How I Passed ABRSM Piano Performance Grade 8 5x Faster Than Average (Part 3): My Exam Prep Strategy

Now that you know my timeline (Part 1) and whether to skip grades (Part 2), let's talk about the actual work: How do you prepare for an ABRSM performance exam?

The format is straightforward: Record yourself playing 4 pieces, submit the video. That's it. No live examiner, no scales, no sight-reading. Just you, your piano, and a camera.

Sounds simple, right? It's not.

Recording yourself is brutally honest. You can't hide mistakes. You can't charm an examiner. Every wrong note, every timing issue, every awkward phrase is captured forever. And you have to do all 4 pieces in one continuous session.

Here's exactly how I prepared for Grades 5, 7, and 8: what worked, what didn't, and what I'd do differently.

Summary

This article breaks down my exact preparation strategy for ABRSM performance exams. I explain how I chose my 4 pieces, my practice structure, specific techniques, and the recorded video format. I share what worked, what didn't, and practical tips for dealing with recordings. If you've decided which grade to take and need a concrete preparation roadmap, this is it.

Choosing Your 4 Pieces

Before you practice anything, you need to pick your pieces. This matters more than you think.

The ABRSM Format

For each grade, you choose 4 pieces total:

• 3 pieces from the ABRSM syllabus (must be from different categories: A, B, C, etc.)

• 1 "own choice" piece 

My Selection Strategy

1. Listen First

I'd go through the syllabus and listen to recordings of every piece in my grade on YouTube. I'd make notes:

• Does this piece sound like something I'd enjoy playing?

• Can I hear myself performing this?

• Does it fit my playing style?

2. Pick What Fits Your Strengths

I always chose my "own choice" piece from the Romantic era repertoire that ABRSM provides. Why? Because I love Romantic pieces—the drama, the rubato, the interpretive freedom. I play them best because I connect with them emotionally.

Don't pick a piece just because it's "impressive" if it doesn't fit your style. Pick pieces you can make your own.

3. Challenge Yourself (But Not Too Much)

I looked for pieces that would push me but were achievable in 2-3 months. Too easy = boring and won't impress examiners. Too hard = you'll struggle, and it'll sound rough.

The sweet spot: "This is hard, but I can see myself nailing it with focused practice."

4. Balance Your Set

Make sure your 4 pieces showcase different skills:

• One piece with technical challenges (fast runs, tricky fingering)

• One piece focused on melody and phrasing

• One piece with rhythmic complexity

• One piece that shows musical maturity

Don't pick 4 pieces that are all fast and flashy. Examiners want to see range and breadth.

Pieces I Chose (Examples)

I'm not going to list every piece I played (that would be boring), but here's the type of balance I aimed for:

• Baroque: Something with clear voicing and counterpoint

• Classical: Something with clean articulation and form

• Romantic: Something with expressive phrasing and rubato

• Contemporary: Something rhythmically interesting or harmonically modern

My Practice Structure

Here's how I actually practiced, broken down by phase.

Phase 1: Learning (Weeks 1-4)

The approach: One piece at a time, sequential mastery.

I didn't start a new piece until I'd mastered the previous one. This might seem slow, but it meant:

• I could give 100% focus to learning each piece properly

• I wasn't juggling 4 pieces badly; I was building 4 pieces solidly

• By the time I started piece 4, pieces 1-3 were already strong

Daily practice:

Step 1: Hands Separately (30-45 min per piece)

I always started hands separately. Always. Right hand first, focusing on:

• Melody lines and phrasing

• Where to emphasize notes

• Dynamics and articulation

Left hand next, focusing on:

• Harmonic structure

• Rhythmic foundation

• Supporting the melody without overpowering

If there was a special melody in the right or left hand, I'd make sure to emphasize it in my separate practice so it would naturally come through when playing hands together.

Step 2: Hands Together, Super Slow (30-45 min)

Once I knew each hand, I'd put them together at 50% tempo or slower. I used a metronome religiously. Start ridiculously slow, so slow it feels stupid, and gradually increase tempo by 5-10 BPM every few days.

Step 3: Problem Sections (15-30 min)

Any section that felt awkward got isolated practice:

• Identify the 2-4 measure problem spot

• Hands separately again

• Metronome at crawl speed

• Repeat 10-20 times until muscle memory kicked in

• Slowly speed up

Don't just "run through" problem sections. That ingrains mistakes. Slow, deliberate, correct repetition.

Phase 2: Polishing (Weeks 5-8)

By this point, I'd learned all 4 pieces. Now it was about refinement.

Daily practice:

Morning session (1-2 hours):

• Deep work on one piece: Focus on interpretation, dynamics, phrasing

• Record myself playing it, listen back critically

• Fix issues I heard in the recording

Afternoon session (1-2 hours):

• Run through all 4 pieces in exam order (like a mock exam)

• Don't stop for mistakes—just keep going

• Note which pieces felt shaky and needed more work

The rotation strategy:

Once all pieces were learned, I'd rotate focus each week:

• Week 5: Deep work on Piece 1, run-throughs of 2-4

• Week 6: Deep work on Piece 2, run-throughs of 1, 3, 4

• Week 7: Deep work on Piece 3, run-throughs of 1, 2, 4

• Week 8: Deep work on Piece 4, run-throughs of 1-3

This kept everything fresh while still improving each piece individually.

Phase 3: Recording Prep (Final 2-3 Weeks)

What I did:

1. Mock exams with recording

I'd set up my phone or camera and record full 4-piece run-throughs as if it were the real exam. No stopping, no retakes in the moment. Then I'd watch the video and cringe.

You will hear things in recordings you don't hear while playing:

• Timing issues

• Uneven dynamics

• Rushed phrases

• Notes you thought you nailed but actually flubbed

It's painful but invaluable.

2. Performance practice

I'd practice performing the pieces, not just playing them.

• Pretend there's an audience

• Walk up to the piano like it's exam day

• Play with intention and confidence

• Don't stop if you make a mistake—recover and keep going

3. Strategic rest

I stopped practicing 1-2 days before recording day. Over-practicing right before can make you stale and overthink. Fresh hands and a fresh mind play better.

The Recording Day

Here's what the actual recording process looked like.

The Format

ABRSM rules: You must record all 4 pieces in one continuous session. You can take multiple attempts, but each attempt must include all 4 pieces.

What this means: If you nail pieces 1-3 but mess up piece 4, you have to redo all 4 pieces. You can't just re-record piece 4.

This is brutal but teaches you to perform under pressure. It will take many tries to get the perfect recording; every time I tried, it took me about 7-8 tries.

Tips for Recording Success

1. Treat it like a live performance

Even though you're alone, act like you're performing:

• Dress nicely (helps you take it seriously)

• Set up the space like a performance venue

• Don't slouch into the piano like it's a practice session

  
  

2. Warm up properly

Before recording attempts, warm up for 20-30 minutes:

• Run through pieces once or twice

• Do NOT over-play them—you'll tire yourself out

• Get your hands moving and your mind focused

3. Embrace the first take

Often, your first or second take will be your best. You're fresh, not overthinking, just playing.

Don't dismiss early takes just because they're early. If it was good, submit it!

4. Know when to stop

If you've done 10+ takes and you're getting worse, stop for the day. Come back tomorrow. Fatigue makes you sloppy. Better to rest and try again fresh.

What's Next

In Part 4, I'll reflect on the bigger picture: what this accelerated journey taught me about discipline, what I'd do differently, whether the fast-track path was worth it, and advice for students considering a similar approach. I'll also share my final thoughts on ABRSM as a whole.

About the Author: I'm Jophy Lin, a high school senior and researcher. I blog about a variety of topics, such as STEM research, competitions, shows, and my experiences in the scientific community. If you’re interested in research tips, competition insights, drama reviews, personal reflections on STEM opportunities, and other related topics, subscribe to my newsletter to stay updated!