Hi, I'm 16 and have been playing the piano for about 9 years and had done up to (and passed) grade 5 in the Trinity syllabus. For the past few years however I have been unable to get a teacher and have just been playing pieces that I like; but I have become disillusioned as to what level I'm at and I was wondering if the folks on this forum could give me an educated guess as to what grade I ought to do when I eventually get round to getting a new teacher.

Here's a list of the pieces I've learnt since I haven't had a teacher:

Beethoven - Pathetique Sonata 2nd movement
- Moonlight Sonata 1st movement
Chopin - Nocturne in C# minor
Mozart - Rondo Alla Turca
Debussy - Clair de Lune
Grieg - Wedding Day at Troldhaugen

And I have started learning:

Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement - up to first repeat, polishing the first section
- Waldstein Sonata 1st Movement - just started
Chopin - Ballade no. 1 in G minor - working through the first fast section

I realise that the pieces I've learnt would probably be a lot better had I learnt them with a teacher, and also that the pieces I'm learning at the moment are probably way out of my depth, so feel free to ignore them.

Thanks very much, btw excellent forum.

All these pieces are grade7/8 so make sure you do the technical work to support them too. Do get a teacher, however get one who you get on with as a good teacher. At this level your musical personality should start to shine, so insure any teacher allows you to do that. If you want to stick with TG exams then you do not need Grade V theory or its substitutes, for AB you do. Unless your up to your neck in exams do take the theory exam as it teaches you a lot about music in general. Pianists and mathematicians tend to find theory relatively easy, so with good tuition you shoul not have too many problems. Up to Grade V theory is extrememly logical. It is only after that you need to be more creative too.

I've done up to the grade 4 theory so the grade 5 shouldn't be too much hassle (and I'm taking Maths at A-level). Thanks for the reply.

I'm SUPPOSE TO BE good at maths, but I don't find theory easy.