I see Liszt's all Hungarian Rhapsodies and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is not listed in the syllabus. Can I play them in the LRSM? I emailed to ABRSM but no response so far.

by the way, how long do you usually spend to prepare the LRSM after the DipABRSM?

I wonder if Rhapsody in Blue is suitable anyway since the single-piano arrangement is a transcription of the original. Given there is so much "proper" music to choose from at LR, would a transcription of a concertante piece be appropriate?

As for your question about how long it takes to prepare, some people do them in back-to-back sessions, others take years. It depends where you are when you start, what your motivation is and all the rest of it.. there is no strict formula. I guess the old adage holds true, you are ready when you are ready. The examiner doesn't give a stuff of course if you prepared for 5 minutes or 5 years - the hour in the exam room is all that matters...

I just did a Hungarian Rhapsody in the LRSM last year. It is a good choice!