ABRSM Mock Exam – SE22 Piano School ~ East Dulwich

Pass, Merit or Distinction? How examiners mark your ABRSM music exam.

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STOP PRESS: View our students’ results from the Summer ABRSM Session

Many students want to know how to get a Distinction in their music exams. There is a very useful guide written by ABRSM called These Music Exams which details the marking scheme that examiners use.

Summer 2014 - Here's Safiya (age 8) with her Grade 5 Distinction Jazz Piano Certificate. Click here to see more of our students' exam results. — Summer 2014 – Here’s Safiya (age 8) with her Grade 5 Distinction Jazz Piano Certificate. Click here to see more of our students’ exam results.

Here is a blank ABRSM mock exam form for use by teachers in accordance with the ABRSM exam marking criteria. There will be a session focussing on some of the Alternative List pieces in November – the session is for piano teachers. More details here: One Day Workshop for Piano Teachers in London

Many students do not realise that they can practice the aural tests at home but there is a really fantastic web site that you can use to help you prepare. See this link – there are lots of free tests plus it’s very reasonably priced to subscribe:

http://e-musicmaestro.com/auraltests/

Congratulations Anne-Marie: Grade 8 Piano Distinction

Click to view our recent ABRSM exam results and certificates

I thought it may also be useful to see some of the comments sheets from examiners to compare and contrast this with the Marking Criteria. See below for the PDF with the breakdown of marks and the comments from actual exams ranging from Passes to Distinction.

Click here for the ABRSM Examiner's Comments — Click here for the ABRSM Examiner’s Comments

See some of our students’ recent exam successes:

Safiya, age 8 – Grade 5 ABRSM Jazz Piano (Distinction)

Now available for our students: ABRSM Scale Practice Charts

Grade 3 ABRSM Piano Scale Practice chart

Music Scholarship & Aptitude Test 1-to-1 Lessons: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/se22-piano-school-16475016451

We offer 1-to-1 Music Aptitude Test lessons for students applying to schools such as Ashmole, Kingsdale, Marylebone, Twyford, Moulsham and many more.

ABRSM Music Exam facts and figures!

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Grade 8 Distinction - student of Lorraine Liyanage — Grade 8 Distinction – student of Lorraine Liyanage

Click here to view more ABRSM Exam results

Later today I will be publishing our ABRSM and Rockschool exam results from the July Summer session. In the meantime, here’s some interesting information taken from the ABRSM web site about the number of candidates entering for graded exams by instrument. You can see just how popular the piano is in the UK and also what grades candidates achieved at examinations. As a keen harpsichordist, it’s a shame that only 15 students entered exams in 2009. I’m hoping to boost those numbers by getting more pianists learning the harpsichord too! I organise harpsichord competitions for musicians of all ages and abilities as well as workshops at Handel House Museum and Peregrine’s Pianos.

1) Entries by instrument/subject.
Source: ABRSM page

Instrument	Entries
Piano	124,090
Theory of Music	45,275
Violin	35,587
Flute	28,832
Singing	27,657
Clarinet	23,022
Alto Saxophone	10,812
Cello	8,166
Trumpet	7,821
Guitar	5,035
B Flat Cornet	3,401
Descant Recorder	2,897
Oboe	2,768
Trombone	2,459
Viola	2,072
Jazz Piano	1,803
Horn	1,393
Harp	1,392
Jazz Alto Sax	1,209
Bassoon	1,077
Double Bass	1,033
E Flat Horn	960
Euphonium	651
Treble Recorder	574
Tenor Saxophone	509
Organ	490
Percussion	479
Baritone	402
Tuba	379
Practical Musicianship	290
Jazz Clarinet	268
Soprano Saxophone	257
Jazz Trumpet	212
Jazz Flute	172
Jazz Tenor Saxophone	119
Jazz Trombone	53
Bass Trombone	22
Jazz Cornet	22
Jazz Soprano Sax	16
Baritone Saxophone	15
Harpsichord	15
E Flat Soprano Cornet	7
Jazz Baritone Sax	3
Jazz Flugelhorn	2

2) Practical exam statistics
Source: ABRSM Page

Grade	Pass	Merit	Distinction	Fail	Total
1	29,833	29,822	14,982	1,253	75,890
2	25,893	19,269	7,370	1,646	54,178
3	22,506	16,262	6,016	1,714	46,498
4	16,337	10,819	4,119	1,610	32,885
5	15,116	9,318	3,772	1,953	30,159
6	6,044	4,258	1,948	855	13,105
7	4,053	3,033	1,782	701	9,569
8	3,307	2,851	2,542	858	9,558
					271,842

3) Theory Exam statistics
Source: ABRSM Page

Grade	Pass	Merit	Distinction	Fail	Total
1	1,004	1,886	4,312	385	7,587
2	615	1,414	2,881	183	5,093
3	1,212	1,662	1,409	533	4,816
4	773	915	636	339	2,663
5	7,709	7,528	3,695	3,094	22,026
6	433	136	27	246	842
7	121	74	16	21	232
8	143	88	12	96	339
					43,598

I believe that the average age for a candidate taking Grade 1 piano is 10. I cannot find the exact reference for this, although there is mention of this in an old copy of ‘Libretto‘, a magazine published by the ABRSM. This also states that the ‘typical Grade 5 practical candidate is 14 years old’.

ABRSM’s graded music exams for individual instruments, singing and Theory as well as diplomas and Music Medals are accredited by the regulatory authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and are part of the National Qualifications Framework. In Australia, Canada and South Africa, ABRSM exams can be used for credit towards the relevant qualifications taken by students completing compulsory secondary education. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) includes Grades 6–8 in the tariff for UK university and college entrance.

We offer 1-to-1 Music Aptitude Test lessons for students applying to schools such as Ashmole, Kingsdale, Marylebone, Twyford, Moulsham and many more.

Meet the Student: Hannah

Hannah Piano Award Winner Hannah talks about the importance of Mock Exams: I first sat a mock exam before my Grade 1 Piano exam. I was a very nervous student and whenever I played in front of other people I always made mistakes. Lorraine suggested I sit a mock exam with Graham Fitch who was the adjudicator at the Dulwich Piano Festival last year. The purpose of the mock exam was to ensure I was prepared for any mishaps that might happen on exam day and allow me the time to overcome these before the real exam. I still found the mock exam stressful and had butterflies in my tummy.

Hannah-Circle However he was very nice and put me at ease. He talked me through my performance and offered suggestions on areas to improve. This is really good for your confidence before doing the real exam. I now sit mocks for all exams and have sat them for my Grade 2 Piano and my Grade 1 Cello. I have done well in all three of my exams and I am sure sitting the mock has helped and I would encourage students to sit them.

Written by Hannah Wickham, age 10 (Dulwich Hamlets Junior School). Hannah is taking her Grade 3 exam next month and studies with Lorraine Liyanage.