'I passed my Grade 8 piano exam with one hand'

'I passed my Grade 8 piano exam with one hand'

ByAmy Murray

BBC News NI

Updated 2 hours ago

Many young people across the world can say they play an instrument, but not many are quite like Freya Terris.

The 17-year-old from Lisburn in County Antrim, has made history with her Grade 8 piano distinction because she did it, quite literally, single-handed.

She is the first pianist that ABRSM (the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) is aware of to pass their Grade 8 piano with a repertoire solely for the left hand.

Two years ago a long-term injury and surgery left Freya unable to play piano with her right hand.

A much-loved hobby became what some would consider impossible.

She initially thought the pain in her right hand would be temporary and, whilst waiting for it to heal, started exploring the world of music written specifically for the left hand with her teacher.

"My left hand could already play but not at all in the way that it now needs to," Freya explained.

"I sort of stumbled into it and, without realising, built up that technique."

After about two years of practicing, and a couple of weeks out from an operation on her right hand, Freya realised she might never play the piano with two hands again.

Frustrated that she had not yet achieved her Grade 8, she contacted ABRSM to ask if it was possible to apply for the qualification with some modifications to the pieces she would be required to perform.

After discussing a number of different options, the exam board sent her a list of pieces to choose from, all specifically written for the left hand.

"They were so encouraging, they were all up for it and just as excited as I was about it," said Freya.

'Throwing myself at a brick wall'

But Freya still had to prove herself and pass the exam.

A self-described "stubborn person", she put the work in.

"In my head, at one point, there was frustration that I was only playing this music because I can't play what I want to or what I used to play. That was hard," she explained.

There had been times over the two years since her injury that lessons had been paused so that Freya could take a much-needed break to re-discover her love of the piano.

"I think that was necessary. The analogy we had used was that I was throwing myself at a brick wall," she added.

Freya's teacher, Rory Dowse said the pair saw her injury as an opportunity to look into creative solutions to see how she might progress.

As part of their studies, they researched other single-handed pianists - such as Nicholas McCarthy and Leon Fleisher - who had made successful careers.

"I didn't want her to feel like, 'I'm the only one that is going through this, I'm the first person who has ever done this'", said Dowse.

After "anxiously checking emails" for months after the exam, Freya said she was delighted to have seen she had made her friends, family, teachers and the staff at ABRSM proud.

It was then that ABRSM told her that her determination had earned her "a little place in history".

"I was glad that I had been able to prove to them that the effort that they put in to making this exam possible for me was worth it by the result that I did get," she said.

"I did feel like I owed it to all the people around me who had been so supportive in making sure that I did keep going."

Freya's mother Susan Terris said Freya's achievement all comes down to her own determination.

"She took it in her stride, as she does with most things, and she decided that she would find the solution to it along with her teacher," said Susan.

"She's a very determined young lady who has pushed herself and keeps going. Any set backs that she has, she uses to her benefit to push herself forward and achieve her goals. Nothing will stand in her way."

Freya's achievement has had a wider impact.

Rory Dowse said when they initially contacted the exam board told them they had already been considering one-handed music for Grades 1-5.

Dowse said he believes Freya's collaboration with the teams showed them that there was also demand for the higher grades as well.

"We weren't sure whether or not one person with one problem would even be considered, so we were really surprised and really grateful whenever they did," he added.

In June 2026, ABRSM published their new 2027–28 syllabus, introducing a dedicated one-hand repertoire list across Grades 1 to 8 for the first time in the school's 137-year history.

It now means one-handed pianists can work towards a recognised qualification at every level in the 93 countries the board operates in.

"It's meant a lot, for me, what they have done and it is really exciting that this is something that other people can do," Freya added.

Freya is also a two-time Young Musician finalist, once with a two-handed repertoire and again in 2025 with a left-hand repertoire.

She is now planning to study music at university after she finishes her final year at Friends' School in Lisburn.