Tips for Exam Preparation

If you are thinking of doing the exams, I've just got a few tips for you from an examiner's perspective.

Be Prepared

The first is to be as prepared as you can possibly be.

• It can feel a little bit stressful walking into a room and playing all these pieces that you've performed in your bedroom or to your friends in front of a complete stranger.
• Just remember that the examiner wants you to do as well as you can. They're not there to catch you out.

Manage the Pressure

From your perspective, make sure you're extra prepared for the little extra pressure you're going to feel on exam day.

Performance Practice

Here are some suggestions:

• Perform in front of family or friends: Try presenting your pieces at home as a warm-up exam.
• Run a mock exam with your teacher: Simulate exam conditions to mentally prepare for how that experience differs from practicing alone in your bedroom.

Technical Exercises

Another way you can prepare is with your technical exercises:

• Rather than only learning them up to the required exam tempo, push that a little bit further.
• For example, aim to play your exercises at 120 bpm instead of 100 bpm.

This approach gives you added confidence, reminding you, "Yep, I can do this," even if you feel more pressure on exam day.

Summary

These are two simple things you can do to help make your exam experience a little smoother. Good luck!