Music Examinations
Music Examinations at Durham Music Service
The Durham Music Service organises examination sessions for Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), Trinity Guildhall and Rockschool.
Examination sessions held at the Durham Music Service Centre are purely for the use of students taught by the Music Service. This means we can carefully plan the weeks in which examinations are held and within that, timetable around GCSEs, A Levels, etc.
The timings for examination sessions for ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall are set before Christmas each year and again during the summer term. Rockschool sessions are organised when there are enough candidates assessed as being ready to take examinations by their teachers.
Rockschool exams are more applicable for drummers, guitarists and singers who enjoy the more popular genres of music. ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall exams cover all instrumental disciplines taught by the Music Service including some jazz exams.
Teachers will identify prospective candidates for examination entry and issue students with letters home asking for the exam fees prior to anyone being entered within a given deadline. Parents/carers may also be asked to pay an accompanist fee which covers rehearsal time and the actual exam.
Durham Music Service only uses piano accompanists of the highest calibre.
In some cases the student’s school may agree to pay examination and accompaniment fees. However this is by no means mandatory.
Current exam fees;
If a pupil is entitled to free school meals on income grounds the accompaniment fee is waived, but not the exam fee.
There will be some costs involved in purchasing music for the exam but our teachers always try to keep these to a minimum.
It is usually up to individual teachers to enter students for examinations. Parents and carers can request examination entry for their child only after discussion and agreement with their child’s Music Service instrumental teacher who has the experience and knowledge to consider the needs and circumstances of any prospective examination candidate. Our Instrumental teachers will also arrange rehearsals with accompanists when required.
When students prefer not to be entered for national examinations, the Durham Music Service will award its own ‘Levels of Achievement’ certificates. This is a scheme which follows the general lines and grading of all the major exam boards and is free of charge.
Why enter national music exams?
• Exams provide students with a focus and the motivation to practise.
• They reward hard work.
• They dramatically raise musical standards
• There is a sense of achievement and universally recognised certificates as proof of the standard a student has attained.
• At the higher grades (6, 7 & 8) students gain UCAS points which count towards their gaining a place at university. A pass at grade 6 will gain 25 points while a distinction at grade 8 will gain 75 points.
Should you require further information regarding any music examinations, please contact Durham Music Service Examination officers:
