Hello.

Having done grade 8 organ and piano, I want to move onto diploma.
However looking at the repertiore list for organ inparticular, it doesn't make any sense.

How does the exam board come up the pieces that make up the diplomas? To me it just seems like they have thrown random pieces into the mix.

Let me explain.

Firstly you have the DipABRSM - the easier one for those who have just done grade 8.
Then you have the LRSM. The LRSM is supposed to be more difficult but if so, why are there pieces on the DipAbRSM list that I cannot play for the life of me and pieces on the harder LRSM list that I could almost sightread.
Then on the FRSM list - Reger, Introduction and Passacaglia in D minor. The Passacaglia is on the grade 8 piece. Therefore, what is it about the piece that makes it up to the difficulty of FRSM standards?

Same with the Hindemith FRSM piece. I can play the first 2 movements no problem despite that fact that I was told -

'the FRSM will be too hard for you because you have just done grade 8. Think about doing the DipABRSM first'.

Lastly - Le jardin Suspendu by Alain appears in both the DipABRSM and FRSM lists. If you can play it at DipABRSM level, Im sure you can play it for FRSM.

How do these diplomas work. My aim is to progress further by learning much more challenging pieces. Not pieces from grades below me.

1. There is a lot more to giving a performance than simply being able to play all the notes. A sight-read performance of one the easier pieces on the lists would be unlikely to earn a pass mark.

2. The range of people taking DipABRSM (and LRSM) ranges from those that will barely reach the required standard (and to whom many of the works listed are unplayable) to budding concert pianists who could play anything on the list with ease (and who can demonstrate their skill through the more difficult offerings).

I have also found instances where some pieces on the FRSM list are easier than those in the LRSM and DipABRSM. I passed my FRSM playing a programme including a Grade 6 piece (!!!).

I suppose there is more to it than to just be able to play the notes (and silences) in the piece. At the FRSM level, the candidate is expected to play the pieces really well. It is sometimes harder to play an easy piece well. Hard and fast pieces can sometimes mask insufficient level of musicianship.

DipABRSM (or equivalent) is a prerequisite for LRSM and LRSM (or equivalent) is a prerequisite for FRSM so you can't skip straight to FRSM without having done the others first.

Well firstly, the DipABRSM isn't the "easier on for those who have just done grade 8". Lots of people think this, and the pass rate is only just above 50% as a result of this as so many people think it's like grade 9, when in reality, there is a huge jump to the DipABRSM. The Diploma is supposed to be the standard of a first year recital at a conservatoire.

Lots of the pieces appear on all the diplomas like you say, eg. Grade 8 pieces appearing on the FRSM, but the difference is you are expected to play them at a much higher technical and musical standard at FRSM, and things that you could get away with at grade 8 would lose you marks at FRSM level.
They also tend to add in the other movements of the piece, eg. The mozart sonata in C major from the old grade 8 list is on the DipABRSM piano list, but you are required to play all the movements instead of just the first one that you do at grade 8.

Like Sarah said, you can't do the LRSM or FRSM until you've passed the DipABRSM, but even if you could skip the two diplomas before FRSM, I wouldn't advise it, you're expected to play at roughly the standard you'd be at the end of a Masters Degree in Music.

Jacob.

Dont forget that the Diploma is a recital, lasting on average 30 minutes. Grade 8 exams last at most 30 minutes for the whole thing (including scales, aural and sight reading). The FRSM is 50 minutes recital.

This level of staminia has to be built up by years of practice and experience.

On top of the recital (playing the notes and 'performing' the music) you also have to construct the programme, write programme notes (or essay), sit a Viva and perform a Quick study.

In the Viva the examiners will chat to you about your instrument, the music you have chosen, wider issues based on your programme notes, and deeper questions on music/instrument/composer history. This is your chance to show that you have a deep understanding and knowledge on 1)your instrument 2) the repertoire available for your instrument 3) the key historic elements of your instrument (composers, compositional devices etc) 4) General music history. You will need to call on all othese to construct a persuasive case to back your answers. You can not get away with just learning the pieces as one does for Grade 8. You have to actually have a lot of musical knowledge which you can call on to understand what is behind the dots on the page. The higher the level the more indepth the questions.

Then there is the Quick Study. As I have been told by others here, it is NOT sight reading. You are given a Grade 6, 7 or 8 standard piece and have to perform it to the standard you would if you were sitting a grade 6/7/8 exam (but you only get 5 minutes study time, and no accomapaniment). The FRSM piece lasts 10 minutes with only 5 minutes preparation time! http://www.abrsm.org/resources/performanceComplete.pdf see page 14 for Fellowship exams.

This exam is designed to test your performance, knowledge and ability- and prove that you are worthy of being a Fellow of the Royal Schools of music (in other words the same level as the lecturers!!)

Some of the pieces may 'seem' easier, but can you play them as well when you have been performing for 25-50 minutes and your concentration is lapsing? Also can you explain why the piece shows that it is by a certain composer and why it is important to your instruments historical developement? (and this gets a lot harder as you go up the exams!) Can you automatically use the correction technical language to describe details? See http://www.abrsm.org/resources/performanceComplete.pdf for examples of the submissions.

Also dont forget the the exam will be marked at a higher level. All details must be observed and mistakes will be marked harshly. Even if all the notes are correct, you must still observe all the performance directions perfectly and consistently throughout the recital- including true historical performance directions.


DipABRSM = End of Year one in a music degree
LRSM = End of Music degree level
FRSM = End of Masters degree.

In other words, could you write a postgraduate level dissertation in your programme notes and discuss with the examiners off the top of your head the intricate detail of every composers life, the instrument and all wider music?

Here is a link to the notes for candidate submission http://www.abrsm.org/resources/writingProgNotesApr05.pdf


If you have done a postgraduate degree then you will probably have the research skills required, but unless you have years of musical knowledge and experience then it is better to work towards the diploma first.

Also if you are under 16 then the ABRSM do not allow you to enter for the exam.

I hope that helps- it is a very expensive exam to enter so make sure you think carefully before you commit to doing it and sign up for extra tuition etc! Good luck!