GRADE 8 EXPERIENCE ABRSM and I NEED HELP!

Hey everyone! So it has been a while since I blogged, probably about a month. Yes, as the title suggests I'll be talking about my experience taking a grade 8 PRACTICAL exam, which is today (3 July 2014). I've been taking quite a while to practice and practice my exam pieces, sight reading, scales and also, aural! It's really nerve-wrecking and tiring, I can be really honest with you. But you know, GRADE 8, what can you expect? With a pass, you can teach other students or even perform in a crowd of people! My dream since young was to be a musician. But I'm still unsure what type I should choose though.. Professional musicians out there, I really need your help to give me opinions and tips of 4 components (mentioned above)

OR

Back to the experience. To be honest with you, I literally jumped from Grade 5 to Grade 8 (but my piano teacher practiced Grade 6 and 7 together with me). But, when I stepped into the exam room, I wasn't feeling like nervous. My hands and legs  were not shaking and my heart isn't beating that hard. That occurred to me when I was grade 5. It is just so... ironic... I mean, wouldn't you be nervous when you are taking the highest grade (okay, diploma is higher. But still, grade 8 is considered HIGH! )

I started on scales, followed by exam pieces, then sight-reading and lastly, aural. You know, the whole examination is really fast! It's like a blink of an eye. I don't know.. I have different feelings between grade 5 and grade 8..

I tried out the piano first, then I played E flat minor melodic, it flowing quite well though. I guess the examiner was kind of impressed. I managed to answer what examiner wanted immediately, but maybe a little bit of mistakes in between. I screwed up in the diminished seventh, the examiner wanted me to replay again T.T Bad idea... I guess, she's kind of disappointed ._.

For exam pieces, I manage to not stop throughout my three pieces. But there's some notes problem again. I'm not sure what is wrong with my fingers...

Sight-reading... HORRIBLE! Yes, HORRIBLEEEE!! The examiner gave me a key of 3 sharps. I guess it's a major key. And I played it as if I'm grade 1 now and playing a grade 8 sight-reading. I stumbled a bit in the middle, but I played smoothly at the end. All the notes are just chords in the right hand, and some monophonic(single line) in the left hand... SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH ME. I NEED HELP FOR SIGHT-READING! *CRIES*

For Aural, it's still fine.. But just.. the SIGHT-SINGING. I don't know, I do every component that has the whole "sight" completely. I can't read something out of the blue immediately. Professionals, pianists, musicians, any instruments teachers, do you have any tips for sight-reading? I guess every instruments has to go through sight-reading, not only piano! For the 3-part phrase, I was still able to hear the bass note. I guess the examiner purposely gave the bass note loudly. She's giving me a chance, I'm really thankful for that. I got the cadence correct but I'm not sure if the 3 chords I got it correct, I was nervous for no reason. Sight-singing, the examiner told me to resing again, I can't even sing the notes, I got the pitch but I can't sing the notes like "Doh Re Mi Fa So La Ti Doh" ARRRGHH. For Question and Answer, I'm unsure if I got the period correct but I kept on talking until I had nothing to say. The examiner didn't stop me from talking ._. despite the fact that I talked about the character and the style&period.

So... QUESTIONS THAT I NEED HELP WITH!

• In your opinion, do you prefer performing or teaching as your career? If so, why?
• How do to read sight-reading and sight-singing in such a short time? Must both of them be practiced daily? How did you overcome your difficulty in them?- *It's really very difficult for me to do sight-reading and sight-singing, really, those that needs to be seen*
•  How do you usually listen to the bass note in Aural? (E.g. Lowest part in 3 part phrase, Finding the 3 last chords, modulations) How did you practice them?
• For Scales, how do you usually practice them? *No matter how slow I go, my fingers won't coordinate...

• Exam pieces, do you usually play it slowly first before increasing the speed? How do you usually practice the ornaments if you have them?

I think that's all the questions I want to ask. I really hoped you can help me in improving my skills. I sincerely thank you for reading my blog and I really hoped you can give me some opinions. Nothing's wrong! Everyone have their own opinions!

I think I have to just let go the exam for now and polish up what I'm weak in.. Let it go~

LOL... Froozen 
 

Disclaimer: All photos are not owned by me. Credit goes to the rightful owner!
So long, take care~ 

SPEECH DAY 2014

Hey everyone! Long time no blog. Exams are finally over!! Like really, I've enough time to blog about another event in my school. Well, as the title says, IT'S MY SCHOOL'S SPEECH DAY. I've quite a lot of photos taken that day! So I would like to upload here. You know, memories~

The reason why I attended the Speech Day was not because I'm choosen as the audience. I got top 3 in my express stream. (Btw, I'm not boasting here.) It was kind of unexpected. But I knew that I got top 10 for my express stream, but not... top 3 :O I was kind of shocked though when I was told about it. But, my efforts are paid off. Studied too hard, but put too much pressure on myself. Anyways, here are some photos! :D

So we took some pictures in the canteen! (:

BFF Yun~

Friend Nicole! (:

Friend Tessa and Nicole~

Then in my classroom... I was trying to study a bit of my Science, but got distracted by friend Rachel, Nicole and Tessa. XD Yeah. Was with them and introducing to a new friend in my blog, Friend "Cow".. SO SORRY, KYLE! (: Let's just hope he doesn't visit my blog, probably people (my friends especially) might sabo me. But whatever, I guess he won't kill me! (:

Friend Rachel photobomb

And there's Friend Tessa, Rachel, Kyle.

Nicole and Tessa drawing on whiteboard

With Her Yue.

SHE'S LIKE SO PRETTY.

Group picture

 I love Friend Tessa's bangs!! ):

Tessa's fish-like lips. Usual habit for her.

 It didn't scared you, did it?



After that, we went to prepare ourselves for that event. BY WEARING A TIE. It was simple, but we camwore (or camhore) a lot. Being kind of rebel, to be honest.

Yeah, Kyle was studying. XD

Getting ready..

TOO DARK!

Tessa's own selfie

I tried the "Heaven: effect. AHAHA

Full shot with Tessa.

 Forgotten to tuck in the blouse, retake.

TESSA LOOKS SO AWKWARD

Friend Yue~

What they did when I wanted a picture with Her Yue when she put on her costume and her make-up. I swear, IT'S SO PRETTYYYY!!!

Now with Friend Rachel

 PHOTOS WITH HER!!

*cries* my untuck uniform AAHHHH

Tessa blocks~

Friend Kyle. Tessa's face got half-cut, and that blur and stunned face though.. XD

 I'VE NO HUMOR

What they did. So rebel.. Haha.. Just kidding

 TIE IS SOO FAT AND SHORT. XDXD

Collage

In the hall...

In a nutshell, this year's speech day was a memorable one. Met one new senior, because of friend Rhonda! Well, because they're in the same CCA. Also, friend Rhonda was in the parade but not my senior. Sooo, we talked, mainly about Rhonda, and class stuffs because we're class comittee! :D But it was fun, to be honest!

I shall see you in my new blog. Take care~

Geraldine (: