All About Choosing and Buying Pianos

[Dreamaurora]

Oh My Gosh:

DD is taking her Grade 1 exam this July. Her very first piano exam and I cant help as I have no musical background. In fact, I was a bit shocked when her piano teacher tells me cos she only started her piano lessons last July 2012, so I wasnt expecting her to take her practical so soon . Can anyone advise anything for the nervous little gal?

Taking first piano exam can be a very daunting experience, but with sufficient preparation and careful planning the experience can be a very positive one.

Try to finish the exam requirements early. If exam is July all requirements should be completed latest by end of May. This will give sufficient time to rehearse and boost overall confidence.

After all the exam requirements are complete, the teacher should go through the exam sequence in lesson i.e. mock exam. Normally 2 months before the exam I will give weekly mock exam for my students complete with marks given. First, this allows students to find out which part still deficient and need fixing. Second, this will familiarise them with the exam so they know what to expect when walking into that room. Beside mock exam, encourage your daughter to perform her exam pieces to you or friends from time to time.

You should also go through the exam etiquette with your daughter. Practice greeting the examiner, bowing, walking, adjusting the bench etc. The smoother the process is the more confident your daughter will be (and the happier the examiner will be).

All the best for your daughter's exam.

[jce]

Record her playing. Get her to play through scales and pieces without stopping even when there are slips. Play it back to her, positive comments and then what can be worked on. Prepare her for "if there are minor slips" or "if there is a major slip". These can make children nervous and go blank.

[peanut_butter]

Oh My Gosh:

Can anyone advise anything for the nervous little gal?

How nervous is she?

I did accompanying for three violin students last month. The most 'steady' among them was the one who booked, did his mock and practice in the actual venue for three weeks. But that can be quite expensive because you need to get a teacher to travel there.

[wkrf]

Thanks for the advice, OMG and Dreamaurora. It’s a great help!

[Dreamaurora]

peanut_butter:

Oh My Gosh:

Can anyone advise anything for the nervous little gal?

How nervous is she?

I did accompanying for three violin students last month. The most 'steady' among them was the one who booked, did his mock and practice in the actual venue for three weeks. But that can be quite expensive because you need to get a teacher to travel there.

This is actually quite important especially for pianists; often the interpretation need to be tweaked to suit the exam piano.

[Oh My Gosh]

peanut_butter:

Oh My Gosh:

Can anyone advise anything for the nervous little gal?

How nervous is she?

I did accompanying for three violin students last month. The most 'steady' among them was the one who booked, did his mock and practice in the actual venue for three weeks. But that can be quite expensive because you need to get a teacher to travel there.

Dont't think I will book the actual venue since it is only Grade 1. Ha.. But I will certainly do it for her Grade 8 exam (if her interest is still there).

[Oh My Gosh]

Dreamaurora:

Oh My Gosh:

DD is taking her Grade 1 exam this July. Her very first piano exam and I cant help as I have no musical background. In fact, I was a bit shocked when her piano teacher tells me cos she only started her piano lessons last July 2012, so I wasnt expecting her to take her practical so soon . Can anyone advise anything for the nervous little gal?

Taking first piano exam can be a very daunting experience, but with sufficient preparation and careful planning the experience can be a very positive one.

Try to finish the exam requirements early. If exam is July all requirements should be completed latest by end of May. This will give sufficient time to rehearse and boost overall confidence.

After all the exam requirements are complete, the teacher should go through the exam sequence in lesson i.e. mock exam. Normally 2 months before the exam I will give weekly mock exam for my students complete with marks given. First, this allows students to find out which part still deficient and need fixing. Second, this will familiarise them with the exam so they know what to expect when walking into that room. Beside mock exam, encourage your daughter to perform her exam pieces to you or friends from time to time.

You should also go through the exam etiquette with your daughter. Practice greeting the examiner, bowing, walking, adjusting the bench etc. The smoother the process is the more confident your daughter will be (and the happier the examiner will be).

All the best for your daughter's exam.

Thanks for the advice. The technical part of playing the pieces well, I have to leave it to the tutor as I have no musical background myself. I will take note of the exam etiquette. Thanks for the advice!

[Dreamaurora]

Oh My Gosh:

peanut_butter:

[quote=\"Oh My Gosh\"]Can anyone advise anything for the nervous little gal?

How nervous is she?

I did accompanying for three violin students last month. The most 'steady' among them was the one who booked, did his mock and practice in the actual venue for three weeks. But that can be quite expensive because you need to get a teacher to travel there.

Dont't think I will book the actual venue since it is only Grade 1. Ha.. But I will certainly do it for her Grade 8 exam (if her interest is still there).[/quote]I would recommend you do it even if it is only grade 1 because it is your daughter's first exam. In fact, I think for first exam preferably need more than one time to fully get comfortable with the place. The later grades can have lesser rehearsals at the place because by then students will be more experienced and confident in performing.

[Oh My Gosh]

Dreamaurora:

I would recommend you do it even if it is only grade 1 because it is your daughter's first exam. In fact, I think for first exam preferably need more than one time to fully get comfortable with the place. The later grades can have lesser rehearsals at the place because by then students will be more experienced and confident in performing.

How much is the costs of booking the venue? Teacher-wise is not a problem, as the teacher comes to my place every week to teach her one-to-one. So should be alright asking her to go to the venue instead.

[phankao]

Dreamaurora:

peanut_butter:

I did accompanying for three violin students last month. The most 'steady' among them was the one who booked, did his mock and practice in the actual venue for three weeks. But that can be quite expensive because you need to get a teacher to travel there.

This is actually quite important especially for pianists; often the interpretation need to be tweaked to suit the exam piano.

Why need to have the teacaher at the studio for practice session? I used to bring my kids just to go and get used to the studio and the piano. No teacher, altho' the teacher asked me to book the studio.