Building Your Piano Repertoire: A Strategic Approach

Every pianist dreams of having a rich repertoire—a collection of pieces they can play at any moment. But building and maintaining repertoire requires strategy. Here's how to approach it thoughtfully.

What Is a Repertoire?

Your repertoire is the music you can perform confidently right now—not pieces you've played before or plan to learn, but music that's "in your fingers" and performance-ready.

A healthy repertoire includes:

• **Polished pieces** - Performance-ready, memorized
• **Maintained pieces** - Could perform with brief review
• **Developing pieces** - Currently learning

Choosing New Pieces

Match Your Level

Select pieces that challenge you without overwhelming:

• **Too easy:** You'll learn quickly but won't grow much
• **Just right:** Stretches your abilities with achievable effort
• **Too hard:** Leads to frustration and bad habits

A good rule: If you can't play the basic notes in 2-3 weeks, it's probably too difficult for now.

Balance Your Selection

A well-rounded repertoire includes:

Different eras:

• Baroque (Bach, Handel, Scarlatti)
• Classical (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven)
• Romantic (Chopin, Schumann, Brahms)
• Modern/Contemporary (Debussy, Ravel, Prokofiev)

Different characters:

• Fast, virtuosic showpieces
• Slow, lyrical pieces
• Technically demanding études
• Crowd-pleasing favorites

Different lengths:

• Short pieces (2-4 minutes)
• Medium works (5-10 minutes)
• Major works (sonatas, variations)

Consider Your Goals

Ask yourself:

• Am I preparing for exams or competitions?
• Do I want concert pieces or personal enjoyment?
• What gaps exist in my current repertoire?
• What composers have I neglected?

The Repertoire Cycle

Pieces naturally move through stages:

Stage 1: Active Learning

All practice focus goes here. You're solving technical problems, memorizing, and building interpretation.

Stage 2: Performance Ready

The piece is polished and memorized. You can perform it confidently with minimal warm-up.

Stage 3: Maintenance Mode

Regular but less intensive review keeps it accessible. Weekly touch-ups maintain the memory.

Stage 4: Rusty/Archived

Without review, pieces fade. They can be revived with focused work, but aren't currently performable.

Maintaining Your Repertoire

The biggest challenge isn't learning new pieces—it's keeping learned pieces alive.

Create a Review Schedule

• **Daily:** Quick run-throughs of 2-3 pieces
• **Weekly:** More thorough review of your entire active list
• **Monthly:** Check on "maintenance" pieces before they get too rusty

Use a Tracking System

Keep records of:

• When you last played each piece
• Current status (polished/maintenance/rusty)
• Problem spots to revisit
• Performance history

This is exactly what Cadenza helps you manage automatically.

Accept Natural Rotation

You can't keep everything perfectly polished forever. Allow pieces to cycle through stages. It's okay for some to go rusty—you can always revive them.

Building for the Long Term

Create Core Repertoire

Identify 5-10 pieces you'll always maintain—your "signature" works that define you as a pianist.

Expand Gradually

Add 2-4 new significant pieces per year, depending on your practice time. Quality over quantity.

Revisit Old Favorites

Pieces you learned years ago can be freshly rewarding with your mature musicianship.

Document Everything

Record performances of your repertoire. You'll treasure these recordings years later.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. **Learning too many pieces at once** - Better to master a few than dabble in many
2. **Neglecting maintenance** - New pieces shouldn't come at the expense of learned ones
3. **Avoiding weaknesses** - If you never play Baroque music, you should start
4. **Chasing difficulty** - Impressive pieces mean nothing if played poorly
5. **No organization** - Random selection leads to random progress

Creating Your Repertoire Plan

Start by answering:

1. What 5 pieces can I perform today?
2. What am I currently learning?
3. What do I want to add in the next year?
4. What genre/era am I missing?
5. What's my dream piece for the future?

Write it down. Review it quarterly. Adjust as you grow.

Conclusion

A thoughtfully built repertoire is one of a pianist's greatest assets. It takes years to develop, but with strategic planning and consistent maintenance, you can build a musical library you're proud of.

Start organizing your repertoire today with Cadenza—track your pieces, log practice sessions, and watch your collection grow.