Intermediate students (roughly Grades 4-6) continue to study a wide range of music. Standard repertoire choices include short pieces by composers like Burgmuller, Schumann, Tchaikovsky and Grieg. Bach’s music is especially favoured at all levels and intermediate-level students will be exploring the easier Inventions and Suite movements. Classical Sonatinas and Sonatas (Clementi, Haydn, Mozart, Kuhlau) are assigned as students progress. Technique is developed principally through the repertoire but studies and exercises (e.g. Czerny, Hanon, Dozen A Day, Burgmuller) are assigned regularly as needed.
Students at this level might also be studying towards an exam for which there will be a prescribed list of pieces from which three will be selected. Dianne usually has students learn as many pieces as possible from these lists so that students can then choose their best three or their three favourites to play in the exam. In addition Dianne expects that students will continue to learn a range of easier pieces quickly – her so-called “Quick Study” pieces. And of course there will be scales, arpeggios and broken chords to practise as well!
Advanced students (Grades 7-8) will be learning the more difficult of Bach’s Two-Part Inventions and some will be ready for the challenges of the Three-Part Inventions or, from Grade 8, a Prelude & Fugue. Classical Sonatas form an integral part of an advanced student’s programme and 19th and 20th century character pieces by composers such as Schumann, Grieg, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Debussy are added to the mix as required too.
Students of all levels enjoy playing blues or jazz-inspired music and these days there’s a huge range to select from by composers as diverse as Elissa Milne, Martha Mier, Mike Cornick, John Kember, Dennis Alexander, Catherine Rollin, Robert Vandall and so on…..
Dianne also encourages students to learn music by NZ composers. Currently students are working on pieces by Anthony Ritchie, Douglas Lilburn and Ronald Tremain.