exam preparation: pieces
What should the piece sound like?
In order to pass the examination well, your performance of the piece should flow and be as expressive as possible with the inclusion of appropriate dynamics, articulations and tempo changes.
The best way of determining whether your performance of the piece is of the 'right' standard is to compare your performance with the recordings on this website.
suggestions:
When preparing for a performance - examination or concert - try asking yourself these questions:
flow
Does your playing flow without hesitations?
expression
Have you included a good range of dynamics?
Have you observed the articulations i.e. staccato, legato?
Have you observed the tempo changes including ritardando and accelerando?
In order to pass the examination well, your performance of the piece should flow and be as expressive as possible with the inclusion of appropriate dynamics, articulations and tempo changes.
The best way of determining whether your performance of the piece is of the 'right' standard is to compare your performance with the recordings on this website.
suggestions:
- Listen to recordings of the piece on this website
- Play along with the recordings on this website - there are often versions played at a slow tempo as well as at the correct tempo
- Record yourself playing the piece (video or audio), listen back and compare with the recordings on this website
When preparing for a performance - examination or concert - try asking yourself these questions:
- Does your playing flow in time with the beat without hesitations?
- Have you included a good range of dynamics?
- Have you observed the articulations i.e. staccato, legato?
- Have you observed the tempo changes including ritardando and accelerando?
flow
Does your playing flow without hesitations?
- If not, identify where the flow is interrupted
- Isolate those notes and practice very slowly in a loop (repeated practice) until they flow. Check your left and right hand fingering. When you can play the passage flowingly, play it in the context of the whole phrase. Use a metronome - start very slowly and gradually increase the tempo.
expression
Have you included a good range of dynamics?
- Highlight the dynamic markings on the sheet music with a highlighter pen
- Practice playing each phrase in the appropriate dynamic with crescendos and diminuendos where required
Have you observed the articulations i.e. staccato, legato?
- Try playing phrases both legato and staccato
- Focus on staccato passages or individual notes and practise separately
Have you observed the tempo changes including ritardando and accelerando?
- Practice the phrases where tempo changes occur