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Latest exam updates

Performance Grade booking

The next booking period for remotely-assessed Performance Grade and ARSM exams opens in February. For details, see our dates and fees page.

Music Theory exams – March 2021

  • Online Music Theory exams (Grades 1 to 5) – we are cancelling the online exams planned for 16 March. Exams in May and June will go ahead as planned.
  • Paper Music Theory exams (Grades 6 to 8) – we will not be offering these exams in March. The next exams at Grades 6 to 8 will be in June 2021.
  • Grade 5 Music Theory requirement - from 1 January to 30 April 2021 only, candidates can take Grade 6 to 8 Performance or Practical exams without first passing Grade 5 Music Theory. From 1 May 2021, the Grade 5 Music Theory requirement will return with flexibility about timing.

For more information click here.

Face-to-face practical exams, session 1 - USA

Due to current COVID restrictions, we will not be opening our normal booking period in January for face-to-face practical exams in April-June. We hope to provide a practical session later in the year, but need to keep all dates under review as we can only accept bookings if COVID travel and government restrictions are lifted. We will provide an update nearer to the next booking period.

Prerequisite

Candidates for Grade 6, 7 or 8 exams must already have passed ABRSM Grade 5 (or above) in Music Theory, Practical Musicianship or a solo Jazz instrument. For full details including a list of accepted alternatives, see Regulation 1d.

Syllabus

Singing Grade 7 Singing

Key exam information

Publications & audio

Supporting applications

Unaccompanied song

Read our guide to the unaccompanied song.

What the examiner looks for

  • Excellent communication
  • Totally secure memory
  • Overall pitch sustained with assurance
  • Accurately controlled intervals and intonation
  • A well-chosen, comfortable key for the candidateâs voice â ideally a singer will know this instinctively and not need a starting note from the piano
  • Effective tempo choice and inherent sense of rhythm
  • Instinct and ability for story-telling
  • Facial involvement â a singerâs eyes are so important
  • Expressive use of colour and dynamics
  • Use of rubato where appropriate

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