Diploma After A Long Break?, I'm new! Options

[Tiana911]

In a nutshell... I passed my Grade 8 piano in 2001 and there was talk of working towards the DipABRSM. However I actually gave up lessons (and only carried on playing off and on "for fun") as I went off to uni etc. I have had a sudden resurgence of enthusiasm lately though and have bought myself a piano and got stuck in. I have brought my Grade 8 pieces back to life, including the first movement of a Beethoven sonata which is on the diploma repertoire list.

Has anyone else contemplated a diploma after a break and how much of a shock to the system will it be?!
Also, are there any good websites to help find a teacher locally? Now living in a new area I don't know where to start.

Did you increase/decrease the amount of lessons compared to when you did Grade 8?

Thanks in advance.

[Digby]

Hi there,

Many people come back to it after a break and pick it back up again, don't be in a rush to do the exam, have fun exploring the syllabus, the standard required for diploma is very different to grade 8 and there are so many pieces to chose from.

As regards a teacher try http://www.musicteachers.co.uk/search?mode...&image.y=12



or the iSM website

http://www.ism.org/

Best of luck (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Louise H]

Firstly, welcome to the forums.

I did Grade 8 piano in 2003 alongside a full time course I was doing involving music and some performance. I worked on some Dip level repertoire in 2004. I have just done the DipABRSM after preparing for it for about 3 years - I can't really remember when I started seriously focusing on it a goal and I have been teaching and doing other work at the same time.

It is a lot of work and time and you need to get some performance experience, however informal, along the way. My teacher organised a group of her pupils to play to each other which became a regular thing (2 monthly or so, sometimes longer) and we visited each other's homes to get experience on different pianos as well as playing to each other.

I would say explore some of the repertoire on the list across the range of styles - baroque, classical, romantic, 20th century and see what you like; think a bit about what might work together as a balanced programme.

Try the EPTA, ISM or UK Piano websites which have teacher listings.

http://www.epta-uk.org/FindaTeacher
http://www.ism.org/home.php
http://www.uk-piano.org/piano_teachers/index.php

I would recommend you find a teacher who is experienced at preparing people for performance diplomas.


Louise

[miffy]

I did my grade 8 in 1981 and my licentiate diploma a fortnight ago!
Yes it's a bit of a shock to the system that I've finally done it after all this time - keep giggling (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Of course, I don't know if I've passed it yet... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

Go for it!

[clavicembalo]

... don't be in a rush to do the exam, have fun exploring the syllabus, the standard required for diploma is very different to grade 8 and there are so many pieces to chose from.

My gap was between grades 2 and 8, rather than 8 and Dip', nevertheless, the main difference was between 'just playing' and developing 'focused practice'.

Apart from the few weeks leading up to my grade 8 exam itself, I found that a one-and-a-half hour lesson every three weeks, was ideal and so I have continued this in preparation for my dip' which I hope to take next summer; this timescale has allowed my practice time to be more flexible and has thereby avoided turning up for a lesson following a week when practice has been minimal, for whatever reason.

As Digby says," have fun exploring the syllabus,"; I am of an age that I was already familiar with at least 80% of the available works. It was then easy for me to make my choice of programme, but I did compare my own ideas with that of my teacher, encouraging him to suggest something that I perhaps might not have approached. As a consequence I am preparing Liszt's Petrarch Sonnet 123, very much grateful for his suggestion - I had a wonderful lesson just yesterday, almost entirely devoted to this piece. Joy!

Do let us know your eventual programme. Best of luck with finding a teacher. Oh, and welcome to the forum!

[Digby]

As a consequence I am preparing Liszt's Petrarch Sonnet 123, very much grateful for his suggestion - I had a wonderful lesson just yesterday, almost entirely devoted to this piece. Joy!

Do let us know your eventual programme. Best of luck with finding a teacher. Oh, and welcome to the forum!

I love that piece, I notice you're from Cheltenham - I played it at the festival last year, would be great if you played it this year - give it it's first outing, it's in May and the entries need to be in, in February.

[clavicembalo]

As a consequence I am preparing Liszt's Petrarch Sonnet 123, very much grateful for his suggestion - I had a wonderful lesson just yesterday, almost entirely devoted to this piece. Joy!

Do let us know your eventual programme. Best of luck with finding a teacher. Oh, and welcome to the forum!

I love that piece, I notice you're from Cheltenham - I played it at the festival last year, would be great if you played it this year - give it it's first outing, it's in May and the entries need to be in, in February.

Gosh! That would never have occurred to me, Digby!

Grade 8 was one thing, the Diploma another, but Cheltenham Festival? I don't know; clearly I'll have to see how well I progress with the piece, seek advice from my teacher and furthermore check that he isn't actually chairing the panel of adjudicators, which is far from improbable! Hmmm.

[Mad Tom]

In a nutshell... I passed my Grade 8 piano in 2001

That is not a VERY long break! I took my grade 8 in 1972, my ALCM 12 years later in 1984, and returned to serious work at the piano 23 years after that in 2007!

[In each case continuing to play a few hours a week for fun for most of those 12 and 23 year intervals, and stopping completely only a handful of times, when working away from home, and never for more than a couple of months.]

I have had a sudden resurgence of enthusiasm lately though

It happens a lot! Just browse the forum - there are dozens of us!

Has anyone else contemplated a diploma after a break and how much of a shock to the system will it be?!

Yes, but still undecided whether to aim for LLCM, LTCM, or go the DipABRSM -> LRSM route. But I am in no rush to get the diplomas. More interested in learning to play better, acquiring a more substantial repertoire, and regaining poise and confidence in front of an audience.

There is no "shock"to the system, but it takes major re-organization of your lifestyle (at least it did me) to free up enough practice time to make progress at a satisfying rate.

Did you increase/decrease the amount of lessons compared to when you did Grade 8?

At first a weekly one hour lesson, but changed a year ago to fewer but longer lessons. A two hour lesson every fortnight (but it often over-runs). This is because it is no longer necessary for my teacher to catch bad technical habits early, but we do need to go into the music in much more depth and detail.

[Digby]

As a consequence I am preparing Liszt's Petrarch Sonnet 123, very much grateful for his suggestion - I had a wonderful lesson just yesterday, almost entirely devoted to this piece. Joy!

Do let us know your eventual programme. Best of luck with finding a teacher. Oh, and welcome to the forum!

I love that piece, I notice you're from Cheltenham - I played it at the festival last year, would be great if you played it this year - give it it's first outing, it's in May and the entries need to be in, in February.

Gosh! That would never have occurred to me, Digby!

Grade 8 was one thing, the Diploma another, but Cheltenham Festival? I don't know; clearly I'll have to see how well I progress with the piece, seek advice from my teacher and furthermore check that he isn't actually chairing the panel of adjudicators, which is far from improbable! Hmmm.

Don't worry, he won't be, they always get adjudicators in from out of the area, and I always get beaten every year by 15 year olds, but that's not what it's all about, they only have to prepare themselves, whereas I enter about 20 students, which is far more stressful than playing yourself.

I just see it as the opportunity to practise performing, get an adjudication and play on a wonderful piano that I would never be able to afford myself, it's a Steinway D. Last year I entered my first adult into the fogey class (over 35's) and he played Stromness, which is about Grade 6 level. You get a really diverse level from the young music college students, to retired people who just want to have a go at performing.

It's a perfect opportunity if you're preparing for a major exam because you can give the pieces a public performance so you know what may go wrong under pressure when it actually matters.

[Robodoc]

Welcome to the club: I did Grade 5 aged 13 ish and started again after a 34 year break nearly 3 years ago. I passed grade 8 18 months ago and should be taking the Dip ABRSM in about another year. Life is not all about exams, but they can be useful way-markers: I felt I sort of needed grade 8 to give myself permission to start the post-grade 8 repertoire (ignoring for a moment those pieces that appear both at grade 8 and in the higher diploma repertoire lists). I don't feel quite the same about the diploma but I'm going for it anyway.

Good luck!

[andante_in_c]

Just adding a welcome and my (similar) tale: I took Grade 8 in 1975 and DipABRSM in the first session it was available in 2000. I'm in the process of taking my LRSM (resitting the recital only, next week). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[J.D]

You are the second person who associate 'taking lesson' or 'having a teacher' with 'taking the diploma' or even just 'playing music'. And I wish to comment on this 'connection'.

I think, try to do it yourself. Just like in a conservatory, pick up your pieces, get the literature or make/transpose one yourself, dig it up studiously (like when you research any subject on a school assignment), write it up, and put them all in one holistic picture. If there is a local conservatory around you, check out their master-classes for whatever instrument, that normally is free to attend. Go and learn. Or participate if necessary. I personally think that is really what 'studying music' is. I am not against having a teacher (especially for grade 1-8), but for the diploma level, I am very much more for being independent. That way you can also start to develop your own style. And not just photocopying your instructor.

Back to your main question, I guess in diploma forum we all understand the meaning of 'consistency'. That is when you can play/perform a piece "well" or 'acceptable enough' under practically whatever circumstances. From my own experience (with the guitar), that I believe is also universal, once you attain that kind of 'consistency' with your instrument, then a long break is kind of irrelevant. It is like swimming, or driving a car, once you are able to do it, then it is already in you. So, if you feel that you already have this 'consistency' in your music playing, do go for the diploma. Talking from experience, it is actually much easier than what we fear it to be.

Good luck (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[mr bean]

I had 18 years between my piano diplomas; funny thing is, I got one mark over the passmark each time! (My sonata both times let me down more than the other pieces - my wife says it was also that I'm lazy and don't practise enough!)
I notice that Mad Tom wasn't sure what Licentiate route to go down; however, at the risk of being controversial, I personally have grave reservations over the reliability of T/G marking at the moment.(my wife attempted an LGSM Violin diploma last summer and was examined by a brass specialist whose marking seemed brutal to say the least!) So I would suggest that the LLCM might be worthy of consideration as, like the Associated Board, they seem to be fair.
I know there will be many forumites who disagree, so, at the risk of starting a forum 'war', I'd better go for now! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[Robodoc]

I think, try to do it yourself. Just like in a conservatory, pick up your pieces, get the literature or make/transpose one yourself, dig it up studiously (like when you research any subject on a school assignment), write it up, and put them all in one holistic picture. If there is a local conservatory around you, check out their master-classes for whatever instrument, that normally is free to attend. Go and learn. Or participate if necessary. I personally think that is really what 'studying music' is. I am not against having a teacher (especially for grade 1-8), but for the diploma level, I am very much more for being independent. That way you can also start to develop your own style. And not just photocopying your instructor.

I disagree with this more each time I read it. Musicians at the "just-passed-grade-8" standard are a long way from being fully formed and fully trained, or even competently independent. "Do it yourself" is a recipe for developing whatever bad habits you may have into deeply ingrained and possibly uncorrectable technical deficiencies. Whilst it is certainly true that the better you get the more independent minded you are, should be and should be encouraged to be but it is pure nonsense to suggest that conservatory students have no teacher, no set structure to their studies (other than that which they choose for themselves) and no formal lessons.

It is certainly true that you need a teacher appropriate to the level you are playing, but at this level that means one who will help you to iron out technical faults, one who will suggest potentially new and more varied practice methods, one who will suggest new repertoire that you may not have considered, one who will guide your development, who will help and encourage you to develop your own style and who will actively discourage the blind copying of another style - any other style. What is totally inappropriate for almost anyone wishing to make progress on an instrument is to have no teacher at all.

[Mad Tom]

I disagree with this more each time I read it.

Me too, though I didn't have the patience to write such a polite and well argued disagreement

... What is totally inappropriate for almost anyone wishing to make progress on an instrument is to have no teacher at all.

My present teacher has been teaching piano for 30-odd years and plays excellently but still visits her teacher for lessons. My previous teacher was an outstanding concert pianist. Fifteen or so years earlier he had been a piano prize winner at the Paris Conservatoire. He still took regular lessons.

Read the biographies of the great pianists of the last 100+ years (and interviews with them). Some may have been more or less self taught. Most of them still had teachers long after they had started their mega-careers.