There are many music exam boards for graded exams from near-beginner to advanced student. Two of the best known are Trinity College London and ABRSM.
The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (now known simply as ABRSM) was founded in 1889. As a “board”, it was made up of the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, the Royal Manchester College of Music (now the Royal Northern College of Music) and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).
Created to provide a unified, high-standard music examination system across the UK, the Associated Board aimed for consistency in musicianship, performance standards and knowledge of music theory for students and teachers.
At first, there were two Grades only: Junior and Senior. But demand for these exams grew, and soon the Associated Board introduced a school exam system, with Junior, Senior, Lower, Intermediate and Advanced Grades.
In 1933, eight grades were devised, numbered with roman numerals, and given helpful names alongside the numbers.
| Grade I | Primary |
| Grade II | Elementary |
| Grade III | Transitional |
| Grade IV | Lower |
| Grade V | Higher |
| Grade VI | Intermediate |
| Grade VII | Advanced |
| Grade VIII | Final |
Nowadays, the Grades have numbers only, with our normal numbering system of 1, 2, 3 etc as far as Grade 8. Much else has changed since 1933, mostly since the 1980s. Have a look at these two exam books for comparison:
If you were preparing for Grade V piano in 1967 you had to play three pieces, but there are only four in the book! You had to play Piece 1 (a Prelude by Purcell), Piece 2 (the second movement of a piano sonata by Beethoven), and then you had a choice of Piece 3: either “April” by Tchaikovsky, or “Der Stampfer” by Bartók. There were an additional two pieces you could substitute for Piece 3, but you’d have to buy them separately.
In 2023/24, when preparing for Grade 6 piano, you still have to play three pieces. Now, though, you can pick from the nine in the book, but there are in fact thirty-nine from which to choose, the other thirty being listed in the book for you to source yourself. The choice has widened considerably, and look how differently the books are presented!
As a boy, I was entered for these ABRSM graded exams, and when I began teaching music I also used ABRSM for my piano students. Then I was asked to teach electronic keyboard in schools, and ABRSM don’t do exams for the keyboard. But Trinity College London (TCL) do! After using both boards for a while, I decided it was easiest to use just one, and I changed everyone over to TCL, a decision I have never regretted.
You may not realise that TCL is even older than ABRSM, and its graded music exams have been going for longer. It was founded in 1872 and began actual music exams in 1877. These were the world’s first graded music exams for external candidates. From the start, TCL used Grades 1 to 8 as their system, with no additional names for each grade. While ABRSM focussed exclusively on classical music, TCL allowed a broad range of music styles right from the start.
Unfortunately I couldn’t find a TCL piano book from the 1960s or 1970s to compare with this one from 2023. As I’ve said, I was brought up on ABRSM exams, so I never had any TCL books until I began teaching to their exams, about fifteen years ago.
But I do find the little circular “sticker” in the bottom right corner very irritating. It tells us that the book can “also” be used “in addition to” other books. “Also” is fine on its own, as is “in addition to”, although that’s more wordy and therefore clumsier. Not at all good to have them both, though, is it.
And don’t you think the piano stool in the picture looks really uncomfortable?
A major difference between the boards is the requirement of ABRSM for a Pass in Grade 5 Theory or Practical Musicianship as a qualification for taking Grades 6 to 8 in an instrument. TCL have never had this prerequisite, so you can go all the way to Grade 8 TCL without taking a single theory exam. Before Covid, school and church halls up and down the country were filled with students taking their ABRSM Grade 5 theory exam so that they could move on with piano, violin, singing or any other instrument. Those students would have been crammed for the theory test over a short period of time, and after the exam they would immediately forget everything they’d learnt. So what was the point?
Both boards expanded internationally in the early 1900s, with ABRSM following Trinity’s lead in this.
In the 1990s, ABRSM introduced the Prep Test, a non-graded, pre-Grade 1 assessment designed to build confidence in beginners. But TCL had had an Initial Grade well before this. The TCL Initial Grade was marked like all the other grades, while the ABRSM Prep Test was not marked. TCL also allows candidates to choose two out of four “supporting tests”, while ABRSM has always had just Aural and Sight-Reading as part of their Grade exams. However, the digital exams do not require any supporting tests, so this has become largely irrelevant.
Covid-19 changed everything. Exams went digital (didn’t everything?), theory exams are now taken on home computers and marked digitally, while practical/instrumental exams can be recorded at your own house or at your teacher’s house, and the video is sent off for marking by someone you never see. We’ve definitely lost something, in no longer playing to an actual examiner, a real human being. But it’s certainly more convenient to be able to take the exam whenever you’re ready, rather than waiting for the set date.
Here’s a quick summary of the differences between ABRMS and TCL these days:
ABRSM maintain a formal, classical model with structured requirements, although they have gradually added digital exams and a broader repertoire.
TCL has built a reputation for flexibility, genre inclusivity, and candidate-friendly structures, especially with its Rock & Pop syllabus and its digital exam platform.
When I used to teach the ukulele, I used the RSL board, formerly known as Rockschool. In many ways, this exam board is way ahead of both ABRSM and TCL. It was founded in 1991 in the UK to provide structured, exam-based qualifications for rock and pop musicians, a ground-breaking move at the time. Within a decade it had gained Ofqual recognition, and now it offers graded exams in popular music, music production, creative arts, performance arts, business and education in over fifty countries. Its Music Performance Grades are offered in Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals, Piano and Ukulele, with Grades from Initial up to Grade 8 and then diplomas. Backing tracks are used and stylistic authenticity is encouraged.
What impressed me most about RSL was its agile response to the pandemic and the lockdowns. It was the first exam board to pioneer digital exams, leaving both ABRSM and TCL standing. I don’t think any RSL candidates in that fateful March 2020 cohort missed out, whereas ABRSM and TCL were left scrambling to issue refunds and work out what they were going to do about the many thousands of candidates who’d entered and now couldn’t be examined in the time-honoured way. It all got sorted out in the end, of course, but RSL were a beacon of innovation, adaptation and flexibility. They are also quick to issue their results, and have recently expanded into the classical genre. With all that in mind, I reckon ABRSM and TCL both better look out!
Having said all that, I have never used RSL for piano exams, for the simple reason that I’m happy enough with TCL. Maybe one day I’ll give them a try though…
I don’t like TCL’s theory syllabus or exams, so I have only ever used the ABRSM theory syllabus. My pupils take ABRSM theory exams and TCL piano or keyboard exams. For me, and for my pupils, this mix seems to work well, but I’d be very interested to know of anyone else’s experiences with these and other music exam boards.
Next time, we look at certificates!
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Humoresque = a whimsical or fanciful piece of music. Be whimsical, be fanciful, but play in time!
This is Humoresque Number 16