Tuesday 19 March 2013

Music Grades Explained

By Anita Hale


When we take on an instrument at school we will frequently be recommended to take grades of this instrument. This gives you the opportunity to learn the intricacies of your chosen instrument. In addition you can also discover the necessary theory associated with it.

So who exactly sets these music exams? There are currently three examination boards that are allowed to award these exam grades and qualifications in music. Two of these are London College of Music and Trinity College London. However, the main and largest board is the ABSRM. The ABSRM stands for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. It is an examining board whose main function is to provide a structured way to grade music learning. This can help inspire musicians, but it also sets a benchmark for standards.

The ABRSM offers exams in theory, jazz and practical musicianship. However, the most common course is practical exams for your chosen instrument. These begin at grade one and continue up to grade eight for the very advanced.

Here we shall review what happens in a music graded exam. First of all there are four different components to take. The set pieces component requires the student to play three pre-prepared pieces of music. These must be selected from the list provided on the course syllabus. Every instrument carries its own syllabus and the set pieces will get updated every few years. The student will play these set pieces using their own sheet music. This component carries a total of thirty marks. The pass mark is set at twenty.

Next up is the scales and arpeggios section. The student will play according to the scale or arpeggio that the examiner has requested. They will usually have to play several of these. They must score at least 14 marks out of 21 on this section to pass.

The aural test requires the student to listen to an examiner's set of instructions and provide a sung, spoken or clapped response as appropriate. The test is designed to grade the student's musical ear and is marked out of 18. The pass mark for the aural test is 12.

Sight-reading is the last section of the music exam. Some would say this is the trickiest part as it requires the student to play a piece of music that they have never seen. The examiner will give them some sheet music and half a minute to prepare how they will play it. The highest mark you can get on the sight-reading section is twenty-one. You will need to score at least fourteen marks to pass this section.

In conclusion, to pass any practical exam, the musician must achieve at least 100 marks out of 150. They pass with merit if they score 120 and pass with distinction if they score 130.




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