Wednesday 17 June 2009

I am doing a piano grade exam

EEEK! I wasn't going to do the grade exams when I first started playing the piano but after talking with another adult learner, I decided to go for it. All this happened just a couple of days before the deadline for application for this term's exam so I didn't have time to dwell and change my mind and all that... I think it is probably for the best, now H won't tell me what I can or can't play because "you are not even grade 1".

I have 3 pieces to play. The A piece is Gavot which I find the most difficult because of the change in tempo, especially those triplets! H also played this in his piano exam when he got a merit but I think he is a bit worried about the competition. Last night he said, "you'd probably do better than me as you've had more time". The B piece is Kummer ( meaning Grief ) which is a natural for me as it is slow and haunting. The C piece was going to be difficult to choose as this is what my boys call the "fun" piece, mainly aimed at kids. I picked African Dance because I wanted to conquer my fear of chords! Here's Gavot for now. I am struggling to upload more. They were 'taped' with the webcam but the camera is nowhere near the piano so, sorry, no visual, just sound.

I am doing great with scales...scales are wonderful because they are even, no mixture of crochet and minim and quavers and whatever. The sight reading is going to be so, so, but the aural could be a nightmare especially if I have to say whether the examiner is playing is 2 or 3 times. And I can't sing, big sigh.


1 comment:

Sian said...

Best of luck Ifa!