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

    1. Anon. English Jig. Bravo! Oboe, arr. Barratt (Boosey & Hawkes)
    2. T. Campion Love me or not (observing 1st repeat) Airs and Dances, arr. Blood (Gonzaga)
    3. Trad. The Keel Row (observing repeat) Airs and Dances, arr. Blood (Gonzaga)
    4. Charke Sonata Sounds Classical for Oboe, arr. Sparke (Anglo Music AMP 361-400)
    5. Susato Les Grands Douleurs Sounds Classical for Oboe, arr. Sparke (Anglo Music AMP 361-400)
    6. Haydn Minuet (Hob. IX/8 No. 6) Time Pieces for Oboe, Vol. 1, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    7. Tallis A Point Time Pieces for Oboe, Vol. 1, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    8. Trad. Scottish Kelvin Grove. 22 Traditional Tunes for Oboe, arr. Ramsay (Fentone F485A-401)
    9. Vivaldi Spring (from The Four Seasons). Winner Scores All for Oboe, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)

    LIST B

    1. Carol Barratt Modal Lament or Harvest Time. Bravo! Oboe, arr. Barratt (Boosey & Hawkes)
    2. 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)
    3. Katherine Davis Carol of the Drum Winner Scores All for Oboe, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
    4. Vera Gray Jackboots or Pendulum. Oboe Music to Enjoy, arr. Francis and Gray (Boosey & Hawkes)
    5. Grieg Andante. No. 1 from Norwegian Suite, arr. Kelly (Spartan Press SP828)
    6. Schumann John Anderson (Op. 67 No. 5). Time Pieces for Oboe, Vol. 1, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    7. 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)
    8. Sarah Watts Morning in Moscow or Banana Tango: from Razzamajazz for Oboe (Kevin Mayhew)
    9. Pam Wedgwood Crystal Spring or Cheeky Cherry: from Really Easy Jazzin’ About for Oboe (Faber)

    LIST C

    1. Dave Gale The Ending’s Well: from Jazz FX for Oboe (Brass Wind)
    2. Garnier Study in C. No. 8 from 80 Graded Studies for Oboe, Book 1 (Faber)
    3. Paul Harris Study in C or Study in A minor. No. 6 or No. 7 from 80 Graded Studies for Oboe, Book 1 (Faber)
    4. Hinke Study in F (P. 3 No. 3) or Study in G (P. 4 No. 6): from Elementary Method for Oboe (Peters EP 2418)
    5. Mike Mower Sirens or Straight to the Point: from The Good-Tempered Oboe (Itchy Fingers Publications 058)
    6. Graham Salter The Lame Sheep or Gossip: from 35 Melodic Studies for Oboe (Emerson E413)
    7. 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


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