Intermediate

Tchaikovsky - La nouvelle poupée (No. 6 from Album pour enfants, Op. 39)

ABRSM Grade 4 - B3

This beautifully constructed miniature is based on just one rhythmic pattern in the left hand - each bar is made up of a two-note repeated chord and a rest. Above this, the right hand sings (in four-bar phrases) and dances (two-note slurs). The middle section features many accidentals in the frequent modulations, demanding full attention from the player. The New Doll will not suffer from being played completely without the pedal. Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) ... Read >>

Schubert - Minuet and Trio (D. 41 No. 21)

ABRSM Grade 4 – A3

An elegant minuet and trio with some pleasing chromatic touches, this pair of dances is full of interest as well as challenges in touch and articulation.... Read >>

C. Nielsen - Spilleværket (No. 6 from Humoreske-Bagateller, Op. 11)

ABRSM Grade 6 – A3

Resources & links This piece is available for individual purchase as a digital download here or in print as part of the Piano Exam Pieces 2025 & 2026 Grade 6 publication here. Open domain editions are also available here. You can listen to a recording of this piece and others from... Read >>

Alwyn - The Sea is Angry

This video provides a walk-through of William Alwyn's The Sea is Angry which is an excellent piece for intermediate pianists who want to play something that will expand their sound.... Read >>

Maykapar - Valse (No. 5 from Biriulki, op. 28)

Maykapar’s elegant waltz has plenty of colour and charm. The player can experiment with different types of pedalling to bring the music to life. Resources & links Click here to purchase sheet music form the Trinity College online store (external link). Click here to view open domain editions for these works (external link, see page 9). Click here to view the index for our Guide to the Trinity College Piano Syllabus. Click here... Read >>

Burgmüller - 11. La Bergeronnette (The Wagtail) in C Major (from 25 Easy and Progressive Etudes, Op. 100)

La Bergeronnette (The Wagtail) depicts a genus of bird that constantly moves its tail; Burgmüller captures this flickering, fluttering movement by the prevailing rhythmic figure we hear right at the start – two semiquavers and a quaver under a slur. It is important that the first note of the slurred group is lightly stressed, and the last note released without an accent. Make sure to retain this strong-weak emphasis even in the crescendos (from bar 19, and from bar 26), where each three-note group is stronger than the previous one. The leggiero marking invites us to use a light touch... Read >>

Diabelli - Moderato Cantabile (from Sonatina in F major, Op. 168 No. 1)

The first movement (Moderato) of Diabelli’s appealing Sonatina in F is a model of sonata form in miniature, an ideal way to teach form and structure to the intermediate pianist. The gently expressive first subject with its sighing appoggiaturas gives way to a skittish and playful second subject. In this video I demonstrate the art of finger pedalling in the left hand alberti patterns to create resonance by hand (instead of by foot, which would cloud the texture too much). I also show how to use deconstruction techniques in a tricky left hand passage to improve control and coordination. ... Read >>

Raymond Yiu - Canzonetta

ABRSM Grade 4 – C3

Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) Resources & links This piece is available for individual purchase as a digital download here or in print as part of the Piano Exam Pieces 2025 & 2026 Grade 4 publication here. You can listen to a recording of this piece and others from this grade on Spotify using this link. ... Read >>

Burgmüller - 12. L'Adieu (Farewell) in A Minor (from 25 Easy and Progressive Etudes, Op. 100)

L’adieu (The Farewell) tells the story of a departure, perhaps of a close friend or family member, and the resulting feelings of sadness and anxiety. The only respite from the turbulent emotions is to be found in the B section (from bar 17) - in C major, but even then this brief moment of warmth and respite is tinged with regret (the Ab in bar 24). The form of the piece is ternary (ABA) with an introduction and coda. The main technical problem posed by this étude is how to play the triplet quaver patterns at speed - with dynamics... Read >>