Exam Result

Simonb · 2025-07-28T10:37:01+00:00

Hi I didn't really know where to post this, so if this is the wrong place, sorry. I passed my ABRSM grade 8 Piano Performance today scoring 124, so I passe...

thepianoplayer416

Would take me a while to get to the same level.

Congrats. Time for celebrations...

Simonb

Hi ShiroKuro

It's better explained by saying "one continuous take". You can have as many attempts as you need, but it must be a single video with the 4 pieces played one after the other.

Cheers

Simonb

Hi Nightowl

You can record the introduction as a separate piece of video. My Teacher and I did this for my grade 8. It's only the playing of the 4 pieces that has to be continuous. The logistics really aren't that difficult, once you get your head around it.

It is stressful, and inevitably you get nervous, but it's nowhere near as bad as the in person exam where an examiner is in the room with you.

Cheers

Simonb

Hi ShiroKuro

To put your question into perspective.
For this exam the take that was submitted by my Teacher was my 4th attempt. I did it quicker than my grade 7, where I think I had 6 or 8 attempts.

Sometimes just getting through all 4 pieces is a struggle. We did 2 takes on Monday July 7th. And neither of us were happy with them. So a week later we had 2 more goes. On attempt 3 I made so many mistakes I started tutting during the first piece, so that was quickly abandoned.

The 4th attempt my Teacher submitted was by no means perfect. There was certainly the odd slip up in all the pieces, but classical examiners are looking for so much more than just playing the right notes. I've heard of people who have spent ages recording dozens and dozens of takes, because if they play a wrong note, or screw up the timing they think the recording won't be good enough.

Hope that makes sense!

Cheers

ShiroKuro

Simonb Thanks for explaining that! That makes sense! I was wondering about the logistics of how they would enforce someone only doing it literally once. But having to do all the pieces in one take is stressful enough, no doubt!

Do you know if the video option started during Covid, or has it been an option for longer than that?

BTW how many minutes was your program?

Simonb

Hi ShiroKuro

Yes the performance/video option did start during covid, though I believe ABRSM had been planning to introduce it anyway.

My Teacher went on holiday a few days after submitting my performance video, so I don't have a copy of the recording yet. For the 4 pieces, without the separate introduction (which is about 90secs) I'd guess the video was probably about 15mins long.

Cheers

Simonb

For those interested, here is the feedback form from my exam.

Cheers

ShiroKuro

Simonb That's just fantastic, Simon!!! It's great to see the feedback, well done! Congratulations again!

diretonic

Congrats, Simon! - the trinity diploma will no doubt keep you busy for a while and then perhaps teaching piano yourself?
You mention diving in to the exams at grade 6. Around 65 years ago (and it shows!) having passed grade 5 I was encouraged by my teacher to jump to 7 but you had to take grade 5 theory to move up through further grades and at the time jazz was calling so I lost interest. Did you do 5 theory or was it not needed for the performance diploma?

I'm intrigued by the 'one take' video, wondering what the scope is for subterfuge ? (I'm asking for a friend).

Simonb

Hi diretonic

I did grade 5 theory back in 1989, I also grade 7 & grade 8 theory a year or 2 after that as well. In fact all were taken before I did grade 6 back in 1992.

For the new style performance grades you still need to have grade 5 theory if you want to grades 6, 7 & 8, just like in the more traditional exams (which are still run now as well).

Cheers

TC3

Simonb That's an AMAZING accomplishment. Kudos to all your hard work to achieve it!

trecorda

Congratulations!
These exams used to be totally classical when we did them but everything has changed. The format was always the same for diplomas. Scales and Arpeggios Broken chords, Prelude & Fugue - Bach,
a complete sonata by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. ( Schubert choice available for ATCL and LTCL)
A Romantic piece
An impressionistic or a modern piece

The grade exams were set in exam books for both Associated board and the Trinity exams. The pieces followed a similar pattern of Baroque piece, Classical piece, modern Classical piece. ( grade 8 impressionist or late Romantic as well) Enough scales, broken chords etc to drive you away. ..😙

It is so nice that one can now record a performance and send it in. I remember doing the ATCL while at high school. I passed but I cannot remember my mark. I still have everything tucked away in brown bag in the closet.. .I need to look sometime.

Simonb

Hi trecorda

Thanks.

You can still follow the totally classical route if you want to. There is a big enough selection in the syllabus to allow you to do that. And ABRSM and Trinity still publish books for the grade exams, with a sub section of the syllabus in them.

The face to face exams are still run as well. In those you are still required to do scales, sight read etc etc.

ABRSM introduced the performance exams during covid, though my understanding is that they had been in the planning stages of introducing them before covid happened. But covid made it a necessity....

My ATCL (if I ever do it!) will be almost totally classical. At the moment I plan to play:
Scarlatti - 2 Sonatas
Haydn - Sonata
Coleridge-Taylor - Deep River
Debussy - Prelude
Scriabin - 2 Preludes

A couple of years time; maybe!

Cheers

trecorda

It sounds like a good plan. It’s a way of you and your teacher keeping track of your development. But however you proceed whether it’s purely classical, jazz, light music I wish you all the best!

It’s nice idea to lighten up on the repertoire of the exams. I think the old classical route while good is no longer being considered the ONLY WAY to go.
When I did those exams it was just expected so I did them.

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