Written by Andrea Vargas Kmecova , founder and managing director of Piano Maestros .  Hello :)   If you are a parent/carer of a young pianist working towards grade exams, welcome - this blog is for you.  I have been teaching piano privately and in schools for almost twenty-five years, and most of my students participated in grade exams, working on ABRSM or the Trinity College syllabus. I am very proud that most of them achieved the desired Distinction in their grade exams, so I thought sharing my success-secrets might be a good idea. But before I do that, I must stress that students shouldn't play the piano, or any musical instrument, just for the sake of taking grade exams.  I have worked with students who had lessons solely because they wanted to do grade exams, and I know one thing;  it doesn't work . These poor students didn't enjoy themselves, and most stopped playing as soon as they could and never wanted to return!  Playing the piano should be an enjoyable activity a