Author: Unknown
•9:55 PM
By Anita Hale


You have probably heard people that play a musical instrument referring to the grade they play. Grades are examinations that test a musician's technical ability and musical theory. Learning grades encourages a high standard of musicianship and also provides a framework for music lessons.

There are currently three different boards in the UK that sets these music exams. They are London College of Music, Trinity College London and Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). The ABRSM is generally thought to be the biggest awarding body. It currently offers grades in 35 different instruments.

You don't necessarily have to sit an exam in the instrument you are learning. There are a variety of other exams on offer such as jazz exams and theory exams. However, if you are taking the trouble to have lessons in a chosen instrument then chances are you'll want to take a practical exam so as to receive a grade. These start at grade 1 and advance up to grade 8.

Taking a practical exam is now mean feat. There are a number of sections to the exam and each one must be passed in order to be awarded a grade. The first section is the set pieces. This is where the student plays three pieces of music that they have pre-prepared from the course syllabus. Each piece carries a total of thirty marks. The student must get at least twenty out of thirty one ach one to pass.

The second exam component is scales and arpeggios. This section carries a total of twenty-one marks and you need at least fourteen to pass. During the exam, the examiner will ask you to play a number of scales and arpeggios from memory. You will be marked on accuracy and ability.

The third part of the exam is the Aural. This test the student's ability to listen to music and understand it. The examiner will play something on the instrument and then question the student about it. The answers will usually involve an action, such as singing or clapping. The aural is marked out of 18 and the minimum pass mark is 12.

The final section of the exam tests the students ability to play a piece of music "blind". This means to play from sheet music that they have never seen before. They are only given 30 seconds to practice this before playing it for the examiner. A pass mark of 14 out of 21 is needed for this section.

If you add up all the marks you will see that a student must get at least 100 marks out of 150 to be awarded a grade. This is certainly not an easy thing to do. If they score 120 marks they will be awarded a "pass with merit". The highest accolade is to score at least 130 marks on the exam. This gets a "pass with distinction."




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