How to Choose Exam Repertoire for Your Piano Grade
The best exam pieces are ones that sit slightly inside your comfortable level, show off what you do well, and contrast with each other in style and mood. Before you fall in love with a piece, check that your exam board allows it for your grade, then test it against your technique, your hand size and the time you have left. This guide walks through that process for ABRSM and Trinity candidates in England.
TL;DR
Check the current syllabus for your board and grade first. Only pieces the board allows, or its own-choice rules permit, count.
ABRSM Practical Grades ask for one piece each from Lists A, B and C. Trinity asks for three or four pieces depending on the pathway.
Aim for contrast in era, key, character and tempo, and pick a piece that is secure, not a stretch that causes panic.
The ABRSM 2027 and 2028 syllabus starts on 1 January 2027, and 2025 and 2026 pieces stay valid until 31 December 2027.
A teacher who knows your hands and habits can save you weeks of choosing the wrong piece.
Table of Contents
Start with the rules, not the music
Most bad repertoire choices are not musical mistakes. They are paperwork mistakes: a piece from the wrong syllabus year, the wrong grade, or the wrong edition. So the first job is to find the official document for your board and your grade.
For ABRSM Practical Grades, the 2027 and 2028 piano specification says candidates choose one piece from each of Lists A, B and C. That gives you three pieces, each from a different group, so you cannot simply pick your three favourites if they are all, say, Romantic character pieces.
For Trinity, the piano syllabus sets out two routes. Exams on the digital technical-work pathway require three pieces, while repertoire-only pathway exams require four. At Grades 6 to 8, you need at least one piece from each group.
If you are not sure which board suits you, our guides to ABRSM exam requirements for piano students and Trinity piano grades compare how each exam is built. If you are still deciding on the overall route, how to choose a piano grade path that fits you is the place to begin.
A short checklist before you commit to a piece
Is it on the current syllabus list for your board and your exact grade?
Is it in the correct list or group, so your three or four pieces cover what is required?
Does the syllabus name a specific edition? ABRSM says candidates should use the listed editions for arrangements or transcriptions, though any edition is fine for other pieces (ABRSM Performance Grades syllabus).
Will the piece fit within the programme time for the grade? For ABRSM Performance Grades, examiners may stop listening if the performance goes beyond the maximum time (same syllabus).
Can you buy or borrow the score in good time? Ordering late and starting late is a common trap.
ABRSM: Practical Grades or Performance Grades
ABRSM runs two formats at piano, and the choice changes how you pick repertoire.
In Practical Grades, your three pieces sit alongside scales, sight-reading and aural tests. Because those other sections take practice time too, it makes sense to avoid choosing three of the hardest pieces available. A balanced exam is usually better than one brilliant piece and two shaky ones.
In Performance Grades, you present four pieces in one continuous performance. The syllabus encourages you to choose from different lists and to think about the contrast, order, moods and characters of the pieces so that the programme feels coherent. That is a different kind of choosing: you are building a short recital, not ticking boxes. It is worth thinking about how one piece ends and the next begins, because there is no pause for a sight-reading test in between.
If you are choosing between formats, the question is mostly about temperament. Candidates who enjoy performing and dislike aural tests often find Performance Grades a natural fit. Candidates who want a broader, more traditional musicianship check usually stay with Practical Grades. Our guide to piano exam grades explains the structure in more detail.
Trinity: pathways and groups
Trinity’s structure leads to a different repertoire strategy. If you take the repertoire-only pathway, you need four pieces, so your programme is longer but there is no technical work to prepare alongside it. On the digital technical-work pathway you need three pieces plus technical work, which leaves you more time per piece but less time overall for the pieces together (Trinity piano syllabus).
At the higher grades, the group rule matters. Requiring at least one piece from each group stops you from presenting a programme made up of one style. Read the group labels carefully, because a piece you think of as one style may be listed in a group you did not expect.
Trinity marking is also worth understanding before you choose, since it shows what examiners reward. We have explained that in how Trinity piano exams are marked, and for the technical side, our weekly plan for Trinity technical work helps you see how much time to leave for it.
How to judge whether a piece is too hard or too easy
This is the question that worries most candidates, and the honest answer is that it depends on you. Still, a few tests work well.
The slow-tempo test. Can you play the whole piece, hands together, at about two thirds of the final speed, with the correct notes, fingering and rhythm? If not, after a first month of work, it may be too big a step. A piece should become secure in stages, not remain a struggle until the week of the exam.
The weakest-bar test. Find the hardest page and ask whether you can imagine it going well on the day. One difficult passage can be fixed with good practice. A piece made up of difficult passages usually cannot.
The hand-size and pedal test. ABRSM’s syllabus advises considering pedalling and hand stretch when selecting, and says occasional adaptations for hand size are acceptable if the result remains musical (ABRSM Performance Grades syllabus). Younger pianists and those with smaller hands should try the big chords and octave passages before committing, rather than hoping they will grow into them by the exam.
The comparison test. Compare the piece with the other material at your grade. If it is far easier than the scales and technical work you are being asked to do, it may not present enough challenge. If it demands far more than your scales and reading can support, it may be too far ahead.
Overreaching and underreaching both carry a cost. A piece that is too hard causes stress and unsteady playing. A piece that is too easy wastes a chance to build your technique. The sweet spot is a piece that stretches you a little but that you can eventually play with a sense of ease.
Building a programme that works as a whole
Once the rules are clear and you have a shortlist, think about the programme as a whole.
Contrast in era, character and tempo
The syllabus structure already pushes you towards variety, but you can go further. The Irish exam board RIAM, in its guide to selecting pieces, says contrasting programmes show a range of technical aspects and expressive qualities, including different styles, keys, characters and tempi. That advice applies just as well to an English candidate: three slow, lyrical pieces in flat keys will sound samey however well you play them.
A simple pattern is one lively or rhythmic piece, one lyrical piece, and one piece that shows a different side of your playing, such as a jazzier or more modern idiom if your list allows it.
Play to your strengths
If your left hand is steady and your phrasing is lyrical, a singing Romantic piece may suit you better than a fast Baroque toccata. If you have strong rhythm and a feel for syncopation, choose the livelier option from the list. Examiners reward music that is convincing, and a piece that fits your hands and personality usually sounds more convincing than a piece you have chosen for its reputation.
Be careful with arrangements
If the lists offer pop or film arrangements, quality varies a great deal. RIAM recommends avoiding simplified arrangements of classical repertoire and suggests finding good arrangements for pop and film music (same guide). Where the syllabus names an edition for an arrangement, use that one.
For a wider look at how classical pieces build technique across the levels, see our classical piano repertoire guide for progress, and for exam-specific advice our post on choosing piano exam pieces that suit you.
Can you play a piece that is not on the syllabus?
Sometimes, but the rules differ sharply between boards.
Board and format | What the board says about own choice |
ABRSM Performance Grades | A fourth piece of your choice is allowed. It must be broadly the same standard as the grade or above, and performed from a legible, fully notated score in standard notation. |
ABRSM Practical Grades | One piece from each of Lists A, B and C from the syllabus. |
Trinity graded exams | You may replace one listed piece with an original composition of equal standard. Other free-choice repertoire is generally not permitted. |
The ABRSM details come from the Performance Grades syllabus and the Trinity detail from its page on choosing exam pieces. Always check the current wording before you commit, since boards update their rules with each syllabus.
If you are tempted by an own-choice piece, ask yourself whether it earns its place. A piece from outside the syllabus is a good idea when it shows something you do especially well. It is a poor idea when it is simply a piece you already know and are avoiding learning something new.
When the syllabus changes or a piece stops working
Syllabus changes are the moment many candidates get caught out. The ABRSM 2027 and 2028 Performance Grades syllabus is valid from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2028. Pieces from the 2025 and 2026 syllabus may still be used until 31 December 2027, but all your requirements must come from the same syllabus (ABRSM syllabus). So you cannot mix an old-syllabus piece with new-syllabus requirements for the same exam.
If you are already working on a piece from the older list, you therefore have time. Plan your exam date against the overlap, and check the board’s own page for the current rules before booking.
Signs a piece is not working
Be ready to change course if you notice any of these after several weeks of steady practice:
You still cannot play the hardest section hands together at a slow tempo.
Practice has become something you dread rather than a challenge you enjoy.
Your other pieces are suffering because this one takes all your time.
The piece causes tension or discomfort in your hands.
Swapping a piece early is not failure. A change at eight weeks out is a good decision. A change at two weeks out is a scramble. Discuss it with your teacher as soon as you feel doubt, and keep the replacement within the same list or group so your programme still meets the requirements.
Our perspective: choose for the person, not the grade
We teach pianists of every age and level in Camden, King’s Cross and online, and the most common mistake we see is choosing a piece for its reputation rather than for the student in front of us. A famous piece at the right grade can still be the wrong piece for you.
We start by listening to how you play now: how steady your rhythm is, how you handle phrasing, what your hands do under pressure. Then we build a shortlist of two or three options per list and let you try them for a lesson or two. Students often discover a preference within minutes of playing, and that enthusiasm is worth more than any theoretical ranking.
Our background in classical and jazz also shapes how we approach this. A student who loves improvisation may find that a piece with a strong rhythmic character, or a good sense of harmony, comes alive faster than a purely technical showpiece. Contrast in a programme is not only a rule to satisfy, it is a chance to show an examiner several sides of you as a musician.
And we always keep one piece in the programme that you simply enjoy playing. Exams are stressful, and a piece that makes you smile is the one that steadies your nerves.
— Dan
Choosing with a teacher in Camden or online
If you are preparing for ABRSM or Trinity, we can help you pick and shape the programme. Lessons at our Camden studio start with a trial lesson at £55 per hour, online lessons are £55 per hour, and home lessons are £65 per hour. You can see the options and book a lesson, or read about our piano lessons for children, adults and beginners, including ABRSM preparation.
If you are comparing teachers first, our guide to choosing a piano teacher for exam preparation lists the questions worth asking.
Frequently asked questions
How many pieces do I need for a piano exam?
It depends on the board and format. ABRSM Practical Grades need three pieces, one from each of Lists A, B and C, while ABRSM Performance Grades need four. Trinity requires three pieces on the digital technical-work pathway and four on the repertoire-only pathway.
Can I choose any piece for ABRSM Grade 5?
For Practical Grades you choose from the syllabus lists. For Performance Grades, ABRSM allows a fourth piece of your own choice, as long as it is broadly the same standard as the grade or above and played from a legible, fully notated score. Check the current syllabus before deciding.
Should I pick the hardest pieces on the list?
No. Pick pieces you can play securely and musically, with a little stretch built in. A slightly easier piece played with confidence and expression usually earns a better result than a harder one played anxiously.
What if my hands are small?
Try the big chords and wide stretches before committing. ABRSM says occasional adaptations for hand size are acceptable if the result remains musical, and a teacher can help you decide which passages are safe to adapt.
When can I swap a piece?
The earlier the better. Swap as soon as you suspect a piece is not working, and keep the replacement in the same list or group so your programme still meets the board’s requirements.
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