Hi all,

I'm thinking about doing this exam when I go to uni, and wanted a little advice off anyone who knows about them.

Can anyone give me a bit more information on the supporting tests, i've read the syllabus but it is a little confusing. For the transposition, do I simply have to play a single line melody up a tone? And what about the harmonisation? Is this simply adding for example a simple arrpeggio bass line while adding the the chordal notes underneath the melody? Also, does anyone know what the 'technical work' is and involves?

What level should I start? Should I start with grade 5, i've got grade 8 piano, and have sight read (without much trouble) several of the pieces off the grades 5 and 6 syllabus.

Sorry for the lengthy post, and if some of it doesn't make sense.

Thanks all in advance.

I took grade 5 piano accomp a in Novemeber 2007.
I had taken grade 8 piano about 18 months before that.

For grade 5 transposition you have a score which has a bass line at concert pitch with a treble line (separate stave) written as for Bb instrument.
You have to play both lines while transposing top line at sight. Grdae 6 you transpose both staves down a tone. Grade 7 top stave is written as for horn in F and includes some 3 and 4 part chords in. Grade 8 is a piano style piece (grade 2 standard) which you transpose down a perfect 5th.
Harmonisation has an increasing harmonic vocabulary with fairly specific requirements as to chords to be used.

Technical work is 6 short extracts from instrumental or vocal scores. You play the piano accomp without the solo line. My examiner chose two of those to play but the syllabus is not awfully clear on this so you could be asked to all 6 I suppose.

You need both Piano Plus books which will set you back about £25 but include material for all grades.

As a grade 8 pianist I found it pretty challenging..... my teacher's comment on the technical work was "I wouldn't like to see grade 8!"

Flippin' heck, that must require gargantuan amounts of brain processing power

Thanks for that, it's a little more challenging that I first thought. How did you chose what pieces to do, did you chose the pieces and then find someone who could play them or the other way around?

I found a tame flautist and we decided between the two of us which pieces we could manage!

I also found someone to play for me then chose the pieces.
I've since played one of the pieces as the soloist.

Thanks for the info, the exam just seems a little more fun and interesting that a normal exam.

I would definitely recommend it - I enjoyed it and found the supporting tests an interesting challenge. Definitely not equivalent to solo grade 5 however!

I will go for it, but I think i'll start work on the supporting tests beforehand so i don't get too bored of the pieces as i tend to do that too quickly. Have you found the exam generally helpful when accompanying?

Hello

I took the ATCL in piano accompanying Dec 2007 with my son who plays the cello as my tame soloist! As far as the supporting tests are concerned I found David Bray's Keyboard Musicianship - A handy guide to practical keyboard skills - quite useful. There are 2 books and they were published by Trinity College London. I had to speak to the Board several times during my preparation as the requirements seemed so unclear. I thought it was a very useful exam (and enjoyable) but for some reason they have discontinued the diploma whilst keeping the grades which seems a little odd.

Not especailly.
As far as helpful goes preparing a couple of pieces for an exam is possibly not very high up on the list.
most helpful is being able to find opportunities to accompany. I think that this can be a tricky one unless you have friends to help out as it's one of those things you have to be able to do before you are able to get experience....

Thanks for your replies everyone.