Interesting post, Tim. I have been through a similar “analysis” myself as I decided to switch from ABRSM (the exam board I went thro for all my exams as a kid) to Trinity Guildhall, on the advice of a more experienced teaching colleague. I feel the technical work and sight-reading requirements of ABRSM are too rigorous for young students (though I do think the Prep Test is a great idea). TG is perceived as “more difficult” in the UK, but I feel the syllabus requirements suit my students better. I like the Musical Knowledge section of the exam, and the pertinent scales/arpeggios. So far, the repertoire seems really interesting (there’s a great piece in the Grade 2 list called Fanfare for the Common Cold, which is based on Copland’s piece – very imaginative). And most of my students seem relieved that they don’t have to pressure of sight-reading in the exam!

Tim, great topic!

Some quick and randomly presented thoughts:

The cost of sitting Trinity and ABRSM exams is actually much more expensive than AMEB once you get into the advanced levels, and even at the lower levels the difference in cost is notable.

The ear tests for Trinity and ABRSM are brilliant – so much more *musical* than the AMEB. ABRSM ear tests include what might be considered to be ‘general knowledge’ elements – recognising style, being able to describe changes in dynamic, articulation, tempo, and discussing structure – but all from the perspective of hearing music, not seeing it.

Trinity really have done the most work in changing their technical requirements, but this means that they are the most controversial!! There’s a tension when change is involved, and Trinity is constantly tweaking in response to teacher feedback – not a bad thing at all, but it does mean that from one syllabus to the next you need to make sure you’re preparing students to do the right things.

The ABRSM Jazz Piano syllabus is brilliant, but the grading is out. Grade One is really a Grade Three exam, in my opinion, in terms of what it requires technically from the student in performance. Grade Five maybe isn’t quite Grade Seven, but still it’s harder than ABRSM Grade Six.

ABRSM doesn’t let you choose your tests.

I disagree about the ANZCA standards. Many of the pieces in an AMEB Grade exam are also listed in the ANZCA syllabus. Mind you, I say this without taking into account the grading inflation the AMEB seem to have been suffering from in the past 10 years. AMEB Prelim from 1990 is the equivalent of P Plate Piano 2 or 3 these days…..

ABRSM offers online options for entry within the UK.

Hi Tim – just replying to your comment on my earlier comment! When selecting pieces for students, I play them everything in the book and they then make their choices (with my guidance). The great thing about Trinity (in the UK) is they can select 3 contrasting pieces rather than being tied to one from each section (as in ABRSM). There is of course additional repertoire too. I think it’s crucial for students to learn pieces that they like: I remember churning through music I loathed when I was learning as a kid and I would never ask any of my students to learn something they didn’t like. I will email you an MP3 of the Copland take off so you can hear it. 🙂

I have 25 students sitting Yamaha exams this year, including seven kids who only started last year. Yamaha grade exams assess by ear melody playing, by ear harmony playing, accompaniment, improvisation and variations as well as repertoire and sight reading. Great opportunity to work on these valuable real life musical skills! And no repertoire listing – free choice, as long as the teacher thinks it is an appropriate level based on the guidelines. http://www.yamaha-mf.or.jp/english/grade/

Great subject, It is always a bit of a dilemma which exam provider to use, I use AMEB and ABRSM mainly. Haven’t heard about the CPM keyboard ones though.

Great post Tim.

I grew up with the ABRSM piano grades1-8 in NZ. This system is popular there, along with Trinity.

I loved ABRSM because of its:
– varied and interesting reportoire; and
– its strict standard of requiring students to have passed grade 5 theory/grade 5 jazz in order to sit those practical grades 5 and above.
Am I correct that AMEB has a standard of only needing to pass grade 2 theory?

Now residing in Australia, I have resorted to continue teaching under the ABRSM system rather than AMEB, partly because:
– the ABRSM syllabus is free, whereas the AMEB is not!
– requiring AMEB students to purchase a comprehensive technical book is, in my opinion, a bit daunting to a grade 1 student, (and expensive in the short term) as opposed to only needing to purchase the relevant scales&arpeggios book for a particular ABRSM grade.

I am also confused about what AMEB syllabus you’re supposed to use for a given year. Is it one series per year? Why isn’t it called series 2012 for simplicity’s sake? Is this confusion supposed to entice me to purchase the AMEB syllabus? I find the confusion more of a disincentive instead.

Mozart1756, the AMEB “Series” repertoire books are usually able to be used for 10 years or so. Each year, the AMEB Syllabus is published and usually remains unchanged for 10 years or so. The Syllabus has a list of 30 or so pieces for each list for each grade, as opposed to three or four pieces for each list as published in a “Series” book. That way you can have students purchase a variety of books – more ideas here! http://sightreading.com.au/articles-for-parents/what-pieces-should-my-child-play-for-their-exam-5.html

Hi Connie

Not living in SA, I’m not sure about the SACE points, but the AMEB is definitely better-recognised in Australia than any other board. That’s not to say, however, that the AMEB is the best for your students.

For example, I started using Trinity and ANZCA this year and am now BIG fans of both these boards for different reasons (I’m just about to blog about Trinity so stay tuned) and for different students. I’d encourage you to do your own investigation and definitely don’t write-off continuing with the ABRSM – I haven’t put a student thru their system yet, but will probably trial them next year.

The AMEB has two syllabi – Piano and Piano for Leisure (PFL). The “Piano” syllabus is predominantly classically-focussed and somewhat more rigorous than the PFL syllabus, which is designed to be more pop/modern-based with less technical requirements. If you have students interested in classical, either stick with ABRSM or do the Piano Syllaubus. IF you want a good modern course, steer clear of PFL and go for ANZCA’s Modern Pianoforte syllabus, in my opinion.

Hope that helps!

Hi Tim I have just come across your comparison here of the different exam systems available in Australasia, and it seems very comprehensive at first glance. Are you able to update it sometime? These days the online factor has changed with AMEB at least.
The discussion below re CPM most interests me, since I have successfully put many students through CPM. And I was the CPM rep on the AMEB Advisory Committee here in Adelaide a few years ago. I love CPM, and firmly believe that it is a great way to teach students about chord reading and improv……and probably the only way in any exam system.
The confusing thing about CPM is that it was revised to something much more concise while still using the books from the original release. And in between the original release and the revision, P4L came out with great promotion, and was much more easy to follow. So P4L took off leaving CPM behind.
Consequently there needs to be lots of work done on new editions of the CPM books and recordings for CPM to come into its own. There is a much-needed space that only CPM can fill.

Well.. I beg to differ.

ABRSM scales are much more comprehensive than AMEB. Actually by Grade 5 piano, you are expected to know ALL the keys. AMEB only has 4 or 5 keys in comparison. (i haven’t compared other syllabi technical requirements)

AMEB definitely has the widest choice of repertoire, although i find that AMEB syllabus seems to believe in the importance of quantity rather than quality, with numerous pieces being extremely long, but the expectation of standard in the exam room lower.

AMEB is not respected overseas. Actually, the DipABRSM is held in greater esteem than the LMusA.

There is no reliable complaints process in the AMEB. I have encountered in mine and my students careers issues of inappropriate behaviour by examiners with no proper course for complaint. ABRSM diplomas are recorded, and you can request a remark if you feel the examiner didn’t do justice to your result.

AMEB music craft is so wrong that it isn’t funny. They have told me “while technically your students are correct, this isn’t the answer we were looking for”.. When I pointed out that the answers they were looking for were wrong, their answer was “but we wouldn’t expect students at this level to notice that”…

While online exams are very convenient, there is also a much greater scope for cheating in AMEB exams, which isn’t possible in ABRSM or Trinity.

ABRSM and Trinity exams are frightfully expensive, but this would be due to flying the examiner out from England, and the superior complaints system.

ABRSM exams DO require general knowledge. But it CANT be rote learned as it can in AMEB. Students are asked to analyse a piece that they hear the examiner play once.. on the spot. So a student needs to really understand what style elements (and historical performance practises) actually sound like. The Aural requirement is also 3 grades higher than what is expected in AMEB, leading to a much more thorough education.

I find ABRSM students due to only having 3 pieces, also have time to practise studies and other pieces I would like them too. AMEB is all consuming, with the 6 , often very long, pieces, there is no time to give them a broad music education through the year, as you are struggling to get the exam work done.

As a sort of irrelevant aside, the cost of AMEB resources is very overpriced compared to the other syllabi.

Hi please I would like to know which is better AMEB piano for leisure or ANZCA modern piano.
Which has a wide list of songs to choose from. Which certificate is good if we want to do one to one teaching.
Please do reply.

Thanks
Tony

I just started the AMEM Online Theory Course. The AMEB site has 3 grades 1 thru 3. An AMEB rep told me that there where 4 Grades but I would have to look else where to get grade 4. THEN!, looking at another page of AMEB Exams I found that there are 6 Theory Grades!!!! I sent an email to AMEB about this, asking for explanation and guidance and, GUESS WHAT??? I haven’t received reply not even a peep from them. I feel very disappointed and sad at the lack of response from AMEB. Have I blown $50.00???