Is there any minimum age limited to take performance dipABRSM exam? Normally how many years needed from grade 8 to diploma for piano study? Do I have to study in the college or university for getting the diploma?

Not for performance. For teaching, it's 18.



Will leave that for pianists to answer.



No : you can be in the world of work, or wherever.

[quote name='barry-clari' date='Apr 2 2011, 08:26 AM' post='1047634']

Normally how many years needed from grade 8 to diploma for piano study?
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Will leave that for pianists to answer.

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From where I am now, just taken grade 8 and waiting to hear - I would say (assuming I have passed which may not be the case ) I would estimate I would need two years. I took a year to prepare for grade 8. I had a massive gap from practising properly - just played for fun and as an accompanist and various other things - between the ages of 17 and 33. At 33 I decided to take grade 8 and spent a year on it.
I have some diploma repertoire - I don't intend to take the diploma but I like the music and I wanted some new ideas for things to play so I have chosen a fantasy diploma programme and am starting on it now.
I think 2 years to get to grips with it all, to study the background to the pieces and so on, to decide on interpretation, to memorize the music and so on.

But I suppose it depends what sort of standard you are when you take grade 8 - if you just pass, having taken grade 8 a year after grade 7 you are going to need much longer to get up to diploma standard than someone who took grade 8 after a couple of years of work on it, came out with a distinction and has a wide range of playing experience aside from "just" the grade 8.

My opinion only - others with more experience please correct me.

I've always thought of the differences between the grades and the first Dip (DipABRSM in this case but could be any other first dip) to be the difference between school and university. At least one other exam board explicitly says this - first dip is supposed to be like first year university, and I find it a useful comparison.

Going from Grade 8 to DipAB is not just about learning the pieces as others have said - it's about growing musically, developing your own idea of interpretation and personal playing style, and being able to talk coherently about that either in viva or in programme notes.

I would think one would need several years worth of preparation. What happens in those years is also important, it's not just about locking yourself in a room with a piano 8 hours a day but also reading, discussion, and listening to a lot of music.

Full disclosure - I don't have a dip, but I did think about doing one (would have been ATCL) and thought a lot about what would be needed in order to do it. I didn't do it in the end for the honest reason that I'm too lazy to do all the work.

There's a high failure rate for the dip and this is probably why. Some people look on it as just grade 9 by another name but it requires a lot more musical maturity and not just the ability to rattle of the pieces by rote which with 8 hours a day locked in a room with a piano for a couple of years is doable.
Even with years of piano playing and a huge knowledge of music, musical history, the instrument your playing and so on it is still really difficult to pass.
So in conclusion it's really hard to know how long you need between grade 8 and dip. You can only judge your situation where you are now and think about where you are in your musical life.
When you look at the diploma repertoire how difficult do you find it?
How long do you typically need to get to grips with the notes of, say a Scarlatti sonata, or a Beethoven sonata or whatever?
How well can you memorize?
What are your sight reading skills like - essential for the quick study?
What is your general musical knowledge like?
How long does it take you to read and understand a book about a particular composer in order to be well versed for the viva?

Yes. It's so much more than 'grade 9', and it requires work, dedication and experience to get there.



I passed grade 8 clarinet back in December 1991, there would have been no conceivable way that I'd have been a suitable diploma candidate in 1992! With 20 years of playing, teaching and other musical experiences behind me (including a degree), I feel much more ready for a diploma now. I'm not suggesting you leave 20 years between grade 8 and a diploma like I'm doing ( ), but it certainly requires preparation lasting a considerable amount of time.

Would have to agree with bari here (as always!).

DipABRSM is far beyond G8 standard . The pieces on the whole are similar to the G8 syllabus but the musical maturity required to bring out the music is far more demanding and advanced. I took a 20 yr break between G8 and Dip , via a degree and 10 yrs not even playing! When i restarted it took 2 yrs to get up to standard, technical ability is one element but at the diploma levels they are looking for maturity and artistry and above all musical communication. The same applies when you make the leap to LRSM and FRSM too (don't see these as grades 10 & 11!)- leave at least 2 years between each level to allow the maturing process to occur.

Good luck and have lots of fun on the journey, i loved it and now about to embark on the FRSM journey too!

I took a 20 year gap after grade 8 before doing my diploma although never stopped playing and performing during this time.

Once I decided to have a go at the diploma, I gave myself a 6 - 9 month window to prep and took my diploma last December which I was lucky enough to pass first time. I found playing in different groups and performing solos etc helped in my prepartion.

From my experience the examiners are looking for musical expression, maturity, a real understanding of the pieces you are performing and how you communicate this to your audience. Also perform with confidence even if you are shaking in your boots (which I most definately did!)

There is no doubt that the diploma is a real challenge and takes a great deal of patience and dedication but is also very rewarding and satisfying. Good Luck when you decide to go for it!

I am just waiting my G8 piano exam result. Thanks for all the advice!

I did Grade 8 (organ) in December 2000, DipABRSM in July 2001 and LRSM in December 2001.

That must have been a lot of hard work Confutatis.
Actually though its along time ago, I went from Grade 6 piano in 1961 to ALCM in 1963 (skipping 7 and 8), (as well as 9 GCE 'O' levels and Grade 6 Organ in 1962). The Grade 8 organ in 1964 with 4 'A' levels.

It really depends on your experience... I narrowly failed the recital portion when I tried DipABRSM piano 6 months after grade 8, but honestly I think with either slightly better luck with examiners (fail rates were unusually high that session) or (more importantly) just a bit more hard work on my part (it was a particularly lazy time of my life ), I could have passed, and when I tried again six months later, I passed with a very comfortable margin. I didn't even do particularly well on grade 8 (scraped 130), so I think a year after gd. 8 should be a safe bet in most cases.

I just got my piano G8 exam result. Scales 18, A 29, B 30, C 28, Sight Reading 19, Aural 14. Total 138. I expect 140, but aural was terrible. 18 is the lowest mark in the scales section of all my exams, even I didn’t realise what mistake I have made before I received the marking sheet. I am very very happy, my parents award me an ipod touch . The important question-Is there any aural test in diploma exam? I am afraid I can’t make any more improvement. And any suggestion what pieces or Etudes I should learn next?

What does the syllabus say?

The syllabus doesn't say any?

There is your answer. Just the quick study, viva and performance.

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There is your answer. Just the quick study, viva and performance.
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oh. I like quick study and performance. I don't like viva.

I had 8 months between Grade 8 and ALCM. An L one is another matter, though, and is still in a long pipeline, because my family got rather sick of things like potatoes sticking to pots and nobody having any clean clothes the last time.....

Yeah, my family is suffering a bit in the same way at the moment!! Housework? What's that???
Add band practices too and oh my poor poor husband (who has dinner on the table at exactly the right time for me 3 nights a week )

Congratulations! Great marks for the pieces augurs well for your diploma. The nice thing about DipABRSM is not having to do scales and aural.

There are so many lovely pieces out there! It really depends on how much of each composer's work you have already done. The best thing at this point is to try lots of different pieces to see which composers you feel most in tune with. The diploma lists from the various boards can be a good starting point, but try all sorts of things. I'm sure your teacher is the best person to guide you.

Suggestions from my son's experience are Grieg's "Wedding day at Troldhaugen" and Debussy's "Suite Bergamasque". He started those straight after grade 8.

Yes, well done you!
Why not just bask for a few weeks and just read the syllabus in case you already have some of the works listed. I don't think they have aural questions in the ABdip (as others have verified) and as for etudes, do 'em if you've nothing better to do but they are not vital. I've lost count of the number of the things I have purchased and rarely worked on, although I might be a better player if I did do them.

Wrt how many years needed from Grade 8 to DipABRSM Music Performance (Piano), I took 1 year and 8 months. Got a pass of 63.

Go for it!

I took my Grade 8 in the Autumn of 2008 just scraping a distinction (brought down by my atrocious aural) and had beennn contemplating taking the DipABRSM. Nearly 3years on, you can probably tell I have been taking it pretty easy. However, I have made a start on some of the diploma repetoire. Finished Beethoven's moonlight, Copland's cat & mouse (though not sure whether want to use it) and currrently learning a bach prelude & fugue on the list. I have mainly been learning any music which takes my fancy, and relishing enjoying a wide repertoire of music such as Clair de Lune, some Bartok, Mompou, Chopin and jazz. For me, the diploma would be a consolidation of many years of learning and be an enjoyable experience. A quick question about my diploma pieces so far, typically how many are played? And any commments on my selection to date, ( I am thinking of adding Debussy's Cathedrale Engloutie or exchanging the Coplandd for it). Manythanks.

One thing you may want to consider (the OP, that is): I'm inferring from your user name that you were born in 1998, and are therefore relatively young? It's not always the case, but I have heard of young students being failed more often, sometimes fairly (if their writing/comprehension skills were not up to par for the viva) and sometimes unfairly - there was one instance where an examiner repeatedly asked the coordinator (my teacher) how old a particular student was (even though examiners are not supposed to have this information), making it clear that she disapproved of candidates younger than 15. This student ultimately failed all sections, which having heard her play I found surprising. I also know several exceptional 14-16 year olds who have done extremely well, but they all looked/acted older than their age, especially because their writing/speaking skills and stage presence (and of course playing ability!) were far beyond their years...

Thanks for all the information. I am 13 at the moment, so by the time I have prepared everything for the diploma I will probably be around 15/16 anyway! I am most worried about the viva because I tend to stammer a lot. Also, on the performance notes, what do you need to write about the pieces?

Wow you are young! I was 17 (still am) when I sat for and passed my DipABRSM.

Don't worry about the viva, practice question and answer with your teacher and you'll do well. Prepare some possible questions and answers. I believe that practice makes perfect. Be confident!

For the programme notes, you should seek to produce notes that accompany your audience (examiners) while you are performing. This means that it should briefly introduce the composer and the piece. ( Imagine the audience going through the programme notes quickly during or before your performance.) According to the DipAB syllabus, the programme notes should be aimed at a general audience, so avoid using too much jargon. It would be useful to include some interesting facts about your piece too.

[/quote]Suggestions from my son's experience are Grieg's "Wedding day at Troldhaugen" and Debussy's "Suite Bergamasque". He started those straight after grade 8.
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Hi,BerkshireMum

Grieg's "Wedding day at Troldhaugen"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqexNSeTS28&feature=fvst

Debussy's "Suite Bergamasque"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2picp1J-dA&feature=fvst

I like these. I will try it. But It seems difficulty to get the music book.

Thank you very much!

I don't know where in the world you are based, ZL1998, but these titles are available from:

http://www.musicroom.com

Quote from their site:

"We have customers in almost every country in the world. However, we do not deliver to Afghanistan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Iraq or North Korea.

If your billing address is in Bulgaria, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Morocco or Vietnam we accept offline payment only."

If you look on the site, you can find delivery costs to wherever you live, and details of how to pay.

Hi ZL1998,
You can get a lot of free and entirely legal sheet music at imslp.org. You probably can't use it in an exam, and it's nicer to have a real printed book and modern editing, but it does mean you can check a lot of things out first and only buy stuff you really want. Also you can be practising already while waiting for the music books to arrive in the post ...

That is really an excellent website. In addition to music, there is much other information. Thank you very much indeed!

I happened to hear a radio programme about stammering recently, and one of the recommendations was that if you have to go for an interview etc, let the panel know in advance. I'm sure this would be a good idea with the AB, as it will mean they know what to expect - I believe there is a place on the entry where you can put any extra info for the examiners, matters for special considerations etc.