PIANO EXAM PREPARATION

Should you wish to pursue grading exams, here at Multiply Music we want our customers to understand the steps which take place on the exam journey. Please find below the expected process which you will experience when learning Graded Piano exams using the official ABRSM syllabuses. Please note that this page may change / be updated as and when the governing body updates their policies.

PIANO

Please note that piano exams are split into two sections of which you can pick your preferred options.

  1. Practical Exam (3 performance pieces, scales and arpeggios, sight-reading, aural tests)
  2. Performance Grades (4 performance pieces)
 
Step 1) Our devoted Multiply Music team will teach all areas of the ABRSM grade exams. You as a customer can choose between the “Grade Exam” or “Performance Certificate” of which preference you wish.  

Please review the following links to the relevant grading book levels:


Step 2) The majority of our students start from Grade 1. However, you can take a grade exam from any level which you wish to learn / test yourself on. 

Once you have confirmed your desires of which exam you would like to take, our Multiply Music team will perform a series of tests which cover all area’s / requirements to pass said exam. 

Our senior’s on site will perform a test mock exam and try and replicate exact comparisons to help the student / parent know what to expect. Please review the following video which shows / outlines a typical grading exam. (Please note that this exam shows Grade 1. Higher exams may differ, but this is to give you a quick understanding).

This mock exam will occur 3 times (i.e., tests on 3 separate occasions) to give students the highest possible chance of passing the exams.

 

Step 3) Once our Multiply Music team feel that you are ready for your exam, you can then arrange / book your exam. You can do this by clicking the following link: 

https://gb.abrsm.org/fr/exam-booking/

For information on fees and dates click on the following link:

https://gb.abrsm.org/en/exam-booking/exam-dates-and-fees/

 

How To Book The Grade Exam

For additional guidance, see our user guides and videos.  

1. Check exam dates, booking periods and fees.

2. Before you book, have all your candidate information ready: Contact ID (if known), name, date of birth, exam subject and grade/level, any access arrangements and candidate email address (optional).

3. Register and create an account, if you don’t have one already.

4. Log in to our exam booking service and click Public Venue. You can then enter your exam details, choose your date (for practical exams) and venue, enter your candidate details, and book and pay for your exams.

 

All students need to bring their own ABRSM Exam Pieces piano book. Scales and arpeggios, sight-reading and aural tests will be provided by the examiner.

How To Book The Performance Grade

When you’re ready to book, you’ll be able to log in and select and pay for the exam – there are no booking restrictions. Once you’ve booked you’ll have 28 days to upload and submit an exam video. The exam video must be a continuous unedited video of the candidates’ performance. 

Before the performance begins a programme form must be shown to the camera so that the examiner is aware of the candidate’s choice of pieces.

If the candidate is taking Grades 6, 7 or 8 photo identification must also be presented by the candidate to the camera before the performance begins.

The camera should show the candidate’s face as well as the keys and pedals.

  • Link here 

Exam Breakdown & What To Expect

  • Exam durations are dependant upon the exam level, however exam durations are commonly between 15 and 30 minutes.
  • You are advised to arrive 20 minutes before the exam.
  • Teachers / parents are not allowed in the exam room.
  • ABRSM centres are required to provide a suitable piano for the exam. The piano will be either an upright or a grand. 
  • The applicant may have a warm up room to practice in before the examination.
  • If the candidate is looking to take a graded piano exam past grade 5, the candidate must have taken their grade 5 ABRSM Theory Test.
 
  • Restarts will only be permitted if candidates are less than a third of the way through a piece or scale. Candidates will not be permitted more than one re-start during the performance of the pieces, and more than two re-starts during the scales and arpeggios. All re-starts may be reflected in the marking, with the exception of a first (or only) re-start in the scales and arpeggios section.
  • Rooms have either visability in a room or CCTV present
  • Sometimes face to face exams may be recorded but you will be contacted in advance if this happens

  • Candidates will receive their results and report online and certificates will be issued afterwards. We aim to release results a maximum of 7 days after the exam, but very often it will be sooner than this.

     

Marking Criteria 

Practical Exam:

– 3 pieces (chosen by the student). 1 piece chosen from each list: A, B and C. (Each piece is marked out of 30).

– Scales and arpeggios (Scales and arpeggios are marked out of 21).
 
– Sight-reading (you will be given 30 seconds to prepare the piece) (Sight-reading is marked out of 21).
 
– Aural tests will be conducted by the examiner. (Aural tests are marked out of 18).
 
Performance Grade:
You will have chosen 4 pieces from the current grade syllabus, to learn prior to taking the exam. Make sure you have chosen one piece from each list: A, B and C. The 4th piece may be from any list. (Note: Not all listed pieces are provided in the official ABRSM book – see contents page for alternate pieces) 

Each piece is marked out of 30.

 

Practical Exam

What you are graded on

3 Performance Pieces

 

Scales and Arpeggios

 

Sight-Reading

 

Aural Tests

Mark Scheme

Total: 90 marks (30 marks per piece)

Total: 21 marks 

Total: 21 marks

Total: 18 marks 

What To Expect

4 Performance Pieces

 

Performance as a whole 

Mark Scheme

Total: 120 marks (30 marks per piece)

 

Total: 30 marks

 

Performance Grade