Nathan took his first ABRSM violin exam last month and got a distinction. :) I'm so proud of him. This is the first of many exams he'll take and I'm glad that I was with him each step of the way.
About 4 months before the exams, I still wasn't sure if he'd be ready in time. Although he was able to play the exam songs pretty well, he was still struggling with the sight reading component. We persevered and I'm so glad he made it.
He had no idea what an exam was, this being his very first... I kept reminding him that he only had one chance to get each component right, so he can't make careless mistakes... He had worked so hard the entire year, I really didn't want carelessness to take away the results he so deserved. His teacher even rehearsed the entire sequence with him, from walking into the exam room with him, tuning his instrument, to her leaving the room before the exam started, so he wouldn't be surprised when he's left in the exam room by himself.
His reward for good effort and a job well done? A pair of Captain America shoes that light up when he walks. It was something that he wanted when he saw a friend with something similar last December. We made a deal - practice diligently and your hard work will be rewarded. He was all smiles when he put on this pair of shoes for the first time, and I was one proud mommy. Good job, Nathan! (And yes... I made him wait 9 whole months before he actually got it!)
There'll be many more exams that he'll be taking as he starts formal schooling in a year's time. I want him to know that working hard and giving his best is what matters to me.
Dear Nathan, know that mommy and daddy will always be behind you in all your endeavours.
Videos taken two months before the actual exams...
Daisy Bell
Russia - Gopak
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