Exam Materials,
ABRSM: Performance Grade Exams
Build performance skills with ABRSM’s newest exam! Performance Grades are digitally assessed exams that focus entirely on performance. They bring the essential performance skills of communication, interpretation and storytelling to a regulated qualification. Performance Grades are equivalent in demand and value to ABRSM’s existing Practical Grades, but have a different emphasis with a focus on performance, and offer an additional route to progress.
Performance Grade exams are available for Initial Grade, Grades 1 to 8, and ARSM. They offer an opportunity to explore a variety of repertoire, develop musical skills and gain recognition for your achievement. They are assessed entirely from recordings, so they can take place at home, at school or in a community setting, offering great flexibility and accessibility to candidates of all ages. In the exam you have the freedom to select four pieces to perform, three from the current syllabus as well as an ‘own-choice’ piece, giving you the chance to create your individual programme and ensure that you truly showcase your skills. The own-choice piece provides an opportunity to delve into a wealth of rich and exciting music and make this part of your performance.
Below we have included some links to some of our favourite publications, which work perfectly for the performance grade exams.
Core Classics is a collection of seven books of music from the piano canon, selected and graded by leading educationalists. Each volume contains a rich selection of engaging pieces to form the backbone of any pianist's repertoire. With pieces from Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart and many more, this book includes an abundance of much-loved music.
All books in the series are available here.
Available Format: Sheet Music
Nikki Iles & Friends: Book 1 is a collection of sixteen original compositions and new arrangements for piano written by Nikki Iles and her friends from the world of jazz.
Book two is also available here.
Available Format: Sheet Music
Encore is the official collection of best-loved ABRSM piano exam pieces, selected from syllabuses of the past few decades. Pianists will find an appealing mix of repertoire, while teachers can be confident that the perfect balance of content has been selected at every level.
Available Format: Sheet Music
Violin Star is a three-book series offering beginner violinists a refreshing and inspirational choice of pieces to help build confidence and musical skills. The repertoire is imaginatively tailored to develop specific techniques through an exciting range of musical styles. This Student's book contains the solo violin parts, along with colourful illustrations, activities and a playalong CD. The Accompaniment book, available separately, includes piano and violin accompaniments for every piece.
Also available are the Piano Star and Guitar Star series, browse the entire range here. .
Available Format: Sheet Music/CD
A carefully graded selection of tuneful pieces for flute and piano including well-crafted arrangements providing practice of the keys, note-ranges and fingering patterns encountered in the early grades. Each volume presents the pieces in chronological order to give a sense of the different styles of music through the years. Time Pieces are available for flute, oboe, clarinet, recorder, saxophone, bassoon, viola, cello, double bass, trumpet, horn, trombone, tenor horn, and guitar.
Available Format: Sheet Music
Ellena Taylor - Sheet Music and Books Manager
