Piano: Initial

TECHNICAL WORK

Candidates prepare both sections. See page 17 for more information.

1. SCALES (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

C major
one
A minor (candidates’ choice of either octave
harmonic or melodic or natural minor)
min. hands
Broken triad in C major and A minor, using mf legato
q = 60 separately
the following pattern:
to 5th

 XERCISES (music may be used) — Candidates prepare three exercises in total: 1a or 1b,
2. E
2a or 2b, and 3a or 3b.
Candidates choose one exercise to play first. Examiners then select one of the remaining two
prepared exercises to be performed.
The exercises are in the book Piano Exam Pieces & Exercises 2018–2020: Initial.

1a. Joining In or
for tone, balance and voicing
Westminster Walk
1b. 

2a. Dialogue or
for co-ordination
2b. Caribbean Sunshine

3a. My Turn Now or

for finger & wrist strength and flexibility
3b. Viennese Waltz

40
Piano: Grade 1

TECHNICAL WORK

Candidates prepare both sections. See page 17 for more information.

1. SCALES (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

F and G major

D and E minor (candidates’ choice hands

separately
of either harmonic or melodic or
natural minor) min. one
mf legato
q = 70 octave
Chromatic scale in contrary motion
starting on D hands
together
C major contrary motion

2. BROKEN CHORDS (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

F and G major min.

mf
one hands
legato
D and E minor q. = 50 octave separately

œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ.
?b œ œ œ œ œ œ

 XERCISES (music may be used) — Candidates prepare three exercises in total: 1a or 1b,
3. E
2a or 2b, and 3a or 3b.
Candidates choose one exercise to play first. Examiners then select one of the remaining two
prepared exercises to be performed.
The exercises are in the book Piano Exam Pieces & Exercises 2018–2020: Grade 1.

1a. Tundra or
for tone, balance and voicing
1b. A Minor Blues

2a. Pas de Deux or

for co-ordination
2b. The Ming Vase

3a. Going Underground or

for finger & wrist strength and flexibility
3b. Capriccio

44
Piano: Grade 2

TECHNICAL WORK

Candidates prepare all sections. See page 17 for more information.

1. SCALES (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

Bb and D major

G and B minor (candidates’ choice of

either harmonic or melodic minor) min. two hands
f   or p legato
Chromatic scale in similar motion q = 80 octaves together
starting on Bb

C major contrary motion

2. ARPEGGIOS (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

Bb and D major min. two hands

mf legato
G and B minor q = 60 octaves separately

 XERCISES (music may be used) — Candidates prepare three exercises in total: 1a or 1b,
3. E
2a or 2b, and 3a or 3b.
Candidates choose one exercise to play first. Examiners then select one of the remaining two
prepared exercises to be performed.
The exercises are in the book Piano Exam Pieces & Exercises 2018–2020: Grade 2.

1a. Handing Over or

for tone, balance and voicing
A Baroque Formation
1b. 

2a. Off-centre or
for co-ordination
2b. Quick March

3a. Late Night Lullaby or

for finger & wrist strength and flexibility
3b. Rockhopper

48
Piano: Grade 3

TECHNICAL WORK

Candidates prepare all sections. See page 17 for more information.

1. SCALES (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

Eb and A major

C and F# minor (candidates’ choice of

either harmonic or melodic minor) min. two hands
f  or p legato
Eb major contrary motion scale q = 90 octaves together

Chromatic scale in similar motion

starting on F#

2. ARPEGGIOS (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

Eb and A major min. two hands

mf legato
C and F# minor q = 70 octaves separately

 XERCISES (music may be used) — Candidates prepare three exercises in total: 1a or 1b,
3. E
2a or 2b, and 3a or 3b.
Candidates choose one exercise to play first. Examiners then select one of the remaining two
prepared exercises to be performed.
The exercises are in the book Piano Exam Pieces & Exercises 2018–2020: Grade 3.

1a. Latin Dance or

for tone, balance and voicing
1b. Hand to Hand

2a. Prelude or
for co-ordination
2b. Simple Syncopations

3a. Staccato Bounce or

for finger & wrist strength and flexibility
3b. Invention

52
Piano: Grade 4

TECHNICAL WORK

Candidates prepare all sections. See page 17 for more information.

1. SCALES (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

Ab and E major

F and C# minor (candidates’ choice of

either harmonic or melodic minor)
legato or two
staccato octaves
E major contrary motion scale min. hands
f   or p
q = 100 together
Chromatic scale in similar motion
starting on B

Chromatic scale in contrary motion legato one

starting on Ab only octave

2. ARPEGGIOS (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

Ab and E major min. two hands

f   or p legato
F and C# minor q = 80 octaves separately

 XERCISES (music may be used) — Candidates prepare three exercises in total: 1a or 1b,
3. E
2a or 2b, and 3a or 3b.
Candidates choose one exercise to play first. Examiners then select one of the remaining two
prepared exercises to be performed.
The exercises are in the book Piano Exam Pieces & Exercises 2018–2020: Grade 4.

1a. Little Waltz or

for tone, balance and voicing
Evening Sun
1b. 

2a. Waltz Echoes or

for co-ordination
2b. A Walk in the Woods

3a. Timelines or
for finger & wrist strength and flexibility
3b. Roll up, roll up!

56
Piano: Grade 5

TECHNICAL WORK

Candidates prepare all sections. See page 17 for more information.

1. SCALES (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

Db and B major

Bb and G# minor (candidates’ choice

of either harmonic or melodic minor)
legato or
G harmonic minor contrary staccato
motion scale min. two hands
f  or p
q = 110 octaves together
Chromatic scale in similar motion
starting on Db

Chromatic scale in contrary motion,

legato
left hand starting on C and right hand
only
starting on E

2. ARPEGGIOS (from memory, in similar motion) — Examiners select from the following:

Db and B major
min. legato or two hands
Bb and G# minor f  or p
q = 90 staccato octaves together
Diminished 7th starting on B

 XERCISES (music may be used) — Candidates prepare three exercises in total: 1a or 1b,
3. E
2a or 2b, and 3a or 3b.
Candidates choose one exercise to play first. Examiners then select one of the remaining two
prepared exercises to be performed.
The exercises are in the book Piano Exam Pieces & Exercises 2018–2020: Grade 5.

1a. In the Chapel or

for tone, balance and voicing
Ornamental Garden
1b. 

2a. Penny Farthing or

for co-ordination
2b. Gentle Arabesque

3a. Jumping Beans or

for finger & wrist strength and flexibility
3b. By the Brook

60
Piano: Grade 6

TECHNICAL WORK

Candidates prepare all sections. See page 17 for more information.

1. SCALES (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

Bb and D major

Bb and D harmonic and melodic minor four

octaves
min. legato or hands
Chromatic scales in similar motion
q = 120 staccato together
starting on Bb and D f   or mf
or p
Chromatic scale in contrary motion two
starting on Eb octaves

min. legato one hands

C major scale in 3rds
q = 60 only octave separately

2. ARPEGGIOS (from memory, in similar motion) — Examiners select from the following:

Bb and D major

Bb and D minor
min. f   or mf legato or four hands
q = 100 or p staccato octaves together
Diminished 7ths starting on Bb and D

Dominant 7ths in the keys Bb and D

 XERCISES (music may be used) — Candidates prepare three exercises in total: 1a or 1b,
3. E
2a or 2b, and 3a or 3b.
Candidates choose one exercise to play first. Examiners then select one of the remaining two
prepared exercises to be performed.
The exercises are in the book Piano Exam Pieces & Exercises 2018–2020: Grade 6.

1a. Nouvelle Gymnopédie or

for tone, balance and voicing
Romantic Gesture
1b. 

2a. Spinal Chords or

for co-ordination
2b. Three Against Two Ain’t Fair!

3a. Catch Me If You Can! or

for finger & wrist strength and flexibility
3b. The Fugitive

64
Piano: Grade 7

TECHNICAL WORK

Candidates prepare all sections. See page 17 for more information.

1. SCALES (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

Ab and E major
f  or mf
G# and E harmonic and or p or
min.
melodic minor crescendo/ legato or four hands
q = 130 diminuendo staccato octaves together
Chromatic scale in similar motion a
minor 3rd apart, left hand starting (   p — f — p )
on C and right hand starting on Eb

min. two hands

E major scale in 3rds mf legato
q = 70 octaves separately

 RPEGGIOS (from memory, in similar motion unless specified as contrary motion) —

2. A
Examiners select from the following:

Ab and E major

G# and E minor f  or mf legato or four

or p or staccato octaves
Diminished 7ths starting on Ab and E min. hands
crescendo/
q = 110 diminuendo together
Dominant 7ths in the keys of Ab and E
(   p — f — p )
two
E major contrary motion legato
octaves

 XERCISES (music may be used) — Candidates prepare three exercises in total: 1a or 1b,
3. E
2a or 2b, and 3a or 3b.
Candidates choose one exercise to play first. Examiners then select one of the remaining two
prepared exercises to be performed.
The exercises are in the book Piano Exam Pieces & Exercises 2018–2020: Grade 7.

1a. Obsessive Nature or

for tone, balance and voicing
Con Amore
1b. 

2a. Sunrise or
for co-ordination
2b. Vamp Style

3a. Top Ten or

for finger & wrist strength and flexibility
3b. Under Control

68
Piano: Grade 8

TECHNICAL WORK

Candidates prepare all sections. See page 17 for more information.

1. SCALES (from memory) — Examiners select from the following:

F#, Eb and B major

f  or mf
F#, Eb and B harmonic and melodic or p or
min.
minor crescendo/ legato or four hands
q = 140 diminuendo staccato octaves together
Chromatic scales in similar motion (   p — f — p )
starting on F#, Eb and B

B major scale in 3rds min. two hands

mf legato
C harmonic minor scale in 3rds q = 80 octaves separately

 RPEGGIOS (from memory, in similar motion unless specified as contrary motion) —

2. A
Examiners select from the following:

F#, Eb and B major

F#, Eb and B minor

legato or four
Diminished 7ths starting on F#, f  or mf
or p or staccato octaves
Eb and B min.
crescendo/ hands
Dominant 7ths in the keys of F#, q = 120 diminuendo together
Eb and B (   p — f — p )

Eb major contrary motion

two
legato
octaves
F# minor contrary motion

 XERCISES (music may be used) — Candidates prepare three exercises in total: 1a or 1b,
3. E
2a or 2b, and 3a or 3b.
Candidates choose one exercise to play first. Examiners then select one of the remaining two
prepared exercises to be performed.
The exercises are in the book Piano Exam Pieces & Exercises 2018–2020: Grade 8.

1a. Who Knows Where? or

for tone, balance and voicing
Three by Three
1b. 

2a. Broadway Show or

for co-ordination
2b. Interlace

3a. Jazz Fusion or

for finger & wrist strength and flexibility
3b. Looking Back to the Future

72