Your alto/baritone saxophone grade 6 ABRSM exam will be marked out of 150 and you will need a total of 100 marks to Pass, 120 marks for a Merit and 130 marks for a Distinction.  The exam comprises of four main areas:

    Pieces

    In your exam you are required to play three pieces (worth up to 30 marks each), one from each of the three lists, A, B and C below:

    LIST A

    1. Bizet Intermezzo (from L’arlésienne Suite). Klassische Saxophon-Soli, arr. Both (alto saxophone) (Schott ED 7331)
    2. Handel Largo and Allegro: 3rd and 4th movts from Sonata No. 3, trans. Rascher for alto saxophone (Hal Leonard–Faber)
    3. Kalinnikov Chanson triste. Six pièces russes, Vol. 1, arr. Ivanov (alto saxophone) (Lemoine 26201)
    4. Koechlin Pour la douceur des attaques: No. 4 from Études for alto saxophone (Billaudot EFM1008). Also available as: No. 9 from Koechlin 15 études, Op. 188 (Billaudot GB7810)
    5. Massenet Meditation (from Thaïs). The Classic Experience for Alto Saxophone, arr. Lanning (Cramer)
    6. Paule Maurice La Boumiano: No. 3 from Tableaux de Provence for alto saxophone (Lemoine 23953)
    7. Rachmaninov Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14, trans. Harle for alto saxophone (Boosey & Hawkes)
    8. Saint-Saëns Andantino: 1st movt from Sonata, Op. 166, trans. Rainford for alto saxophone (Forton Music FM134)
    9. Philip Sparke Little Overture: No. 1 from Super Solos for Alto Saxophone (Anglo Music AMP 263-400)

    LIST B

    1. József Balogh Gipsy Songs (observing quasi cadenza). The Light Touch for Alto Saxophone, Book 2 (Stainer & Bell H388)
    2. Binge Romance: 2nd movt from Concerto for alto saxophone (Weinberger)
    3. John Robert Brown Altango for alto saxophone (Warwick Music)
    4. Rob Buckland Travellin’ Light. No. 5 from Café Europa for Alto Saxophone (Astute Music)
    5. P. M. Dubois À pas de loup for Eb saxophone (Durand)
    6. Paul Harris Music of the Spheres. Concert Repertoire for Alto Saxophone, arr. Harris and Calland (Faber)
    7. Milhaud Modéré: 2nd movt from Scaramouche for alto saxophone (Salabert)
    8. Christopher Norton Black Sheep of the Family: No. 14 from The Christopher Norton Concert Collection for Alto Saxophone (Boosey & Hawkes)
    9. Andy Scott And Everything is Still… for alto saxophone (Astute Music)

    LIST C

    1. C. Baermann Study in D. No. 61 from 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone, Book 2 (Faber)
    2. Ferling Study in D or Study in F# minor. No. 58 or No. 65 from 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone, Book 2 (Faber)
    3. Alan Bullard Expressive Sax or Impetuous Sax: No. 46 or No. 47 from Sixty for Sax (ABRSM)
    4. P. M. Dubois Paso-doble: No. 13 from 17 Études dansantes for solo saxophone (Billaudot GB5740)
    5. Chris Gumbley Tongue Twister: No. 9 from 15 More Crazy Jazz Studies for Solo Saxophone (Gumbles Publications)
    6. James Rae Return Flight or Breakaway: No. 26 or No. 31 from 36 More Modern Studies for Solo Saxophone (Universal UE 21613)
    7. Andy Scott Henry’s Banquet. Changing Times for Solo Saxophone (Astute Music)

    Scales & Arpeggios

    As part of your exam you are also required to play scales & arpeggios from memory (worth up to 21 marks) - please see the ABRSM Saxophone Grades 1-8 Scale Book

    Sight-Reading Test

    You will also be required to sight-read some music that you have not seen before (worth up to 21 marks) - to prepare for this part of your exam please see the ABRSM Saxophone Grades 6-8 Sight-Reading Book which has a selection of specimen sight-reading pieces.

    Aural Tests

    In another part of your exam you will be required to complete a set of aural tests challenging your musicianship (worth up to 18 marks). To help prepare for this please see the ABRSM Aural Training in Practice Grades 6-8 Book (a guide with tests) and/or ABRSM Specimen Sight-Reading Tests Grade 6 Book (specimen tests).

     

    *Information correct at time of publishing 14.03.16


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