AMEB Exams

Kaiya just took her AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board) piano exam at the beginning of the month. AMEB is a nationally recognized organization that provides a graded system of exams for the piano (& other instruments as well). It's kind of like standardized testing for music. There is a set of books for each level (Kaiya just finished the prelim level)- you perform 3 pieces for the judges...as well as testing on scales, theory, and sight reading. Each level generally takes about a year to complete (there are 9 levels in all). I really appreciate the solid, classical standard of training in this program especially since there are so many crappy piano teaching methods out there nowadays. And I love that even at the preliminary level Kaiya was learning classical pieces. Oh, and yes- she passed her exams!!! Hooray! Now it's on to Level 1...but first- mostly for the benefit of the grandparents- here is 1 of the 3 pieces she played. It's called Gavotta by James Hook (a composer from the 1700's). And yes, Mina felt the need to provide extra entertainment!