CRINGE*CRINGE* :nailbite:

[joyofmusic]

If the objective of learning is to get the grade 8 cert, then by all means, one can push the child ahead as fast as possible. The child may end up playing like that violinist in the clip and will probably not touch his instrument anymore after the goal is obtained. But if the objective is to develop the musicality in the child, then it is necessary to give time for it to happen. Exams should be a secondary matter. markfch has the right approach and I 'm sure he will see success (not measurerd by grade level) in his son's music learning. A grade 8 kid who has learnt properly should be able to play at this level or thereabouts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmxRyTFKp84

[markfch]

joyofmusic:

If the objective of learning is to get the grade 8 cert, then by all means, one can push the child ahead as fast as possible. The child may end up playing like that violinist in the clip and will probably not touch his instrument anymore after the goal is obtained. But if the objective is to develop the musicality in the child, then it is necessary to give time for it to happen. Exams should be a secondary matter. markfch has the right approach and I 'm sure he will see success (not measurerd by grade level) in his son's music learning. A grade 8 kid who has learnt properly should be able to play at this level or thereabouts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmxRyTFKp84

Wow, this is good. In years to come, hopefully ds can reach this level and maybe even beyond. I'm sure he'll thank me for this when it happens. :celebrate:

My friend a piano teacher told me that once he had a very good student. But sadly after he scored distinction in grade 8 at P6, his parents pulled the plug and stopped him from progressing further, to concentrate on his studies.

My friend had a pang of regret as he felt that this boy can go diploma and beyond. He played a recording of the boy for me, and it was just like a professional playing.

[joyofmusic]

That's such a pity for your friend's son, markfch. Music should be lifelong, and learning music too. There should be no end point. Most of us ( and our kids) will never reach the level of the professionals or the prodigy, but as long as there is determination and patience, we can get to a level that will bring satisfaction to the soul. No need to hurry. One thing very important is a good teacher. Many kids can get to Grade 8 but actually don't know much. So, don't equate a good teacher with how fast the student can reach grade 8.


I take my children for concerts (free at Yong Siew Toh) and we listen to good recordings. You-tube has quite a bit, but it is a mixed bag. Lots of lousy recordings. We however, cant get enough of Aimi Kobayashi, a child prodigy. Here's her at 4+ years old and at 14.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZwpjSNT620


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn7UnQWkcjY[/url]

[markfch]

joyofmusic:

We however, cant get enough of Aimi Kobayashi, a child prodigy. Here's her at 4+ years old and at 14.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZwpjSNT620

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn7UnQWkcjY[/url]

My goodness! :shock:

What song is that? How come the beats are so fast? :faint: