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
- Bréval Allegro: 1st movt from Sonata No. 1 in C, arr. Schroeder (IMC 1883 or Stainer & Bell 5502)
- Handel Largo (from Xerxes), trans. Palaschko (Schott ED0 7549)
- Gérard Hekking Menuet pour Casals (Durand)
- Lully Gavotte. No. 2 from Suzuki Cello School, Vol. 3 (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 0483S: piano accomp. published separately, 0484S)
- B. Marcello Allegro: 2nd movt from Sonata in E minor, Op. 2 No. 2 (Stainer & Bell H436)
- Purcell Music for a while (from Oedipus). More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 2, arr. Bruce and Wells (ABRSM)
LIST B
- 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)
- Brahms Wie Melodien zieht es mir, Op. 105 No. 1. No. 2 from Brahms Six Songs, arr. Salter and Geringas (Simrock EE 5197)
- 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)
- Schubert Ständchen (from Schwanengesang). More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 2, arr. Bruce and Wells (ABRSM)
- Shostakovich Romance: from The Gadfly, Op. 97, arr. Otty (SJ Music)
- Trowell Arlequin: No. 12 from 12 Morceaux faciles, Op. 4, Book 4 (Schott ED 11213)
LIST C
- Bridge Spring Song (Stainer & Bell 2196)
- Debussy Romance, trans. Gretchanino. Solos for Young Cellists, Vol. 3 (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 21030X)
- Gershwin Summertime. Play Gershwin for Cello, arr. Gout (Faber)
- Jacob Robots’ March More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 2, arr. Bruce and Wells (ABRSM)
- Joplin Easy Winners More Time Pieces for Cello, Vol. 2, arr. Bruce and Wells (ABRSM)
- 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