Musical elements – keys, figuration, ornamentation, recurring themes, word painting, personification – again, just a few examples of what you might like to consider.

Structure – ternary form, sonata form, rondo, fugue are a few examples.

You may want to address the musical conventions and developments of the day and the historical performance practices depending on the level of qualification you are taking

Context – this is the ‘who, where, why, what, when’ element relating to the composer and the composition.

The themes of context, structure and musical substance will apply to all the pieces you are playing/singing. Having chosen the pieces you are going to play in your recital ( Balance of Programme Content and Timings are covered in another blog post), it’s now time to think both about the bigger picture and the more intimate details. Let’s look at your approach to the research for your Programme Notes.

Why does Trinity expect you to go to the trouble of submitting these and what does each exam require?Īudiences like to be impressed and setting out the thinking behind your programme and your investigation into the pieces adds another dimension to the audience’s expectations of your performance – no bad thing if you approach this task with diligence and in pursuit of enlightenment and enrichment.

How to count 32nd notes piano