(diaryland) June 03, 2004 - 11:56 a.m.

I have my very first piano exam at Music Skool on Monday. I am slightly petrified.

In this exam, I must be able to supply large quantities of scales and arpeggios. They will say things like, "Give me E flat minor contrary motion staccato forte, please," and I have to be very careful not to glaze over.

Also, I have to play a study that sounds as easy as sitting on the couch and watching TV, yet is fiendishly difficult. I've been practicing the study alone for up to two hours a day in the last couple of months, and it still sounds slightly unwell. I recorded myself playing this study. I sat at the piano, wore a little microphone, and began. I was going for gold when the phone rang. It ended up that I recorded a phone call instead. Then I tried again, and was so scared of the phone ringing again, I messed up the part when the phone rang last time and I didn't set it up properly so it sounded all fuzzy.

However, if you want to, you can listen to it. Don't laugh.

It is here.