Your oboe grade 1 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
- Anon. English Jig. Bravo! Oboe, arr. Barratt (Boosey & Hawkes)
- T. Campion Love me or not (observing 1st repeat) Airs and Dances, arr. Blood (Gonzaga)
- Trad. The Keel Row (observing repeat) Airs and Dances, arr. Blood (Gonzaga)
- Charke Sonata Sounds Classical for Oboe, arr. Sparke (Anglo Music AMP 361-400)
- Susato Les Grands Douleurs Sounds Classical for Oboe, arr. Sparke (Anglo Music AMP 361-400)
- Haydn Minuet (Hob. IX/8 No. 6) Time Pieces for Oboe, Vol. 1, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
- Tallis A Point Time Pieces for Oboe, Vol. 1, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
- Trad. Scottish Kelvin Grove. 22 Traditional Tunes for Oboe, arr. Ramsay (Fentone F485A-401)
- Vivaldi Spring (from The Four Seasons). Winner Scores All for Oboe, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
LIST B
- Carol Barratt Modal Lament or Harvest Time. Bravo! Oboe, arr. Barratt (Boosey & Hawkes)
- Bruns & Atencio A Pirate’s Life for Me (from Pirates of the Caribbean – At World’s End) Winner Scores All for Oboe, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
- Katherine Davis Carol of the Drum Winner Scores All for Oboe, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
- Vera Gray Jackboots or Pendulum. Oboe Music to Enjoy, arr. Francis and Gray (Boosey & Hawkes)
- Grieg Andante. No. 1 from Norwegian Suite, arr. Kelly (Spartan Press SP828)
- Schumann John Anderson (Op. 67 No. 5). Time Pieces for Oboe, Vol. 1, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
- Sullivan Ah, leave me not to pine (from The Pirates of Penzance). No. 3 from Sounds Classical for Oboe, arr. Sparke (Anglo Music AMP 361-400)
- Sarah Watts Morning in Moscow or Banana Tango: from Razzamajazz for Oboe (Kevin Mayhew)
- Pam Wedgwood Crystal Spring or Cheeky Cherry: from Really Easy Jazzin’ About for Oboe (Faber)
LIST C
- Dave Gale The Ending’s Well: from Jazz FX for Oboe (Brass Wind)
- Garnier Study in C. No. 8 from 80 Graded Studies for Oboe, Book 1 (Faber)
- Paul Harris Study in C or Study in A minor. No. 6 or No. 7 from 80 Graded Studies for Oboe, Book 1 (Faber)
- Hinke Study in F (P. 3 No. 3) or Study in G (P. 4 No. 6): from Elementary Method for Oboe (Peters EP 2418)
- Mike Mower Sirens or Straight to the Point: from The Good-Tempered Oboe (Itchy Fingers Publications 058)
- Graham Salter The Lame Sheep or Gossip: from 35 Melodic Studies for Oboe (Emerson E413)
- Philip Sparke Spanish Scherzo or Bluebird’s Ballad: No. 33 or No. 38 from Starter Studies for Oboe (Anglo Music AMP 079-401)
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 Oboe 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 Oboe 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 1-3 Book (a guide with tests) and/or ABRSM Specimen Sight-Reading Tests Grades 1-3 Book (specimen tests).
*Information correct at time of publishing 14.03.16