Pass Grade 8 violin

I still sound awful!!!! It is me playing a grade 4 piece. I have improved my intonation a bit and my vibrato has become a lot better, I am even doing it without thinking now!!!! which I used to hate haha.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i7vDzCnsSg

my other entry 9 months ago – practice everyday – well that didn’t happen it actually got worse, my violin got put under the staris and was innaccesible. However, I got it out about a week ago and I have been practising. Here is a link to me playing a grade 5 piece. Please watch and give some constructive critism. I will do at least an hours practice today. Also, I was taking to my friend yesterday that only started the piano about 2 years ago and she is taking her grade 4 in the summer, and her friend is taking/taken her grade 8 who is also auditioning for the orchestra that I want to. So that was inspiring :)

I have not even gotten my violin out of its case for over a year. The last time I played it was probably in the pic below. But I am going to practice everyday.

Me playing in my hall’s rendition of Oklahoma!

I never really practised the violin, however I played it a lot. I used to be in folk group, have my lesson, go to string orchestra in school, go to Maghull Music Centre, go to my school orchestra and go to Sefton Youth String (& Symphony) Orchestra. About 10 hours a week. It seems a lot, but I just did it routinely, so it wasn’t really. I was quite a good school orchestra player, but I am not that good technically.
My friend was 12 when she started the Viola. She got to grade 3 in 2 years because she had already played the violin. She took her grade 4 in Easter when she was 14 and I was 16 and working in my Grade 5. She then took her Grade 5 that Christmas and I still hadn’t done my Grade 5. I sort of gave up trying, and didn’t do it until I was 18 years old. My friend by this stage had already taken her Grade 7, as she took an exam every 2 terms.
She then joined the RNCM and the Liverpool Youth Philharmonic Orchestra as well as all the ones I was in, but as I was already rubbish I just didn’t try.
I tried joining the Orchestra in Uni, but I really didn’t like it. It siunds like I am lazy, but I enjoy the playing the violin in Orchestras, but I just don’t practice. I sort of don’t want to get better and enjoy playing in an orchestra more than wanting to get better. However, it is sort of my dream to get my Grade 8, more as a sign of how good I am, and I like getting qualifications! :)