Just been trying to compile a programme for the DipABRSM I am finally taking this summer as I have the money to do so.

Its difficult to compile a balanced programme with only 35 minutes to play!!!
Ive made a short list of pieces i could include and the timings for each of the pieces.

Baroque:
most probably Telemann concerto in D 13 minutes or Bach Em sonata 15 minutes with repeats (is it ok to cut out repeats???

Classical:
Not sure, would do Mozart but takes 17 minutes for the 2 movements!

Romantic:
too much choice,
Chaminade concertino 8 mins
Chopin variations on a theme by rossini 6 mins
Debussy Syrinx 3 mins
Doppler fanatasy pastorale hongroise 12 mins
Faure fantasie 6 mins
Gaubert 3rd sonata 13 mins
Taffanel Andante pastorale et scherzettino 6 mins

Modern:
Really want to include Hindemith Sonata 15mins
varese density 21.5 4mins
Messiaen le merle noir (own choice piece if have time...doubt it!) 6-7 mins


Any ideas on how i could make this work? The fact that i'm trying to include hindemith cuts the time left to 20 mins, take away telemann and im left with 7 mins! Not sure what to do!

If you include the Telemann and Hindemith (nice choices!) I would play one of the Conservatoire test pieces for your third piece - I feel all Dip programmes should include one! The Faure, Chaminade or Taffanel would work, although the Chaminade is a bit longer and would make the length a bit tight. Have you included any allowance for the gaps between pieces and movements? Remember you can have a break of up to 5 minutes as well if you need to.

Whatever you end up with, be prepared for the examiners to ask you how you came to the decision of which pieces to include. It's fine to omit repeats, but you may have to justify why you haven't played them. It's worth thinking of all the awkward questions you could be asked in the Viva when making decisions like this.

By the way, I hadn't realised the Doppler was as long as that! My Dip student has it in her draft programme at the moment, but I may have to have another look at the timings. If it's too long she'll substitute the Chaminade or the Faure. She's also playing the Hamburger Sonata, Ian Clarke's Orange Dawn (own choice) and the Poulenc.

Do you have to include a piece from each period? My london college diploma had a set syllabus of not very many pieces and had a sort of list a list B sort of thing...and then one to be chosen from the current LCM grade 8 syllabus.

Yes, you can cut out repeats, as long as there aren't really different 1st second time bars, and if I remember correctly, there aren't any in the Bach?? That would that cut it down quite a bit? I love the Taffanel, it really suits my playing style, and in the right hands it is an amazing piece! I find the Debussy quite boring really and rarely take if out of the box... So with the Taf. and your Hindemith that would be 21 mins and depending on how long the Bach is when you play it without repeats, if I guess at 10 then that gives you 4 or 5 mins to include Syrinx if you wanted which could be an idea because as far as I can see, it is your only study type peice, but then again, the recital usually includes you introducing them to the examiner.

It's not quite the same with the DipABRSM, Malone, as there aren't any spoken introductions. The syllabus specifies a 'wide-ranging, yet coherent mixture of periods, style, mood and tempo'. There is no requirement to include an unaccompanied piece in the programme.

I have a new teacher now that I have moved down to London so she doesnt really want to do pieces that I have already done, so things like Hue, Enescu, Bach, etc I cant really include.

Im trying as hard as I can to include pieces which i can talk alot about in the notes and viva voce. The Hindemith is particularily interesting in terms of Hindemith's move to Turkey and all the historical stuff alongside that, as well as it being a great piece!
I think the Messiaen would be great to replace the Hindemith if i get really desperate, as Messiaen is such an interesting character and there is lots to talk about the influences or birdsong etc

Not quite sure about the Telemann.........And with Baroque music and all the repeats I dont know how i could justify not playing them, apart from 'i needed to cut down on programme time to include other pieces'


Looking at your students programme I estimate it at around 28 minutes without the doppler! Might have to replace that piece with something else?

Yep, I'm beginning to think so. Will probably have to be the Chaminade (*sigh*, not my favourite) as she's fed up with the Faure.

Not sure how you get to 28 mins, though. The Hamburger is around 6-7. the Poulenc 12-13 and the Clarke 6.

Le merle noir is on the LRSM list, so I would avoid playing it for the Dip.

Ah right I included repeats for the Hamburg Sonata

Is it best not to include an LRSM piece for DipABRSM? Things like Danse de la chevre and ibert piece are on the list which arent exactly difficult. I know i can play the Messiaen well so would be a good addition, but also want to learn new things.

I agree that some of the DipABRSM choices are technically harder than some of the LRSM pieces, but technical difficulty is only one aspect of what's being examined. I think it's worth reading the requirements for the respective diplomas very carefully, and making sure you are playing at the right level for the diploma you are taking. I assume you are taking the DipABRSM because you need it as a prerequisite for higher level diplomas, as your background and profile suggest your playing is more like LRSM level.

Thats quite true. The difficulty comes from already having learnt most of the DipABRSM syllabus with a previous teacher, and my new teacher wanting to learn new repetoire for the exam with her.
Its always been a matter of the cost, as my parents were not ready to pay for the diploma and accompanist, so now that I am away from home and saving up I am in a position to finally do the diploma.

I am assuming all the pieces on the dipabrsm list are of the standard they are looking for, will have to find an own choice piece at a similar standard! I dont see my teacher till after the BFS performance plus competition next week, want to make sure my programme is finalised so we can get started!

It sounds like you've an almost impossible task, if you're trying to choose your programme from works you haven't studied with your previous teacher. Ideally you should be selecting a programme of works you think you can do the most justice to, and which show your strengths as a player.

I think it's very difficult to decide what standard an own choice piece should be, as the syllabus is so varied. I got away with playing Mozart's Andante in C for mine, but I don't think I'd encourage one of my students to do that! I tend to feel anything labelled an 8 or a 9 on the JustFlutes website is OK for both Dip and LRSM.

Are you taking part? I know someone (he's 12 or 13 ) taking part in the grade 8+ section - playing Prokovief I think

Is it Kristan?

I'm in that class playing Messiaen Le Merle Noir, already spotted my competition though! NYO 1st flute and studying at Chethams! Shes an amazing player......

Yes - we have same teacher. He's been playing 3 or 4 years at most I think. What are other people playing in that class? You're playing from memory?

I am playing most of it from memory, the fast bit at the end is difficult to remember so will probably end up reading off music there.
Other pieces include Prokofiev mvts 1 and 4, Gade Tango fantasy, Burton Sonatina, Taktishivilli sonata, Clarke hypnosis and great train race, Enesco cantabile presto, doppler fantasie pastorale hongroise, copland duo, harty in ireland, mower sonata latino and some other pieces. Overall a very high standard!

Just curious, what are the conservatoire test pieces??

The pieces written for the Paris Conservatoire exam. Theres a list on the net somewhere..

Here it is:

http://www.larrykrantz.com/concours.htm

Ahhh thanks! Wow, there are loads

Yep, going to try and choose one of the typical Romantic concours piece for my diploma, popping into Topwind once I'm ready to check out the music and try out this Azumi flute if they have it!

Tried the Azumi flute out today! Must rush off to a party now.......but watch out for my review tomorrow!

Will look forward to it!

Right, well my recording of what I thought was the Telemann concerto in D for flute turns out to be the oboe concerto played on the flute, so the actual flute concerto in D is nothin like how i thought it was, and not as good......

My programme idea so far is now:

Telemann Sonata in Fm
A Romantic Piece.......not sure which yet
Hindemith Sonata
Ian Clarke Zoom Tube!!!!!!!!

That looks like a good, well-balanced programme to me. Are you intending to play them in that order?

Probably....is it a good idea to play the pieces in date order?
If they ask why the programme like that I could just say the recital shows the development of the flute and its repetoire throughout time and then probably go on about the development of the flute as an instrument and how advancements in flute design allowed for advancements in composition or something....... Havent really thought about it too much but just trying to make sure theres a reason for everything i have done so that i can talk about it!

Date order is only one way of ordering a programme. There are lots of factors to take into account: the key of the pieces, their mood and style, stamina issues etc. Your programme looks like one that would work in date order, as it would be hard to follow Zoom Tube!

My often-changing LRSM programme, which I have been working on for six years now (gulp!) includes Cloudy Mountain by Anne Boyd as the contemporary piece. I really don't want to end the recital with that, especially as I think I'll also be playing Tulou's Grand Solo No. 3 which is definitely a closing piece. So that's one recital that won't be presented in chronological order.

Very nice and well-balanced programme! I would enjoy listening to your recital!