Dipabrsm Piano Performance, My experience.. if people want to ask qs Options

[rieuwa]

I just did my dipABRSM in piano performance yesterday.. it was .. interesting but actually really enjoyable.. if people want I'll put up the questions I got for my viva and if you have any questions feel free to ask.. I know how much I found all your advice valuable and so I want to give something in return!

If you want me to put up an acoount of how the exam went and how quick study and viva were. tell me... but I'll surely put up viva questions i got soon...

Good luck to all!

Warren

[Petite Joueuse]

Yes please!

[Leia12]

I'm glad you say it was "enjoyable!" That is how I hope my exam will be! I'm sure you did a fantastic job. Mine's not for another few weeks! :D

[sania]

Wow...congrats for your exam! Hope you will get distinction!
Anyway, I'll do my exam several weeks again,
Can I know what's the question in viva voce n what tipe of sight reading did you get??
Need advice please....
I also hope that I can also do my exam well n make it interesting n enjoyable like what you have done.
Thanks.

[s8535049]

well i guess it's too late to wish you good luck, but hope you get a great result, if you enjoyed it that's a pretty good sign! posting your viva voce q's would be great, and hopefully more people will follow your lead on that one, also just out of curiosity what pieces did you play?

[rieuwa]

Sure.. I'll post it all up when I get back from my A-Level Spanish and Mechanics I have today!

[AnotherPianist]

Anybody wanting more sample viva questions might want to look at this thread and this thread.

Good luck to all awaiting the exam or the results :).

[Leia12]

I do have a question...

Where were you sitting when you were asked the Viva Voce questions? Did the examiner come up to you to talk to you? Or did he ask you to come and sit at his desk?

:)

[YetAnotherPianist]

I do have a question...

Where were you sitting when you were asked the Viva Voce questions? Did the examiner come up to you to talk to you? Or did he ask you to come and sit at his desk?

:)

When I did mine, the examiners called me across to sit opposite them at their desk; actually, I'd prefer to have remained at the piano as one or two times I would have played a section to illustrate a point rather than singing it. I think one has to sit at their desk, though, as they have a microphone on it to record the viva and it might not pick up one speaking from the other side of the room.

[sania]

as they have a microphone on it to record the viva and it might not pick up one speaking from the other side of the room.

Can we see the microphone for record the viva? Do they only record the viva section, not the recital and sight reading section or they record it all?

[YetAnotherPianist]

Can we see the microphone for record the viva? Do they only record the viva section, not the recital and sight reading section or they record it all?

They record it all the sections of the exam for quality-control purposes. I could see the microphone - it was on the desk facing me.

[s8535049]

reading through syllabus...says you can demonstrate points on instrument rather than express in words, which might be quite helpful for some

[AnotherPianist]

reading through syllabus...says you can demonstrate points on instrument rather than express in words, which might be quite helpful for some

Indeed you're allowed to but it's a little less practical when the instrument is at the other side of the room!

[s8535049]

hmm <_< ...touche AP

[rieuwa]

My DipABRSM Piano performance experience

So here it is.. I'm sorry I am answering so late (A-levels in the way…) but I hope this will help you as much all the help I got from you guys!

The pieces I played (or at least tried to play!!!)
-Sonatas K208 K209- Scarlatti
-Sonata op.2 no.1 in F minor -- Beethoven
-Preludes 2 & 3- Gershwin

I think the recital was ... interesting ... I wanted to say desperately: oh but had you heard me playing yesterday... but then I thought it was not suitable (especially with that recording machine I had in front of me!!!!! which I set up for the examiner by the way as he and my school's head of music couldn’t get to work :-))

QUICK STUDY:

The quick study was actually very enjoyable and very wide-ranging. I had a piece entitled “Variations”, not as difficult as I expected and very varied i.e. not too modern and not 15 flats! My advice: enjoy playing your instrument. If you play regularly and like to adventure into other pieces (not necessarily study each one thoroughly!) and gain a broad range, then this should be an easy section. Even play pieces you like: film music, songs…. some are interesting and build up your confidence and musical feeling. I, for example, would not be able to name particularly important cadential progressions, but could play it for you, as I have loved just getting a feel for them in the music. I found that to be an excellent rescuing factor in the Viva. If you don’t have time to read the next chord, improvise with what FEELS right!

VIVA VOCE and PROGRAMME NOTES:

What interests you the most probably are the Viva questions, so here they are! I’ve grouped them into themes that I was asked about:

1) Programme
 How did you choose your programme?
 How did you try to achieve contrast?
 You did not include a Romantic piece? Why?
o At that point I got all enthusiastic about Spanish Romantic composers.. so the next question was inevitable… luckily I remembered one Spanish composer I liked just at the last minute!!!
 Name a Spanish Romantic composer!

2) Quick Study (Yes I know.. wasn’t expecting this at all!!!)
 About the quick study, are there any elements you particularly enjoyed? How did you approach it?
 and then the killer questions…. What key did the QS start in (!!!!!)
 What did it modulate to in the second half (!!!)?
 Was the start in major or minor?
3) Scarlatti Sonatas
 Of course Scarlatti’s Sonatas were composed for harpsichord. What difference did it make to your approach?
 Did you go for stylistic authenticity or on the contrary use the breadth of the modern piano’s expression?

4)Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in F Minor Op2 No1
 How had the piano evolved at that time and what difference does it make to your approach to the sonata?
 How do Beethoven’s sonatas change over his 28 years of composition?
 How was Beethoven’s use of sonata form in his early sonatas different to say Mozart or Haydn? How did they influence Beethoven?
 What characterizes the first period of Beethoven’s compositions?
 What is unusual about the key of F-minor used in this sonata?
 How does this sonata compare, structure-wise with his later works? (e.g. use of scherzo to replace minuet, decreasing slow movements etc…)
 How does the minor tonality bring out the piece? (huh?)
 What are the technical challenges in this piece, especially in the Prestissimo?

5) Gershwin’s Preludes
 You say the inspiration for the preludes came from Chopin, can you clarify that?
 How did you approach the 3rd prelude, especially the last section with large intervals, because at that point you seemed to be playing from memory?
 What are the advantages for a pianist to play from memory?

Actually, you don’t realise how time flies and it’s a wonderful opportunity to show all the work you have put into your pieces! The more you have read the more comfortable you feel and the more you can expand. You actually get little opportunity to demonstrate at your instrument as the examiner has so much to ask you!

One tip:- never stop talking, always have something to say and speak fast!! Think of it as a game and try to anticipate every question that the examiner could think about: challenge yourself to come up with a question to which you don’t know the answer, asks others to help you, and ask them to read through your programme notes. Something else: When the examiner was asking questions, he took a lot from the diploma syllabus list in the appendices, which he had open in front of him!!! Practice answering these!

Sometimes something that makes sense to you sounds terrible or repetitive to someone else! What I found useful was to do A LOT of research, especially on the internet (incredible wealth there, one useful resource I discovered was GooglePrint, where you can see selected book extracts online!!!), printed it all out, and then sat in bed with a recording of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, a highlighter and my research, and then just went through it to see what was the most interesting. Then put that aside and play your piece through once again using all you have just learnt about in your research: I guarantee you enjoy your pieces even more and it helps with the feeling (not technique though… as I can testify… that is just improved by hours in front of the instrument!!!!!)

I hope this will help you guys! I’m sorry if I repeat myself, but I tried to make this as comprehensive as my time allows! If you have more questions, feel free I’d be glad to answer them!

Best wishes and good luck to all!

Warren

PS: Leia12… I’ll answer you soon…