I've realised through reading the Chopin pedalling thread that there are quite a lot of us planning on taking Grade 8 piano sometime during the next year, so I thought it might be nice to have a support thread where we can give each other mutual encouragement (and sympathy when required).

I'm playing Shostakovich P+F, Mozart K332 and Albeniz Rumores de la Caleta. I have most of the Albeniz and the Shostakovich Prelude just about there, am still battling my way through the three-part sections of the fugue, and can play through the Mozart slowly but haven't done any detailed work on it yet.

My teacher has given me a set of short-term targets for performance at his adult play-through evenings. I'm playing the Prelude and the main section of the Albeniz tonight, and I have to get the Fugue and the exposition of the Mozart ready for performance at the end of this term.

How is everyone else tackling learning the pieces?

Hi, i'm hoping to do my grade 8 piano within the next year or so. I passed grade 7 with merit back in 2000 but haven't played properly since then really (a levels, degree, postgrad course etc). Anyway, I've now started working and am back living with my parents (and piano ) and its only now I've started playing seriously again. Quite missed it in fact!

Anyway, to stop waffling, I had my first proper piano lesson for about 6 years last Monday. Agreed that we'd start off slowly to get things back up to speed! Its the first time since then that I've practiced properly too I bought the grade 8 selection book last autumn and have been playing through bits and pieces of it and the alternative options from other books etc.

For list c, I really love the chopin nocturne and the ravel, but will probably end up doing the albeniz which I quite like too. With list b I have been looking at both the mozart pieces and also the Clementi so haven't decided yet. With list A, I'll probably do the Bach.


PS. I'm quite new, so will try and post a bit more on the newbie board when I get a minute.

Possibly...keep putting grade 7 off so my teacher thinks I should just do grade 8 .

Pieces erm, one of the Mozart ones for list B. Probably Mendelssohn Prelude and Fugue for List A, if I ever get my fingers around it, possibly the Chopin for List C.

Chances of me EVER doing grade 8 - remarkably slim - BUT! Good luck to those of you who are planning it

Believe in yourself that you can.

Good luck to anyone doing it! It's not that bad really, except for the AURAL!!

...speaks someone who's never heard me play piano - in all serious it's just NOT my instrument. I enjoy it, but I don't care enough to practise hard enough to ever get to this kind of standard even given some years to try. So my efforts go on instruments I am more suited to, and I just sit back and enjoy other folks' playing rather than beat myself round the head with my inability

Anyway - back to topic!

Is anyone doing the Ravel on the current G8 list? I don't know many of the pieces, but that one is lovely!

Yay

Hoping to do G8 at Christmas. Luckily 2 mates of mine are also doing grade 8 at the same time - we can panic together.

I'm considering:

List A - The Bach Prelude and Fugue. I love it more and more each time I play it. He's a legend.
List B - The Mozart K332 - I think this is very cool - not too bad note wise, more tricky in the expression department.
List C - The Grieg - I just love the sound of this piece, so I'll probably end up doing it. I was considering Chopin, but to be brutally honest, I don't like that Nocturne.

I'm probably heading towards gd 8 in the autumn. I'm doing the Bach, FINALLY getting somewhere with the fugue , the Mozart (the one in the book - can't remember what it's called) and the Brahms for the C from the alternative list, which is such a lovely piece, very relaxing.

Couldn't agree more. Coming from the girl that got 9/18 (champion score.....hmmm).


Good Luck Everyone taking this exam.

A possibility, but whenever I do a stint of practising that piece I still get nowhere and feel like I am sight reading every time. I just can't play in flats...says the person who's playing the Chopin Nocturne .

and

I guess some pieces "click" easier than others.

I played it in a concert a few weeks back and then started working on it with a student - which was when I saw the quaver=112 marking. Sheesh, that feels quick.

That's why my plan is to learn 2 from each group and then (around December) drop 1 from each and go for the exam next spring.

My list is;

Bach P&F No 17 in A flat from TWTC Bk1
Shostakovich P&F No. 7 in A
Mozart sonata in F K332 1st mvt
Schubert Sonata in E flat Op 122 1st Mvt
Chopin Nocturne in F minor Op 55 No 1
Gershwin "Lisa"

I'll be doing it as well. In fact in less. I need to commit myself more.

Glad to see you're taking the plunge, Andante. I won't even be looking at G8 exam pieces for at least another 9 -12 months, so there is no chance of me doing grade 8 this year, as I want to secure technique, aural, theory, and about a zillion other things first! All best wishes to everyone who is going for it, though. I look forward to reading how you get on with the pieces and other difficulties of this grade - and devouring this information for future reference!

What is the Albeinz like andante?

Yes, I'm going to try again, a year in June, ( June 2008) . After a disastrous first attempt in June 2006. We do Trinity up here as the nearest AB examination centre is 100 miles away. I'm hoping to do, Bach Praeambulum from the first list. A Richard Strauss piece from list 2, and Take the A train from list 3. The technical exercises and scales as per the book. The new syllabus, means a new look aural, so I've just sent off for the CD and book . Good luck everyone.

you'll do just fine. I think a second attempt is always better, as it makes you more determined and work harder.

Very Spanish, not too stretchy, lots of repetition. Rather more difficult musically than technically (the sort I like).

I'd agree with andante, the notes/rhythms themselves are not that difficult to master, but the interpretation I think is more tricky as the melody really needs to be brought out

I know what you mean - I have a friend studying for diploma and every time we sit and look at new pieces together we pick different things as the diffucult bits: he has no problem with the merely fast and technical but has great diffuculty in finding a "voice" for the slower stuff. I have no difficulty (from my point of view) in being emotional but I baulk at the more technically demanding passages.

Having said which, I could be wrong but I suspect that the examiner will be looking for evidence of both musical and technical difficulty in a candidates choices.

Not at Grade 8 level, Robodoc. Each piece is marked individually. It's not until diploma level that the programme is assessed as a whole.

Ah! That's all right then!

Mind you, I can remember a time (not that long ago) when I thought Grade 8 was the pinnacle of musical achievement. I was vaguely aware that there was a world beyond it but it was over the horizon and therefore a land where my mental map had "here be monsters" written.

Now I'm aware that, besides the huge potential repertoire beyond grade 8, there are at least 3 levels of examination, the most demanding of which requires you to sight read a piece of grade 8 standard!!! My mind is still boggling at the idea!

Oh happy time!

I remember thinking that about grade 5!

Thought this needed bringing back to the first page

Anyone else playing the Mendelssohn P&F? Out of interest, those who aren't doing it was there a reason for not doing it or was it more that there was a reason to play eg the Bach or Shostakovich. I'm finding it difficult to keep the fugue legato in some bars - my teacher insists that I learn it & play it really well without the use of the pedal. Which seems to be very sensible but is really difficult to do
Have decided to learn the Clementi properly, having learned the Mozart but doubting whether my fingers will cope with fast broken chord passages in an exam situation . The Clementi seems to lie under my fingers a lot more easily (apart from some massive chords that don't ..yet) & is more scalic which I much prefer.
The Chopin from list C is going well...have most of the last 2 pages memorised, which is strange as I don't easily memorise piano music. If I have time I'd like to look at the Brahms as well.
Scales in sixths are improving - though I have a tendency to burn meals while practising scales (you know the "I can fit in 10 minutes practice while the potatoes cook" idea)
How are other people getting on?

Oh I need this thread!

I haven't had a piano lesson in 4 years, but I did my Grade 7 when I was 13 and then switched to organ (as a 'break' between grades, trying something new... Now it is most definitely my first and favourite instrument ) but I got bored with my piano playing and bought the Grade 8 book.

So far, I LOVE the Bach P+F (my hands are too small to get round the others anyway but the Bach is lovely) (perhaps organist's bias ), and I also really like the Martinu for List C. Undecided between the Mozart and the Clementi for B, so I'm playing them both at the moment.

I don't have a teacher and I have no serious intention of taking it for a while yet, and then A Levels will probably get in the way. So I guess I should aim for next spring term. The scales look pretty intimidating though!

The only good thing is I already have done a Grade 8 so the rest of the exam doesn't bother me so much!

I'm doing the Bach too, it is nice Really enjoying playing the fugue now I can get my fingers round it and it (kind of) flows

Is anyone doing the Brahms Intermezzo from the C list (not in the book). It's really lovely. Really annoying to learn, but really relaxing to play.

I'm supposed to be doing it this coming session - as a sort of dry run for my LRIAM which is in December - aaaggh! Doing Shostakocich, Haydn in C and Albeniz

Andrea - I am supposed to be doing the Mend P + F...

I have got the grade 8 book and might take the plunge and do this exam at Christmas. I've been looking at the Mendelssohn and the Haydn sonata. The Mendelssohn looks very appealing, and yes, I am working on it without pedalling. I love Haydn sonatas and this is a really fun movement, needs agile fingers though.

From list C the only one I've looked at from the book has been the Copland, but may look at others on the list.

What's an LRIAM?

An Irish qualification - http://extranet.riam.ie/associate/regulations.asp

Ahhh! Ta!

I worked on it a few years ago (the whole of Sonatine is on DipABRSM and I considered playing it) and yes, it is lovely . As is the Mendelssohn on list A - I did a quick-study of it a while back (to have a non-copyright recording so someone could have a listen), so if anyone wants a very rough idea of what it sounds like let me know.

arghhh im doing it next month! *panics*
thats why i havent beenn on these forums much... ive bin practising! (a lot)
im playing:
~soler sonata in D
~ mozart k332
~gershwin- Liza

*puts hand up* me please!

(And no, not because I plan on doing grade 8 )

Okay, if anyone wants it, right-click and save the following to disk:

http://www.forumrecordings.co.uk/MendelssohnQS.mp3

It was my second attempt at playing it, the first being five minutes prior to the recording .

I have just got the Gr8 book and am looking through the pieces but having only just passed Gr7 (and scraped through at that) I don't think I'll be even considering sitting it this year!!!

Currently started on B:3 (Mozart - Allegro) and A:1.

Forgive me for ignorance: A:1 is what?

Prelude and Fugue in A Flat, BWV 862 by JS Bach

I just didn't have the music in front of me when I typed that last reply and didn't want to get the title wrong! I could only remember it was a Bach prelude!

I wondered: It's number 17 from Bk 1. I've also picked out the Bach and the Mozart (K332?). What are you doing for the C list? I'm torn between the Chopin Nocturne and the Gershwin (both, I think, on the auxilliary list)

Having difficulty working out the right fingering for Shostokovich. How have those doing Shostokovich work them out, alone or with teacher?

Both Mendelssohn and Soler are my alternative choices for List A.
Soler is probably the safest bet as my counterpoint skills leave much to be desired.

Anyone else find that the list C has so many attractice pieces that it is almost impossible to choose?

Doing the Bach from the A list and the Mozart from the B... both coming along nicely, but there's just so much of the Mozart!! hehe...

Is anyone else doing the Brahms Intermezzo from the alternative C list?? It's loverly

Update - given up and trying grade 7 instead.

I am doing--- the soler sonata ,such a lovely piece
clementi allegro con spirito
poulen toccata -far too fast!!

It's been a while since this thread was used - just wondered how are y'all doing?

I have made no progress on the grade 8 pieces I picked out at all, directly however I have made progress elsewhere:

1) Since I started lessons (in May) my teacher has given me a few pieces to learn in the interim: Bach Sinfonias 3 and 11, Debussy Prelude "Minstrels", the first movement of Beethoven Sonata no 5 in C minor and (this is the most frightening) Debussy's "Jardins Sous le Pluie" from Estampes. According to past lists, The Sinfonias are grades 8 & 7 respectively: Minstrels is grade 8, The Beethoven movement is grade 8 (or Diploma for the whole sonata) but all the pieces in Estampes are on the LRSM list - needless to say I can't play any of these properly yet (though the first 4 are coming along nicely)!

2) I will be playing Debussys prelude "La Jeune Fille Aux Chevaux de Lin" at the Stalybridge concert next week. I do hope it's not complete rubbish!

2) Scales and arpeggios: 5 months ago I couldn't play arpeggios accurately, smoothly or fast enough in any key, or at all in inversions or dominant 7ths. Also I couldn't play melodic minor scales, I had problems with scales in 3rds, I had problems with major scales in 6ths and minor scales in 6ths were simply impossible. Last week I finally bought the grade 8 scales book to check fingering for single hand 3rds and to check metronome settings. I discovered that I can now play all the required scales and arpeggios smoothly (or staccato if required, though it seems I do "wrist" staccato and I should learn "finger" staccato), accurately and in some cases at twice the mimimum recommended speed: Then, playing all the scales and arpeggios I knew starting on one note took 30-40 minutes. Now it takes 6-7. Practice is paying off!!

I still have this idea of learning a wider repertoire and narrowing down, but the repertoire I'm learning seems to be wider still! Don't quite know where this journey is taking me but the scenery on the way is great!

I have to agree with you on the constant good news in terms of repertoire. I am also very thankful to ABRSM for helping structure my exposure to a wide variety of pieces I might otherwise never have attempted or even heard.

Have been focusing on technique this summer trying to get the old fingers up to the next level.
My impression of the Grade 8 repertoire is that it will only be possible if my technique is improved.
Sometimes I feel more like I am preparing to run a marathon rather than play the piano.

- trying to get all the scales and arpeggios smooth, comfortable, without doubts and playable in my sleep;
- working on Bach Inventions #10, 13, 14, 15
- doing some supervised Brahms Exercises from the '51'
- fumbling through some of the beloved Czerny Op. 299 School of Velocity

Doing all of these together (always focusing on doing them in a relaxed way without tension) has been more interesting than I would have anticipated. They really do help. I feel more secure, more flexible and more in control.

8A: Started on the Shostokovich Prelude; can play through slowly, struggling with 'sempre legato'.

8B: Been working on the Mozart KV332 Allegro on my own. Trying to keep the speed down and the accuracy up. Working on memorizing as I go along, trying to get rid of the score asap.

8C: Who can choose? Bortkiewicz notes learned, but hard to get smoothly flowing. Brahms great but struggling with 2 against 3, overlapping hand positions, 2 octave arpeggio patterns. Ravel takes lots of time for me just figuring out what all the off stave notes are with 5 flats, but it is beautiful.

I've shelved my target date until next year, as I want to make a start on learning the accompaniments of the new flute syllabus.

Currently I have one piece reasonably learned: Albeniz; one piece underway: Mozart F major K332; and one piece half-learned: Shostakovich - Prelude learned, Fugue ongoing project.

I know the scales/arpeggios, and am building speed and fluency.

Sight reading is not too much of a problem, and I have done the aural before.

So, other commitments permitting, i might be looking at next March, now.