 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: mikewenham
Date: 2013-09-03 22:20
Hi,
I'm planning on taking my grade 2 clarinet in November (I'm skipping grade 1).
I've read in their exam info (from the ABRSM website) that says pieces from lists A and B must be played to a *live* piano accompaniment. It also says that under no circumstances will the examiner provide the accompaniment, and you are responsible for providing your own.
I don't know anyone that plays piano. My teacher is a professional musician but only plays clarinet and sax.
This seems like quite an unfair requirement. What's wrong with using the CD they officially sell for practice? I've emailed them for clarification, but wondered if you have any personal experience of whether this is in fact what is really expected?
http://gb.abrsm.org/fileadmin/user_upload/syllabuses/woodwindRequirementsInformation14.pdf
Mike
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2013-09-03 22:39
Sadly it is fact. I've been submitting students for these for years and the issues always arise when you need to find a pianist. Surely you teacher should know some pianists?
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2013-09-03 22:46
I have never heard of a recorded accompaniment being used before in an exam.
I would guess that what the examiner is looking for is your ability to interact musically with the accompanist.
There will be many more students taking exams around the same time so you may be able to "borrow" a pianist from one of them. It is of course essential to have some practice with that pianist before the exam.
In earlier years my wife was often called to accompany exam students of teachers who were not themselves (competent) pianists.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-09-03 23:11
Make some inquiries with your nearest college or university music department as I'm sure there are some 1st study pianists that could help you out - maybe for a fee or even better if they can do it for free.
But do ask your teacher as they really ought to know some accompanists if they're expecting their pupils to take ABRSM exams on clarinet or sax as both require piano accompaniment for all grades.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: mikewenham
Date: 2013-09-03 23:56
I'm sure I will find someone, it just came as a surprise - i'm being tested on clarinet, it never occurred to me i'd have this to worry about.
I envisage the exam room being like this. Perhaps with a decrepit piano in the corner.
http://blogs.woodtv.com/files/2009/03/steam-experiment-trailer8-val-interrogation.jpg
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Author: MikeA ★2017
Date: 2013-09-04 18:49
I started taking the ABRSM exams last year (at grade 5) as a way of forcing myself to learn all the technical stuff that was limiting my playing. (As an adult learning I'd concentrated on playing things I enjoyed, and hadn't spent time playing scales or technical studies).
The exams are fairly painless at the lower grades, but it's worth remembering that the examiner may not be a clarinet specialist - they're looking for all round musicianship which is why the exams include both accompanied and unaccompanied pieces plus sight-reading, scales and aural tests, so make sure you've done some practice on all of these. The feedback that the examiners give with the results can be very useful - I was surprised at how much detail they'd picked up.
Mike Ainsworth
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2013-09-06 13:09
I have just done Grade 5 clarinet with ABRSM. Your accompanist is very important - they can lead you, follow you or whatever you need to help you along. So make sure you have done some practising with them beforehand. On my clarinet journey, I have discovered that playing the notes on clarinet or whatever is only a small part of musicianship - rhythm, coming in at the right place, repeats - all of these are important if you are going to play with anyone else. Good luck though! Although I find the exams scary, they are something to aim towards and give you a concrete goal towards which you can work.
PS ABRSM have their own interesting site, where you can in fact email the chief examiner and put any worries you have to them. They may send you a list of accompanists.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-09-06 16:43
With a prerecorded piano, you must constantly adjust to play with it. You're locked into what's there, which is often metronomically accurate but dull.
You and a live pianist constantly adjust to each other. It's a BIG difference. With a live pianist, you can show the evaluator how musical you are. That's what musical performance is all about.
Any local piano teacher or church organist will be able to play with you.
Ken Shaw
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Author: mikewenham
Date: 2013-09-10 11:19
Thanks all for the comments. I spoke to my teacher today and he said that there is someone he knows that can do the accompaniment for me and his other students.
I've also contacted an old work colleague who is grade 8 on piano and cello, who i'd completely forgot about as an option. I'm going to meet up with him soon to do some playing, so we'll see how it goes.
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