Should i continue with AMEB?

Question:im 13, play violin and piano, and im doing the AMEB (australian music examination board) courses. you have to learn the syllabus, and then preform it to an examiner. i pretty much hate it, the whole thing just stresses me. some of my friends that are doing it too are stopping to just learn pieces that they want to, instead of doing set pieces. I want to join them, but im not sure whether it'll be good for me in the long run. Also, not sure if my parents will agree! I don't think I want to play music for a living. What should I do?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: im 13, play violin and piano, and im doing the AMEB (australian music examination board) courses. you have to learn the syllabus, and then preform it to an examiner. i pretty much hate it, the whole thing just stresses me. some of my friends that are doing it too are stopping to just learn pieces that they want to, instead of doing set pieces. I want to join them, but im not sure whether it'll be good for me in the long run. Also, not sure if my parents will agree! I don't think I want to play music for a living. What should I do?

Hey Im only I couple of years older than you and I also play the violin and piano (freaaaky!!).

I stopped piano AMEB after a couple of grades and I still play piano happily, sometimes I dont really need a teacher let alone a grade 8 AMEB certified certificate of who knows what. Violin, i never did as AMEB, but frankly, the whole AMEB system is wacked out (and a waste of time).

However, learning to play an instrument is a good thing to have, so how about you quit AMEB ( i totally know where you're coming from, AMEB= SO BORING) and keep having lessons in piano and violin? eh??

well i think its technically ILLEGAL for you're parents to force you to do something you dont want to, so you're in the clear there. try to comprimise with them. talk it through =)

oh yeah, please dont stop playing your instrument!!! apparantly whe you're old and crippled it brings you 'much joy and happiness', so keep those fingers a'playin.

good luck!