Grade 5 Music Exams

 Hi everyone,

I'm going to be talking about the Grade 5 Music Exams, as these are the first graded exams that you actually have to take otherwise you will not be able to progress onto the higher grades.

They are two elements that make up the Grade 5 Music Exam, and they are :-

- Grade 5 Music Theory

- Grade 5 Practical

Grade 5 Practical

I've just recently started working towards my Grade 5 Practical, and I have already had to change out one of my pieces. So, they pieces that have chosen are :-

- Andersen Study No.5 from Andersen's '26 Little Caprices'

- 'Music Hall' by McDowell

- 'Vivace' by Telemann

I've also got to chose three additional short exercises, as I will be learning the studies as an alternative option to scales and arpeggios. Each study focuses on technical area, and these areas are :-

- Tone & Phrasing

- Articulation

- Finger Technique

  

I will be taking my Grade 5 Practical through Trinity College, and my Music Theory exam will be taken with ABRSM

The pieces that I have chosen to work towards are on the fun side, which is a change for me as I usually just go for the straight classical pieces. In all honesty I think it's the change that I actually needed to make my grades more on the fun side. 

  I was already familiar with the Andersen study, as I tried to learn it a few years back. I'm having a lot more success with it the second time round learning it, and I actually really like this study as it has a 'bouncy' rhythm and it will also help to work on my staccato technique.

Music Hall is another fun piece that I'm slowly working my way through, and it also introduces a new key signature that I need to get used to. 

Telemann's 'Vivace' is my straight baroque piece, but its on the fun side. This was my original choice before I noticed Mozart's 'Adagio'. But, once in the lesson with my teacher we decided that Telemann's 'Vivace' would be the nicer of two options. She also kindly went through a few other pieces that I could have chosen as part of my Grade 5 Practical.

A little piece of advice is if you are taking a graded exam, and you are working on piece that isn't right for you ask your teacher could you swap your piece for another piece. You're the one that is going to be sitting the exam, so if you can make the journey of learning your pieces and getting through the exam an enjoyable experience do it.

Have a little bit of fun with your grades, as it will make the music experience a more memorable one and you will enjoy the journey a lot more.