Hi Folks
I am planning on doing a diploma on Flute. I achieved a distinction in my grade 8 in the Summer, but I have looked at some of the pieces on the diploma syllabus and they seem a world away!! I'm not sure where to start. Please can anyone tell me if there are good technique books out there to help me bridge the gap!? I'm working on Faures Fantasie at the moment, but it just doesn't seem to be going anywhere!
All advice gratefully received!
Many thanks

Um, does repeating the mantra: "Talk to your teacher" help?

Alternatively, if you either don't have a teacher or want to pick your own way (or both) you might try to mend some of the holes in your technique by picking out some of the grade 7 and 8 pieces you avoided because of technical problems. Or just pick some Dip repertoire list pieces you like and just start.

Good luck anyway!

The best thing to do is play through some of the DipABRSM repetoire until you find the pieces that you like then practice, practice and practice! The gap between grade 8 and dip is huge but with a lot of work most people manage to do it within 2-3 years. There are many different technique books for flute most of them are quite similar.

Good luck!

Matt

Thankyou for the replies. I am self taught on flute and had four lessons before my grade 8 to make sure I wasn't letting myself in for a big fall since it was the first flute exam I had taken, so I was very chuffed to get distinction!
I will look at other pieces on the Dip list and other grade 8 stuff. I wasn't sure what the usual timescale was between 8 and Diploma, but if it's two to three years then that makes me feel like there is some hope!!
Thanks again

There is certainly a big gap between Grade 8 and DipABRSM (at least for oboe). Pieces are by-and-large similar but a different level of performance is expected.

I think by practising scales well one can improve one's technique the most. Scales meaning diatonic scales, scales in thirds, in fourths etc, appreggio etc.

My technique as well as sight-reading improved tremendously after I practised scales dilligently years after passing Grade 8.

I hope this helps!