What's in the exam?
Find out about our Performance Grades and alternative route to a graded music exam.
- Three accompanied songs
- Unaccompanied traditional song (folk song)
- Sight-singing
- Aural tests
Singing Grade 5
Key exam information
Publications & audio
The ABRSM Songbook
Selected pieces for Grade 5 and traditional songs.
A Selection of Italian Arias Volume 2 (High Voice)
A well-known collection of 21 arias.
A Selection of Italian Arias Volume 2 (Low Voice)
A well-known selection of 21 arias.
Specimen Sight-Singing Tests
Practice material for students preparing for Singing exams.
Aural Training in Practice
New editions offering support to teachers preparing students for Practical exams.
Supporting applications
Singing Practice Partner
Featuring all 66 accompaniments from the Songbook Plus series. Download the tracks you need and sing in your chosen key, at your chosen speed!
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 candidate’s voice – 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 – a singer’s eyes are so important
- Expressive use of colour and dynamics
- Use of rubato where appropriate