Easing into the next Grade

[1piano4joe]

Okay, so you have been at a certain grade or level for quite some time and actually have completed considerably more than is required by ABRSM, RCM, AMEB, LCM or NZMEB or any such examination board. There is no question that you are more than ready.

QUESTION: How to transition as painlessly as possible and get started on the right foot?

I had some thoughts about this rolling around in my head and wanted to hear what others think of them and whether anybody has tried them and what their experience was.

These are all I got for now:

1. Pieces within each grade level vary in difficulty and can be sequenced or arranged into a progressive order of difficulty. I believe RCM actually does this but I'm not sure. Logically, starting with one of the "easier" of the higher grade pieces might facilitate a smooth progression. This could of course involve considerable research to make such a list. Has anyone here done this? If so, could you provide a link? If no one has, would somebody be willing to make such a list? Just a short list of maybe 10 pieces for each grade level but in progressive order of difficulty. I know this has been done for all of the chopin preludes, waltzes, etc. by individual composers but across genres, style periods and composers is something different entirely. On second thought, this doesn't seem all that practical.

2. Select a piece from the higher grade that uses a technique you are good at or already possess. For example, if your good at staccato thirds then select the higher grade piece with staccato thirds that is either faster, has a more complicated other hand involved or whatever additional difficulty that makes it a higher grade. In any field of study, building upon previous knowledge is considered the best way to learn. So, why should piano be any different?

3. Select one of the slower pieces from the syllabus. They just seem so less overwhelming to me. Can anyone here confirm this?

4. Select something from the syllabus you absolutely would just love to be able to play. I personally am so much more determined and motivated even excited that I can cope with the jump in grade. Does this ever happen to you?

Finally, if I'm working on something I love, something else slow, and something else that I'm good at, my anxiety level goes way down and my confidence soars. I feel I am ready for this level and branch out to many other pieces at this level with assurance backed up by my growing list of repertoire for this grade. I am now ready to tackle my own dream list as suggested by "Bernhard".

I look forward to your responses to these ideas and would greatly appreciate any suggestions of your own for easing into the next level, Joe.

[j_menz]

I'm not wholly a fan of grades in the first place, and your post had clearly demonstrated why.

If grades are of any use at all, it is to provide a staged and measured progress.  They are not hurdles to be crawled over as feebly and easily as possible. They should support/measure your learning.  The end game is to learn to play, not to get a piece of paper. 

Later on, when you actually want to learn a difficult, advanced piece for it's own sake, waving a bit of paper at it saying "I am a Grade X pianist, submit" just won't work.

Far better to learn those pieces that will do most to advance your skillset.

[slane]

Grab a getting to grade X book. Supposedly the pieces have been selected to cover all the skills required for grade X and and progress from easy to harder.

Or pick the piece at grade X you want to learn and then choose a few pieces from the same composer or same genre at grade X-2 or X-3 to learn first and/or concurrently.

Or both.

[1piano4joe]

Thank you "Slane". That's a great idea.

I will try that, Joe.