9 Things You Need to Know Before Your Next Piano Exam

Jan 2

Anyone who has taken a piano exam will tell you that there are many things to try and remember before you begin. It can be intimidating, especially if you’ve never taken one before. We spoke with Dr. Donna Symons, an experienced examiner, to discuss nine things that could help improve your overall exam experience and achieve a higher mark.

Be prepared

The most important thing is to be prepared. Your success in an exam is directly related to how prepared you are. Lack of preparation leads to mistakes and mishaps. When you’re unprepared and the nerves start to set in, you start to forget things like dynamics and fingering. Everything revolves around preparation!

Tempo, tempo, tempo

Make sure you have the right tempo from the start. Practice the first 6 - 8 bars to make sure you have the right tempo instantly. Not only do you have to know the starting tempo, but also have to keep the tempo steady. Do a metronome check to make sure you are playing at the correct tempo, especially through the more technically difficult bars.

Rhythm is key

Any musician will tell you that rhythm is one of the most important aspects in music. Aim to keep the rhythmic flow or continuity. When you lose that rhythmic flow, you can lose marks. For example, the most important thing in the sight-reading portion or your exam is not the notes, it’s actually the rhythm.

Avoid correcting any mistakes or mishaps

Mishaps and mistakes will occur in your playing. The key is to not let that affect the rhythm. Avoid starting over from the beginning as most candidates tend to make mistakes in the same spot. Imagine you were driving and hit a pothole in the road. Would you stop, turn around, and try it again? No, you just keep moving forward. The idea is the same with any mishaps or fumbles that occur in your playing.

Just keep going

The easiest way to lose marks in a piano exam is by stopping because stopping disrupts the rhythmic flow. In your repertoire, have specific pickup points or safety spots that you can jump to. While practicing, rehearse jumping forward to these safety spots so that if it does happen in an exam, you’re prepared.

Memorize your repertoire

Memorizing your repertoire is the easiest way to gain bonus marks on an exam. Avoid memorizing your pieces at the last minute. You should have everything securely memorized at least one month before your exam.

Remember the technical requirements

Generally students put more effort and practice into their repertoire because it’s more enjoyable to play. However in an exam, you must remember that the repertoire itself makes up roughly half of the exam (depending on the grade level and exam system). Doing well on the technical requirement portion of the exam is just as important as the repertoire.

Don’t panic practice

Panic practicing or cramming hours of practicing in before your exam has a tendency to build anxiety and tension that could cause other problems. The last few days of your exam should be more relaxed. Play through your repertoire as if it was a performance. Try playing for a small audience or even record yourself to try and mimic what an actual exam would feel like.

Practice in your performance clothes, especially your shoes

Normally we don’t practice with our shoes on or in fancy performance clothes. Since this feels different compared to what we’re used to, it can be a distraction. If you’re not used to pedaling with shoes on, it can lead to pedaling mistakes in your exam.