Your guide to the new ABRSM Piano syllabus 2013 & 2014

New for Piano

New repertoire, new resources, new challenges

The new ABRSM piano syllabus for 2013 & 2014 will be published in July 2012 and takes effect from 1 January 2013. The syllabus includes 158 newly selected pieces across all eight grades and is supported by new Piano Exam Pieces sheet music and recordings.

Explore the world of music Our new piano syllabus provides a wonderful opportunity to explore the world of music, with pieces representing the work of a diverse range of composers, countries and musical genres. The new syllabus offers a balance of familiar, well-loved pieces alongside exciting, new repertoire.

Attractive arrangements Arrangements continue to prove popular, particularly in the earlier grades. This year we are delighted to incorporate three that have been made by ABRSM examiners: ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ (Grade 1), ‘Meet the Flintstones’ (Grade 2) and Sullivan’s ‘The Policeman’s Song’ (Grade 3).

A truly international flavour Our new syllabus offers a colourful range of works from a diverse array of countries including some Chinese pieces at Grades 2 and 6, a piece by Venezuelan composer, Federico Ruiz at Grade 4 (his first appearance on an ABRSM syllabus) and a rare treat at Grade 3 – a Chopin arrangement of a Polish folksong.

Representing Spain and Catalonia, Francisco Tárrega makes his first appearance on the piano syllabus at Grade 5 with an arrangement of his haunting romantic waltz called ‘Adelita’. Another appealing newcomer to the syllabus is Ernesto Halffter, whose Habanera in Grade 8 is sure to win many fans. The body of 150 keyboard sonatas by the Catalan composer Antonio Soler have been compared to those of Scarlatti for their ingenuity and inventiveness, and we are delighted to be including one of them in Grade 8. Finally, another Catalan-born composer, and a very popular one, Enrique Granados, offers a delightful ‘Dance of the Rose’ in Grade 6.

Overlap informationCandidates may continue to play set pieces from the 2011 & 2012 Piano syllabus for a limited overlap period as follows:

• UK & Republic of Ireland – until end of Period A (spring exams) 2013

• All other countries – until 31 December 2013

• All pieces presented at exam must be from the same syllabus - candidates may not perform a mixture of pieces from old and new syllabuses.

A vibrant selection of musical genresFrom classical to contemporary, baroque to jazz, the new piano syllabus offers a rich collage of musical genres for candidates to choose from. Three engaging jazz-style pieces have been commissioned especially for this syllabus: they are ‘Strange Things Happen’ by Sarah Watts (Grade 2), ‘For Lydia’ by Darius Brubeck (son of Dave – Grade 5) and ‘A Wise Bud’ by Jason Rebello (Grade 6).

An inspirational collection of composersWe continue to fly the flag for contemporary composers, including those writing in a more challenging vein. Denmark’s Poul Ruders and Estonia’s Arvo Pärt, two of the most eminent living European composers, and works by Australia’s Carl Vine and the UK’s Julian Anderson feature in this new syllabus.

For lovers of 20th-century Russian piano music, we’ve featured six of the very finest composers from this imposing tradition: Skryabin, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Shostakovich and Kabalevsky. This retrospective starts with a perky little Shostakovich March in Grade 1 and finishes with Rachmaninov’s tumultuous Polichinelle in Grade 8. Their 19th-century forebears are not forgotten either: look out for Borodin in Grade 1, Gedike in Grades 1 and 5, Tchaikovsky in Grades 5 and 7, and Lyadov in Grade 8.

For fans of the English Baroque/Classical keyboard tradition, there is plenty to delight and inspire, from Purcell in Grade 1, via Attwood, Duncombe, Samuel Wesley and Arne, to a virtuosic piece by George Frederick Pinto in Grade 8.

Support for piano teachers and learners

Piano

Piano Exam Pieces 2013 & 2014

Exam PiecesABRSM Grade 1

Selected from the

2013 & 2014 syllabus

Grade

1

Piano

Piano Exam Pieces 2013 & 2014

Exam PiecesABRSM Grade 8

Selected from the

2013 & 2014 syllabus

Grade

8

Grades

1–7Teaching Noteson Piano Exam Pieces

2013 & 2014

Grade

Recordings of the complete

2013 & 2014 syllabus

Exam PiecesPiano1

Volumes of Piano Exam Pieces will be published at each grade and include sheet music for nine of the 18 pieces featured in each of Grades 1 to 7, and 12 of the 32 pieces featured in Grade 8. All other syllabus repertoire is available from a variety of publishers.

ABRSM’s Piano Exam Pieces are available with or without CD recordings of all pieces featured at each grade. Alternatively, you can download individual tracks from www.abrsm.org/audioshop, for as little as 79p each, or purchase the CD separately.

Our popular Teaching Notes are an invaluable resource for teachers and students. Written by highly experienced piano teachers and senior ABRSM examiners, they provide detailed information on what examiners are looking for in all pieces at Grades 1 to 7 and how to achieve a secure and musical performance.

ABRSM publications are available to buy from music retailers and online at www.abrsm.org/shop

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