I'm new to the ABRSM world...recently passed Dipabrsm which was my first exam (placed out of graded exams). Hooray!

I know this is the sort of thing that hard to explain, but curious to hear what some of you who have taken the piano LRSM exam think of the LRSM performance standards/requirements compared to Dipabrsm.

I have heard that it's a big jump from grade 8 to dipabrsm - is there another big jump to LRSM or is it more incremental?

The grading on my Dipabrsm exam seemed pretty tough which I guess explains the 50% failure rate with passing being a grade of only 40. I had trouble preparing (pulled out music I had played 20-40 years ago that I was tired of), had kind of a bad day (trouble relaxing) and scored 65. So, on the one hand I didn't play so great and 65 doesn't seem like such a great score. On the other hand I passed w/o a ton of prep and I guess I only missed distinction by 5 points.

Overall, my sense is I would need to play a bit better but not drastically better to pass the LRSM but I wonder if that's optimistic.

One thing I learned: pulling out old music is a mixed blessing. I got ready quickly but was bored with the program and not quite prepared. My plan for the LRSM and FRSM is to do mostly newer music and take some time to get the program more fully tightened down.

Any comments will be appreciated.

The DipAB is meant to be equivalent to the performance standard at the end of a first year degree, LRSM is meant to be equivalent to third year degree performance level.

That suggests to me a fair gap between Dip and L, and suggests that two years between the two might be a reasonable gap for someone able to devote an appreciable amount of time to the enterprise.

For some reason marking schemes at degree level are a bit odd (I would say its very rare to get a mark outside the range 35-75); at degree 65% would typically be at 2:1 level so really not too bad.

Planning on doing the LTCL sometime next year. Curious to know what you played for the dip. and what you're planning on doing for the LR.

I played Scarlatti K. 8 (not on rep list) to warm up, then Beethoven Op. 90, Szymanowski Op. 4/3, Rachmaninoff Op. 32/12 and Debussy La Cathedrale Engloutie. So, the range of styles/periods was ok.

For the LRSM, I'm resisting pulling out too much old stuff - I had played the Beethoven Op. 90 and the Rachmaninoff ~20 years ago and the Debussy when I was about 12 years old...had the hardest time getting motivated to practice. So I'm resisting pulling out Mozart K. 310...trying to do more new stuff for the LRSM.

Just started Schubert A min/Op. 134 from scratch and also reading Schumann G min in case something about the Schubert does not jell...although it's going well and should be fine. I've been playing Schubert d. 960 for a while and have that teed up for the FRSM exam.
Will probably pull out another Scarlatti (something harder than K. 8) from my repertoire to open the program. I might do Rachmaninoff Op. 32/10 even though it's old for me - I still like playing it. I have been recently working through Scriabin Vers la Flamme and it's in pretty good shape so I'm planning to use that for the LRSM. Finally, playing several Shostakovich P&F/op. 87 and will probably pick one or two depending on how the timing looks.

I think I could be ready in 6 months but my practice time is down (right now running only about 6-8 hours/week which is not enough)...so I might need a little more time.

So it looks like:
Scarlatti
Schubert Op. 134
Rachmaninoff Op. 32/12
Scriabin Vers la Flamme
Shostakovich Op. 87 (1-2 pieces)

Pretty heavily weighted toward Russian romantic, although the Shostakovich is pretty clearly 20th century. The Schubert is borderline classical/romantic. What do you think?
What are you playing?

I'm curious to know about this, too. I took ATCL recital last year (piano) and am working towards LTCL next year; all the pieces I am working on were new to me a few months ago and I can't say even now whether or not my programme is decided because it depends on how things go, also the timings.
I was planning on Bach P+F 24, Beethoven Op3/2, and Ireland Ragamuffin. Physical limitations (i.e small hands) have meant a back-up plan is needed in case I can't pull off the Beethoven. At the moment I am exploring Haydn XVI Nos 45 and 52 as possible fall-back options. Even the Ireland calls for a larger stretch than I find comfortable.

I didn't have a lot of spare marks when I passed the ATCL so would like to put more welly into this and gain a more convincing L.
I'm ignoring the arguments about whether AB is harder than Trinity and just assuming they are roughly equivalent.

I played Scarlatti K. 8 (not on rep list) to warm up, then Beethoven Op. 90, Szymanowski Op. 4/3, Rachmaninoff Op. 32/12 and Debussy La Cathedrale Engloutie. So, the range of styles/periods was ok.

For the LRSM, I'm resisting pulling out too much old stuff - I had played the Beethoven Op. 90 and the Rachmaninoff ~20 years ago and the Debussy when I was about 12 years old...had the hardest time getting motivated to practice. So I'm resisting pulling out Mozart K. 310...trying to do more new stuff for the LRSM.

Just started Schubert A min/Op. 134 from scratch and also reading Schumann G min in case something about the Schubert does not jell...although it's going well and should be fine. I've been playing Schubert d. 960 for a while and have that teed up for the FRSM exam.
Will probably pull out another Scarlatti (something harder than K. 8) from my repertoire to open the program. I might do Rachmaninoff Op. 32/10 even though it's old for me - I still like playing it. I have been recently working through Scriabin Vers la Flamme and it's in pretty good shape so I'm planning to use that for the LRSM.

Pretty heavily weighted toward Russian romantic, although the Shostakovich is pretty clearly 20th century. The Schubert is borderline classical/romantic. What do you think?
What are you playing?
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Wow looks like you have large hands / repertoire. Nice programme. You're not a full time pianist, so how do you manage to find time to practice such a demanding programme? and 65% is a very high mark. Any tips on how to practice scriabin 8/12? Am planning on doing it for LT next year. I'm opening with bach toccata in G, then beethoven op 81a, Chopin ballade 2 and either debussy toccata or scriabin. Am a bit worried now as my pieces seem to be all diploma favourites and the expectation may be higher. But its too late now to change as the beethoven and chopin are pretty much memorised already and I've been delaying the LT far too long. Will just do it next year come what may.

Wow looks like you have large hands / repertoire. Nice programme. You're not a full time pianist, so how do you manage to find time to practice such a demanding programme? and 65% is a very high mark. Any tips on how to practice scriabin 8/12? Am planning on doing it for LT next year. I'm opening with bach toccata in G, then beethoven op 81a, Chopin ballade 2 and either debussy toccata or scriabin. Am a bit worried now as my pieces seem to be all diploma favourites and the expectation may be higher. But its too late now to change as the beethoven and chopin are pretty much memorised already and I've been delaying the LT far too long. Will just do it next year come what may.
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I can reach a tenth...broad hands but fingers are not so long. Like everyone - some things fit my hands well, some don't.
I'm middle aged and have been playing LRSM/FRSM rep off and on for about 20 years. I did not major in music in college. I hardly touched a piano at all from 1999-2005 because of family and business conflicts. I am blessed with the ability to play ok on very little practice - but I've never played really great and never will. Also, I practice away from the piano...study scores on planes....once I'm really working on something, it seems to develop subconsciously away from the piano. I can travel and not touch the piano for days and something I'm working on gets better.
I played the Chopin in 1993 - very nice. I find doing Beethoven for an exam a bit intimidating. There is such a high standard for playing those sonatas and people have strong opinions about them. I played Op. 90 for the diploma and love playing other sonatas but not sure I want to be graded on them since, again, I'm not putting the time in to get them perfect.
All of the Scriabin etudes are of course very difficult.
I have no special insight...slow practice has always been key for me. I have a simple way of picking rep: (1) stuff I really like and (2) pieces I can sight read at 50-60% speed the first time with few problems. If I cannot sight read something slowly, then I'm in over my head or there is something about the piece that will never really click. I read about people painstakingly working through pieces one page at a time...it always sounds to me like they have picked a piece they are not ready for. I can't imagine playing a recital at the hairy edge of my ability - too much pressure. I like to feel like I'm performing something I can play easily. As you know, under pressure nothing is really easy.
I practice at 60-70% speed for a long time (i.e. weeks) and then at maybe 80-90% speed until shortly before performing the piece. I might not play at full speed until a couple of weeks before playing the first time in public. I never play a piece in an important public performance the first time...I do at least 2-3 "trial recitals" in low risk situations before doing something that really matters. I think it actually takes doing something in public about 5-7 times before it really clicks. After that, it becomes an issue of gearing back up to play it again and keeping it fresh.
Mel2: There are plenty of great pianists with smaller hands. Your teacher can help you with techniques to deal with awkward reaches. I think nearly everyone avoids certain rep that doesn't quite fit their hands.