I recently took the ABRSM Grade 5 performance exam to assess my skills and see if I would like to pursue it at higher levels in the future. The results weren’t as good as I hoped, but somehow I don’t feel discouraged.
A bit of background: I began learning piano three and a half years ago when my kids started taking lessons. I didn’t have formal musical training prior to that, aside from playing the guitar and saxophone in high school and university, which I mostly learned through books and friends.
During the past few years, I had followed the ABRSM syllabus from Grades 1 to 4 on my own without taking exams, while also explored other pieces I enjoy, from classical to movie themes as well as music from anime and games.
Since I don’t need a piano qualification—it’s just a hobby—the exam mainly helped assess my skills from the perspective of more experienced pianists and provided motivation to perform pieces to a higher standard.
But the downside is the significant time and repetition required to perfect the pieces. Preparing for the exam also limited my time to learn new pieces or pursue other musical interests, such as singing while playing or performing duets with my child.
So is it worth doing the exam? I’m not sure and keeping my option open. I don’t plan to take more exams until I reach the Grade 8 level. By then, if my boy is still learning piano (my elder one is also taking Grade 5 exam this year), perhaps that would provide an additional motivation for me to take another exam with them.
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