Music examination

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Music examinations are a method of formally assessing the accomplishments of pupils learning musical instruments.

Contents

Trinity College London was the first organization to offer examinations in music to external students in 1877. Trinity College London conducts around 850,000 assessments [1] per year worldwide. The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music conducts around 650,000 assessments per year in 93 countries. [2]

Eligibility

Many students who enter the music exams have taken a course of music lessons with a private tutor, although some are self-taught. Often this is a way for children to receive music training over and above what is provided at their usual place of learning, although private lessons are also popular with adults who turn to music later in life.

Although there are music examinations available to school and university students alongside other regular qualifications and assessments, there are also a number of independent bodies who solely provide assessments which are open to all.

Content and structure

Music exams are set in both theory and practical aspects. The theory examinations are taken by pupils of all instruments and typically cover areas such as musical notation, harmony and composition. The practical exams concentrate on a particular instrument (i.e., piano, guitar, flute) and style of music (i.e., classical, jazz, popular). They cover elements such as playing set pieces, technical work including scales, sight reading, aural, musical knowledge and improvisation. [3]

In the United Kingdom, graded music exams are offered at grades 1 to 8, [3] with Grade 1 being the entry level, and Grade 8 being the standard required for entry to higher study in a music college. Some exam boards offer additional levels, before Grade 1 and/or after Grade 8. Different music exam boards may have different grade levels for instruments and music theory.

There are also music exams which do not follow the graded system, but have other designations. For instance, the Royal School of Church Music's Voice for Life training scheme designates levels by color (White, Light Blue, Dark Blue, Red, Silver, Gold) and awards by metal (Bronze Award, Silver Award, Gold Award).

Recognition

Some qualifications are recognised by regulatory bodies, such as Ofqual, [4] whereas others are not.

Some qualifications are recognised, in the admissions process for colleges and universities, as demonstrating the musical ability of the student. The UCAS Tariff awards points for certain graded music exams. [5]

Examination results or credits may or may not be transferable from one exam board to the other.

Examination boards

Reputable[ clarification needed ] music examination boards include:

These examination boards offer exams in music theory as well as in musical performance.

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References

  1. ↑ "About Us". Trinity College London.
  2. ↑ "About Us". Associated Boards of the Royal Schools of Music.
  3. 1 2 "About Our Exams". Associated Boards of the Royal Schools of Music.
  4. ↑ "Ofqual". Archived from the original on 2013-03-02. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
  5. ↑ "UCAS Tariff Points". Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.
  6. ↑ "Exam Entry". ANCZA Music Examinations.
  7. ↑ "Practical Grades". Associated Boards of the Royal Schools of Music.
  8. ↑ "Performance Grades". Associated Boards of the Royal Schools of Music.
  9. ↑ "Music Theory". Associated Boards of the Royal Schools of Music.
  10. ↑ "Our Exams". London College of Music.
  11. ↑ "Certificate of Merit". Music Teachers' Association of California.
  12. ↑ "Examinations". New Zealand Music Examinations Board.
  13. ↑ "Rockschool". RSL Awards.
  14. ↑ "RSL Classical". RSL Awards.
  15. ↑ "RIAM Exams". Royal Irish Academy of Music.
  16. ↑ "The Royal Conservatory Examinations". The Royal Conservatory of Music.
  17. ↑ "Voice for Life". Royal School of Church Music.
  18. ↑ "Voice for Life". Royal School of Church Music America.
  19. ↑ "Music". Trinity College London.
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