Exam in 6 days.How to make best use of time left?

[yamaha]

Hi all 

I have my DipABRSM exam (which I failed earlier this year) on the 16th Dec    How should I be practicing in these last few days?  Should I continue  to use the methods I used to learn the pieces, HS, HT, sections 20 mins, repeated note groups etc...  or should I really be just playing through at this stage?  I want to make the best possible use of the time I have left before the exam, I can manage 4-5 hours day except tomorrow (long day at work)when I hope to do about 2 hours.

The pieces I am playing are............

Bach Prelude and Fugue in F# min    Bk 1
Beethoven Pathetique sonata complete
Schubert Impromptu in Gb D899
Bartok Dance No 2 from Mikrokosmos Volume 6

Any advice would be greatly appreciated 

Thank you

[kaff]

Did you get any feedback on why you failed last time?  I would have thought it might make a difference.  for instance, if you fell down on the viva, I'd be inclined to be working on that by getting someone to ask me likely questions and practising the answers.  I haven't done the Dip yet (next goal on my list), but I've found for interviews in the past, that it helped me just to practice saying out loud what I wanted to say.  I find that, even if I know in my head what I want to say, I can always express it more coherently if I practise out loud . 

Alternatively, if the pieces were the problem I'd be trying to sort out whatever was wrong there.  I should have thought with only a few days to go, working on individual sections might risk creating more problems?  I would be wanting to play the pieces from beginning to end to make them sound as much like coherent wholes as possible.

Good luck.  Will you let us know how it goes?  I for one would be interested, as I don't know anyone else who has done this exam  (although I believe my teacher has entered other students for it.  I haven't asked her yet. )

Kathryn

[shasta]

Hi all 

I have my DipABRSM exam (which I failed earlier this year) on the 16th Dec    How should I be practicing in these last few days?  Should I continue  to use the methods I used to learn the pieces, HS, HT, sections 20 mins, repeated note groups etc...  or should I really be just playing through at this stage?  I want to make the best possible use of the time I have left before the exam, I can manage 4-5 hours day except tomorrow (long day at work)when I hope to do about 2 hours.

HS, HT?!!  4-5 hours a day of practice?!!  Sorry, but I would hope that you would know your pieces well enough by now and with 6 days to go to not need to "practice" them anymore!  If I had 6 days to go, I would do the following:
 
Day 6 - play through your entire program once

Day 5 - play through your entire program once

Day 4 - play through your entire program once

Day 3 - play through your entire program once for family and friends

Day 2 - play through your entire program once in your concert clothes

Day 1 (day before) - DON'T DO ANYTHING PIANO-RELATED.  DON'T PLAY THE PIANO AT ALL.

Day 0 (day of) - try to get access to the actual piano you will be playing on and briefly play through the first few bars of each piece to get an idea of what the touch will be like.  If you are given access to a completely different piano to warm up on, play through some pieces TOTALLY UNRELATED to your program to get pumped (I usually blast through some Joplin rags in the minutes before to get energized).

[richard w]

If you know someone who will listen, play to them. If you can find different places to play, then go there and run your programme - even if the piano is not up to it. If you can adjust to different, possibly less-than-ideal situations, you will have no problem in your recital. Ask at your local church, even if you're an agnostic - they can only say no! Ask if you can play it through in your local department store, if they have a piano! It will feel as if people are listening, even if they're not. (And by the way, they will be).

[yamaha]

HS, HT?!!  4-5 hours a day of practice?!!  Sorry, but I would hope that you would know your pieces well enough by now and with 6 days to go to not need to "practice" them anymore!  If I had 6 days to go, I would do the following:
 
Day 6 - play through your entire program once

Day 5 - play through your entire program once

Day 4 - play through your entire program once

Day 3 - play through your entire program once for family and friends

Day 2 - play through your entire program once in your concert clothes

Day 1 (day before) - DON'T DO ANYTHING PIANO-RELATED.  DON'T PLAY THE PIANO AT ALL.

Day 0 (day of) - try to get access to the actual piano you will be playing on and briefly play through the first few bars of each piece to get an idea of what the touch will be like.  If you are given access to a completely different piano to warm up on, play through some pieces TOTALLY UNRELATED to your program to get pumped (I usually blast through some Joplin rags in the minutes before to get energized).

Hi    Yes, I do know them well enough, just not sure what to do whilst I wait, I dont want to waste time thats all.  Dont know if I dare cut back on my playing that much though

Did you get any feedback on why you failed last time? I would have thought it might make a difference. for instance, if you fell down on the viva, I'd be inclined to be working on that by getting someone to ask me likely questions and practising the answers. I haven't done the Dip yet (next goal on my list), but I've found for interviews in the past, that it helped me just to practice saying out loud what I wanted to say. I find that, even if I know in my head what I want to say, I can always express it more coherently if I practise out loud .

Alternatively, if the pieces were the problem I'd be trying to sort out whatever was wrong there. I should have thought with only a few days to go, working on individual sections might risk creating more problems? I would be wanting to play the pieces from beginning to end to make them sound as much like coherent wholes as possible.

Good luck. Will you let us know how it goes? I for one would be interested, as I don't know anyone else who has done this exam (although I believe my teacher has entered other students for it. I haven't asked her yet. )

Kathryn

   Of course I will let you know how I get on.  I passed the viva section last time that was all    I could play my pieces but I was soooooooo nervous that I played terribly on the day.  I never play for anyone so exams are always a big deal.  Still, I do feel my pieces are better now than at my previous attempt so hopefully that will give me more confidence.  Nerves........... it was awful, I seemed to get more nervous as the exam progressed not less!!   Even my legs were shaking!!

If you have any questions about the Dip, I would be more than pleased to help in any way I can 

[caro]

Hi    Yes, I do know them well enough, just not sure what to do whilst I wait, I dont want to waste time thats all.  Dont know if I dare cut back on my playing that much though



   Of course I will let you know how I get on.  I passed the viva section last time that was all    I could play my pieces but I was soooooooo nervous that I played terribly on the day.  I never play for anyone so exams are always a big deal.  Still, I do feel my pieces are better now than at my previous attempt so hopefully that will give me more confidence.  Nerves........... it was awful, I seemed to get more nervous as the exam progressed not less!!   Even my legs were shaking!!

If you have any questions about the Dip, I would be more than pleased to help in any way I can 

hi,mate
it´s curious but i´ve got as well an exam coming soon,on the 21st in Amsterdam. It was interesting to read this subjext,and all the replies. Well, i´m in the same situation than you right now. I know it sucks,cause these are our lasts days. Well,as someone said some lines up there it is not much to do now. It is too late anyway,though we always have the bad habit to think that is never good enough and then we become stressed and start making stupid things. Like practising like fools. What i m just gonna do is going through the whole program on a slow tempo trying to make it interesting. And maybe some try outs run through with special attention to dangerous places. And defenetelly having a beer after that with friends. Walking around or just going shopping!!!!
Good luck,im sure ull play wonderful
CAro

[yamaha]

Hmm, some slow tempo playing, maybe I'll do that.  Good luck with your exam!!   

[superstar]

what is HS and HT ??

[bernhard]

HS - hands separate
HT - hands together.

And yes, Yamaha, good luck on your exam.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[yamaha]

Thanks everyone for the replies  I will let you know how I get on, enjoy