Hi,
Have just started considering doing a diploma and have been looking at pieces to learn. Out of the pieces below which would make a good program and are there any other pieces I should include.

Bach prelude and fugue in f# minor
Howard Blake chaconne and toccatina
Chopin Nocturne in e
Copland the cat and the mouse
Prokofiev vision fugitives
Rachmaninov prelude in g
Brahms rhapsody in g minor

I have only just taken my grade 8 so am in no rush, just considering pieces to learn

Make sure you include pieces from each major musical era. Baroque, Classical, Romantic, etc. I would definitely go for Bach and Chopin as they are staple piano repertoire. It's a toss-up for me between Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff and Brahms! Also make sure once you think you have a balanced programme that you time everything and make sure you aren't over or under the limit! Most people choose about four pieces (programme has to be 35 minutes). If you do Bach and Chopin that's maybe half! Good luck!

Although you have pieces from three different periods, it wouldn't hurt to include a Classical sonata in order to demonstrate your ability to handle large forms such as sonata form and rondo.

Yes I agree you should have a classical sonata by such as Haydn Mozart Beethoven or Clementi, even thought this may take 15-20 mins of your programme time.

I personally would do the Bach, Chopin and Prokofiev.

Thanks for your help, I am pretty set on bach and chopin anyway. Is copland or howard blake not a good choice, I really liked the pieces. Have people played any of the above and give me tips on how they found them to play?

I'm doing the Copland for my diploma - I played it as part of a performance assessment with AB last December and I was told by the examiner that not many people choose it. I think it is quite fun - it is also not that easy to play at the speed required and produce the cinematic effect needed. I also think it is good not to choose only very well known pieces.

Personally, I don't think any choice is a bad choice - as long as you enjoy the pieces you play and can justify why you chose them to make up your programme then that's fine.


Louise

1mhward,

I've also recently passed Grade 8 Piano (within the last 6 months), and am setting my sights on the dipABRSM.

A friend of mine did the Bach 'P&F in F# minor', and he found it a good way of opening his programme.

I'm considering - amongst others - Chopin 'Nocturne in E', Brahms 'Rhapsody in G Minor', and Prokofiev 'Visions Fugitives' for my programme. All good, solid repertoire choices, but I think the Chopin may be beyond me at the moment. I can't comment on the Copland or the Howard Blake, as I'm not familiar with either. And Rachmaninov gives me the ...

I agree with the other posters though - consider Classical works as something to build your playing around. A well-chosen sonata could prove useful in filling 15 - 20 mins of your programme on the day.

At this stage, it's probably best just to work on building technique, repertoire and musicianship, without pinning down a programme for the exam.

denmark