Jumat, 21 Juni 2013

What Are Music Grades And How Do I Get Them?

By Anita Hale


Learning grades in music gives students the chance to understand the subtleties of their instrument. This is why so many people that have music lessons also take music exams. These exams provide a framework for learning a particular instrument and also teach the music theory associated with it.

So who is responsible for awarding these music grades? The three main examination boards are London College of Music, Trinity College London and the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). The ABRSM is by far the largest and most utilised of all these examination boards. The board was set up in 1889 and is accredited by Ofqual. This means it can award grades and diploma qualifications through the UK's National Qualifications framework.

The most popular exams offered by ABRSM are definitely the practical exams. These can currently be taken for any of a range of thirty-five different instruments. All practical exams start at grade 1 for beginners and go up to grade 8 for experts. However, ABRSM also offer exams in practical musicianship, music theory and jazz.

So here is what to expect from the actual practical exam. There are four separate elements in every music grade. The first is the set pieces element. This involves the student playing three set pieces. Each piece is worth 30 marks with the pass mark set at twenty. The set pieces must be chosen from the course syllabus in advance. This allows the student to demonstrate how well they can deliver a piece of music that they have thoroughly rehearsed.

The second section of the exam is known as scales and arpeggios. This is simply where the student plays whatever scales are requested by the examiner. It is a fairly brief section in the exam and requires pass mark of fourteen out of twenty-one.

The third component is the aural. As the name would suggest, it involves listening comprehension. In this part, the examiner will play a short melody on the instrument and then question the candidate over it. The aural carries 18 marks with a minimum of 12 required to pass.

Finally, we come to the sight-reading section. Many fear this part because it requires playing a piece of music "blind". This means that the student will get given some sheet music that they have never seen before and must play. There is a thirty second rehearsal period before the student must perform the piece to the best of their ability. The pass mark is set at 14 out of 21 for sight-reading.

If we add up all the marks from all the different sections, we can see that the exam carries a total of 150 marks. In order to be awarded your grade you must score at least 100. However, you can gain a pass with merit if you score over 120. Additionally, a pass with distinction is awarded for scoring 130 or over.




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