Choosing the right pieces is an important part of preparing for your Trinity College London Brass exam. With different requirements for face-to-face and digital exams, as well as a wide range of repertoire across instruments and grades, it can be helpful to understand how the lists are structured before making your selection. In this blog, we’ll explain the key repertoire requirements and share some example programmes to help you choose pieces that meet the requirements and showcase your playing.
Exam level and format
Before we get started, it's important to note that there are differences in requirements between face-to-face and the two different types of digital exams available: Technical pathway and Repertoire-only pathway. The requirements/assessed areas for each of these exams are as follows:
Face-to-face
- 3 pieces
- Technical work
- Supporting tests
Digital: Technical pathway
- 3 pieces
- Technical work selection
- Overall performance
Digital: Repertoire-only pathway
Common requirements across all Brass instruments
Pieces are divided into two groups: Group A and Group B. Group A pieces are accompanied, whereas Group B pieces must be performed unaccompanied.
Candidates choose three pieces - four for Repertoire-only pathway exams – including at least two pieces from Group A and at least one from Group B.
For all exams, one piece performed may be an own composition. However, where an accompanied own composition is performed, this must replace a Group A piece. Similarly, an unaccompanied own composition must replace the Group B piece. Any accompaniments should not be overly supportive of the candidate part, so that an assessment can be made. Please refer to the Brass syllabus for the parameters for writing your own composition.
French Horn, Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn, Euphonium, Baritone and Trombone
Full repertoire lists for the instruments covered in this section can be found below:
Initial – Grade 3
Only one duet is permitted.
Example piece selection: Trumpet Initial Grade, Face-to-face or Technical pathway
- London Bridge arr. Barnard – Group A – duet
- Brazzilo by Butterworth – Group A
- Moonwalk (from Astronotes) by Wilkinson – Group B
Example piece selection: Trombone Grade 2, Repertoire-only pathway
- The Bare Necessities (from The Jungle Book) by Gilkyson, arr. Lawrance – Group A
- Ragtime, no 57 by Sparke – Group A – duet
- Aria from Don Giovanni by Mozart, arr. Lawrance – Group A
- The Addams Family by Mizzy, arr. Lawrance – Group B
Grades 4-8
Example piece selection: French Horn Grade 5, Face-to-face or Technical pathway
- As Time Goes By by Hupfeld, arr. Ledbury – Group A
- Raiders March (from Raiders of the Lost Ark) by Williams, arr. Lawrance – Group A
- Unaccompanied own composition – in place of Group B piece
Example piece selection: Euphonium/Baritone Grade 7, Repertoire-only pathway
- The Swan (from Carnival of the Animals) by Saint-Saëns, arr. Mead – Group A
- Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Kern, arr. Iveson – Group A
- Barking Mad, no. 8 by Nightingale – Group B
- A Spring Morning by Mashima – Group B
Eb Soprano Cornet
Available at Grades 6-8 only.
Candidates may also choose pieces from the Eb Tenor Horn repertoire list for the same grade.
The full Eb Soprano Cornet repertoire list can be found here.
Example piece selection: Grade 6, Face-to-face or Technical pathway
- A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square by Scherwin & Maschwitz, arr. Iveson – Group A
- Chanson de Matin by Elgar, arr. Wallace – Group A
- Flamenco by Vizzutti – Group B Eb Tenor Horn repertoire list
Example piece selection: Grade 8, Repertoire-only pathway
- Cavatine (from The Barber of Seville) by Rossini, arr. Green – Group A
- September Fantasy by Ball – Group A Eb Tenor Horn repertoire list
- Capriccio Brill
iante by Bellstedt, arr. Smith – Group A Eb Tenor Horn repertoire list
- Computer Failure by Miller – Group B
Eb Tenor Horn
At Grades 6-8, candidates may also choose pieces from the Eb Soprano Cornet repertoire list for the same grade.
The full Eb Tenor Horn repertoire list can be found here.
Example piece selection: Grade 1, Face-to-face or Technical pathway
- Postman Pat by Daly, arr. Lawrance – Group A
- Morning (from Peer Gynt) by Grieg, arr. Lawrance – Group A
- Supersonic Samurai, no. 14 by Miller – Group B
Example piece selection: Grade 7, Repertoire-only pathway
- Stardust by Carmichael, arr. Iveson – Group A Eb Soprano Cornet repertoire list
- Lara’s Theme (from Doctor Zhivago) by Jarre, arr. Bissill – Group A
- The Carousel by Newsome – Group A
- Samba by McKenzie – Group B
Bass Trombone
Available at Grades 6-8 only.
Candidates may substitute the Group B piece with a piece from Group B of the Trombone repertoire list for the same grade.
The full Bass Trombone repertoire list can be found here.
Example piece selection: Grade 6, Face-to-face or Technical pathway
- Theme from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Dukas, arr. Green – Group A
- Danse profane by Defaye – Group A
- ‘E’ by Gum, no.7 by Nightingale – Group B Trombone repertoire list
Example piece selection: Grade 8, Repertoire-only pathway
- New Orleans by Bozza – Group A
- Rainy Day in Rio by Richards – Group A
- McCrorie’s Glory by Stearn – Group B
- Andante cantabile, no. 2 by Bourgeois - Group B Trombone repertoire list
Tuba, Eb Bass and Bb Bass
Pieces may be selected from the Euphonium & Baritone repertoire list for the same grade where appropriate.
The full Tuba, Eb Bass and Bb Bass repertoire list can be found here.
Example piece selection: Grade 3, Face-to-face or Technical pathway
- Walking in the Air (from The Snowman) by Blake, arr. Lawrance – Group A
- Entr’acte (from Carmen) by Bizet, arr. Calland & Wedgwood - Group A Euphonium/Baritone repertoire list
- Rico Town by Gale - Group B Euphonium/Baritone repertoire list
Example piece selection: Grade 4, Repertoire-only pathway
- Pick a Pocket or Two (from Oliver!) by Bart, arr. Iveson – Group A
- America (from West Side Story) by Bernstein, arr. Harrison - Group A Euphonium/Baritone repertoire list
- Mack the Knife by Weill, arr. Ledbury - Group A Euphonium/Baritone repertoire list
- Psychedelic Sweatshirt by Davis – Group B
If you’d like to learn more about our Brass repertoire, why not check out the following blog posts:
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