Graded strings exams: ABRSM requirements and mark scheme
Every ABRSM bowed-strings exam is marked out of 150, with a Pass at 100, a Merit at 120, and a Distinction at 130. The Practical Grade covers three pieces, scales, sight-reading, and aural; the Performance Grade is a recorded video of four pieces. The structure is the same for violin, viola, cello, and double bass, only the piece lists differ. Pick your grade and instrument below, then score your pieces before the exam.
ABRSM Initial Grade
Absolute beginners, often six to twelve months in, taking a first exam.
ABRSM Grade 4
Intermediate players handling longer, more expressive pieces.
ABRSM Grade 6
Upper-intermediate players. Requires a Grade 5 Theory pass to enter.
ABRSM Grade 8
Advanced, pre-diploma players. Requires a Grade 5 Theory pass to enter.
RCM violin levels
The Royal Conservatory (RCM) marks each level out of 100. The violin figures are the 2021 edition; viola, cello, and bass use the 2013 edition.
Frequently asked
How is an ABRSM strings exam structured?
The Practical Grade is Three pieces, one each from Lists A, B, and C (30 marks each, 90 total); scales and arpeggios from memory (21); sight-reading (21); and aural tests led by the examiner (18). Total 150. Pass is 100, Merit is 120, and Distinction is 130. The Performance Grade is a recorded-video alternative: Four pieces, three from the syllabus lists plus one own-choice piece, and a mark for the performance as a whole. Submitted as a single recorded video. No scales, sight-reading, or aural tests. Total 150.
What mark do you need to pass ABRSM?
Pass is 100, Merit is 120, and Distinction is 130. The exam is marked out of 150, the same across violin, viola, cello, and double bass and across every grade.
Do ABRSM strings exams need music theory?
To enter Grade 6, 7, or 8 (Practical or Performance), you must already have passed ABRSM Grade 5 in Music Theory, Practical Musicianship, or a Practical Grades solo Jazz subject, or an accepted equivalent.