Choosing own choice repertoire for a Trinity College London Classical Performance diploma gives candidates the chance to build a programme that reflects their individual musical interests and strengths. It can also greatly expand their options; from performing complete works where only individual movements are listed, to selecting repertoire from higher-level diplomas for an extra challenge. Candidates may also explore contemporary works, include their own compositions, or, for singers, perform songs in a wider range of languages.
In this post, we share five key tips to help candidates make musically balanced, syllabus-aware choices, and create a programme that speaks their own musical journey.
Give yourself plenty of time
Submitting a programme for approval is not simply an administrative process or a task that should be completed after the exam has been booked. If you are planning to perform own choice repertoire in your diploma, it is important to establish as early as possible that your selected programme is appropriate for the level being taken, before any entry is made.
Once a programme has been submitted through the programme approval portal, responses are typically issued within 15 working days. If approved, candidates receive a confirmation letter, which must either be presented to the examiner at the start of the exam or uploaded alongside the performance video and supporting materials. Approval letters remain valid for three years from the date of issue (unless otherwise indicated), allowing candidates to prepare with the confidence that their programme meets the required technical and musical standard.
Although only one programme can be submitted for approval at a time, candidates may hold multiple approved programmes. This means that, even after one programme has been approved, additional programmes can still be submitted for review, offering greater flexibility in the lead-up to the exam and allowing for a later final decision. The most common use for this is to add another work to the programme to ensure it meets the minimum duration for the diploma being taken. Candidates should note, however, that they must perform one of their pre-approved programmes in the exam and provide the corresponding approval letter. The items on the programme may be performed in any order.
Take both inspiration and guidance from the repertoire lists
Including own choice repertoire in a recital programme can be an exciting way to showcase your creative identity as a performer. The repertoire lists for each instrument, revised and extended in 2026, not only indicate the technical and musical standard required, but also provide an indication of suitable styles and genres. Instrument-specific guidance can be found at the beginning of each repertoire list.
Bassists, guitarists, drummers, pianists/keyboard players, and vocalists interested in performing popular or jazz styles — or who wish to demonstrate improvisation skills — may also benefit from exploring Trinity’s Rock & Pop diplomas as an alternative pathway.
Remember that this is a programme approval service, not validation of an individual piece’s technical standard
The technical and musical demands of most pieces, particularly at diploma level, naturally fluctuate through the item, with more challenging passages sitting alongside less demanding sections. As a result, not every work will fit comfortably within the technical expectations of a particular diploma level.
For this reason, we ask candidates to submit entire programmes for approval, rather than only the pieces that do not appear on our repertoire lists. Reviewing the programme holistically allows our specialists to assess whether the overall recital meets the required technical and musical standard for the diploma being taken.
This also means that the suitability of an own choice piece may depend on the wider context of the programme in which it appears, rather than on the piece in isolation.
Provide clear copies of your scores
When submitting your programme for approval, you will need to provide scores for all own choice works intended for your recital. Drum kit candidates must also upload any (drumless) backing tracks they intend to use.
These materials are reviewed by our instrumental specialists to determine whether the programme can be approved, so it is important that all scores are clear and legible. In accordance with our Terms of Use, programmes may be rejected if scores are poorly transcribed or notated.
Remember to bring your programme approval letter to the exam or upload it with your video
Alongside your written programme, you must also provide a copy of your programme approval letter for the examiner’s reference. In a face-to-face exam, this should be handed to the examiner together with your written programme and copies of the scores at the start of the exam. For digital exams, the approval letter must be uploaded to the submission platform alongside your video and supporting materials.
Forgetting to provide the approval letter when approval has been granted will not affect your mark, but it is likely to delay the release of your result. Without the letter, examiners cannot confirm that a programme containing own choice repertoire has been approved, so the exam must be checked before the result can be issued.
Full information about selecting own choice repertoire for Classical Performance diplomas can be found on pages 13-19 of the syllabus. You can also find further resources to support you with your diploma exam on our website.
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