Your oboe 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. Albinoni Allegro: 1st movt from Concerto in C, Op. 7 No. 12 (Kunzelmann GM 350)
    2. J. S. Bach Solo (from the Easter Oratorio, BWV 249). Time Pieces for Oboe, Vol. 2, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    3. Besozzi Larghetto and Allegretto: 3rd and 4th movts from Sonata in C (Chester CH01598)
    4. Fiocco Arioso, arr. Bent and O’Neill (Schott ED 10536)
    5. Handel Adagio and Allegro: 1st and 2nd movts from Concerto No. 1 (No. 8) in Bb, HWV 301 (Boosey & Hawkes or Billaudot GB1688)
    6. Haydn Andante (from Sonata No. 40) Mozart and Haydn for Oboe, arr. Brown (Emerson E85)
    7. Mozart Adagio (from K. 280) or Andante cantabile (from K. 330) Mozart and Haydn for Oboe, arr. Brown (Emerson E85)
    8. Homilius Adagio and Allegro assai: 1st and 2nd movts from Sonata in F, HoWV XI.1 (Carus)
    9. Trad., arr. Hart Annie Laurie. Star Pieces, Vol. 1 (Forton Music FM166)

    LIST B

    1. Adrien Barthe Couvre feu (Emerson E32)
    2. Bartók Three Folksongs from the County of Csík, arr. Szeszler (complete) (Editio Musica Budapest Z.2467)
    3. Debussy La fille aux cheveux de lin or Canope. No. 3 or No. 5 from Debussy 5 Pieces for Oboe, arr. Roxburgh (UMP)
    4. Gershwin Promenade (Walking the Dog), arr. Denwood (observing top Eb in b. 19) (Emerson E568)
    5. Paul Hart La Scala. Star Pieces, Vol. 1 (Forton Music FM166)
    6. Philip Lane Malagueña or Tango: No. 1 or No. 3 from Three Spanish Dances (Goodmusic Publishing)
    7. Ennio Morricone Gabriel’s Oboe (from The Mission) (Hal Leonard–Music Sales)
    8. Nielsen Romanze: No. 1 from Two Fantasy Pieces, Op. 2 (Hansen WH30736 or Alfred–Kalmus K04126)
    9. Schumann, arr. Joachim Abendlied. A Nineteenth Century Collection, Vol. 1 (Nova NM391)

    LIST C

    1. John Barrett Secret Agent or Things that Go Bump in the Night: from Horizons for solo oboe (Reedmusic RM851)
    2. Blatt Study in D or Study in F: No. 6 or No. 13 from 15 Entertaining Etudes, Op. 24 (Edition Musicus)
    3. Tom Davoren Bradley and the Donkey: No. 1 from Three Moments for solo oboe (Studio Music)
    4. Hinke Study in G minor (P. 16 No. 26) or Study in G# minor (P. 34 No. 20): from Elementary Method for Oboe (Peters EP 2418)
    5. Mike Mower Tectonic Groove: from The Good-Tempered Oboe (Itchy Fingers Publications 058)
    6. James Rae Hurdles and Triathlon: Nos 11 and 12 from Track and Field for Oboe (Reedimensions RD063)
    7. Telemann Grave and Allegro: 1st and 4th movts from Fantasia No. 2 in A minor, TWV 40:3. No. 2 from Telemann 12 Fantasias for Flute (Bärenreiter BA 2971)

    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 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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