After 6 months of deliberation, trying out various pieces and rejecting a few recital programmes, I have come up with what I hope is my final LTCL Recital Diploma programme. There are three exams beyond Grade 8 – Associate, Licentiate and Fellowship. Preparations for my ATCL Diploma took just over a year but I anticipate the LTCL Diploma to take nearer to two years. The exam is a 37 – 43 minute recital.
Alban Berg – Sonata op.1 (11 minutes)
Olivier Messiaen – Noël from Vingt Regards Sur l’Enfant Jesus (5 minutes)
Rodgers/Hough – Carousel Waltz (5 mins)
Samuel Barber – Excursions (12 mins)
Dohnanyi – Rhapsody in C (5 mins)
The programme covers music written in the 20th Century by Russian, French, American and Austrian composers.
Berg, Sonata – This video is in two parts. This is played by one of my favourite pianists, Marc-Andre Hamelin.
Messiaen, Noël – Something cheery for the festive season!
Barber, Excursions no.3 – A lovely little folk melody based on an American cowboy song. I thought this looked simple but then I noticed the cross rhythm of 7 against 8 on the first page. It’s a bit of a headache, but manageable, or so I thought until the cross-rhythms become increasingly more complex as the piece goes on! Should be fun trying to learn this, I have never played cross-rhythms other than the more common 3 against 2 and 3 against 3.
SE22 Piano School 
hey there. The pedagogical culture at where I come from (Singapore) seems to imply an unwritten rule regarding diploma exams whereby you definitely have to play one piece from one period as long as there the time permits. From what I know, it seems like one would be penalised one does not play a balanced programme. May i know if this is just a pedagogical preference or is it actually compulsory/preferred in the actual exam.