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Burgmüller - Velocity, Op. 109 No. 10
ABRSM Grade 6 – A6
Velocity is the tenth piece in a collection of small character studies by Friedrich Burgmüller (1806-1874). In the tradition of the very best studies, each piece presents a technical problem to be overcome and practised, while at the same time having a distinct musical appeal that raises it to the status of art. In Velocity, the main challenge is control of right hand semiquavers at high speed as the patterns move across the keyboard, even crossing over the accompanimental left hand’s repeated chords in two places. The player can develop the necessary leggiero touch by practising the semiquavers at first... Read >>
Prokofiev - La pluie et l’arc-en-ciel (No. 8 from Musiques d’enfants, Op. 65)
ABRSM Grade 5 – C3
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 5 publication here. Open domain editions are also available here. You can listen to a... Read >>
Komitas Vardapet - Shushiki (No. 4 from Dances)
ABRSM Grade 6 – 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 6 publication here. Open domain editions are also available here. You can listen to a recording of this piece and others from this grade on Spotify using this link. ... Read >>
Mozart - Theme, Var. 1 and Var. 5 (from 12 Variations on "Ah vous dirai-je, maman", K. 265)
ABRSM Grade 5 – A10
The French melody Mozart used for his 1785 set of twelve variations, Ah, vous dirai-je, maman first appeared in 1761, and has been used for many children's songs since. The innocent theme presented in the right hand can be coloured by some imaginative articulation in the left hand, with the possibility of some overholding (finger pedalling) in spots to create a harmonic carpet. The semiquaver patterns in the first variation require not only careful control but also contouring and phrase shaping. The fifth variation is all about dialogue between the hands, the one interrupting the other in playful fashion. The... Read >>
Beethoven - Scherzo (3rd mvt from Sonata in A, Op. 2 No. 2)
ABRSM Grade 7 – A1
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 7 publication here. Open domain editions are also available here. You can listen to a recording of this piece and others from this grade on Spotify using this link. ... Read >>
Clementi - Spiritoso (1st mvt from Sonatina in C, Op. 36 No. 3)
ABRSM Grade 5 – A2
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 5 publication here.... Read >>
Beethoven - Adagio cantabile (2nd movt from Sonata in C minor ‘Pathétique’, Op. 13)
ABRSM Grade 8 - B12
The famous second movement of Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata begins in the manner of a string quartet, the first violin entering only in the second phrase. Play the viola-like semiquaver part very softly and judge how much to give the cello line so that it supports the melodic line on top. When the main melody returns, the triplet figuration encourages the music to move forwards. The coda, an adieu, brings the music to a gentle close. Organise the ornaments rhythmically in the middle section, ensuring they enhance their surroundings. Preview (please log-in or... Read >>
Sarah Watts - The Wibbly Waltz
ABRSM Initial Grade – C3
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 Initial Grade publication here. You can listen to a recording of this piece and others from this grade on Spotify using this link. ... Read >>
Farrenc - Mouvement de valse (No. 15 from 25 études faciles, Op. 50)
ABRSM Grade 4 - A2
This graceful waltz is a study in lightness of touch (leggiero), both in the right hand figuration and in the left hand accompaniment. The extended semiquaver passagework requires careful consideration of the keyboard choreography involved, as well as suitable practice methods to create a sound that is even yet contoured. This piece offers a good opportunity to explore how a composer uses standard harmonic progressions to form phrase structures. Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) ... Read >>