Initial Grade Pieces
Three pieces:
One chosen by the candidate from each of the three Lists, A, B and C;

Candidates may perform a duet for one of their three pieces.

Please use the links below to find the titles recommended in the ABRSM Exam Syllabus.

Please note the first three pieces in each list are in
ABRSM Piano Exam Pieces 2025 & 2026 Initial Grade (book only)

Initial Grade Scales & Arpeggios
ABRSM Piano Scales & Arpeggios Initial Grade

Initial Grade Sight-reading
ABRSM Piano Specimen Sight-Reading Initial Grade

Initial Grade Aural
ABRSM Specimen Aural Tests, Initial Grade

Additional Resources

Scales & Arpeggios Resources
Improve Your Scales Initial Grade

Theory of Music Resources

Piano Initial Grade 2025 & 2026 List A

4.  Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin Clocks, arr. Dunlop Pop Performer, Grades Initial–3 (ABRSM)
5.  W. Carroll Raindrops (No. 4 from The Countryside) W. Carroll: The Countryside (Forsyth)
6.  Diabelli Alla turca, Op. 149 No. 26, arr. Kern Hal Leonard Student Piano Library – Piano Lessons, Book 3 (Hal Leonard)
7.  Diabelli Scherzo primo part Piano Lessons, Book 1 (Faber)
8.  Gurlitt Dance (No. 2 from Das kleines Konzert, Op. 227) Music Pathways: Repertoire, Level 3A (Carl Fischer)
9.  Humbert The Black Forest Doll (No. 3 from Allerlei Spielzeug) Humbert: Allerlei Spielzeug (Schott)
10.  Kabalevsky A Little Scherzo (No. 6 from 24 Little Pieces, Op. 39) Kabalevsky: 24 Little Pieces, Op. 39 (Boosey & Hawkes)
11.  Rebekah Maxner Zonko’s Big Adventure (from Rock This Town) primo part Rebekah Maxner: Rock This Town (Rebekah Maxner)
12.  A. Reinagle Allegretto (No. 9 from 24 Short and Easy Pieces, Op. 1) A. Reinagle: 24 Short and Easy Pieces, Op. 1 (Schott) or Pianissimo: Piano Piccolo (Schott) or p. 23 from Piano Time Pieces 1 (OUP)
13.  Bertram Schattel Racing Against Each Other (No. 12 from Rosalie and Finn) primo part p. 23–24 from Bertram Schattel: For Rosalie and Finn (Breitkopf & Härtel)
14.  Trad. Irish John Ryan’s Polka, arr. Blackwell Piano Star 2 (ABRSM)
15.  Pam Wedgwood Mission Impossible (No. 11 from Up-Grade! Piano Grades 0–1) Pam Wedgwood: Up-Grade! Piano Grades 0–1 (Faber)
16.  Elsie Wells Donkey Ride (from Sea Pictures, Set 1) primo part Duets with a Difference: Piano Time Duets, Book 1 (OUP)

Piano Initial Grade 2025 & 2026 List B

4.  Agay Moonlit Pagoda More Classics to Moderns, Book 1 (Yorktown Music Press)
5.  June Armstrong Butterfly primo part Piano Star Duets (ABRSM)
6. Louise Chamberlain The Sad Little Pig (from Step It Up! Piano Grades 0–1) Louise Chamberlain: Step It Up! Piano Grades 0–1 (Faber)
7. Pauline Hall The Secret Garden pedalling optional Piano Time Pieces 1 (OUP)
8. Alan Haughton Budgie (from Fun Club Piano Grades 0–1) Alan Haughton: Fun Club Piano Grades 0–1 (Kevin Mayhew)
9. Karen Marshall Sprinkling Stardust Piano Star 2 (ABRSM)
10. Alison Mathews Sailing Under a Moonlit Sky una corda optional Mosaic, Vol. 1 (Editions Musica Ferrum)
11 . Christopher Norton Enchanted Castle (No. 6 from The Microjazz Duets Collection 1) primo part Christopher Norton: The Microjazz Duets Collection 1 (Boosey & Hawkes)
12..  Orff No. 1 (from Two Pieces) From Bartók to Stravinsky (Schott)
13.  Phil Peskett A Dream on the Prairie Nikki Iles & Friends, Easy to Intermediate (ABRSM)
14. Satie What the Little Princess Tulip Says (No. 2 from Menus propos enfantins) Satie: Nine Children’s Pieces (ABRSM) or Pianissimo: Piano Piccolo (Schott) or Classics to Moderns, Book 1 (Yorktown Music Press)
15. Trad. Chinese (Jiangsu) Crescent Moon, arr. N. & R. Faber student part Show Time Piano, Music from China, Level 2A (Faber Piano Adventures)
16. Pam Wedgwood Whirleybird (No. 2 from Up-Grade! Piano Grades 0–1) or Pam Wedgwood: Piano for Fun (Faber)

Piano Initial Grade 2025 & 2026 List C

4.  George Barnett, Joel Laslett Pott & Fred Gibson Shotgun, arr. Thomson Pop Performer, Grades Initial–3 (ABRSM)
5.  Withers Lean on Me, arr. Önaç Pop Performer, Grades Initial–3 (ABRSM)
6.  Pauline Hall & Paul Drayton Stegosaurus Stomp (from Prehistoric Piano Time) Pauline Hall & Paul Drayton: Prehistoric Piano Time (OUP)
7.  Heather Hammond Action Stations Piano Star 2 (ABRSM)
8.  Mark Tanner Wonkey Donkey Piano Star 2 (ABRSM)
9.  Alan Haughton Treading Carefully Piano Time Going Places (OUP)
10.  Hans-Günter Heumann Piano Junior Blues Piano Junior, Performance, Book 2 (Schott)
11.  Elton John I Just Can’t Wait to Be King (from The Lion King), arr. N. & R. Faber student part; with repeat Faber Studio Collection: Selections from ShowTime Piano, Level 2A (Faber Piano Adventures)
12.  Carol Klose Those Creepy Crawly Things on the Cellar Floor Hal Leonard Student Piano Library – Piano Solos 2 or Hal Leonard Student Piano Library – Piano Solos 2 with audio (Hal Leonard)
13.  Julie Knerr Detective Wombat Blues Piano Safari Pattern Pieces 1 (Piano Safari) M. Last Ducks in the Pond Piano Time Pieces 3 (OUP)
14.  Gerald Martin Boogie No. 1 The Joy of Boogie and Blues (Yorktown Music Press)
15.  Jane Sebba The Grand Waltz primo part Piano Magic Duets, Book 1 (Collins Music)

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