Continued Piano after 12 years, help

[simon73]

Hello,

I'm 18 years old, and thinking of starting back to taking lessons for piano. I took lessons in 1995, and stop because i had to move overseas, i don't think i remembered finishing grade 1. When i turned 15 i decided to pick up piano again, and everyday i have been practicing diferent piece (easy ones), and didn't really start learning scales and arpeggios a few weeks ago. I'm deciding to take lessons when i get into uni start of next year, and wondering if i could skip grades, since i have been self thaught and been practicing and playing. And where can i get piano scores for each grade level so i could play and see what grade im at.

Thanks 

Simon

[elspeth]

If you're in the UK, you can take whatever grade exam you're good enough to take, whenever you like. I've never done piano grades, but I only did 3, 5, 6 and 8 on flute.

You can download the current syllabus for grade exam material from the exam boards' web sites, ABRSM being the main one in the UK although there are others that are getting more established, and either get one of the books of selections from each exam listing, or find the pieces separately yourself. Any good music shop will stock them, and I'm sure most will be floating about online in one form or another. ebay can be worth a look for a cheaper alternative to the highstreet. And second-hand shops, of course - you don't need a brand new edition, you just need an accurate one.

Unless you plan to either have a serious academic musical career (ie, you'll want to pass the higher grade exams as a means to get into college or university), or you've decided you want to do them as a sort of marker system for your progress - don't get too hung up on grades. If you're playing for pleasure, play music that gives you pleasure and don't worry if it's not on the grade lists or you don't know what grade it is. Good music has precious little to do with grades.

[amelialw]

which country are you from?

you can get free sheet music from these 2 websites
www.imslp.org
and
www.sheetmusicarchive.net

[simon73]

I am from Malaysia, but currently in New Zealand for the past 12 years. Are the ABRSM piano syllabus the same? Universal syllabus that is internationally used?

Thanks for those sites, i will check it out

I am wanting to play grades not just for fun or just making music, hahaha i'm thinking of careerwise in maybe playing piano as performance or maybe teaching, so yeah not just completing grade 8 but also the other exams after grade 8 such as performance, etc.

Please give me advice 

[amelialw]

you could try bach's pieces from the Anna-Magdelene book, schumann's album for the young No.1"Melody", Mozart's Minuets etc

[simon73]

ok thanks i will try give those a go.

Also i am sitting my Uni entrance exam in 8 weeks and in terms of studying is it good idea to put off and not touch the piano for 8 weeks till exams over and concentrate on studying or will that make me lose my touch? I usually practice 2 to 3 hours a day, how should i manage my practice times if it is not a good idea to stop practicing for 8 weeks?