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Rockschool has recently released an exciting new set of classical piano grades! Listen to this review to find out their strengths and weaknesses, including my strong misgivings.
Show Notes
- Identity crisis [2:50]
- No mention of balanced programme [5:50]
- Difficult to assess across different styles with no requirement for balanced programme [6:40]
- Excellent representation of women and BIPOC [9:46]
- Lack of consistency across grades in terms of styles & difficulty levels [12:30]
- Comparison with ABRSM and Trinity [14:50]
- Issue of lack of flexibility when assessing dynamics, tempos & articulations [16:35]
- Good typesetting- but not always great editing, and glaring mistakes [19:40]
- Simplified arrangements- controversial, uncredited, and not labelled as simplified [21:45]
- Individual grades: Grade 8 [27:30]
- Debut grade [29:45]
- Grade 1 [32:15]
- Grade 5 [34:40]
- Grade 7 [37:55]
- Grade 6 [38:45]
- Grade 4 [40:45]
- Grade 3 [41:15]
- Grade 2 [42:40]
- Comparison of cost of books between Rockschool and Trinity [44:40]
- Exam options- grades and performance certificates [47:20]
- Concerns about Rockschool Centres for classical piano exams (in the UK) [48:20]
- About free choice options [52:40]
Notes:
Check out the following review of the Rockschool Rock/Pop syllabus for more information relevant to the classical syllabus which couldn’t fit in this review: https://heartofthepiano.com/e19-rockschool-rock-pop-piano-syllabus-review/
The intro/outro music is my jazz arrangement of the Rachmaninov Adagio from Symphony #2, you can watch the whole thing here if you like: https://youtu.be/hMqREAngb4s
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