How to Choose ARSM Repertoire and Prepare Students of Any Age for Success

Choosing ARSM repertoire is where the exam is often won or lost. A singer can have a beautiful voice, strong musicianship, and good lessons every week, but if the programme is too heavy, too similar, too long, or badly paced, the recital can feel harder than it needs to be.

For ARSM, think like a recital planner, not just a teacher ticking off difficult songs. The aim is to build a programme that shows range, style, communication, stamina, and judgement. That applies whether the student is a young adult or 68. The marking standard doesn’t change because of age, but the preparation plan should.

Good repertoire choices start with honest score study.

1. Start with the current syllabus before choosing anything

Use the current ABRSM syllabus as the source of truth. That sounds obvious, but advanced students often arrive with favourite pieces first and only check the rules later. For an ABRSM diploma, that can lead to awkward cuts, unsuitable own-choice pieces, or a programme that misses required variety.

Before approving repertoire, check:

• permitted repertoire and own-choice rules

• timing requirements

• language requirements, if any

• accompaniment expectations

• whether editions, cuts, or transpositions are acceptable

• performance and assessment criteria

  
  

For ARSM singing, the programme should feel like a coherent recital, not a playlist of impressive items. If a student brings five “big” songs, the answer may be no, even if each song is suitable on its own.

A useful test is simple. Ask, “Would I happily listen to this whole programme in one sitting?” If the answer is no, change it.

2. Build a balanced programme before chasing difficulty

At ARSM level, difficulty alone doesn’t impress. A programme full of high drama, fast coloratura, or sustained high tessitura may show ambition, but it can also expose tension and fatigue.

Aim for contrast in four areas.

Period and style

Language and text

Tempo and energy

Vocal demand

Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th or 21st century choices, depending on syllabus fit

Clear diction, different vowel demands, varied poetic character

Not all slow, not all high intensity

A mix of stamina, agility, legato, range, and expressive control

For example, a lighter opening song can help the singer settle. A central item may show the strongest technical control. A final piece can leave a confident impression without exhausting the voice.

I’d avoid placing the most vocally risky piece last unless the student can sing it reliably when tired. In lessons, test that honestly. Put it at the end of a mock run, not at the start when the voice is fresh.

3. Choose pieces that suit the actual singer in front of you

This is where teaching judgement matters most. Don’t choose repertoire for the singer you hope they’ll become in six months. Choose for the singer they can become safely and consistently by the exam date.

Look at:

• passaggio stability

• breath management under pressure

• resonance across vowels

• language confidence

• emotional maturity with the text

• stamina across a full programme

• recovery time after demanding singing

  
  

A 25-year-old and a 68-year-old may both sing beautifully, but they may need different programming. The younger singer might have more physical recovery speed but less interpretive patience. The older singer may bring richer text understanding but need more careful pacing, lower cumulative vocal load, and longer recovery between full run-throughs.

The examiner doesn’t mark age differently. The published criteria assess the performance presented on the day. Age may affect preparation, vocal maintenance, memory strategy, and nerves, but it shouldn’t lower the artistic standard you’re aiming for.

Marking breath, text, and phrasing early prevents panic later.

4. Plan preparation in phases, not piece by piece

With five students preparing at the same time, it helps to use a shared timeline, then adapt the details.

A good preparation arc looks like this.

Phase one

Confirm the programme, translations, keys, cuts, and timing. No serious coaching starts until the list is stable.

Phase two

Secure notes, rhythm, text, and breath planning. Record short sections and fix habits early.

Phase three

Work on style, colour, character, and transitions between pieces. This is where the programme starts to feel like a recital.

Phase four

Run the full programme under exam conditions. Include walking in, setting up, communicating with the accompanist, recovering from slips, and staying in character.

Phase five

Reduce risk. Stop adding new interpretive ideas too late. Keep the voice fresh. Polish the opening and ending of every song.

For advanced students, the danger is often overworking. A singer can “practise” a phrase until it gets worse. Teach them to separate score study, silent text work, physical warm-up, and full singing. Not every practice session needs full voice.

5. Train stamina like a musical skill

ARSM is not just a collection of songs. It’s a sustained performance. That means stamina has to be trained.

Start with partial runs:

• two songs back to back

• the hardest song after 15 minutes of singing

• the full first half without stopping

• the full programme with no teacher comments

• one complete mock with an invited listener

  
  

The goal is not perfection in every run. The goal is to learn what happens under pressure.

Does the jaw tighten after the third piece? Does diction blur when the singer gets tired? Does vibrato widen near the end? Does the student rush spoken introductions or lose focus between songs?

These are not small details. They affect the listening experience.

Mock performances reveal what normal lessons can hide.

6. Prepare for the challenges each age group may face

Age doesn’t change the mark scheme, but it can change the teaching route.

Younger adult students may need help with:

• pacing ambitious repertoire

• deeper text interpretation

• managing adrenaline

• avoiding over-singing to prove they’re “diploma level”

• trusting quieter musical choices

  
  

Older adult students may need help with:

• efficient warm-ups

• recovery between demanding pieces

• memory confidence, if performing from memory

• maintaining vocal flexibility

• choosing keys and repertoire that show the voice well now

  
  

For a 68-year-old singer, the question isn’t, “Can they still do ARSM?” Of course they can, if the voice, musicianship, and preparation are there. The better question is, “What programme lets this singer communicate at their best for the whole exam?”

That answer may be a beautifully balanced programme with intelligent pacing, not the most strenuous set of pieces available.

7. Use mock exams to make the performance feel normal

A mock exam should feel slightly uncomfortable. That’s the point.

Do at least two full mock performances before the real date. One can be in the lesson room. Another should include a small listener group, even two or three trusted people. The singer needs to feel watched and still stay musical.

After each mock, don’t give ten pages of notes. Pick the three things that will make the biggest difference.

For example:

• cleaner starts and endings

• calmer breath before the first phrase

• more specific consonants in one language

• better energy between contrasting songs

• less physical movement during difficult passages

  
  

Also practise recovery. If a word goes wrong, if the pianist and singer separate briefly, or if a high note isn’t perfect, the student must keep going. Examiners hear slips. They also hear whether the performer can recover with style.

The final weeks are for clarity, confidence, and calm.

What success looks like

A strong ARSM programme feels inevitable. The songs suit the singer, the order makes sense, the technique holds under pressure, and the interpretation feels lived-in rather than decorated.

For five students of different ages, success won’t look identical. One may shine through language and detail. Another may impress with vocal colour. Another may bring unusual emotional depth. The examiner won’t give a different standard because someone is young or 68, but a wise teacher will prepare each person differently so they can meet the same standard with confidence.

Choose repertoire that tells the truth about the singer’s strengths. Then train the whole recital, not just the hardest bars. That’s the safest route to an ARSM performance that feels polished, personal, and ready.

Drop me a message if you need help with your diploma exam.