To showcase stylistic diversity, your diploma exam program should include pieces from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th century, ensuring a balanced representation of each period’s unique characteristics.
1. Rhythmic patterns: Choose the pieces that has regular rhythmic patterns such as grouping of simple or compound times with regular quaver, semiquaver or demisemiquaver grouping of notes. If you have trouble keeping a steady beat, skip pieces with syncopation, offbeat rhythms, and intricate rhythmic patterns, since accurately playing these can significantly impact your score.
2. Hand shapes: choose the pieces that has appropriate intervals between the notes so that the interval of melody and chords are within your reach and you don’t have to overcome the awkward intervals and obstacles.
3. Music theme: Choose pieces that has pleasant main themes or melodious in character, in recent ABRSM diploma repertoire list it contains some pieces that are familiar and pleasant to the ears such as Joe Hisashi’s Merry Go Round Of Life and other movie’s theme songs. This enjoyable musical theme will help you master the notes and finger techniques in a short time, allowing you to play with more feeling.
4. Strength in finger work: If you have small hands and cannot reach for big chords, dioloma piano pieces with running passages and small intervals berween the notes will be highly recommended such as Beethoven’s Rondo in C Op 51 No 1. as they don’t require hands to stretch all the times and cause tiredness. Diploma piano pieces containing big chords, such as Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in E Minor Op.90 No.27, are easier for students with large hands to play due to their ability to stretch, allowing them to spend more time on the complex sections with numerous quick notes.
These are helpful suggestions for selecting pieces for your diploma piano exam. We’ll keep talking about important tips for interpreting and playing with good expression for your diploma piano exam. To enroll in our diploma piano lessons, contact Jenny at 98256286 or filling up the contact form.
