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Tchaikovsky - Juin: Barcarolle (No. 6 from Les saisons, Op. 37b)

ABRSM Grade 8 - B3

Les saisons (The Seasons) is a collection of 12 pieces published in 1876, each piece bearing the title of a month of the year inspired by an epigram from a Russian poet. The epigram for Juin: Barcarolle is worth keeping in mind as we study the piece: “Let us go to the shore; there the waves will kiss our feet. With mysterious sadness the stars will shine down on us”.A barcarolle is a song of the Venetian gondoliers. We feel the movement of the gondola moving through the water in the LH, the RH melody line needs a flexible approach... 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 >>

Amit Anand - Cyberspace Detective

ABRSM Grade 1 – C1

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 1 publication here. You can listen to a recording of this piece and others from this grade on Spotify using this link. ... Read >>

Chaminade - Idylle (No. 1 from Album des enfants, deuxième série, Op. 126)

ABRSM Grade 4 - B2

Cecile Chaminade composed around 200 piano works that have become popular because they are manageable by intermediate-level pianists. This picturesque, contented piece paints a pastoral scene in which the melodic line is exclusively in the right hand, the left hand accompanying with broken chord patterns. We achieve the singing style not only by projecting the melody over the accompaniment, but also by shaping the line by phrasing, breathing, and intonation (taking a tiny bit of time over larger intervals). Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) ... Read >>

F. Price - Ticklin’ Toes

ABRSM Grade 4 – C3

Florence Price’s catchy Ticklin’ Toes is based on African-American dances, its syncopated rhythms and off-beat accompaniment patterns creating a lively, playful mood. Despite the editor’s caveat that players might prefer a slower tempo to the given crotchet = 138, a fast tempo is required to bring the music fully to life. A foolproof recipe for success in controlling fast tempos is an initial bout of very slow practice, ensuring complete accuracy in notes, rhythms and fingerings, followed by short bursts of the music at ever-faster tempos punctuated by deliberate stops or pauses. This might involve practising beat by beat to... Read >>

Bruch - Moderato from Sechs Klavierstücke (Op. 12, No. 4)

Max Bruch’s delightful Moderato from Sechs Klavierstücke (Op. 12, No. 4 ) is set for ABRSM Grade 6, list B. The LH jumps need careful preparation. In this video I demonstrate in detail the techniques of quick cover, springboarding and selective landing to build up the necessary control and accuracy that will enable you to forget about the technical challenges posed by the LH and instead focus on the singing line above, and on creating a beautiful sound. Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) ... Read >>

Handel - Allegro in F, HWV 488

ABRSM Grade 4 - A3

This lively courante-style Allegro in F major opens with a descending scale in a rhythm that might form the basis for scale practice in other keys too. As is typical in Baroque music, the performer needs to supply their own dynamic colouring and articulation according to “good taste”. Some of the notes in the quaver patterns might be slurred (to create an accent), others played short. Crotchets may be played legato, or slightly separated. Experiment with adding a crescendo in the ascending sequence at the start of the second half and find a special colour for the arrival in the... Read >>

Beyer - Melody in G (No. 39 from École préliminaire de piano, Op. 101)

ABRSM Initial Grade – B1

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. Open domain editions are also available here. You can listen to a recording of this piece and others from this grade on Spotify using ... Read >>

F. Price - A Morning Sunbeam (No. 3 from Three Sketches for Little Pianists)

ABRSM Grade 1 – B2

There is much musical interest and teaching value in Florence Price’s A Morning Sunbeam! While the melody in the opening section is mostly in the right hand, it passes to the left hand in the answering phrases, thereby extending the melody’s range without moving out of the five-finger position. In the middle section, in the subdominant key of C, the melody is now varied and we find a new feature - some bouncy off-beat chords in the right hand accompaniment. Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) ... Read >>