After i passed my level 4 exam for piano i decided to quit. i was about 14 i think. Now (19) i've decided to start again and see how it goes. The first piece i approached was Fur Elise and found it challenging but doable, and after a couple of weeks i can play it well. But now i really don't know what piece to study, mainly because i'm unsure of what level i am at. Being able to play Fur Elise, must mean i'm about 4/5? Are there any nice pieces you suggest at around this level?

Thanks a lot for reading.

P.S. I really like Bach's Sinfonia 2 in C minor, about what level you reckon that is?

There's quite a thread about what level Fur Elise is considered to be and the consensus seems to be that the answer depends on how well you want it played!

I believe the Sinfonias (aka 3 part inventions) are anything from grade 5-7 individually. I'm not sure where I would put no. 2.

As for what next there are several options: Find a teacher and be guided; Buy some AB grade 5 (or 6, or 7) listed music and try that; Ask in the music shop; Find something you like and play it anyway, regardless of grade (I know someone who never took any graded exams at all but, because he liked them, taught himself all 24 Chopin studies before anyone told him they were supposed to be difficult!).

I gave up at 13 at grade 5 and at 22 inherited the family piano. I celebrated by learning to play a grade 8 list (but never took the exam).

I think it would be a good idea to have a look throug the graded exam books, I would probably say the AB ones. Have a good look through the G4, if you think you'd be able to play them well without challenging yourself, then go for the grade above. Find a few pieces you like and see where you go from there. I know somewhere there is a thread with an approx. list of graded pieces!

Thanks for your replies,

I went out and bought the AB Grade 5, and the CD too since i'm going to be teaching myself. They sound about right i think...let's see how it goes this time round!

You might like to add more variety by looking for some other books around the same level.
Maybe the apprpriate volumes from
Classics to Moderns, Short/More Romantic Pieces. A romantic Sketchbook, Keyboard anthology.
You might like some 'lighter' things like the Up Grade series and other similar things.

Don't restrict yourself to the exam syllabus, playing an instrument is about much more than taking exams.

Thanks for the tip! I'm definitely going to look into the "A romantic Sketchbook" series because i really love romantic pieces...by the way, having just checked the series out on amazon.co.uk, do the book numbers correspond to the levels??

Thanks again!

there is some crossover of levels.
I think book 1 is about grades 1-2, book 2 is 3-4 and book 3 about grade 5.