I passed my Grade 8 piano exam with one hand

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. 'I passed my Grade 8 piano exam with one hand'Image caption, Freya Terris made history with her Grade 8 piano distinction, performed entirely with her left handByAmy MurrayBBC News NIPublished13 July 2026, 00:03 BSTUpdated 3 hours agoMany 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. Image caption, Freya spent two years learning a catalogue of left-handed piano pieces after an injury left her unable to use her right hand to playShe 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.

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"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.

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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.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.