One day to go

So grade 2 is tomorrow and I now wonder if I've missed a trick this time around. A few people have asked when the exam is and Susan, one of my sponsors, asked if I was being sponsored for this exam heavily suggesting she would have given generously if it was. Maybe I should have set up another donation site with something like "harp fund for poor single reed musicians" and cashed in on the kind nature of the many people I come into contact with! No, this time it's just for me and although the pressure is off the preparation has not been to the same level as grade 1. I have gone for days without playing, I've performed to far fewer folk than before and I've left the aural test practise until the eleventh hour, something I was very smug to have prepared much earlier last time. Back in February I used one of my pupils to play the tests. I have been reluctant to use Nicola again as she has been working towards her grade 6 clarinet and I felt that any extra time in her lessons would be better spent helping her through the grade 6 aural. Fortunately I know the aural test format pretty well from working through it with most pupils and a quick run through the mock test on the CD this evening confirmed that I should be fine with this. If I don't get 18/18 for this part tomorrow I may consider a career change. Anyway best not to be complacent so at least I have practised.

I have tomorrow morning free for last minute preparation so I'll tune the harp, play everything through once or twice, find something I've not played yet for sight-reading practise and set off for the venue in plenty of time. Rohan will be there and hopefully she'll retune the harp for me as I'm quite slow at it and do not have her exacting standards of how in tune it should be.

I'm not a superstitious performer as I believe how well you do really does depend on how well you've prepared but I will take my lucky mascot from Caroline (see Long lost ancestor post in February) just in case I need an extra boost of confidence. Next time I write it will all be over (one way or another) and I'll let you know how it went. If you want to keep it interactive cross your fingers at 3.11pm!