Elementary

Andrew Eales - Fresh Air

ABRSM Grade 1 – B1

Andrew Eales’ Fresh Air features a gentle tune in the right hand with a chordal accompaniment in mostly long notes below. Here and there the lower right hand fingers are called upon to hold onto a harmony note, presenting a technical challenge that adds to the piece’s value. As the composer points out in the footnote, the chords mostly lack their bass note, which gives the music a sense of weightlessness, as if floating. Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) Resources & links This... Read >>

Alan Bullard - Dodgems (from Party Time! On Holiday)

ABRSM Initial Grade – C1

A character piece full of fun, Dodgems paints a picture of a favourite fairground attraction. We start by sensing two cars butting up gently against each other before one slams into the other, causing an almighty crash. After the cars have been reset, the fun begins again but this time in the other direction, resulting in an even bigger collision. This piece requires a vivid imagination, a wide dynamic range, and control of triads as they bounce across the keyboard.... Read >>

A. Reinagle - Minuet in C (No. 10 from 24 Short and Easy Pieces, Op. 1)

ABRSM Grade 1 – A3

Alexander Reinagle’s white-key Minuet in C is a model of symmetry. There are four 4-bar phrases in question and answer format, the first and third ending on the dominant, the second and fourth resolving to the tonic. The melodic line is presented in the right hand, the left hand accompaniment alternating between long notes and springy quavers. This piece offers the player the opportunity to develop tonal balance between the hands and variety in touch and articulation. Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) Resources &... Read >>

Mel Bonis - Douce amis (from Album pour les tout-petits, Op. 103)

ABRSM Grade 3 – B2

Preview (please log-in or subscribe to see full video) Resources & links This piece is available for individual purchase as a digital download here or in print as part of the Piano Exam Pieces 2025 & 2026 Grade 3 publication here. Open domain editions are also available here. You can listen to a recording of this piece and others from this grade on Spotify using this link. ... Read >>

Shruthi Rajasekar - Virginia Hall

ABRSM Grade 1 – C1

Dedicated to Virginia Hall, a famous secret agent, this piece uses a repeated ostinato motif to create suspense and a sense of busyness from beginning to end. What is going on in the storyline when the sinister left hand theme comes in? And what do the ff chords at the central climax tell us? Perhaps the detective stumbles across an important new clue in her investigation. The player has plenty of scope to come up with a narrative for this piece, allowing the imagination to aid the fingers in communicating its message. Loading... Read >>

Trad. German (arr. Blackwell) - Muss i denn

ABRSM Grade 1 – A2

Resources & links This piece is available for individual purchase as a digital download here or in print as part of the Piano Exam Pieces 2025 & 2026 Grade 1 publication here. Open domain editions are also available here. You can listen to a recording of this piece and others from this grade... Read >>

Attwood - Allegro (1st mvt from Sonatina No.1 in G)

ABRSM Grade 2 – A1

Thomas Attwood was a student of Mozart, and we find many hallmarks of the master’s style in this melodious Allegro. The player will need to attend to expressive phrase shaping, articulation and balance between the hands. Resources & links Piano Exam Pieces 2021 & 2021, Grade 2 is available from the ABRSM online shop here. The syllabus upon which these Practising the Piano Online Academy materials are based is © by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and is reproduced by... Read >>

Burgmüller - 11. La Bergeronnette (The Wagtail) in C Major (from 25 Easy and Progressive Etudes, Op. 100)

La Bergeronnette (The Wagtail) depicts a genus of bird that constantly moves its tail; Burgmüller captures this flickering, fluttering movement by the prevailing rhythmic figure we hear right at the start – two semiquavers and a quaver under a slur. It is important that the first note of the slurred group is lightly stressed, and the last note released without an accent. Make sure to retain this strong-weak emphasis even in the crescendos (from bar 19, and from bar 26), where each three-note group is stronger than the previous one. The leggiero marking invites us to use a light touch... Read >>

Hässler - Ecossaise in G (No. 23 from 50 pièces à l’usage des commençans, Op. 38)

ABRSM Grade 2 – A3

Johann Wilhelm Hässler studied with his uncle, who had himself been a student of J. S. Bach. This energetic Ecossaise requires an understanding of the drop-roll slur, control of crisp staccato playing, and voicing within one hand. Resources & links Piano Exam Pieces 2021 & 2021, Grade 2 is available from the ABRSM online shop here. The syllabus upon which these Practising the Piano Online Academy materials are based is © by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and is reproduced... Read >>