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Please use the links below to find the titles recommended in the ABRSM Percussion Exams from 2020 Timpani:
All Grades
The following icons are used, where necessary, and have the meanings below.
✯ at least one of the marked pieces must be played
🎹 has piano accompaniment (required)
🥁 has percussion accompaniment (required)
🎹 or 🥁 has piano and percussion accompaniment (one is required)
Grades 6 to 8 Prerequisite for entry: ABRSM Grade 5 (or above) in Music Theory, Practical Musicianship or any solo Jazz instrument.
The following codes are used in the appropriate instrument.
| Snare Drum MULTI for multi-percussion |
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| Timpani 3D three drums required 4D four drums required RETUNE contains retuning PED requires pedal drum(s) |
Tuned Percussion 4M four mallets required MAR must be played on marimba XYL must be played on Xylophone VIB must be played on Vibraphone |
ABRSM Percussion Exams from 2020 Timpani
Three pieces must chosen by the candidate from the appropriate grade list below;
Pieces marked 📚 can be found in Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies from 2020, Grade 1 (ABRSM)
Simon Archer, March 📚 🎹 ✯
Cameron Sinclair, Ceremonial 📚
Andrea Vogler, Yeti Dance 📚 🎹 ✯
David Hext, Tumbledown Mountain (⊛ tenor drum or low tom) 📚 ✯
Ian Wright, Baroque Notes 📚
Carol Barratt, Alpenstock, Bravo! Percussion, Book 1 (Boosey & Hawkes) 🎹 ✯
Matthew Hardy, Majestic March (play bb. 11-14 as written – 🎹 or ⊛ snare drum), Concert and Audition Pieces for the Young Percussionist (Southern Percussion) 🎹 ✯
Hochrainer, Etude No. 8, from Etudes for Timpani, Vol. 1 (Doblinger)
Knauer, Exercise No. 3 in C, from 85 Exercises for Timpani P. 3 (Hofmeister)
Andrea Vogler, Gilda’s Party (⊛ low tom-tom) (Southern Percussion) ✯
Pieces marked 📚 can be found in Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies from 2020, Grade 2 (ABRSM)
Peter R. Birkby, The Haunted 📚 🎹 ✯
Rachel Gledhill, Tribal Dance 📚
Andrew J. Smith, Space Race 📚 🎹 ✯
Andrea Vogler, What’s for Tea Tonight♭ (⊛ low tom) 📚 ✯
Nick Woud, The Guard 📚
Carol Barratt, Flight Past Bravo! Percussion, Book 2 (Boosey & Hawkes) 🎹 ✯
Gert Bomhof, Fanfaria, No.1 from Solo Pieces for Timpani (De Haske)
Jan Faulkner, Ship Ahoy Jan Faulkner: Simply Seven (Southern Percussion) 🎹 ✯
Matthew Hardy, Waltz for Jan, (🎹 or ⊛ vibraphone) Concert and Audition Pieces for the Young Percussionist (Southern Percussion) ✯
Hochrainer, Etude No. 18, from Etudes for Timpani, Vol. 1, (Doblinger)
Pieces marked 📚 can be found in Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies from 2020, Grade 3 (ABRSM)
Jan Bradley, Arriving in Style (⊛ snare drum or low tom ) 📚 ✯
Lizzie Davis, Waltz of the Warlocks 📚 🎹 ✯
Damien Harron, Tresillo 📚
Ian Wright, Bouncing Beethoven 📚
Andrew J.Smith, Celebration 📚 🎹 ✯
Gert Bomhof, Galop, No. 4 from Solo Pieces for Timpani (De Haske)
Kirk J. Gay, Etude 6, from Pedal to the Kettle (Tapspace)
Matthew Hardy, Fiesta, Concert and Audition Pieces for the Young Percussionist (Southern Percussion) 🎹 ✯
Murray Houllif, Cowboy Town, No. 4 from Rhythmicity (Kendor Music)
Murray Houllif, Hills of Home (with repeats), No. 6 from Rhythmicity (Kendor Music)
Pieces marked 📚 can be found in Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies from 2020, Grade 4 (ABRSM)
Adrian Bending, D ’n’A Test 📚
Peter R. Birkby, Fanfare and Procession 📚 🎹
Nick Woud, Checkers (3D RETUNE) 📚
David Hext, Dogfight 📚
Adrian Sutcliffe, Boil the Kettle 📚
Gert Bomhof, Changing Meters I, No. 7 from Solo Pieces for Timpani (De Haske)
Matthew Hardy, Cha Cha Challenge (3D), Concert and Audition Pieces for the Young Percussionist (Southern Percussion) 🎹
Hochrainer, Etude No. 37, from Etudes for Timpani, Vol. 2 (Doblinger)
Murray Houllif, Rock and Roll (with repeats 3D), No. 7 from Rhythmicity (Kendor Music)
Brian Slawson, Copper Rocks (3D RETUNE), from Dynamic Solos for Timpani (Alfred)
Pieces marked 📚 can be found in Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies from 2020, Grade 5 (ABRSM)
Alan Bullard, Rising from the Deep (3D RETUNE) 📚 🎹
William Edwards, Conflict (3D) 📚
Rachel Gledhill, A Storm in a Teacup (3D PED RETUNE) 📚
Dani Howard, R E VS (3D) 📚
Ian Wright, Russian Galop (RETUNE) 📚
Berlioz arr. Matthew Hardy, Simply Fantastique (with repeat 3D RETUNE) Concert and Audition Pieces for the Young Percussionist (Southern Percussion)
Knauer, Exercise No. 20 in F (RETUNE or 3D) from 85 Exercises for Timpani P. 19, (Hofmeister)
Muczynski, Allegro moderato (3D PED RETUNE), No.1 from Three Designs for Three Timpani, Op.11 No. 2 (G. Schirmer) or Solos for the Percussion Player (G. Schirmer)
Garwood Whaley, Statement for Timpani (3D) (Meredith Music)
Nick Woud, Study No. 5, from Symphonic Studies for Timpani (De Haske)
Gert Bomhof, Changing Meters II (3D), No. 12 from Solo Pieces for Timpani (De Haske)
Bill Cahn, Canzone (3D PED RETUNE), from Six Concert Pieces for Solo Timpani (Hal Leonard) ✯
S. Fink, Rockin’ Timpani (4D), No. 8 from Solobook for Timpani, Vol. 1 (Simrock)
George Frock, Opening Toccata (4D), No. l from Seven Solo Dances for the Advanced Timpanist (Southern Music)
Murray Houllif, March Triumphant (with repeats, 4D, PED, RETUNE) (Kendor Music) ✯
A. Ridout, Movement I (4D), from Sonatina for Timpani (Boosey & Hawkes)
Cameron Sinclair, Kontretanz (3D PED RETUNE), from 3 Tanzen (Scottish Music Centre) ✯
Brian Slawson, Paukenstein (3D PED RETUNE) from Dynamic Solos for Timpani (Alfred) ✯
Nick Woud, First Call (3D RETUNE), Principal Percussion (ABRSM) ✯
Nick Woud, Study No. 20 (4D PED RETUNE), from Symphonic Studies for Timpani (De Haske) ✯
Raynor Carroll, Prelude (4D PED RETUNE), Exercises, Etudes and Solos for the Timpani (Batterie Music) ✯
Peter Evans, Shades of Bartok (4D PED RETUNE) (Southern Percussion)
Kirk J. Gay, Rock of the 80’s (4D PED RETUNE), from Pedal to the Kettle (Tapspace)
Stravinsky, arr. Matthew Hardy, Rite of Passage (with repeats, 3D PED RETUNE may be played on 4 drums without retune), Concert and Audition Pieces for the Young Percussionist (Southern Percussion)
David Mancini, Flower City Funk (4D PED RETUNE) (Kendor Music)
A. Ridout, Movement III (4D), from Sonatina for Timpani (Boosey & Hawkes)
Cameron Sinclair, Feuertanz (4D PED RETUNE), from 3 Tanzen (Scottish Music Centre)
Nick Woud, Study No. 9 (4D PED RETUNE) from The Timpani Challenge (Pustjens Percussion)
Ian Wright, Spring Fever (4D RETUNE), Principal Percussion (ABRSM)
Bill Cahn, Canzone (3D PED RETUNE), from Six Concert Pieces for Solo Timpani (Hal Leonard)
S. Fink, Rockin’ Timpani (4D), No. 8 from Solobook for Timpani, Vol. 1 (Simrock)
George Frock, Opening Toccata (4D), No. l from Seven Solo Dances for the Advanced Timpanist (Southern Music)
Murray Houllif, March Triumphant (with repeats, 4D, PED, RETUNE) (Kendor Music)
A. Ridout, Movement I (4D), from Sonatina for Timpani (Boosey & Hawkes)
Cameron Sinclair, Kontretanz (3D PED RETUNE), from 3 Tanzen (Scottish Music Centre)
Brian Slawson, Paukenstein (3D PED RETUNE) from Dynamic Solos for Timpani (Alfred)
Nick Woud, First Call (3D RETUNE), Principal Percussion (ABRSM)
Nick Woud, Study No. 20 (4D PED RETUNE), from Symphonic Studies for Timpani (De Haske)
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Additional Resources for ABRSM Percussion Exams from 2020 Timpani
Theory of Music
ABRSM Music Theory Exam Materials
Additional Music Theory Resources
Syllabus amendments
The ABRSM will post updates to the syllabus – e.g. changes to publication details or other minor corrections or clarifications – at www.abrsm.org/syllabuscorrections.
Syllabus revision
The ABRSM has not scheduled the next revision of the Percussion Syllabus. The ABRSM will post advance notice of planned changes to the Percussion Syllabus (including syllabus overlap information) at www.abrsm.org/percussion.
Photocopies & downloads
Candidates should not perform from unauthorised photocopies (or other kinds of copies) or illegal downloads of copyright music in examinations. There are limited circumstances where can copies be used in an examination the UK. The MPA’s Code of Fair Practice gives further guidance. Before making a copy an application should be made to the copyright holder and evidence of permission should be brought to the exam. Candidates and Applicants must act within the law with regard to copyright.