Navigating Graded Music Exams

As students move through their musical journey with us, many begin to set their sights on a significant milestone: taking a graded music exam. Whether it’s Grade 1 or Grade 8 and beyond, exams are a frequent topic of conversation here at Pelican Music.

We are incredibly proud of our students’ achievements in their music exams. Over the last 18 months alone, we have submitted almost 90 students to take ABRSM exams, with a 100% pass rate and a high percentage of these being awarded Merit or Distinction marks. We also have students taking exams through other boards, such as Trinity, Rock School and MTB, which offer great alternative repertoire selections and supporting tests.

In the UK, we have a very strong culture of graded music exams, which is quite unique compared to many other countries. Exams can be a fantastic tool, as they provide a tangible sense of progress and a goal to work towards. However, we always wish to remind our families that there is so much more to music than taking exams. Learning an instrument is about finding your voice, discovering new genres, playing in ensembles and concerts, and most importantly having fun! Sometimes, the best thing for a student’s progress is to take a break from the exam syllabus to explore music they truly love, without the pressure of a mark sheet.

If your child is considering taking music exams in the future, I want to share what goes into preparing students for music exams, and how we approach them at Pelican.

One of the most common myths we encounter is that a Grade 1 exam is the starting point for a “beginner” student. In reality, reaching a Grade 1 standard is a significant achievement that often takes a year or two of dedicated study, depending on your instrument. For younger players, or those earlier in their journey, some exam boards offer stepping stones such as the Initial Grade exam. These are designed to build confidence and provide a positive first experience of performing for an examiner.

When a student takes a graded music exam, it isn’t just about the pieces they’ve been practicing. Most exam boards require students to demonstrate a range of skills through supporting tests - in ABRSM Practical exams, these are as follows:

• Scales and arpeggios from memory - understanding these patterns help students learn new pieces quickly and support good sight-reading skills.
• Sight-reading - the ability to look at a short excerpt of music and play it back successfully, with all notes, rhythms and performance directions in place.
• Aural tests - developing listening skills and recognising rhythms, pitches and patterns by sound; this can also help students learn to “play by ear”.

There are some exam boards which offer alternative exams where students are not graded on their supporting tests. One example of this is the Performance Grade exam offered by ABRSM. This is a digital, video-recorded exam - in contrast to the Practical exam above, which is conducted in person with an examiner. However, regardless of which exam type a student decides to follow, the skills listed above are still fundamental and vital to learn. They are part of a toolbox that allows students to play their pieces with musicality and ease, and we expect all of our teachers to help students build up their “musical toolbox”, regardless of whether any music exams are taking place.

Graded music exams come with a commitment of both time and resources. At Pelican we are acutely aware of the rising costs these exams entail - beyond the exam fee, you have to pay for the repertoire books, the instrument itself, and for most instruments, there’s also a requirement for a piano accompanist to play alongside the student’s performance.

Whilst the cost of exams is something out of our control, what we can control is ensuring students are fully prepared and supported to get the most out of the exam investment. ABRSM Practical exam booking times are set by the exam board three times per year (one per term), and the timeline often means there’s only 4-6 lessons between the exam being booked and confirmed, and the exam day itself. Pelican teachers are instructed to only submit students to us once the checklist below is complete:

• Has the student finished learning all of their required pieces? Can they play through these pieces at the correct speed, mainly without error?
• Has the student learned all of their required scales and arpeggios? Can they play through these from memory, mainly without error?
• Has the student had ample opportunity to practice sight-reading and aural skills in lessons?
• Will the remaining lessons between exam booking and exam date be spent on refining pieces/scales, or still learning sections of pieces/scales? If the answer is refinement, then your student is ready! If they are still learning sections, you should consider waiting to submit the student for the next term of exams.

If you’re wondering whether graded music exams are right for your child, you can discuss this with your child’s music teacher. If your child is currently preparing for an exam, as well as keeping in touch with the teacher about their progress in lessons, you can use the checklist above during their practice at home too so everyone is on the same page.

While we celebrate every exam result that arrives at Pelican, we celebrate the hours of curious practice and the 'lightbulb moments' in lessons even more. We wish the very best of luck to our students taking exams this term - remember that while the mark sheet is a wonderful milestone, the real reward is the music you’ve learned to play, and the joy of the journey will always be Pelican’s priority.

By Lauren Ward. Programmes Manager at Pelican Music