This week I learned that nearly 60 of my original piano compositions have been included in the Australian Guild of Music & Speech examination board’s new 2026 piano exam syllabus. For a composer, it’s always a delight to hear that one’s music has been included in any publication, but for it to be featured in…
Tag: Music Exams
New RSL Awards Classical Piano Exam Repertoire
For the past eighteen months I’ve been working with the music examination board RSL Awards. RSL are renowned for their rock and pop exams known as Rockschool. This arm of their work is popular the world over but probably less known is their classical exam syllabus. They published the classical piano exam syllabus in 2020…
No Words Necessary: 12 Piano Pieces
No Words Necessary marks my debut as a Schott Music composer and it consists of a selection of twelve piano pieces for intermediate level, or for students of approximately Grades 3 – 7 standard of the ABRSM, Trinity College London, or London College of Music exams. I wrote the pieces earlier this year during my…
The London College of Music Piano Syllabus 2018 – 2020
The much awaited London College of Music (LCM) piano syllabus has finally been published. A new syllabus is always exciting – both for student and teacher. I am an enthusiastic supporter of piano exams; they provide a veritable goal for anyone learning, particularly for younger players. And whilst an exam syllabus should never be used…
10 Top Tips To Pass Your Piano Exam
As the new term gets underway, many will be preparing for music exams at the end of the year. The aim of this post is to provide a few extra pointers and ideas for last-minute preparations Once the pieces have been learned, scales, arpeggios and technical work is all in place, how can students feel…
The Piano Education Project: Vlog 26
This video-blog deals with what I consider an important topic – music theory.
Sight Reading: 6 helpful hints
Sight reading is certainly a hot topic amongst those taking music exams and it simply means the ability to play a piece of music on reading it for the first time, or reading at sight. It’s the part of music exams that many students find a challenge, but it is possible to learn how to…