For any candidates wishing to take the DipABRSM in Music Performance, are there any tips or advice you can give to be best prepared for it? Maybe something to practise/learn that will enchance your success for it? Anything that you think might help the candidate succeed in this diploma.

Make sure you read the syllabus carefully.
Try to perform your programme at least a couple of times.

I can't emphasize the performance experience too much... it's hard to get an opportunity to perform for 35 full minutes, but try to perform selections from the program as often as possible beforehand. I've found that performances in general and the exam in particular tend to go better if one doesn't get too caught up in hitting the notes - the average audience and even the examiners will forgive more technical errors than one might expect Since you didn't specify which instrument, I will say that for pianists, it helps to get used to many different types of instruments of different qualities and touch responses - luckily I was at university when I did mine, so I had many pianos at my disposal.

I agree with Lilly763, and would add to that for non-pianists, try and get to play in as many different performance spaces as possible - so that you know what your instrument sounds like in different acoustics.

There may be a local church that would be willing for you to do a lunchtime recital. I think it's important to try the whole programme out if you can because it is the stamina and concentration levels that can be a challenge.

I did this - as an evening recital - and it was very useful indeed. Highlighted any slightly iffy bits, I recorded it so I could see the overall performance too.

Advice, from someone that failed it in November 2010.

When you think your recital is as good as you can make it, you are probably half way there.

Alternatively, don't do much practice, and somehow pass. It occasionally works...

Hehe ...

Last exam was a grade 8 and even practising hard didn't work. You know the heroic failures can go off people who make statement like yours Scaramouche...

(however you sent me a sensitive PM so I'm in a forgiving mood )

I did this, although it was a retake of part of it. Did little practice in between, had a stinky cold when I did the resit, played not as well as the first time (in my opinion) and passed.

It was a JOKE, but I did do just that so maybe it wasn't a joke

If this was on Sax then somehow I'm not surprised by it. Think Piano might be a bit more problematic.

Took it in December, passed everything except the Quick Study (which I retook this afternoon!), so advice:

In general, be lazy: get it right first time!



Don't get seriously acutely ill & have a major operation 3 weeks before the exam, come out of hospital 2 weeks before the exam and then struggle through a 12 inch fall of snow the night before the exam just to get there: I did all that and I wouldn't recommend any of it!


1 - The Recital

Don't limit yourself by attempting to jump straight to your Dip recital pieces from grade 8: develop technique & explore the repertoire along the way. On the other hand, choose your recital pieces well in advance. Try out quite a lot of the pieces on the repertoire list before you make a final choice. Read the syllabus and then choose pieces that both play to your strengths, and that you like - you will be with them for a while. Besides, if you're not playing from the heart you're not really playing. Learn the pieces - not just the notes but the music. Put them aside while you learn something else (repertoire &/or technique development). Relearn them. Put them aside again, then relearn them again. By the third learning cycle you are probably getting them up to scratch.

Be able to play each piece from memory, whether you will do so in the exam or not (but if you are planning to play from score practice playing from score). I could do this for every piece.

Ideally be able to play them hands separately as well as hands together from memory, and with your eyes closed. Be able to write them out in manuscript from memory, including articulation marks, phrasing, dynamics and written instructions. Be able to name every note and say (without actually playing it) which finger you will be playing it with. Be able to start from any named bar. I couldn't do this all for every piece, just for the Bach (!): I passed the recital but only narrowly.

Identify some festivals and play every piece/movement in at least 2 each. If possible identify an opportunity to play the entire recital as a whole somewhere (I played mine at Chetham's summer school). For the last 3 months before the exam play nothing else (except quick studies, see below).


2 - Program Notes

The research & writing takes time. Writing decent notes in the limited word count is not easy. Get it done early. Get advice and comments from anyone you can (a professional music critic/program note writer if possible). Given that you can do this so far in advance there is no excuse for these not being excellent.


3 - Viva

Make notes as you research: Learn them early and revise them in the week before the exam (I had over 25 pages of notes - I re-read them on the train down). Every sentence in your program notes may generate at least 5 questions: have the answers prepared. Know about the history of your instrument and where in that history each of your pieces fits. Know the biographical details of your composers, where the piece fits in their life, the story of the piece. Know what else was going on in the world of music and the world in general at the time. Know the structure of each piece and the terminology of structural analysis. Know something about period performance practice. One question you are very likely to be asked is how you decided on your program: have a prepared answer.

The viva lasts 15 minutes: At least 2 hours of specific preparation per minute (not including preparation of program notes) is not a bad guide.

I got 20/25 for my program notes & viva

4 - Quick study

Don't just wing it: As I discovered to my cost failing to prepare is preparing to fail. There is a technique for approaching a quick study in a structured manner, indeed probably more than one. However, you only need one: Learn it. Then the only way to get good at it is to practice it. It is self evident that you can only sight read any given piece once so you need to have access to a lot of music. For the retake I sight read my way through every piece in every grade 4, 5, 6 and 7 book I could find (about 20 books - car boot sales, house clearance shops, antique shops etc. are great sources but it takes time to collect) as well as playing through Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words, Grieg's Lyric pieces, Schumann's Kinderscenen & Album Fur die Jungen: I also played a fair bit of Christopher Norton's stuff (microjazz etc.). About half an hour a day for 6 months on average (a lot less in the first 4 months, a lot more in the last 2). I know I am a much better sight reader now than I was 6 months ago. I don't yet know if I passed. It would have been so much easier to do it all before the first attempt!


Bear in mind that this is all about music and the journey to the next landmark, in this case DipABRSM. If you're not going to enjoy the journey, the landmark isn't worth reaching.

This is great advice, and I will hopefully be at that point the next time I take an exam - but I have to admit I don't think I could do 80% of that when I passed the Dip exam I was happy with my recital mark (39/60 - passing is 24 and distinction is 42), so don't panic if you don't think you will be able reach that point before the exam (you haven't indicated how long you have to prepare). It would be nice though

[quote name='Robodoc' date='Jul 18 2011, 11:38 PM' post='1076420']
Took it in December, passed everything except the Quick Study (which I retook this afternoon!), so advice:

In general, be lazy: get it right first time!



Don't get seriously acutely ill & have a major operation 3 weeks before the exam, come out of hospital 2 weeks before the exam and then struggle through a 12 inch fall of snow the night before the exam just to get there: I did all that and I wouldn't recommend any of it!


1 - The Recital

Don't limit yourself by attempting to jump straight to your Dip recital pieces from grade 8: develop technique & explore the repertoire along the way. On the other hand, choose your recital pieces well in advance. Try out quite a lot of the pieces on the repertoire list before you make a final choice. Read the syllabus and then choose pieces that both play to your strengths, and that you like - you will be with them for a while. Besides, if you're not playing from the heart you're not really playing. Learn the pieces - not just the notes but the music. Put them aside while you learn something else (repertoire &/or technique development). Relearn them. Put them aside again, then relearn them again. By the third learning cycle you are probably getting them up to scratch.

Be able to play each piece from memory, whether you will do so in the exam or not (but if you are planning to play from score practice playing from score). I could do this for every piece.

Ideally be able to play them hands separately as well as hands together from memory, and with your eyes closed. Be able to write them out in manuscript from memory, including articulation marks, phrasing, dynamics and written instructions. Be able to name every note and say (without actually playing it) which finger you will be playing it with. Be able to start from any named bar. I couldn't do this all for every piece, just for the Bach (!): I passed the recital but only narrowly.

Identify some festivals and play every piece/movement in at least 2 each. If possible identify an opportunity to play the entire recital as a whole somewhere (I played mine at Chetham's summer school). For the last 3 months before the exam play nothing else (except quick studies, see below).



Wow. This is all GREAT and very detailed advice. Thanks so much. Will be extreamly helpful when preparing for the diploma.

2 - Program Notes

The research & writing takes time. Writing decent notes in the limited word count is not easy. Get it done early. Get advice and comments from anyone you can (a professional music critic/program note writer if possible). Given that you can do this so far in advance there is no excuse for these not being excellent.



What is the Purpose of program notes? Does the Program Notes relate to each of the pieces you perform in your Diploma? For example- would you give information of each piece you perform included in your program notes?

You may wish to read the syllabus on this: Since it seems you haven't here's what it says:

"The Notes should discuss and illuminate in your own words the works you have chosen to perform in your Recital"

You will be expected to discuss your program notes in your viva. They specifically mention areas of discussion that may arise in the viva in respect to program notes:

"Repertoire and Programme Notes: knowledge of the repertoire performed, including biographical information about each composer and the context of each work in the composer?s life and output; details of commission (if any); the process of composition and first performance; knowledge of the general musical trends of the era and the place of each work in the context of the core repertoire."

At DipABRSM level you have 1210 words (1100 +10%). As an example let's say you construct your recital around one major work, a classical sonata in 3 movements. You add a Bach Prelude & Fugue, a Romantic piece and a 20th (or 21st) century piece. That gives you about 250 words per piece, plus another 200 for the sonata. If you allow a paragraph each for the biography of the composer, the circumstances of composition of each piece and for the structural anaylsis of each piece and each movement of the sonata, you are looking at about 80 words on each subject. Suddenly you realize that every word has to work to justify it's place. You have to edit ruthlessly but still remain coherent, relevant and interesting. It's a challenge!