What's in the exam?
- Pieces
- Scales and arpeggios
- Aural tests
- Sight-reading
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
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.
Bassoon exams consist of three pieces, chosen by the candidate from the appropriate lists in the current syllabus, scales and arpeggios, sight-reading and aural tests.
Total marks in all individual Practical exams are 150. 100 marks are required to achieve Pass, 120 marks to pass with Merit and 130 marks to pass with Distinction.
There are eight grades of assessment. Select a grade using the links below in order to view the syllabus and supporting materials for that grade.
The new syllabus includes refreshed repertoire and revised sight-reading and scales and arpeggios. The revised sight-reading and scale and arpeggio requirements apply from 1 January 2018 in all countries, with no overlap period. The usual overlap period applies for pieces from the old syllabus, which you can play until Spring 2018 in the UK and Ireland, and until 31 December in all other countries. Read more about our new Woodwind syllabus here.