Your soprano/tenor saxophone grade 5 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. Spanish Love Song Selected Solos for Soprano/Tenor Saxophone, Grades 4–6 (Faber)
    2. G. M. Rodríguez La Cumparsita Selected Solos for Soprano/Tenor Saxophone, Grades 4–6 (Faber)
    3. J. S. Bach Sinfonia (from Cantata No. 156) Time Pieces for Bb Saxophone, Vol. 2, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    4. Bizet Orchestral solo (from L’arlésienne, Suite 1) Time Pieces for Bb Saxophone, Vol. 2, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    5. Bizet Farandole (from L’arlésienne, Suite 2). Classic Experience Collection for Tenor Saxophone, arr. Lanning (Cramer)
    6. Grieg Solveig’s Song (from Peer Gynt). Klassische Saxophon-Soli, arr. Both (tenor or soprano saxophone) (Schott ED 7330)
    7. Mussorgsky Larme. Six pièces russes, Vol. 2, arr. Ivanov (tenor or soprano saxophone) (Lemoine 26507)
    8. Purcell Rondeau (from Abdelazar). Take Another Ten for Saxophone, arr. Rae (Universal UE 21170: Eb/Bb edition)
    9. Jeffery Wilson Arioso: from Saxploration (Brass Wind: Bb edition)

    LIST B

    1. Ned Bennett An Urge to Splurge The Jazz Sax Collection for Tenor or Soprano Saxophone, arr. Bennett (Faber)
    2. Gershwin But Not for Me The Jazz Sax Collection for Tenor or Soprano Saxophone, arr. Bennett (Faber)
    3. Paul Harris Saxsequential. Selected Solos for Soprano/Tenor Saxophone, Grades 4–6 (Faber)
    4. Richard Kershaw Tango till You Drop!: from Latin Nights for Tenor Saxophone (Hunt Edition HE91)
    5. Lutosławski March (from Three Youthful Pieces). Time Pieces for Bb Saxophone, Vol. 2, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    6. Christopher Norton Turkey in the Straw: No. 1 from The Christopher Norton Concert Collection for Tenor Saxophone (Boosey & Hawkes)
    7. Trad. Irish The Londonderry Air (Danny Boy). No. 1 from Songs of the British Isles, arr. Rickards (Saxtet Publications: Eb/Bb edition)
    8. Pam Wedgwood Come Dance with Me: from After Hours for Tenor Saxophone (Faber)
    9. Nigel Wood Silver Chalice (Saxtet Publications: Eb/Bb edition)

    LIST C

    1. C. Baermann Study in Eb. No. 38 from 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone, Book 1 (Faber)
    2. Paul Harris Study in D. No. 40 from 80 Graded Studies for Saxophone, Book 1 (Faber)
    3. Alan Bullard Saxophone Stomp or Samba Sax: No. 39 or No. 41 from Sixty for Sax (ABRSM)
    4. Robin Grant Diminishing Returns: from Mambo Merengue for Saxophone (Brass Wind: Bb edition)
    5. Chris Gumbley Icon See Clearly Now. No. 16 from Double Click!! for Solo Saxophone (Gumbles Publications)
    6. Mike Mower Small Town Swing or Bucolic Bounce: from The Good-Tempered Saxophone (Itchy Fingers Publications 057)
    7. James Rae One O’clock Shuffle or Beth’s Bossa: No. 21 or No. 25 from 36 More Modern Studies for Solo Saxophone (Universal UE 21613)

    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 Saxophone 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 Saxophone 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


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