I just did my dipABRSM in piano performance yesterday.. it was .. interesting but actually really enjoyable.. if people want I'll put up the questions I got for my viva and if you have any questions feel free to ask.. I know how much I found all your advice valuable and so I want to give something in return!

If you want me to put up an acoount of how the exam went and how quick study and viva were. tell me... but I'll surely put up viva questions i got soon...

Good luck to all!

Warren

Yes please!

I'm glad you say it was "enjoyable!" That is how I hope my exam will be! I'm sure you did a fantastic job. Mine's not for another few weeks!

Wow...congrats for your exam! Hope you will get distinction!
Anyway, I'll do my exam several weeks again,
Can I know what's the question in viva voce n what tipe of sight reading did you get??
Need advice please....
I also hope that I can also do my exam well n make it interesting n enjoyable like what you have done.
Thanks.

well i guess it's too late to wish you good luck, but hope you get a great result, if you enjoyed it that's a pretty good sign! posting your viva voce q's would be great, and hopefully more people will follow your lead on that one, also just out of curiosity what pieces did you play?

Sure.. I'll post it all up when I get back from my A-Level Spanish and Mechanics I have today!

Anybody wanting more sample viva questions might want to look at this thread and this thread.

Good luck to all awaiting the exam or the results .

I do have a question...

Where were you sitting when you were asked the Viva Voce questions? Did the examiner come up to you to talk to you? Or did he ask you to come and sit at his desk?

When I did mine, the examiners called me across to sit opposite them at their desk; actually, I'd prefer to have remained at the piano as one or two times I would have played a section to illustrate a point rather than singing it. I think one has to sit at their desk, though, as they have a microphone on it to record the viva and it might not pick up one speaking from the other side of the room.

Can we see the microphone for record the viva? Do they only record the viva section, not the recital and sight reading section or they record it all?

They record it all the sections of the exam for quality-control purposes. I could see the microphone - it was on the desk facing me.

reading through syllabus...says you can demonstrate points on instrument rather than express in words, which might be quite helpful for some

Indeed you're allowed to but it's a little less practical when the instrument is at the other side of the room!

hmm ...touche AP

My DipABRSM Piano performance experience

So here it is.. I'm sorry I am answering so late (A-levels in the way…) but I hope this will help you as much all the help I got from you guys!

The pieces I played (or at least tried to play!!!)
-Sonatas K208 K209- Scarlatti
-Sonata op.2 no.1 in F minor -- Beethoven
-Preludes 2 & 3- Gershwin

I think the recital was ... interesting ... I wanted to say desperately: oh but had you heard me playing yesterday... but then I thought it was not suitable (especially with that recording machine I had in front of me!!!!! which I set up for the examiner by the way as he and my school's head of music couldn’t get to work :-))

QUICK STUDY:

The quick study was actually very enjoyable and very wide-ranging. I had a piece entitled “Variations”, not as difficult as I expected and very varied i.e. not too modern and not 15 flats! My advice: enjoy playing your instrument. If you play regularly and like to adventure into other pieces (not necessarily study each one thoroughly!) and gain a broad range, then this should be an easy section. Even play pieces you like: film music, songs…. some are interesting and build up your confidence and musical feeling. I, for example, would not be able to name particularly important cadential progressions, but could play it for you, as I have loved just getting a feel for them in the music. I found that to be an excellent rescuing factor in the Viva. If you don’t have time to read the next chord, improvise with what FEELS right!

VIVA VOCE and PROGRAMME NOTES:

What interests you the most probably are the Viva questions, so here they are! I’ve grouped them into themes that I was asked about:

1) Programme
 How did you choose your programme?
 How did you try to achieve contrast?
 You did not include a Romantic piece? Why?
o At that point I got all enthusiastic about Spanish Romantic composers.. so the next question was inevitable… luckily I remembered one Spanish composer I liked just at the last minute!!!
 Name a Spanish Romantic composer!

2) Quick Study (Yes I know.. wasn’t expecting this at all!!!)
 About the quick study, are there any elements you particularly enjoyed? How did you approach it?
 and then the killer questions…. What key did the QS start in (!!!!!)
 What did it modulate to in the second half (!!!)?
 Was the start in major or minor?
3) Scarlatti Sonatas
 Of course Scarlatti’s Sonatas were composed for harpsichord. What difference did it make to your approach?
 Did you go for stylistic authenticity or on the contrary use the breadth of the modern piano’s expression?

4)Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in F Minor Op2 No1
 How had the piano evolved at that time and what difference does it make to your approach to the sonata?
 How do Beethoven’s sonatas change over his 28 years of composition?
 How was Beethoven’s use of sonata form in his early sonatas different to say Mozart or Haydn? How did they influence Beethoven?
 What characterizes the first period of Beethoven’s compositions?
 What is unusual about the key of F-minor used in this sonata?
 How does this sonata compare, structure-wise with his later works? (e.g. use of scherzo to replace minuet, decreasing slow movements etc…)
 How does the minor tonality bring out the piece? (huh?)
 What are the technical challenges in this piece, especially in the Prestissimo?

5) Gershwin’s Preludes
 You say the inspiration for the preludes came from Chopin, can you clarify that?
 How did you approach the 3rd prelude, especially the last section with large intervals, because at that point you seemed to be playing from memory?
 What are the advantages for a pianist to play from memory?

Actually, you don’t realise how time flies and it’s a wonderful opportunity to show all the work you have put into your pieces! The more you have read the more comfortable you feel and the more you can expand. You actually get little opportunity to demonstrate at your instrument as the examiner has so much to ask you!

One tip:- never stop talking, always have something to say and speak fast!! Think of it as a game and try to anticipate every question that the examiner could think about: challenge yourself to come up with a question to which you don’t know the answer, asks others to help you, and ask them to read through your programme notes. Something else: When the examiner was asking questions, he took a lot from the diploma syllabus list in the appendices, which he had open in front of him!!! Practice answering these!

Sometimes something that makes sense to you sounds terrible or repetitive to someone else! What I found useful was to do A LOT of research, especially on the internet (incredible wealth there, one useful resource I discovered was GooglePrint, where you can see selected book extracts online!!!), printed it all out, and then sat in bed with a recording of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, a highlighter and my research, and then just went through it to see what was the most interesting. Then put that aside and play your piece through once again using all you have just learnt about in your research: I guarantee you enjoy your pieces even more and it helps with the feeling (not technique though… as I can testify… that is just improved by hours in front of the instrument!!!!!)

I hope this will help you guys! I’m sorry if I repeat myself, but I tried to make this as comprehensive as my time allows! If you have more questions, feel free I’d be glad to answer them!

Best wishes and good luck to all!

Warren

PS: Leia12… I’ll answer you soon…

Thank you so much! Those are really helpful! I will post mine, too, after my exam! Uh oh, I had better make sure I know what key the quick study is in and what it modulates to; that question would have caught me off guard! Did you have the piece in front of you when you were answering, or did you have to remember?

You have been very helpful! Thank you again!

Or you could just make sure that you do the viva before the quick study, then they can't ask you about it!

How can we make it like that? Should we ask the examiner to give us viva first and then quick study? As I know, usually we will have the sight reading first before the viva right?

My viva was before my quick study; if it's anything like the grade exams, one can specify the order, although I'd guess the recital would have to come before the viva.

Actually.. I wasn't given a choice... my examiner was very nice but rather bold and as soon as I came in he said...Right, so you understand how this is going to work? You do the recital, then you have the quick study, then the viva... not much option for debate :-)

The regulations stipulate:


It seems, though, that this is one point where examiners are inconsistent: some will offer a choice; others will assume a certain order. It's quite rare, though, to have one like rieuwa's who insists on a certain order; perhaps if you'd argued, he'd have agreed, but then again I wouldn't want to annoy the examiner from the outset

Yes.. I agree with you, and you know I didn't really mind .. you know the feeling when you go in... You would be ready to say yes to anything!

In my LRSM I chose to do the performance first, and then the Quick Study/viva.

It's hard to remember exactly but I think taht after the recital I was then given the quick study when seated at the piano and asked whether I wanted to do it then while I was already sitting down (I said yes). Hence I was given the choice.

NB I wasn't asked about the quick study at all in the viva.

Thank you very much.
I am going to have my exam in paino a month later. I am really worried about the exam, especially the viva voce. Fortunately, I am doing Gershwin's first Prelude also. Would you please suggest the answers for the questions for Gershwin's preludes for me? Also, how did you answer "How did you try to achieve contrast"?

Anyone who have ideas please give me some suggestions because I am so nervous of it. Thank you everyone.

P.S. I will do:
Johann Sebastian Bach
Toccata No.5 in E minor, BWV 914

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sonata in D, K.311

Schubert Franz
Impromptu in G flat, Op.90 No.3, D899/3

George Gershwin
Prelude I in B flat, Allegro ben ritmato e deciso

How about you attempt to answer the questions yourself for practise on here and then people will give you some pointers about how you could improve your answers: the best of both worlds, you get to do some research and practise answering questions and you get to find out information from people here too .

That's a good way. I will open new posts for it.
By the way, do you guys mind giving opinions to my programme notes.

I know I prob sound weird a sking this, but then it will be great if someone can enlighten me on this......... when a person says he his qualifications is a DipABRSM, which level exactly is he/she referring to (From my understanding, there's ARSM, LRSM, FRSM)?

Thanks a great deal!

Aspiring_pianist, there isn't an ARSM diploma. The first one available is called DipABRSM instead. Then one can progress to LRSM and FRSM.

Cheers

Katyjay

Geez, thanks katyjay!

Ermm... why do i see this " Warn: (0%) " sign directly below my logged in name? What does it mean?

Everyone gets one of these - but you can only see your own. It's a monitor on your behaviour - if the boxes get filled in, you're in trouble.

For details, check the full forum rules, under "Moderation Policies - Warnings".

Cheers

Katyjay

This was exactly my experience with my LRSM. I was given the choice of recital first or not (I chose yes). Then he suggested the quick study to me while I was sitting at the piano. Finally I did the viva. I don't think I was asked about the quick study at all.

Note of caution: Doing them in this order meant I was pretty tired and therefore rather incoherent during my viva. This is where I did least well in the scores.

hi guys..I'm new here..

I have just gotten my DipAbrsm and decided to take LTCL instead of LRSM for my next diploma but when i found out that Chopin Ballade no.3 is actually in ATCL repertoire when it is also in LRSM too..i totally freaked out!

It seems that I've learned that piece for nothing in preparation of LTCL! Sigh!!

My DipAbrsm exam was quite a good experience actually.. i was very nervous initially so struggled my way through my first piece which was Scarlatti's Sonata K 208 and 209. But after that when i'd finally settled down, the recital turned out quite well actually.. Relieved! and i've got 40/60 for recital but barely passed my sight-reading... ...

my order of exam was recital, sight-reading then viva voce.

hope i've not bored any of you guys to tears for this very first post of mine..

Course not. Well done on passing your DipABRSM, what other pieces were you doing?

Why did you choose to take LTCL instead of LRSM? If you've been preparing a LRSM pieces, can you not just take that exam?

LRSM is much more harder to pass than LTCL.. in particular the viva voce where i fear most. Besides LTCL has only recital and programme notes...
moreover, one of my DibARSM programme is szymanowski etude no.3 which overlaps with the LTCL repertoire so somehow this lightens my burden.

and also...i don't have much time practising my piano as well because i don't take up piano performing as my major or whatsoever. I'd just finished my A level last year while preparing for my DipABRSM at the same time and now, i'm struggling with my major (applied science) too in university. So if there's an easier path to take i'll go for it. hee.. yah, coz afterall, i'm a lazy person you see.



oh yea, anybody has small hands here? sad to say that i have them... i can merely reach an octave..having difficulties in playing LRSM or LTCL pieces...

Hi, I just want to ask about the thing that you have to play in these dip exams.
Do you have to play scales and do you have to do aural?? And what is that VIVA thingy....
Doing ABRSM Dip exam in 5 months time but still know nothing about it....what pieces do I have to play in it?? Is there a list that you can choose from??
Really Confusing...

hi..you don't have to play scales and there's no aural for Dip exams..

but you'll have to play a repertoire of 33-38mins and answer the viva voce questions.. sight-reading (roughly grade 6 piece standard) and submit your programme notes of 1000-1200 words to the examiners.

Basically, viva voce section takes up around 15 mins where the examiners will ask you questions regarding the pieces you've just played in the recital.

Here are some of the questions i've being asked during my DipABRSM examination this early may 05..

+One of the pieces I played was Mozart's K 445 (adapted from Gluck's opera)..

1. You might not listen to operas much, so why did you choose this mozart piece?
2. Give one example of his comic opera and tragic opera.
3. What technical and musical difficulties did you encounter in these variations?

+Another piece i played was Scarlatti's Sonata..

1. Why Scarlatti's sonatas have this K. and Longo?
2. Why did he write these exercises?
3. Besides what you've said, do you have any idea to whom did he write them for? (Queen Maria Babara) Which country was she from?

There're many other questions but too many to list down here.. take note of modulations in the pieces as well.

As for the DipABRSM pieces, YES, there's a list to choose from.

++ Please go to:

http://www.abrsm.org/resources/perfDip05Pa...repertoire'

Crikey, that 'not doing any more exams ever' didn't last too long . I'd suggest that if you're doing it in 5 months and haven't even thought about what pieces you'll play it would be very wise to perhaps consider postponing the exam until you have a little more time to prepare: the failure rate is quite high (around 50% and this is amongst people who have already passed grade 8) so you'll need plenty of time to prepare and understand what you have to do.

You would probably benefit greatly from reading the syllabus to gain an understanding of what you need to do. In short, for dipABRSM, you have to do a 35 minute recital, a viva voce (where the examiners ask questions about your pieces, the composers etc. there are plenty of example questions on the forum) most of this is based on your programme notes 1200 words which you prepare in advance and a quick study, you are given 5 minutes to look at a grade 6 standard piece and then have to perform it well (musically and fluently, roughly to a standard that would pass grade 6). Anyway take a look at the syllabus, which you can get from here and then ask any remaining questions you have .

The diplomas with aural tests and scales are ATCL performance diplomas; one can, however, do ATCL recital which has a longer recital than ATCL performance but doesn't require any additional tests, it's the recital only.

I agree with AnotherPianist.
I have been preparing for the DipABRSM for more than a years but I still afriad I cannot pass in the exam. 5 months is not enough for you do not know anything about the exam. It takes time to get what to do in the viva and the programme notes. However, I don't know your standard so you better ask your teacher to help you.