As we celebrate World Piano Day, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the music that inspires us to learn and teach the piano. From beginners discovering their first melodies to advanced students refining their artistry, the right repertoire can make all the difference. That’s where Trinity's Piano repertoire truly shines. Modern, flexible, and deeply musical, it supports students in becoming confident, expressive pianists. Here are the top five things we love about Trinity’s Piano repertoire, and why it aligns so beautifully with the spirit of World Piano Day.
Pieces composed specifically for Trinity exams
One of the most thrilling things about adding new pieces to our repertoire lists is commissioning entirely new pieces to be written. For our most recent update, we were delighted to add works from Mark Choi, Mari Sanio, Zhenyan Li, Seána Davey, James Treweek and Charles Tebbs, to name but a few. So, if you’re looking for some contemporary music to play, why not try the following:
- You and Me by Linda Nottingham and John Human - Initial
- A Peculiar Party by Zhenyan Li – Grade 1
- Learning to Ride by Mark Choi – Grade 2
- Mountain Spirit by Mari Sainio – Grade 3
- They’re Getting Away by Michael Price – Grade 4
- Ice Dance by Seána Davey – Grade 5
- Snowfall by Mari Sainio – Grade 6
- Long Drive in the Rain by Charles Tebbs – Grade 7
- Investigations by Zhenyan Li – Grade 8
Classic piano repertoire available at all grades
As exciting as it can be to embrace brand-new pieces, that doesn’t mean that a musician’s interest in more traditional repertoire wanes – it is often hearing classics such as Moonlight Sonata or Clair de Lune that inspires someone to start playing the piano in the first place. So, when we say we are committed to adding pieces from as wide a range of styles and genres as possible, this is inclusive of traditional Western classical repertoire – not instead of. We have many examples we can share with you but here are a few highlights:
- Imitation and Inversion (no. 23 from Mikrokosmos, Sz 107, vol 1) by Béla Bartók – Initial
- Water Sprite by Florence Ada Goodrich – Grade 1
- Hornpipe in E minor, Z 685 by Henry Purcell – Grade 2
- Waltz in Eb by Muzio Clementi – Grade 3
- The Goblin and the Mosquito by Florence Price – Grade 4
- Prelude in C, BWV 846 (from The Well-Tempered Clavier book 1) by Johann Sebastian Bach – Grade 5
- Adagio non tanto by Antonio Rosetti – Grade 6
- Prélude by Maurice Ravel – Grade 7
- Etude no. 104 in G# minor by Hélène de Montgeroult – Grade 8
Continually broadening our musical horizons
While Trinity College London music exams may have been first established here in the UK in 1877, today we are proud to operate in over 60 countries worldwide. Influences from our colleagues in Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, Argentina… (the list goes on) all contribute to the music we explore, include and embrace in our Piano repertoire. In the 2023 update to the repertoire lists, this was most evident through the introduction of Latin music:
- St Thomas by Sonny Rollins, arr. James Treweek – Initial
- Guajira Guantanamera by José Fernández Diaz. Arr. Alex Wilson – Grade 1
- Afro Blue by Mongo Santamaría, arr. Gareth Williams – Grade 2
- Tres palabras by Osvaldo Farrés, arr. James Treweek – Grade 3
- Piel Canela by Bobby Capó, arr. Alex Wilson – Grade 4
- Fina Estampa by Chabuca Granda, arr. Gareth Williams – Grade 5
- Wave by Antônio Carlos Jobim, arr. James Treweek – Grade 6
- Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) by Antônio Carlos Jobim, arr. Gareth Williams – Grade 7
- Armando’s Rhumba by Chick Corea, arr. Alex Wilson – Grade 8
Pieces that are familiar to younger learners…
How to keep students engaged when learning a musical instrument is a hot topic and one of the most common suggestions is by including pieces that they already know and love listening to. That’s why our current repertoire lists take a lot of inspiration from modern cultural influences such as stage and screen, popular music and gaming. Which of these would most appeal to the young people you know?
- Pokémon Theme by Tamara Loeffler & John Siegler, arr. Ravina Misri - Initial
- Titanium (David Guetta ft. Sia) by Sia Furler, David Guetta, Giorgio Tuinfort & Nick van de Wall, arr. Chris Hussey – Grade 1
- Hedwig’s Theme (from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone) by John Williams – Grade 2
- Dynamite (BTS) by David Stewart & Jessica Agombar, arr. John Human – Grade 3
- Polperro Beach (from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) by Adrian Sutton – Grade 4
- Engagement Party (from Lala Land) by Justin Hurwitz – Grade 5
- Victor’s Piano Solo (from Corpse Bride) by Danny Elfman – Grade 6
- Mixed Nuts (from Spy x Family) by Satoshi Fujihara, arr. John Human – Grade 7
- Coconut Mall (Mario Kart Wii) by Asuka Hayazaki, arr. Chris Hussey – Grade 8
…and adults too!
There’s no doubt that our repertoire lists are increasingly adapting to reflect what young people listen to and how. But the benefit of living in the digital age is that all styles of music are more accessible than ever, influencing both school-aged and adult learners. Popular classics such as:
- Can’t Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley) by George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti & Luigi Creatore, arr. Chris Hussey – Initial
- Nine Million Bicycles (Katie Melua) by Mike Batt, arr. Amit Anand – Grade 1
- It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) by Duke Ellington, arr. Sam Leak – Grade 2
- Someone Like You (Adele) by Adele Adkins & Dan Wilson, arr. Amit Anand – Grade 3
- Doctor Who Theme by Ron Grainer – Grade 4
- Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel) by Billy Joel, arr. John Human – Grade 5
- Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin) by Jimmy Page & Robert Plant – Grade 6
- No Surprises (Radiohead) by Thomas Yorke, Philip Selway, Edward O’Brien, Colin Greenwood & Jonathan Greenwood, arr. Josh Cohen – Grade 7
- The Heart Asks Pleasure First (from The Piano) by Michael Nyman – Grade 8
Want to explore our Piano repertoire further? Trinity College London Press publishes a wide range of material - not just exam books (although you can find them all here)! Why not also check out:
.png)
Comments & Replies