For those who do take ABRSM grades...

[chopin_ice]

I'm aware that not many people here take the ABRSM exams, but for those who do, I was wondering, does your teacher teach you both the theory and practical parts? Or do you have separate teachers for it?

[yamaha]

Some teachers do and some dont.  Personally, I think that all should.  I do theory with all my students.

[faulty_damper]

My former teacher never taught theory until you reached grade 5.  Then it was pure agony to learn the theory because it was not taught with the repetory.  Some students would not pass it and would have to repeat it (and then fail it again...)

But I have never experienced taking these exams though I had asked to take the theory and grade 8.

Learning theory is one of the easiest things to do especially if you already have a playable repetory.  You just need a competent teacher to point out what they are in the pieces.

[chopin_ice]

oh, btw, I meant higher ABRSm grades, like 6-8, where analysing pieces and more complicated stuff is concerned, and not the basic theory...