As I discussed in my first violin post, I started ABRSM Grade 1 in November 2025. I discussed in this post how I went from ABRSM Grade 1, to Grade 2, back to Grade 1. Oh yeah also in that post I said how I was learning:

Ecossaise in G

Halleluyah

Climb Ev’ry Mountain

The fourth and final piece that I started learning was:

Black Cat Rag

Oh, remember I said I’d let you know how that line in Ecossaise in G is going? Well, it’s been a few months now. I’m still finding it hard, but if I play it slowly, I manage, and even my teacher was happy with how I played it when I played it slowly. To be honest, we tend to focus on the other pieces more, plus technical exercises, so I don’t really get a chance to play Ecossaise in G that often, apart from in practice, but to be honest, I don’t tend to practice it that much!

Also, we continued with some exercises and scales.

Oh, the reason for this post!

So, a few lessons ago, my teacher told me he wanted to buy the ABRSM Grade 3 violin book just to look through. I told him there are videos on YouTube that also have the notes, line-by-line. I sent him the link. The next lesson, he told me grade 3 is similar to grade 2 and that I wouldn’t be challenged. So, he asked me to send him the link for grade 4. The next lesson, which was today, he told me grade 4 is perfect for me! WHAT! I was just doing grade 1 just over two months ago! How is that possible? Then, I thought… I have taken countless violin lessons for over a decade (albeit with many years in between with no study). That must count for something, right? It really must, because to think I’m at grade 4 level after having restarted violin at grade 1 just over seven months ago is crazy!

I’ll let you know how grade 4 goes next week!