ABRSM piano grading in Singapore: a guide for students and parents

Many piano students in Singapore work towards graded exams, and ABRSM (the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) is one of the boards they most often meet. Exams can give lessons a clear goal and a recognised record of progress, but the system has changed over the years and a lot of the advice online is out of date. This guide sets out how ABRSM piano exams work today.

Agnes Chin holds the LRSM diploma in piano performance and has prepared students from first grades to diploma level. ABRSM is not the only option: Trinity College London, for example, also offers graded piano exams.

The grades at a glance

ABRSM piano exams run from Initial Grade (a first step for beginners) through Grades 1 to 8. After Grade 8 come the performance diplomas, described below.

• There are no entry requirements for Initial Grade and Grades 1 to 5.
• You can start at any grade and skip grades if a student is ready for a higher one.
• Grades 6, 7 and 8 have one prerequisite, explained in the music theory section below.

Two ways to take a piano grade

For each grade, students choose between a Practical Grade and a Performance Grade. ABRSM treats them as equal in demand and value; they test different things.

Practical Grades: all-round musicianship

Practical Grades are face-to-face exams with an examiner. The candidate plays:

• three pieces, one from each of the syllabus lists A, B and C
• scales and arpeggios chosen by the examiner from those set for the grade
• sight-reading: a short piece seen for the first time
• aural tests: listening, singing or clapping back, and answering questions about music played by the examiner

The exam is marked out of 150: 30 for each piece, 21 for scales and arpeggios, 21 for sight-reading and 18 for aural. A pass is 100, a merit 120 and a distinction 130.

Performance Grades: a recorded performance

Performance Grades are assessed from a video that the candidate records and submits. There are no scales, sight-reading or aural tests. Instead the candidate performs four pieces as one continuous programme: three from the syllabus (one from each list) and one of their own choice.

Each piece is marked out of 30, and a further 30 marks reward the performance as a whole: how the programme is shaped, communicated and delivered. The total and the pass, merit and distinction marks are the same as for Practical Grades. Once the exam is booked, the video must be submitted within 28 days.

Which is right for your child?

Practical Grades suit students who benefit from working on the whole set of skills, especially reading and listening, which pay off for years. Performance Grades suit confident performers, students who find the exam-room format stressful, or anyone who wants to focus on repertoire. Many students move between the two. In lessons we decide together, grade by grade.

Music theory and the Grade 5 requirement

ABRSM's Music Theory exams run from Grade 1 to Grade 8. Grades 1 to 5 cover the basics of rhythm and notes, and are taken online. Grades 6 to 8 move on to harmony, counterpoint, composition and wider knowledge of Western music.

Before booking a Practical or Performance Grade 6, 7 or 8, a student must already have passed Grade 5 or above in one of these:

• ABRSM Music Theory
• ABRSM Practical Musicianship
• an ABRSM Jazz Practical Grade (for pianists, Jazz Piano)

ABRSM also accepts some equivalent qualifications from other boards, such as Grade 5 theory from Trinity College London. For example, a student who has passed Grade 5 piano but not yet a Grade 5 in one of these subjects needs to pass it before booking Grade 6 piano.

The piano syllabus changes every two years

ABRSM publishes a new piano syllabus every two years, with new lists of pieces. The current syllabus is 2025 & 2026, and the 2027 & 2028 syllabus has already been published. Each syllabus explains how long pieces from the previous one can still be played, so check which list applies before choosing pieces for an exam booked near the changeover.

After Grade 8: the performance diplomas

For pianists who want to go further, ABRSM offers three diplomas in music performance:

• ARSM (Associate of the Royal Schools of Music), at Level 4 of the UK's Regulated Qualifications Framework
• LRSM (Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music), at Level 6
• FRSM (Fellowship of the Royal Schools of Music), at Level 7

To enter for any of them, a pianist must have passed ABRSM Grade 8 piano, either the Practical or the Performance Grade, or an equivalent Grade 8 from boards such as Trinity College London or the Australian Music Examinations Board. ABRSM can also accept appropriate professional experience instead. There is no separate theory requirement, and the diplomas do not have to be taken in order.

The ARSM can be taken as a digital exam from a video recording, or face to face where available. The LRSM and FRSM are assessed digitally: a recorded recital plus a piece of supporting evidence showing knowledge and understanding of the programme.

Older guides, including an earlier version of this page, describe the DipABRSM as a compulsory step towards the LRSM. That is no longer the case: ABRSM's current performance diplomas are ARSM, LRSM and FRSM. ABRSM also offers separate diplomas in music teaching and music directing.

Taking ABRSM exams in Singapore

ABRSM exams are booked online through ABRSM. Practical Grades take place face to face with an examiner, while Performance Grades and digital diplomas are recorded and submitted from home or the studio. Dates, booking deadlines and fees vary by country and change each year, so check ABRSM's current information for Singapore before planning an exam.

How we approach exams at Cantus Silvae

Exams can be a real motivation and a good measure of progress, but in our lessons they are a part of a student's musical development, not its purpose. We look at each student's age, level and goals, suggest whether and when an exam makes sense, and prepare the pieces, technique, reading and listening together, so that the exam reflects good musicianship rather than replacing it.

If you are thinking about ABRSM exams for yourself or your child, see our piano lessons or get in touch to talk it through.

Exam rules in this article were checked against ABRSM's website in October 2026. ABRSM updates its requirements from time to time, so always confirm the details on ABRSM's Practical Grades, Performance Grades, Music Theory and performance diploma pages before booking.