DipABRSM Viva Voce help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jasonlam1995]

Hi everyone, I hope there will be as many people as it can get to comment below, because im having a diploma exam in about 2 weeks! And im most concerned about the Viva Voce part becasue i have no idea how detailed they would ask. So I want to know possibly every question they would ask in the exam, anyone who had played one of these pieces and what did they ask? And how did you answer?

Repertorie:
Schubert- Sonata in A D664
Chopin- Nocturne in E Op.62 No.2
Debussy- Prelude 'Le Cathedrale engloutie'

Thank you very much, and you can check out my recordings in the Audition Room section and give some comments too.

PS.. I have difficulties answering questions when im in stress, say like if they ask me what historical context the piece has, and id probably just ramble stuff that doesnt make sense.. any help on that too? :L

[cey444]

Hey! I thought I would answer because I had my DipABRSM two years ago and got a decent mark for the Viva Voce due to lots and lots of preparation!

With regards to your specific pieces, I would say that you should know the form of the Schubert Sonata inside out, be able to point out each of the sections with their respective key changes and the first theme and second theme in both the exposition and development and what keys they are in, how they relate to each other etc.
I actually played that same Debussy piece and the only Debussy question I remember them asking was what other pieces has Debussy composed apart from piano works.

Areas you should definitely know very well for EACH PIECE:
- The detailed form/structure/harmonic changes of each piece
- Any interesting features of the pieces which are not typical of the form/composer
- The development of the forms Sonata/Nocturne/Prelude. How did they each start? How did they each develop? How did this composer contribute to the development of this form? Is there anything defining about this particular version of the form?
- Where does each of these pieces fit in the compositional output of the composer, is it typical for the composer/period? It is unusual? It is innovative? Did it have a profound impact on the music of this type after it?

For each composer:
- A short biography, knowledge of their life and major achievements through music, contributions to the development of piano music
- Other instruments this composer composed for, examples of these pieces
- Detailed compositional output, how were their pieces affected by their personal lives? For example I had Brahms op 118 No 2 which he dedicated to his lifelong love Clara Schumann after her death; it is unusually sweet and beautiful.

The thing to remember is that they will pick up on anything you mentioned in your programme notes, so make sure you know them very well. Make sure you know EVERYTHING you can about your pieces and your composers. Also the development of the piano around this era wouldn't hurt, neither would the development of each of these genres: Sonata/Nocturne/Prelude.
Basically you need to read and learn quite a bit so you feel that you can answer any question they throw at you Sound confident and expand your answers so that they ask you less but you get more quantity in your answers. At the end they will ask you: Anything else you would like to add? So think of something insightful to say about your pieces/experience with the exam etc.

That's all I can think of at the moment but I will add more if I think of more
Good luck! 

[jasonlam1995]

Thank you very much for the comment, i have done quite a lot of research in the past but i am still not sure of how deep they'd ask into, and how deep i should give my answer. But thank you anyway, this helps a lot