You've probably heard your friends that play musical instruments refer to the "grade" they are currently on. This means a standard they have reached on that instrument. It is assessed via an exam. Three different currently award these exam grades and qualifications in music. London College of Music and Trinity College London are two of them. But the ABSRM is by far the biggest of the three. ABSRM stands for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. It offers music exams in over 35 different instruments. The aim of their exams is to offer inspiration to musicians while setting a benchmark of musical standards for them.
The ABRSM offers jazz exams, theory exams and practical musicianship exams. You'll find that the practical exams are the ones most people are familiar with. These carry 35 different syllabuses, tailored to a particular instrument. In addition, the exams themselves carry with them the award of a grade. Beginners start with taking the grade one exam. The top exam is for grade eight.
So what actually happens during these practical exams? Well, each exam is divided into four parts. The first part is known as set pieces. A student will have pre-selected three pieces from the course syllabus before taking the exam. The idea is that they have practiced these pieces of music comprehensively. However, they will be able to take the sheet music for their pieces into the exam room. Every two years the syllabus will get updated to introduce new set pieces for each student to choose from. During the exam the student will get marked on their ability to play these pieces. The maximum mark for this section is thirty but they will need a minimum of twenty marks to pass it.
Next up is the scales and arpeggios component. This is quite a straightforward. The candidate must simply play the correct scales that the examiner asks for. This usually consists of three or four different scales. Their is no sheet music in this section as they are all played from memory. A minimum score of 14 out of 21 is needed to pass this component.
The aural part of the exam is based on listening and comprehension. The examiner will play the instrument and then give instructions or ask questions based on what was played. The student must give answer, sing or clap their response as required. The maximum mark on this part is 18. A minimum of 12 marks is required to pass the aural test.
The last part of the exam is sight-reading. This is regarded as a particularly tricky section of the exam because the candidate must play from a piece of music that they haven't seen before. They are allowed a thirty second preparation period to study the music and practice it during this time. Then they must play the piece to the best of their ability. This section carries a total of 21 marks with 14 needed for a pass.
Adding up all the sections you will see that a practical exam carries a total of 150 marks. You will be awarded your grade as long as you score at least 100 marks. However, you will also get a pass with merit for scoring 120 marks and a pass with distinction for scoring 130.
The ABRSM offers jazz exams, theory exams and practical musicianship exams. You'll find that the practical exams are the ones most people are familiar with. These carry 35 different syllabuses, tailored to a particular instrument. In addition, the exams themselves carry with them the award of a grade. Beginners start with taking the grade one exam. The top exam is for grade eight.
So what actually happens during these practical exams? Well, each exam is divided into four parts. The first part is known as set pieces. A student will have pre-selected three pieces from the course syllabus before taking the exam. The idea is that they have practiced these pieces of music comprehensively. However, they will be able to take the sheet music for their pieces into the exam room. Every two years the syllabus will get updated to introduce new set pieces for each student to choose from. During the exam the student will get marked on their ability to play these pieces. The maximum mark for this section is thirty but they will need a minimum of twenty marks to pass it.
Next up is the scales and arpeggios component. This is quite a straightforward. The candidate must simply play the correct scales that the examiner asks for. This usually consists of three or four different scales. Their is no sheet music in this section as they are all played from memory. A minimum score of 14 out of 21 is needed to pass this component.
The aural part of the exam is based on listening and comprehension. The examiner will play the instrument and then give instructions or ask questions based on what was played. The student must give answer, sing or clap their response as required. The maximum mark on this part is 18. A minimum of 12 marks is required to pass the aural test.
The last part of the exam is sight-reading. This is regarded as a particularly tricky section of the exam because the candidate must play from a piece of music that they haven't seen before. They are allowed a thirty second preparation period to study the music and practice it during this time. Then they must play the piece to the best of their ability. This section carries a total of 21 marks with 14 needed for a pass.
Adding up all the sections you will see that a practical exam carries a total of 150 marks. You will be awarded your grade as long as you score at least 100 marks. However, you will also get a pass with merit for scoring 120 marks and a pass with distinction for scoring 130.
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