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I can't help but notice that the repertoire on the Grade 10 exam only awards 1 point per piece for the memorization (for a Beethoven Sonata?!). I thought memorizing was obligatory and they wouldn't mark a piece if it wasn't memorized. Is this a change in the new syllabus? I don't know how I'm going to memorize 33 pages of music, and I'm a bit worried about it. Any way I can skip the memorization?

You have to learn an entire Beethoven sonata?

Arghhh :

No, for the Grade 10 Examination of the selected Beethoven Sonatas listed, one has to learn two movements; in some cases 1st and 2nd movements, in other cases 2nd and 3rd movements.

Pianogal37 :

I'm sure you've also noticed the warning : "Repertoire selections must be memorized. Please note that marks will be deducted if music is used." (p. 90) That seems to me to be somewhat contradictory in saying that the pieces must be memorized, but that you can play with the score for a forfeit of points.

In the previous syllabus : "In Grade 10, there are no marks designated for memory. Memorization of repertoire is expected. If a repertoire selection is not memorized, then a portion of the mark for that selection will be deducted at the discretion of the examiner." The new rules give less "discretion" to the examiner for the possible number of points s/he could deduct for use of the score.

The points deducted for using music may not seem great - a total of 6 points out of the 56 possible points for repertoire - but that's a little over 10% of the points for the five repertoire pieces and could be significant between a pass or a fail or between any of the designated distinctions. Moreover, if you plan eventually to go for the ARCT examination, you "must achieve an overall mark of 75 or a minimum of 70 percent in each section of the Grade 10 examination." This begins to make the marks for memory more important.

Remember, too, that the Grade 10 Examination is a pre-requisite for the ARCT in which repertoire must be performed from memory. This is just a stepping stone for many pianists to the ARCT, and you shouldn't wait until then to have repertoire pieces memorized.

Regards,

It isn't mandatory, not even in the previous 2001 syllabus, as the person above stated. It's only ARCT that memorizing is mandatory or else you fail the piece. Trust me, you will want to keep those marks, many people fail grade 10 because of 2 or 3 percent.

Hi Arrgh,
You don't have to memorize the whole sonata if you are choosing one of the List B gr 10 sonatas, but I'm doing the Pathetique, which has been removed from the Gr 10 rep for the last few yrs, so I will have to either request special permission to do only the first 2 movts, or I will have to memorize all the movts.

Anyone know if RCM would penalize me for substituting the ARCT sonata and only doing the first 2 movts? (ie. asking special permission?)

Have you read the directions regarding substitutions on pages 130-31 of the Syllabus?

It clearly states on page 131 : "Grade 10 : One repertoire selection from piano literature comparable in style and difficulty to the corresponding List A, B, or C (including two movements of a Sonata from List B of the ARCT in Piano Performance)

Since the "Pathetique" Sonata, Op 13 is on the ARCT list, you can play two movements from it for your Grade 10 examination.

Regards,

Put memory at the beginning of the learning process along with learning the music. That`s what we`re really doing when we learn new repertoire, so just do it completely. You`ll soon discover that memorization is not a big issue in most cases. We hear more effectively, are more aware of our bodies and the relationship of movement to sound, and are more adaptable when we don`t need the music in front of us. Being able to look at the keyboard gives us additional information that we can use in building a foundation to the music we are playing

I usually have a piece memorized long before I can play it well. I rehearse with score daily, rehearsing at very slow tempi. I perform and rehearse performing always by memory even at slower tempi; I rehearse with the score and focus my attention on it.

You can do it!

Hi Bruce,
According to my syllabus, it says all 3 movts (ie ARCT level) or special permission if you only want to do 2 movts.

Thanks for the memorization suggestions, memorization is scary for me. I think i will have to do it, as I need every point i can get on this exam!

Your question was whether or not you would be penalized, and the answer as I read is : "No", since the Syllabus clearly states that in Grade 10 you may substitute two movements from an ARCT Sonata for any Grade 10 List B Sonata. Yes, you have to get prior approval, but since the Syllabus states you can do it with approval, there should be no concern about being "penalized" for the substitution. Why would you think you would be penalized?

If, after all that and by some quirk, your request is not approved, the Syllabus advises you "Candidates are advised to prepare an alternate work in case the request [for substitution] is denied." I guess you knew that.

Regards,

Thanks, Bruce.