Grade 1 – Piano Exam

(Updated Dec 2013) ABRSM Grade 1 Exam – The vital statistics: The current entry fee (2014) is £36.25. The next exam period is 3rd March- 5th April 2014 and the closing date for entry to these exams will be 24th January 2014. Alongside the playlist of demonstration videos for the current Grade 1 pieces, I have …

Exam Preparation: Scales

As the exam entry deadline for the next session approaches (Friday 3rd May), the big question on every teacher’s mind is which students are going to be ready to enter this time. Can we afford to leave it another term or is the student going to go “off the boil”? Will the scales be perfected in …

ABRSM Grade 2 Piano Exam Pieces (in HD)

Following on from my post last summer which featured demo videos of the 2011-2012 Grade 1 Piano Syllabus, I have now been able to produce a set of demo videos for the Grade 2 syllabus. Those of you about to take your Grade 1 piano might be interested to see what is in store for your next …

The importance of scales

There’s little chance of escaping the fact that scales aren’t the most exciting thing to practice, especially when you have a piano exam coming up in the next few weeks.  However they are the building blocks of much music and being able to play them fluently is fundamental in the ability to play any instrument. …

Playing Together – Piano Duets and Ensembles

It has been really encouraging to see a lot of work going into piano duets this term in preparation for the next concert. There will be a mix of piano-based ensembles in the programme besides piano duets as I have tried to set up a group to perform from each of the schools in which …