Date for Entry: (Saturday 20th October, 2012)
Dear
Diary,
Today I have judged for Graded Examinations in Solo Steelpan Performances by Dr. Jeannine Remy again. Last night in church, Zara and I practised a "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" for the examination today. This was the only piece where accompaniment was compulsory.
The person that had to accompany me was unable to come because of childbirth and Zara was the only person to help me at the last minute. The songs that I played was:
A.
Jesu
Joy of Man’s Desiring
B. In a Playful Mood
C. Trini’s Waltz
D. C Major and G Major
Calypscales
I had asked her to sign my blue Pan sticks. At the end of
the Exam, I left the Campus and enjoyed coming back to it since Pan Minors. I
went back home Curepe. I was depressed that the results had come back as a Merit again.
(Update)
Looking back at the examination, I had a strong feeling that Dr. Remy was quizzing me on other additional things than the requirements for the exam. I had just tried my best to answer the questions. For me now it seems as if she was also testing pitch recognition separately during the exam. Seems like a test for perfect pitch, maybe? I'm not really sure.
Dr. Remy ended up playing a second scale for me to name after getting the first one right. It was A harmonic minor she played but for me the G and A so close together, I mix them up a lot. The same happens in present times. She was showing a lady how to conduct the examination at the same time.
This examination was conducted in the staff eating area. I was very curious as to why there was a piano in there. In a room like that, it is VERY difficult to do a difference between loud and soft. The room has an echo for the easiest yawn. At the time I ended picking "Trini Waltz" but I did not even know how to read cut time back then and it was not noticed by the teacher to be corrected during lessons.
On this day too, it was wonderful to have Dr. Remy sign my pan sticks. I did not know when next I might ever get to meet her again. Her name has become well-known to me because of the score that I keep with steelpan music notation. It was a wonderful pleasure getting to see what she looked like in real and have the chance to match a name with the real person.
Link(s):
- Preliminary & Grade 1 (Tenor Pan) – Examination Booklet. (Permission not granted by school for sharing.)
- Results Sheet & Certificate
