Exams
ABRSM Piano
The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music sets the most widely taken graded piano exams in the UK and worldwide. Initial through Grade 8 follow a consistent five-part structure; diplomas extend the path beyond Grade 8.
Grades
ABRSM
Initial
First public step — short pieces, simple hand co-ordination, five-finger scales.
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Grade 1
Basic note reading, hands-together playing, scales and arpeggios in two keys.
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Grade 2
Phrasing and dynamics introduced; scales extend to two octaves in three keys.
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Grade 3
Two-octave scales in five keys, broken chords, simple ornaments and pedal markings.
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Grade 4
Independence between hands, four sharps and flats, contrary-motion scales.
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Grade 5
Theory Grade 5 prerequisite for higher grades; chromatic scales and dominant sevenths.
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Grade 6
Three-octave scales, four-note chord arpeggios, expressive control across longer pieces.
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Grade 7
Larger-scale repertoire, leggiero scales, scale in thirds, more demanding aural tests.
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Grade 8
Full classical, romantic and twentieth-century repertoire; the standard route to diploma study.
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How each grade is examined
ABRSM piano grades from Initial through Grade 8 share the same five-part structure. The level rises grade by grade; the components do not change.
Pieces — List A, B, C
Three pieces, one chosen from each of three repertoire lists. List A leans Baroque and Classical, List B is romantic and lyrical, and List C covers twentieth- and twenty-first-century writing. The official ABRSM book for the current syllabus prints all nine pieces; alternatives are published in the syllabus booklet.
Scales and arpeggios
A graded sequence covering major and minor scales, contrary motion, broken chords, arpeggios and chromatic figures. The exact requirements are listed in the ABRSM Scales and Arpeggios book for each grade.
Read more →Sight-reading
A short unprepared passage at the level of two grades below the one being taken. The candidate has thirty seconds to look over the piece before playing.
Read more →Aural tests
Four short tests examining pulse, pitch, phrasing and recognition of musical features. The content shifts grade by grade — from clapping a rhythm at Initial to identifying chords and cadences at Grade 8.
Marking
Each section is marked out of a total: 30 for each of the three pieces, 21 for scales, 21 for sight-reading, 18 for aural — 120 in total. 100 is a pass, 120 is a distinction, and there is a published mark scheme on the ABRSM site.
After Grade 8
Diplomas
ABRSM offers three performance and teaching diplomas above Grade 8: DipABRSM, LRSM and FRSM. Each combines a recital programme, written submissions and a viva voce. Candidates typically move from Grade 8 to DipABRSM via concentrated repertoire study and longer-form listening work. Catalogue in progress.
Looking for older syllabi? Browse the archive. Bristol Piano is an independent reference work and is not affiliated with ABRSM.