David Barton Music

An excellent review from Andrew, Pianodao, who echoes many of my own points.

ABRSM 2027 & 2028 Piano Exam Pieces: A Comprehensive Review Explore ABRSM's 2027 & 2028 Piano Exam Pieces syllabus, featuring fresh repertoire, teaching notes, and digital resources for educators and students.

🎹 The new ABRSM Piano Syllabus 2027-28 launches today!

But what should a modern piano syllabus actually do?

Should it prioritise tradition or innovation? Established repertoire or newly commissioned works? Diversity of style or consistency of assessment?

As I explored the new syllabus, I found myself returning to the same questions again and again:

👉 How do we fairly assess such a broad range of musical styles using the same examination criteria?

👉 Are we selecting repertoire which supports a pianist's developing skills, or curating collections designed to showcase the widest possible range of music?

👉 Has ABRSM found the right balance between tradition and trend?

There is much here to admire, including some interesting discoveries across the grades. Yet overall, I was left wondering whether the pursuit of ever-greater variety is beginning to compromise consistency and coherence.

In this new review, I take a detailed look at the repertoire from Initial Grade to Grade 8 and ask whether the balance feels right:

ABRSM Piano Syllabus 2027-28 | Tradition, Trend, or Both? — David Barton Music Does the new ABRSM Piano Syllabus 2027-28 successfully balance tradition, trend and musical development?

🎹 Rediscovered Gems for Piano Solo by Florence Price

I often revisit this fascinating collection of 20 previously unpublished works by Florence Price.

What strikes me each time is the sheer variety - from lyrical, reflective pieces to moments of real flair and character, with subtle influences that feel both familiar and entirely her own.

It’s rare to find a single-composer collection that offers so much contrast, particularly at an intermediate to early-advanced level.

There were a few personal reservations on my part, but at its heart, this feels like an important publication - and a reminder of how much wonderful music still waits quietly to be rediscovered.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

👉 In case you missed it, you can catch up with the review here: https://www.davidbartonmusic.co.uk/the-notebook/rediscovered-gems-florence-price-piano-sheet-music-review

Hal Leonard Europe

Rediscovered Gems for Piano Solo (Florence Price) | Piano Sheet Music Review — David Barton Music Rediscovered Gems for Piano Solo by Florence Price offers 20 previously unpublished works, showcasing her versatility across styles.

🎹 21 Years - 21 ABRSM Piano Exam Pieces

It’s hard to believe that 2025 marked 21 years since I first entered a student for an ABRSM piano exam. Over that time, so much has changed - my teaching, the exams themselves, even the repertoire available - but some pieces have left a lasting mark on my students and I.

From lilting folk melodies to jazzy surprises, from contemporary classics to hidden gems that seem to have slipped into the mists of time, these 21 pieces have shaped my teaching in ways I’m still discovering. Some are familiar favourites that have stood the test of time - others deserve a revival.

Join me as I revisit the past ABRSM syllabuses and share the pieces that inspired, challenged, and delighted both teacher and student.

Whether you taught, played, or loved any of these works, I’d love to hear which ones you remember - and which you think deserve a comeback!

👉 In case you missed this post, you can catch up here:

21 ABRSM Piano Exam Pieces for 21 Years — David Barton Music To mark 21 years of teaching ABRSM piano exams, I’ve revisited past syllabuses to highlight 21 influential and favourite pieces that have shaped my teaching

✨ I read recently that the second half of the summer term goes by the quickest them all.

I don’t know if there’s any truth in that, but if you ask me, it doesn’t seem like long ago it was September, never mind June!

I think it is true though, that the second half of the summer term is one of the busiest, as we race to get everything tied up before the summer holidays, in whatever form they might come.

There might be exams to record, reports to write, information to send out about next year, concerts to hold, festivals to enter, and so much more.

Following the recent heatwave (which now seems like a distant memory), perhaps we are re-energised for the remaining weeks of term?

But with busyness often comes tiredness.

For all the excitement and energy, it can feel that we’re limping our way to the finish line.

If that’s you, then know you are not alone.

This is your gentle reminder to tread softly, move gently, and give yourself a bit of grace as we head through the remaining weeks of term.

If nothing else, there’s a good chance that our students are feeling just the same.

Deep breath.

You can do it.

So true, Fareham flute and piano studio -Ruth Leech 😂

I absolutely love working with students developing their musicality and joy of playing.
See you all this week!

✨ A reminder to students that lessons restart today for the second half of the Summer Term and the final term of this academic year!

A few dates to note:

5th June - Summer holiday lesson slots released

5th July - Flute Choir, 2:30-4:30pm

6th July - Lichfield Festival of Music closing date

17th July - Summer Term ends

24th July - Re-registration deadline

Plus, there are still about 15 flexible lesson slots available over the next seven weeks if you haven’t yet booked.

Have a great term!

🎹 Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve enjoyed spending time at the piano with the new 2026 London College of Music Examinations Piano Syllabus - exploring the repertoire, rediscovering old favourites, and encountering some wonderful new pieces along the way.

Rather than offering a comprehensive breakdown of every syllabus change, I wanted to focus more personally on the publications, the musical direction of the repertoire, and the pieces which most immediately stood out to me as a teacher and pianist.

In this review, I share my top three choices at each of Grades 1-8, from Bach, Schumann and Clementi, to Khachaturian, Clara Schumann - and even Paul Ayres’ remarkable Prelude, Adagio & Fugue on the Peppa Pig theme tune!

Overall, this feels like a syllabus which has struck a thoughtful balance between old and new - warmly familiar in places, yet fresh, diverse and full of discovery.

You can read my review in full here:

LCME Piano Syllabus 2026 | Reflections, Favourites & New Discoveries — David Barton Music A reflective look at the new LCME Piano Syllabus 2026, exploring the publications, repertoire selections, and my favourite discoveries from Grades 1-8.

🎹 Having recently gone on the journey of choosing a new acoustic piano - saying goodbye to a much-loved Kemble upright and welcoming a beautiful second-hand Schimmel into our home and teaching studio - I’ve been reflecting on just how daunting, emotional, and fascinating the process can be.

From setting a realistic budget and trying different instruments, to imagining how a piano might sound in your own space, I’ve shared ten thoughts and practical suggestions which I hope might help others beginning the search for the right instrument.

One of the biggest lessons? Even pianos of the same make and model can feel and sound remarkably different!

Choosing a piano takes time, careful listening, patience, and an open mind.

In case you missed this post over on The Notebook, you can catch up here:

Every Piano Has Its Own Voice: 10 Tips for Choosing an Acoustic Piano — David Barton Music Every piano has its own voice - here are a few things I learned whilst searching for the right one.