ABRSM: Jazz Piano exams

Latest exam updates

Practical Session 2 Update - USA

We appreciate how much the cancellation of our exams has affected learners And we are working hard on solutions to ensure learners can gain their qualifications at the earliest opportunity.

However, on the basis of official and local advice we will be cancelling Session 2 Practical exams scheduled for October-December. Our Representatives will provide further guidance in due course. We are very sorry for the impact on teachers and candidates and we will continue to monitor the situation. Thank you for your loyalty and support while these restrictions remain in place.

We will be gradually rolling out remotely-assessed Performance Grades https://gb.abrsm.org/en/performancegrades/ internationally starting before the end of 2020 and will share exam dates and booking periods soon.

Music Theory November Update - USA

We are still in the process of confirming with our Representatives whether Music Theory exams can take place in every area, based on local official advice. However, we can confirm that the Theory exams in the following areas below have been cancelled. All other areas are currently scheduled to hold a Music Theory exam, however we are monitoring the situation closely and will be in touch if anything changes.

Arizona
California
Colorado
Illinois
Maryland
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Seattle
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin

There are four sections to a Jazz Piano exam, giving candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their skills through prepared work and musicianship tests.

The tunes cover a wide range of styles - from New Orleans and swing through to modal, jazz-rock and Latin jazz. Each arrangement contains a fully notated Head and at least one section for improvisation, with a simple chord sequence and set of guideline pitches.

Jazz exams include:

Three tunes from the list for the grade
A blues, a standard and a contemporary tune. All include improvisation.
Scales, arpeggios and broken chords
Common patterns found in jazz.
Aural tests
Testing all-round aural awareness and musicianship skills.
Quick Study
To play either at sight or to reproduce by ear a short phrase and to improvise a response.

Publications & audio

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By using our website, you are agreeing to our cookie policy and consent to our use of cookies. Find out more.

Close this message