Yamaha exam

[idlewise]

Hi musicglen


Does it mean that if my kid went through the YJC and the extension course, and I want to continue with piano classes, my kid will start with Grade 8 in piano?

[radiantmum]

Yamaha Grade Examination System Structure

Yamaha Grade Examination student grades begin at Grade 9 and progress through Grade 6. Grades 5-3 are teacher level examinations, and Grades 2 and 1 are available to anyone interested in taking a professional performance examination.

http://usa.yamaha.com/music_education/yms/grade_examination/

Champion, for more details on what was being tested on Yamaha different grade exams - check below

http://www.yamaha-mf.or.jp/english/syllabus/index.html

& I believe you are referring to completing Yamaha Grade 9 practical exam and ABRSM Grade 1 theory/practical (idelwise, not sure too which one are you referring to). Again, Yamaha and ABRSM are different exam boards and their grading systems are in opposite orders.

[musicglen]

Hi all, sorry for the long hiatus as I don't know why but I didn't receive any email notifications that someone replied to the thread!!


Anyway hope this still helps.

@Champion:
1) Yamaha Grade 9 exam is a Practical Exam. Regarding what is being tested, do check with your child's JXC teacher as time to time they're making changes to the syllabus and exam criteria.
2) They are using ABRSM grade 1 specimen papers, and this is in preparation for ABRSM Grade 1 theory exam.
3) Upon JXC graduation, a child may switch to individual lessons and might not need to start from scratch. However, this would very much depend on the student's ability/progress and the teacher. I'm currently teaching a JXC graduate for private lessons and I started her off with ARBSM Grade 2 and she's coping quite well. I'd say nowadays ABRSM grades are getting tougher so whether to \"skip grades\" would be very much dependent on the student and the teacher.

@idlewise
I'm sorry, your Grade 8 refers to ABRSM?? To reach ABRSM Grade 8 took me quite a few years to reach that as it is the highest level of ABRSM grading. I was a JMC graduate myself (at my time there isn't any JXC) and after that I went for individual lessons with my JMC teacher. Which means I started JMC when I was 4 yrs old, and I only gotten my Grade 8 Practical when I was 15. So I suppose you mean Yamaha Grade 8 since at the end of JXC, your child would have gone for Yamaha Grade 9 exam. For many one-to-one lessons, teachers would prepare a student for ABRSM, instead of Yamaha exams. Hence, @radiantmum is right and her links above are very useful! Do check them out!

[comfy]

Hi, my dd just finished her Grade 8 electone exam. From the above sharing, I realise that within the grade 8 there is course A and B. So for grade 7 exam, is it better to take course A. She took course B for her grade 8 exam. Any advantage? Hope to hear from anyone who has knowledge regarding this? TIA

IMO, looking at the content of the exam for course A and B, course A seem to be easier as there is no sight-reading and hearing. Less component to learn for exam. Am I right?

[radiantmum]

I asked my kid earlier the difference btw course A & B & he said A is for adults?!


Mine taking course B exams with Yamaha & true course B has more components.

[comfy]

not true. I have spoken to her Yamaha teacher and she said that that she cannot effort to have students taking different courses ( A or B ) in the same class. This is her own words : " If cannot handle or pass course B, then DOWNGRADE to course A, lah". See, implying that course B is more difficult. Wonder how to find another Yamaha teacher to coach my dd in course A. Why make the kid suffer more if can obtain the same grade and enjoy the music at the sametime?

[angelfromheaven]

Hello musicglen, how are you there?


I’m not asking for any child but myself. I’m a Malaysian, residing in Taiwan intends to sit for yamaha piano grade 5. FYI, I’m a self-learner ). I’m play guitar, ukulele, tamborine, shakers and percussion drums.

Anyway, I got questions for yamaha piano grade 5:
a) Repertoire: One is compulsory from the list, and one movement of the sonatina is counted as one piece. My questions:
a.1) Say the whole sonatina has three movements, can I choose either movement number two or three?
a.2) The rest of the three pieces are free selections. Can I also choose from the three volumes of the books they published? Else do you have any suggestions?
a.3) I read somewhere saying that examiner might choose the piece for us in the repertoire. This makes me curious.
Question: Isn’t that we choose ourselves earlier and when the day comes we just inform the examiner which piece we are playing?

b) Improvisation - variation & motive and sight-playing: We are given 10 mins and 20 seconds respectively.
Question: Are we allowed to bring in the notes while playing after the viewing?

I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you very much.

Angel