Rehearsing Under Exam Performance Conditions
A student will perform three works in the externally assessed performance: one original composition and two contrasting covers. The specification requires a program of a set duration, and the student's current timings are 3:10, 4:05, and 2:50. She has been rehearsing each piece separately and has never played all three in sequence. In a trial run she rushed the second piece by roughly 15 seconds and lost tuning in the third. She has four weeks left and two 50-minute lessons per week with her teacher.
1. What rehearsal changes should she make, and why does separate practice not prepare her for the assessment?
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Separate practice builds each piece but does not build transitions, stamina, or program pacing, which the assessment tests because works are performed in sequence.
Changes to make:
- Run the full program in order at least twice weekly, timing it, so she experiences the cumulative demand.
- Rehearse the joins between pieces, including retuning and resetting between works.
- Practise the second piece with a metronome at the target tempo to correct the rushing, which likely came from adrenaline rather than a technical fault.
- Address the third-piece tuning loss by checking whether it stems from fatigue or from instrument adjustment between pieces.
With two 50-minute lessons weekly, one lesson can be a full run-through and the other can target the problems it reveals.
2. Her total program currently runs 10:05. If the specification sets a maximum of 10 minutes, what are her options, and which is preferable?
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She is 5 seconds over the maximum, which is a genuine risk because exceeding a time limit can attract a penalty.
Options:
- Trim the longest piece (4:05) by cutting a repeat or shortening an intro.
- Slightly increase tempo in one piece - risky, because it can reintroduce the rushing problem.
- Remove a section from the original composition, which she controls.
Preferable: option 1 or 3, because tempo changes under pressure are unreliable. Cutting a repeat from the 4:05 piece preserves the program's shape while creating a safety margin - she should aim for around 9:40 so that live adrenaline does not push her over. She should confirm the exact limit and any penalty with her teacher rather than assume.