Hi havent been here in a long time. I have just taken Grade 3 exam. I am worried that I have not passed. I did a mock exam a few days before with my teacher and did really well and played with no mistakes. When the actual exam came, the conditions were bad. It was freezing cold. The piano was horrible with stiff keys. The examiner was awful and I made a lot of errors. I did not want to play at that venue (a horrible old church) but circumstances beyond my control meant I had to go back there. I took grade 1 and 2 at the same venue but they were taken in the summer so it was ok but to take an exam at that horrible draughty place with insufficient heating with an old stiff acoustic upright that you are not used to playing is not fair for any studet young or old. I have played a variety of acoustic pianos which are lovely and have soft keys. No wonder you hear of concert pianists who try out the piano first and if it is not suitable or they do not feel comfortable using it, they refuse to play on it. Why should a student taking an exam be any different. It really puts them off. If I have to retake the exam I am not going back to that venue.... in fact I never want to see that venue again. I would rather pull out of the exam if that is the only place available. I asked to be put forward at my music school which was agreed but unfortuately because there was a lack of candidates, they could not hold the exam there and sent me to the church. I think if I had done it at my school where I like the pianos and where it is an altogether better venue then I would have done as well as I did in the mock exam. I was feeling confident until the day of the exam.

Can someone please reply as I am extremely concerned and getting sleepless nights

Hi - I see this post is quite old and no replies. I hope I'm not too late.

Did you talk to your teacher about the bad exam conditions?
This will have been the same for everyone - so were you one of the first the examiner saw - or later down the list?

I have put my kids through several grades, and mostly (but not always) the examiner is understanding of bad conditions - and nerves!
But I have never taken any grades myself - I didn't have the right family background. Now I am a medium level piano player and still enjoying playing - so grades are not the be-all and end-all.

If you do well, great - if not, don't let it stop you playing. The joy of music is not captured in an exam.

Now - I don't want to say grades are not useful - they help you measure yourself, and give a short cut to telling people about the level of your playing.
But I think music starts inside you and gets out there whatever grades or not you may happen to have.

Hope you did ok?

you'll be fine~!
the real joy in music is not testing it's about really enjoying the music
like me!

I passed the exam... God knows how because if I was the examiner I would have failed myself.

Thank you for letting us know. And congratulations - well done! You should be proud of yourself (and don't do yourself down). Even if you think you could have done better - not everyone can pass a grade 3 piano exam.

If you think you could have done better - have a think about those bits and put a little bit of practice in to improve them. If you can't see why or how to improve them, have a chat with your teacher.