Your grade 5 cello 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. Bréval Allegro: 1st movt from Sonata No. 1 in C, arr. Schroeder (IMC 1883 or Stainer & Bell 5502)
    2. Handel Largo (from Xerxes), trans. Palaschko (Schott ED0 7549)
    3. Gérard Hekking Menuet pour Casals (Durand)
    4. Lully Gavotte. No. 2 from Suzuki Cello School, Vol. 3 (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 0483S: piano accomp. published separately, 0484S)
    5. B. Marcello Allegro: 2nd movt from Sonata in E minor, Op. 2 No. 2 (Stainer & Bell H436)
    6. Purcell Music for a while (from Oedipus). More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 2, arr. Bruce and Wells (ABRSM)

    LIST B

    1. Bazelaire Bourrée d’Auvergne or Chanson de Bresse: 1st or 3rd movt from Suite Française, Op. 114 (Schott Frères SF 7936). Also available in: Solos for Young Cellists, Vol. 4 (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 21110X)
    2. Brahms Wie Melodien zieht es mir, Op. 105 No. 1. No. 2 from Brahms Six Songs, arr. Salter and Geringas (Simrock EE 5197)
    3. Gabriel-Marie La Cinquantaine. No. 9 from Suzuki Cello School, Vol. 3 (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 0483S: piano accomp. published separately, 0484S) or Concert Pieces for Cello, arr. Sassmannshaus (Bärenreiter BA 9695)
    4. Schubert Ständchen (from Schwanengesang). More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 2, arr. Bruce and Wells (ABRSM)
    5. Shostakovich Romance: from The Gadfly, Op. 97, arr. Otty (SJ Music)
    6. Trowell Arlequin: No. 12 from 12 Morceaux faciles, Op. 4, Book 4 (Schott ED 11213)

    LIST C

    1. Bridge Spring Song (Stainer & Bell 2196)
    2. Debussy Romance, trans. Gretchanino. Solos for Young Cellists, Vol. 3 (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 21030X)
    3. Gershwin Summertime. Play Gershwin for Cello, arr. Gout (Faber)
    4. Jacob Robots’ March More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 2, arr. Bruce and Wells (ABRSM)
    5. Joplin Easy Winners More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 2, arr. Bruce and Wells (ABRSM)
    6. James MacMillan Sabre Dance: No. 6 from Northern Skies (Boosey & Hawkes)

    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 Cello Grades 1-5 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 Cello Grades 1-5 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 4-5 Book (a guide with tests) and/or ABRSM Specimen Sight-Reading Tests Grades 4-5 Book (specimen tests).

     

    *Information correct at time of publishing 14.03.16


    You’ve recently looked at...