Advice based on our experience —
- You have 28 days from registration, but you can upload the recording as soon as you are registered. So the safe way to proceed is to wait until you have a full satisfactory recording ready before registering for the exam.
- The marking is focused on PERFORMANCE so performance aspects of music playing are crucial. Marking of these aspects is much stricter than in traditional exams.
- Show interest, focus, and respect, for each piece in your performance. In particular, a break of a few seconds between each piece is essential. The following comments in an actual mark form of a pupil passing with distinction are typical of what can hold back even an excellent performance: “The playing was committed but there could have been more poise and stillness in between the pieces for moods to settle, and taking the hands off the piano between the pieces, would further have enhanced the feel of a performance. “
- It would be counter-productive to overdo things by some form of ‘acting’. But genuinely expressing awareness of an audience (the examiner will be your audience) should come naturally. When going through the introduction, be aware of talking, not to an impersonal recording mike, but to the examiner who will be watching and listening. Providing you can let it come naturally, finishing with a smile, again aimed not at the camera but at the person watching, is probably a good thing. You will find some advice in this video Alexis French is back with another practice tip, thinking about your stagecraft and performance.
- To avoid accumulating all sources of pressure at the last minute, get used to technical aspects of recording, and to playing while recording, well in advance of going through a whole final performance.
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- Make a habit of placing the phone/tablet in the right spot to frame the performer and the instrument correctly.
- Get used to enunciating clearly all parts of the introduction.
- Get used to showing the beginning of the own choice piece to the camera so it is framed correctly.
- Get used to showing your ID if applicable (grades 6 to 8).
- If you follow this advice, you should be able to avoid recording full performances for exam uploading too many times. Children, especially, easily show signs of tiredness and jadedness which are in direct conflict with performance criteria.
You will find more information and inspiration on the ABRSM Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@abrsm
If you feel you don’t have time, please remember this is not time invested just for the next exam, but for all future exams.
PLEASE REFER TO THE ABRSM WEBSITE FOR FULL CURRENT INFORMATION.
https://www.abrsm.org/en-gb/performance-grades/about-performance-grades
Performance Grades are digital exams assessed from a video recording submitted by the candidate.
https://www.abrsm.org/en-gb/performance-grades/guidance
This page includes important information for candidates and parents. Please read it carefully and watch the linked video before you record and submit an exam video.