I'd like to ask the Teachers here a question about Piano Exam Repetoire, specifically how it is played in exams.

Is it the norm that the repeats in pieces are not played?

Nothing is quite so simple.

The extreme cases are easy. The basic rule is that you DON'T repeat major sections like an entire exposition, or an entire development section of a sonata, But you DO obey the repeats of short sections where the structure of the music would be destroyed if you omitted them, Beethoven often repeated just a few bars in a context where you absolutely must obey the repeat.

This naturally leaves a grey area of repeated sections that are short - but not that short - for example many of the variations in Mozart's sets of variations. Repeat them or not? You have to use your own judgement - but no examiner should punish you if you don't make the same choice that he would have done.

Many thanks for the speedy reply Tom.

Can I ask you specifically about the 2009-2010 Grade 5 repetoire if you are familiar with it?

The pieces I will be playing are A3, B3 and C1. All of these pieces contain repeats as written which require that you would repeat entire sections of the piece. You effectively have to play the 1st half twice followed by the 2nd half twice (in C1's case you repeat pretty much the entire piece twice).

If you are familiar with the G5 syllabus, would this fall in to the category of repeats not being required?

Those kind of repeats are not required. If there is any kind of grey area with repeats in the grades, it is usually clarified in the notes directly underneath the piece.
(Mad Tom inhabits a stratosphere way above the grades )

Many thanks to both of you for your replies. It's been bothering me for a while now so I'm glad to have it resolved so I can put it completely out of my mind and stop worrying about it.

I guess that also explains why there are no repeats on the CD!!

No problem - I live to serve...


Yep, that'll be it!

The general rule for ABRSM exams is don't repeat it unless you need to.

But I had the impression that you live to flirt!

I have no idea where you could have got that impression from

Quite so. An excellent opportunity to correct anything that might have gone awry fist time round.