How is piano music graded

As an example, a grade 10 RCM piece might correspond with a level 6 on the Henle scale. This system only ranks music written between the 17th and early 20th centuries, so it's narrowly focused on the broad genre of "Classical Music". The RCM school, on the other hand, also categorizes a good amount of contemporary and pop music. How I Use Grades on the Website. There are also some common misunderstandings as to the role exams ought to play in your musical journey that I want to address.

A common complication and this is particularly prominent with certain piano parents exists when people believe that the grade exams are THE goal to strive for when taking piano lessons. They believe that the exams are the sum of all piano playing. Exams are a complementary tool in the toolkit of the teacher. They should be used as a progress measure, as a motivator and as a benchmarking tool.

An exam syllabus is NOT a curriculum. It is a syllabus! This is never an exhaustive list of every necessary musical skill a good piano player ought to possess. First of all, the grades are not necessarily evenly spaced. It can take 2 or 3 years to work up to Grade 1. Between grade 5 and 6 can easily take 2 years, and the same for later grades. You will have heard stories of 12 year-olds who have acquired grade 8. Certainly there are students who deserve this. Think of amazing musicians like Tiffany Poon who have been obsessed with the piano since they were 2.

There are also adults who seem determined to get to the magical grade 8 in as little time as possible. Absolutely not. This kind of thinking stems from a deep misunderstanding of the complexity of artistic skill development. All while single-mindedly pursuing a number on a piece of paper.

In fact, I have seen first-hand how detrimental this attitude is, both to the mental health of the student, the teacher and the continued enjoyment of piano lessons for both. But exams are not games. When one piece is failed, it is reflected in the individual mark. This does not affect marks received on the other pieces played. Candidates are allowed to take the piano exam as many times as needed. Previous results are not taken into account when grading.

However, it is not recommended. A large part of the system involves learning and the creation of a complete experience. Also, the lessons learned in the training you do for the previous grades can be very useful during the current exam you take. Grade 1 piano takes most children between 1. However, this varies a lot from one candidate to the next. If you want to learn how to play the piano and be officially acknowledged as a virtuoso, you need to be aware of piano grades and the ABRSM.

Certification is available to prove the piano skills you have, but there are numerous things you might not know about the examination process. This is why everyone interested in one of the most loved musical instruments in the world should know the following things. Although you do not need to pass them to have a career in the music industry, they can help you become better and some piano jobs require them. Trinity has a one-year overlap between syllabuses during which time candidates may offer pieces and technical work from either the or syllabus, but not a mixture of both.

Please note that although selected pieces from the — syllabus have been retained as repertoire options, candidates using the — syllabus must prepare the exercises listed in the — syllabus. Piano Syllabus overlap information. Sign up for email updates about your subject area.

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