What will it take to get from Grade 3 to Grade 8 within a year. Is it possible?

[dontcheeseme]

Hi! At the moment I'm suffering from sort of cognitive impairment (from mental illness) that affects my language fluency, intelligence, memorisation, both long-term and short term, and a lot of daily tasks including many aspects of piano learning. THis is frustrating, but it is estimated that within 2 years I'll be able to get all my smarts back, and I'll be able to learn the piano as normally as I did before. Unfortnately by then, I'd be 29, and still far away from being able to play my dream pieces. I'm very determined, as even now, I'm already practising in advance, as every second matters to me (that has been my new philosophy since the illness). Progress is very slow again due to this impairment, but it's better than waiting and doing nothing. I was hoping that it would be possible, with your advice and wisdom (including my own and piano teacher'''s) to get to Grade 8 when I'm 30. So that's one year after I get my full cognitive faculties back. (Can't believe I wasted so much time on things that I shouldn't have bothered with, here's a clue, I got into the occult, witchcraft and psychic stuff, demon invoking, whatever, and it messed my brain up, ironically to gain mastery in many things, acquire some sort of omniscience, this obviously backfired). I facepalmed myself, I should have tried learning NORMALLY like everyone else.

Note: I started when I was 6, but spent most of my time being a tad bit naughty and stubborn, I only got up to Grade 3 when my piano teacher quit. So that's one advantage that I might have, I got most of the very basics down I guess when I was a child, so this daunting goal is not that out of my reach. Or is it..?

And by Grade 8 , I mean proper Grade 8. Aural skills, conditining of the hands, brain plasticity, sight reading, theory, repertoire, etc. I'm willing to do anything (as long as it's legal of course). And I have 10 hours free time everyday.

[lostinidlewonder]

Why ask, just go ahead and try. The majority of people will not be able to do it but then again such a feat is unnecessary. Music is a long term experience, those who are in it for the short run might as well do whatever they like because they will give up anyway in the end. Personally I dislike the idea of music grades it gives a false sense of security or insecurity depending on who gives bias to grade achievement.

[dontcheeseme]

But to be honest I'm lost. I have 10 free hours  and I'm not quite sure what to do with it. Also not sure if the dictum "follow your heart" applies to piano practise. Mainly my current practise regime is to do arpeggios, and scales whenever I feel like, to learn whatever piece I feel like learning, and to never learn aural training because I dont feel like it. It lacks structure, and certainty hence self-discipline falls apart. It's either play videoo games, or to improve myself through music, as fast as possible. Giving myself that one year time to get to grade 8 motivates me also to get off my chair and practise and steal tips and advice from people who had to learn things the hard way, so that I wont have to go through time-wastingf trial and error process of doing what works and what doesn't. A deadline and a very concrete level to shoot for. And that's also to make up all the wasted time I spent on unimportant stuff, by giving myself tight challenging deadlines. So that someday I'll be thankful for putting effort into something.

[dogperson]

Here is one of your other posts:  (other forum members check this out!)  Now, you are asking about going from grade 3 to grade 8 in one year?   Methinks, I smell an internet troll.

Your current repertoire as you posted previously----   May 4, 2012

Scriabin Op 8 No 12 (polishing up, not finished)
Chopin Etude Op 10 No 12
Chopin Etude Op 10 No 4
Chopin Etude Op 25 No 11
Chopin Etude Op 25 No 12
other pieces, but I think I only have experience with 2-3 polyphonic pieces lol

[bernadette60614]

My doctor has a sign up in his office: Why are you here when you have the internet?

Obviously, he's being sarcastic.

However, the point applies here:  If this is your goal, you should be working with a good teacher.  The internet is not, my opinion, the best venue for advice on pursuing this type of goal.

[j_tour]

However, the point applies here:  If this is your goal, you should be working with a good teacher.  The internet is not, my opinion, the best venue for advice on pursuing this type of goal.

I kind of disagree.  If not on the internet, then where, exactly?  As long as it isn't some jackass in a superman cape and jockey shorts shouting at me IRL, I don't care.

No opinion on who/what a troll is, but I like to think everyone can take or leave whatever printed words as they please. 

And that is the uncharacteristically cheerful opinion of the most curmudgeonly, pessimistic person I know short of Thomas Bernhard, namely, me.

[pjjslp]

Here is one of your other posts:  (other forum members check this out!)  Now, you are asking about going from grade 3 to grade 8 in one year?   Methinks, I smell an internet troll.

Your current repertoire as you posted previously----   May 4, 2012

Scriabin Op 8 No 12 (polishing up, not finished)
Chopin Etude Op 10 No 12
Chopin Etude Op 10 No 4
Chopin Etude Op 25 No 11
Chopin Etude Op 25 No 12
other pieces, but I think I only have experience with 2-3 polyphonic pieces lol

Huh. Grade 3, Revolutionary Etude. Does not compute for me at all.

OP, giving you the benefit of the doubt, just give it a try with a good teacher. But do not spend your entire free 10 hours at the piano, or you are setting yourself up for burn out and injury.