...

I love African dance, I can assure everyone I play it completely differently to them...hopefully the examiner will like it after having heard the same interpretation over and over. hmm...

Sags - you've hit on my main reason for the poll - I wonder whether trying a less popular piece will slightly improve your chances in an exam? If everyone plays e.g. song of erin, then as an examiner, I'd love to hear something else. Your song of erin would presumably have to stand out amongst all the others in order to score high marks? To put this into a direct question, assuming one felt equally confident with all pieces (and this is a big assumption, I know), would playing a less popular piece be more likely to result in a higher score?

The one word answer to that is no.
And sags needs to be careful that his intepretation isn't so different as to actually be incorrect.

[/quote]
The one word answer to that is no.
And sags needs to be careful that his intepretation isn't so different as to actually be incorrect.
[/quote]

Thanks Carol - so the advice is simple - play your best pieces.

I see someone's gone off-piste with bluemerang - what made you select this piece, as opposed the one of the first three?

Out of interest, do they mind if you play from memory? I've been through the pieces so many times now that there's no point having the sheet except perhaps for a cue to dynamics?

I'll be having a student playing from memory. I've advised her to have the music in front of her anyway just in case. Nerves on the day could affect everything...even pieces that you know inside out.

The ABRSM publication 'These Music Exams' talks about this. They say there is no advantage in terms of exam results. Apprantely not many people play from memory and that it's more difficult to pick up the piece again if you've slipped.

No problemo

Dont worry its not a crazy reinvention of the piece, I just think I will play it in a more musical way than someone starting off music at grade 1. Whilst I have only just started piano, I had a dipabrsm in flute so have the musical experience to put more interpretation into the melodic line.

My teacher said that they tend to be a bit more stingent in Grade 1 and more open to your own interpretation in higher grades?

I would play it safe in Grade 1 off the back of this and wait until higher grades before trying to put my own slant on anything