A Case Study of the Journey from Beginner to Grade 8 Piano, Exploring Repertoire, Practice Commitment, and Skill Development
1. INTRODUCTION
This case study explores the transformative journey of a dedicated piano student Tanya, charting her progress from a complete beginner to achieving the Grade 8 level. It delves into the repertoire mastered, the commitment to regular practice, and the various stages of skill development. By highlighting key milestones, challenges faced, and the support system that facilitated growth, this study offers an in-depth look at the discipline and passion required to excel in music. It also provides insights and reflections from the student’s perspective, offering valuable lessons for aspiring musicians and educators alike.
2. BACKGROUND
- Initial experience with music and piano:
- Began playing keyboard at 5-7 years old without formal lessons.
- Age at which formal piano lessons were started: 10 yrs
- Age at which she joined Encore Piano Academy: 14yrs while preparing for her Grade 6 Practical exam.
- Motivation for learning piano: Her initial interest at the keyboard prompted her parents to encourage formal training. At one point, she considered pursuing music for undergraduate studies and a career. Learning piano at a higher level has not only enhanced her resume and helped secure internships but also deepened her understanding of music theory. This knowledge may eventually aid her in researching the relationship between the music industry and the economy. Additionally, playing the piano has become an enjoyable activity during her free time.
- Initial assessment of skills at the time of joining Encore:
- Showed a great interest in and dedication to music and piano
- Was mostly playing exam pieces and was not introduced to a structured curriculum for western classical piano
- Had a fair knowledge of music theory at a Grade 3 level
- Had yet to develop proficiency in playing all 12 major and minor scales though she was at an intermediate level (Grade 6)
- There were concerns on playing technique which had been left unchecked
- Aural skills needed to be worked on as this was not specifically addressed previously
- Sight reading skills were satisfactory for her level but could have been improved
3. LEARNING JOURNEY
Before Encore Piano Academy:
- Beginner Level (Grade 1 to Grade 3): Had started out with a method book “The Wright Pianoforte Tutor by Albert H. Oswald” which she followed for two years.
- Early Intermediate Stages (Grade 4 to Grade 5): On completion of the above book, she had only been playing selected pieces from the Trinity College London exam books
Performance Grade Exams Given:
- Grade 1: Merit
- Grade 2: Merit
- Grade 4: Merit
- Grade 5: Distinction
Theory Grade Exams Given:
- Grade 1: Distinction
With Encore Piano Academy:
- Intermediate & Late Intermediate Stages (Grade 6 to Grade 8)
- Introduced to Western classical music repertoire by popular composers from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern eras
- All 12 major and minor scales with respective triads, cadences, arpeggios and dominant/diminished 7th arpeggios
- Selected etudes by Burgmuller, Czerny, Hanon (Parts 1 & 2) to address specific technical challenges
- Theory Grades 4 & 5
- Aural training of all 12 intervals, 4 cadences, chords, tonality and other elements as per grade requirements
- Composition course taken up as an elective covering basics of composition in contemporary style
- Early Advanced Stage (Post Grade 8)
- Standard classical repertoire pieces by popular composers from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern eras
- Scales in thirds and 10ths and basic introduction to church modes
- Selected etudes by Burgmuller, Czerny, Heller, Hanon (Part 3) to address specific technical challenges
- Theory Grade 6 and the basics of the fugue form
Performance Grade Exams Given:
- Grade 6: 89/100 – Distinction
- Grade 8: 92/100 – Distinction
Theory Grade Exams Given:
- Grade 4: 89/100 – Distinction
- Grade 5: 87/100 – Distinction
4. REPERTOIRE COVERED (with Encore Piano Academy)
- Key skills and techniques developed through repertoire and etudes
- Shaping and projecting an expressive melody
- Subduing simple accompaniments of solid broken, and repeated chords
- Clarity in right hand and left hand melodies with 16th notes and slurs
- Voicing more complex accompaniments with different articulations
- Voicing triplet and double-third melodies
- Shaping and voicing single note and broken-chord accompaniments
- Clarity of RH and LH melodies in 16th notes, double thirds, sixths and chords
- Shaping and voicing accompaniments in varied patterns and articulations
- Balancing melodies and accompaniments with triplets
- Clarity and evenness of melodies with scales over chordal accompaniments
- Voicing double-note and double-stemmed melodies and accompaniment
- Control and continuity of melodies divided between the hands
Intermediate & Late Intermediate Levels (Grades 6 to 8) – 3 years
- Core Repertoire:
- JS Bach – Invention 1 in C Major, BWV 772
- JS Bach – Invention 13 in A Minor, BWV 784
- JS Bach – Prelude in C Maj, BWV 846 (from WTC Book 1)
- JS Bach – Prelude in D minor, BWV 926
- Clementi – Sonatina F Maj, Op 36, No. 4
- Beethoven – Sonatina in G major
- Beethoven – German Dance No 9 in Eb, WoO 13
- Chopin – Prelude in E Minor, Op. 18, No. 4
- Chopin – Prelude in A Maj, Op. 28, No. 7
- Chopin – Prelude in C Minor, Op. 28, No. 20
- Schumann – The Horseman from Album for the Young, Op. 68, No. 17
- Greig – Arietta from Lyric Pieces, Op 12, No. 1
- Schubert – Scherzo Bb Maj from 2 Scherzos, D. 593
- Schmitz – Progression 1
- Gershwin – Prelude no. 2
- Joplin – Maple Leaf Rag
- Joplin – The Cascades
- Bartok – No. 2 from Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm (from Mikrokosmos, Sz. 107, vol 6)
- Walsh & Shore – In Dreams (from Lord of the Rings)
- Etudes:
- Czerny – Op. 599, 823 & 139 (selected works)
- Burgmuller – Op. 100 (selected works)
- Heller – Op. 138, 45, 47 (selected works)
- Hanon – Parts 1 & 2 (selected works)
Early Advanced Level (Post Grade 8) – 6 months (suspended due to overseas relocation)
- Core Repertoire:
- JS Bach – Fugue in Eb Maj, BWV 854
- Mozart – Sonata in A Major, K. 331 (III: Rondo alla Turca)
- Chopin – Waltz in D Flat Major, Op 64, No. 1 (Minute)
- Debussy – Arabesque No. 1
- Etudes:
- Hanon – Part 3 (selected works)
5. PRACTICE AND COMMITMENT
- Evolution of practice routines and schedules: Tanya had ensured that she had a consistent practice schedule right from the start of her piano journey. Despite having her board exams coinciding with her Grade 8 Piano exam, she managed her time well in a manner that her piano studies were not put to a complete stop during these periods.
- Strategies for effective practice and overcoming challenges
- Grade 1 to 3: She didn’t have a specific strategy for practicing the piano.
- Grade 4 to 5: She realized she had issues maintaining the tempo of pieces. To overcome this, she practiced with a metronome, playing each piece a minimum of 10 times daily. Since the pieces were short (about 1.5 minutes long), this approach took around 45 minutes each day and greatly improved her tempo control.
- Grade 6 to 7: High school meant less practice time, requiring her to strategize more effectively. The pieces were longer (around 2 minutes), and simply repeating them was no longer sufficient. She began practicing at a slower tempo and gradually increased it to performance speed. She also started dividing pieces into sections, which made it easier to identify and correct errors. Additionally, she changed her routine to one hour in the morning (6 am) and another hour during breaks between online classes. This strategy led to significant improvement, as she could concentrate better in the morning and memorize pieces more effectively.
- Grade 8: She started preparing for Grade 8 while beginning her high school diploma, which required attending classes in person. With a hectic schedule, she could only manage about 45 minutes of practice per day especially when she was close to her exam periods. To make the most of this time, she focused entirely on her pieces, keeping practice and learning as separate sessions. During this time, she avoided distractions like watching piano videos and concentrated solely on playing. Due to time constraints, she had to switch her practice routine from early mornings to late evenings, which was less ideal but necessary to balance academics and piano practice. Additionally, she found that listening to professional recordings of her exam pieces on YouTube while going about her daily activities (except while studying) helped her familiarize herself with the pieces, and absorb key elements like dynamics, accents, and voicing, which she could then apply during practice.
6. CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES
- Technical and musical challenges faced:
- Grade 1, 2, 3:
- Had trouble keeping up with the tempo without a metronome, often speeding up while playing the piece. This was addressed by slow practice and counting out rhythms.
- Grade 4, 5:
- Struggled with pieces where the left hand needed to play notes very quickly, especially when the notes were close together, causing the left hand to feel stiff. This was addressed by slow practice and consciously learning to keep the left hand relaxed while playing.
- Grade 6, 7, 8:
- Faced trouble playing thirds, octaves and had difficulty shifting dynamics from forte to pianissimo. This was addressed by slow practice and using arm rotation where the arm was treated as an entire unit instead of just focusing on the fingers.
- Had difficulties with rhythm while playing Bartók’s piece from the Grade 8 exam book. This was addressed by slow practice and counting out rhythms.
- Struggled with remembering 2 & 3 part voice Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in E major from the Trinity Grade 8 exam book, frequently losing her place midway through the piece. This was addressed by being aware of individual melody lines by playing them separately or singing them along while playing the counter melody with one hand.
- Grade 1, 2, 3:
- Emotional and psychological hurdles how they were addressed:
- Strict piano lessons in early years: The first four years of her piano journey were very strict and limited to only the exam repertoire. This made playing the piano seem forced and less interesting. Over time, she reclaimed her enjoyment of music by focusing on her own connection with the instrument rather than relying just on classes.
- Conflict Between Academics and Music: She faced a lot of pressure from her school teachers to prioritize academics over music. She addressed this by ignoring these comments and believing that both could be managed together. She created schedules to ensure that both academics and music received adequate time.
- Pressure to Avoid Music as a Career Path: Experienced pressure from teachers and her relatives not to pursue music as a career option, despite having the support of her parents. She felt overwhelmed by these comments, and these were not fully addressed.
- Nervousness during exams: The shift to digital exams allowed her to play from the comfort of home, reducing nervousness while performing.
7. KEY MILESTONES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
- Notable piano performances, competitions, and examinations:
- Furtados Bandit (2021) – Top 10 Finalists in India
- RSL South India Fest 2021 – Presented Grade 8 song “Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin” from Rockschool syllabus
- Musical Beats (2022) Senior Category conducted by Vels International School – 1st Prize
- Trinity College London Grade 6 Piano Exam (2021) – Distinction
- Trinity College London Grade 8 Piano Exam (2023) – Distinction
- Trinity College London Grade 5 Theory Exam (2024) – Distinction
- Significant breakthroughs in skill and confidence:
- Grade 1: She remembers feeling incredibly underconfident when it came to playing the piano. She also didn’t enjoy playing it. However, after scoring a merit in the Grade 1 exam, she was surprised and felt more confident about her skills.
- Grade 3: By Grade 3, she understood the power of repetitive practice and started using the metronome properly to play the pieces. Watching videos on YouTube about muscle memory and the power of practice helped her gain an understanding of the benefits of using a metronome properly. Consequently, she was able to stop her terrible habit of speeding up while playing a piece, which made her feel more confident while playing the piano.
- Grade 4: One of the times she felt a significant boost in confidence was when she solved her major issue of not being able to play fast and close left-hand parts. She realized that she was tensing her left hand and consciously tried to relax it. This helped her play pieces that she thought she could never play before.
- Grade 5: She achieved her first distinction in piano in the Grade 5 exam, which gave her a significant boost in confidence.
- Grade 8: Taking part in an interschool music competition and winning the only gold in her entire school team made her feel like her piano skills were good.
- Feedback and evaluations from teachers and examiners:
- Siddharth Kumar (Teacher): Tanya has been a model student right from day one. She not only has a deep passion towards music but has the discipline and patience to work towards her goals and achieve them, which I believe is more important than just being passionate or having an innate talent for something. She has an evolved musical palate, and this has helped her to appreciate diverse music styles and get familiar with them. Tanya is hardworking, conscientious and levelheaded. With these qualities I strongly believe that she will excel in any endeavor she takes up.
- Trinity Grade 6 Examiner: Focus was well maintained throughout the performance. The playing was assured, and the technical work was well paced.
- Trinity Grade 8 Examiner: A clear individual personality and stylistic understanding were shown, with the contrasting ideas successfully introduced.
- Leveraging piano certification for university applications:
- When applying to UK colleges, she realized that the UCAS points system assigns points to certifications, including piano grades.
- Completing Grade 8 Piano with Distinction awards 30 UCAS points, which is more than the 20 points she got from her from 11th board exams.
- The piano certification adds significant value to university applications even outside of the UK as most colleges place importance on high-level extracurricular or co-curricular activities, giving her an advantage in those applications as well.
8. SUPPORT SYSTEMS
- Role of teachers, mentors, and peers
- Piano Teacher (Siddharth): Went beyond the syllabus, fostering a deep appreciation for music beyond just exams. Provided encouragement and a sense of escape from academic pressures.
- School Teachers: Showed interest in her piano progress and frequently asked about it.
- Classmates & Friends Who Play Instruments: Offered encouragement, engaged in discussions about music, and explored different genres together.
- Parental support and encouragement
- Her parents were consistently supportive throughout her entire journey, recognizing and celebrating small achievements and milestones.
- Encouraged her to start a YouTube channel, which motivated her to learn music beyond the syllabus at Encore.
- Offered her the option to pursue piano for higher education and researched career prospects in music.
9. REFLECTIONS AND INSIGHTS
- Tanya’s reflections on her journey
- Tanya believes that she’s come a long way, and every single minute spent has contributed to reaching this point.
- She feels she has exceeded the expectations of her 10-year-old self, who thought she would only go as far as Grade 3.
- For her, music is no longer just a hobby, but it could also be a potential career option.
- She sees music has been a steadfast, non-living best friend, supporting her through difficult times.
- What message would you give your 10-year-old self if you could meet her now? – It’s important to expect more from yourself and set bigger goals. Even if they seem far-fetched, striving for them— even if only partially achieved— is worthwhile. Step out of your comfort zone and put in the effort to reach them.
- Impact of the journey on broader life skills and interests
- Music improved her memory power. After five years of playing the piano, she noticed a visible difference in her memory skills, which helped her remember information much more easily.
- Increasing practice hours helped her build her concentration and made it easier to focus on activities for extended periods.
- Music taught her the importance of discipline and consistency, which helped her in her studies and in avoiding procrastination.
- As an introvert, music became a means of self-expression.
- Music helped her connect with others, serving as a conversation starter and a common interest.
- She gained more confidence, particularly in public settings.
- Music provided a sense of stability as a potential backup option for the future.
- Tanya’s Future aspirations:
- Be part of a band playing contemporary music
- Pursue research related to music industry on topics about social, cultural psychological and economic impact of iconic music artists
- Be associated with a music related business
- Tanya’s advice for other students and their parents pursuing similar paths:
- Encourage students in the initial years to keep working hard and not give up on piano, as the first two years are challenging but rewarding afterward.
- Stay focused, as reaching Grade 8 or completing a diploma will make you proud.
- Advise high school students to continue extracurricular activities, like piano, as it doesn’t interfere with academics if time is managed efficiently.
- Urge parents to support their children in balancing piano with studies or other activities, emphasizing that it won’t negatively affect academic performance.
- Acknowledge the importance of support from parents and personal effort in achieving success.
10. APPENDICES
Grade 6 Exam Performance:
Grade 8 Exam Performance:
Original Composition – City Lights:
Interview with Siddharth Kumar (Founder, Encore Piano Academy):
