all over bar the shouting

well, it's done. The exam was yesterday afternoon. It's all over now. (except I think I may be playing the saxophones for some time to come!).

The examiner was nice - I don't think he was the guy that had been on the info sheet though - I might be wrong though.
Grade 1 is so short - you do your 3 little pieces, each with an 8-bar improvised solo in them (so short that there's not much redemption time if you happen not to come up with much of an idea in the first bar!!!). Your scales are tiny as well - a 1 8ve arpeggio seems to last about a nanosecond, and feels even more amusing if they ask for it "swung" - you barely get started before you stop. The aural bit of it seems short - the third part of the jazz exams' aural involves the examiner setting up a groove for 4 bars, then they play a 2 bar phrase, you improvise (play or sung, no contest for me - I'l play rather than sing ANY time!) a 2 bar response, and this carries on for about 4 cycles. You just get going and having fun when you have to stop 'coz you're at the end!

Once we'd finished he asked me what the Grade-1-a-thon thing was anyway - I explained it, and when I mentioned All Souls Orchestra he said he had a friend who played in it - Michael Ford (I went out with him for a short time ages ago) - they were at school together. Oh the small and incestuous world of music!

For all those of you eager to part with your cash, the ABRSM are characteristically vague about how long it takes for results to come out. They say "as soon as possible after the exam", which is about as much help as a fish applying for work as a bicycle-courier. I'll let you know.
Sophie said it sounded alright, and I think I should have passed, so get your wallets ready for opening.
Watch this space!