Understanding and Teaching ABRSM and TCL Aural Tests

Western classical music performance exams are becoming massively popular in India, the principal examining boards being the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), Trinity College London (TCL) and Rock School. At the time of writing, in India, TCL has seventy nine registered exam centres or hubs and ABRSM's latest India exam session involved ninety days of examining by a whole team of examiners, across twenty nine centres. I will discuss ABRSM and TCL aural here as the requirements of both boards are within my area of expertise as a former examiner.

Although it is now possible to take music performance exams online, the format preferred by many teachers and students is face-to-face, singing or playing 'live' to an examiner. As well as the performance being marked, other important musical skills such as technical work, sight reading and aural (listening) skills, are assessed. I will focus here on ABRSM and TCL aural tests.

WHY ARE AURAL TESTS IMPORTANT?

Testing aural skills in exams prompts teachers to provide students with wider opportunities for learning about music. Knowing that their aural skills are about to be tested motivates students to improve their listening abilities and explore greater understanding of music. Aural awareness helps musicians at all levels to become more discerning in the way they play, sing, and listen to music.

Whether you are preparing for an ABRSM or TCL exam, the goal is the same: to move from 'hearing' music to 'understanding' it. Aural tests are about active listening.

At the lower grades, music examiners want to know if you can:

• listen, remember, and describe what you hear
• recognise and respond when music changes

and at higher grades, you need to show that you can:

• analyse and describe what is happening in the music
• show understanding of notation in relation to pitch and rhythm.

ARE ABRSM AND TCL AURAL TESTS THE SAME?

The format of the aural tests differs between ABRSM and TCL in two main respects:

1/ Trinity focuses all the questions in an exam on a single phrase or piece of music
ABRSM uses different musical extracts within the each set of tests

2/ ABRSM tests require some sung responses at each grade, whereas TCL aural tests do not.

Although the format of testing differs in detail, both boards focus the aural tests on understanding of similar musical elements:

• Pitch and melody – remembering and comparing note pitches and tunes
• Musical duration – awareness of rhythm patterns, pulse and metre
• Tempo – how fast or slow the music is, and any changes in speed
• Dynamics – noticing changes in loud or quiet sounds
• Intervals – describing the distance between two note pitches
• Major and minor – tonality recognition and, later, awareness of key changes
• Musical character – how features within the music, and in the performance detail, create character
• Notation – understanding how notation relates to pitch and rhythm
• Textures – noticing how sounds are combined together
• Chords and cadences – recognising harmonic progressions
• Structure – describing how the music is constructed.

HOW TO TEACH AURAL SKILLS

There are lots of practical ways for teachers to develop their students' aural abilities in relation to the pieces they are learning in lessons. It is important for this process to be based on exploring the music together - learning rather than testing.

One suggestion is that the teacher plays a piece for the student to listen to, then initiates discussion around those elements of music that could relate to aural test questions. This integrated approach helps with learning pieces or songs as well as developing aural awareness. The questions you choose will depend on the level of the pupil and the nature of the music. I used several of the talking points below with a pupil who was about to learn an easy piano piece called Promenade by William Gillock.

Stories for mood and tonality

'Let's make up a story to go with this piece.'
Noticing the effect of major and minor tonality.

Character and tempo

'If this music was an animal, which one would it be?'
'Was the animal moving quickly or slowly?'

Pitch

Play an appropriate fragment of the tune.

'Does the tune go up in pitch here, or down?'
'Can we find those notes and play them?'

Noticing differences

'I'll play this phrase again with a wrong note. Can you spot the mistake?'

Alternatively, play a phrase with a wrong rhythm.

Singing a tune

'Let's sing this part of the tune!'

Play it first, or try singing it from the notation.

Metre games – some examples

'This piece is in three-time so we could only walk in time if we had three legs!'

Pretend a walking stick is an extra leg for walking in three-time. (Improvise if you don't have an actual stick!)

Teach the pupil a three time dance.

Silly walking – your left foot, your right foot and their left foot together – their right foot.

'Can you clap in time now, while I play?' (Stress beat one in an obvious way, as you play.)

Rhythm clapping

'Let's clap the rhythm at the start of the piece. First me, then you.'

'Can we fit some silly words to that rhythm?'

Then show the score. 'Can you show me where that rhythm is in the music?'

Dynamics and articulation

'Which part of the piece was the loudest/quietest?'

'Listen again … Did I play the quiet part smoothly or detached?'

'Let's guess why the composer wanted that part to be quieter.'

Texture

'Which hand plays the tune in this section? Was the tune lower or higher in pitch?'

Structure

'Let's look at the music and find the part that sounded like “Oom Cha Cha” … Yes, it's the middle part of the piece with the smooth right hand tune and the left hand chords.'

The above suggestions reflect the foundations of the ABRSM and TCL aural tests, covering the requirements of the early grades in a meaningful way, showing the practical application of aural skills to understanding and performing music. They could be adapted easily to relate to other instruments and to singing.

WHAT IF THE CANDIDATE DOESN'T KNOW THE ANSWER?

Preparing ahead of the exam will help candidates to understand what is being asked and, at least, to have an informed try at the answer. It is worthwhile attempting every test because credit is given for a partially correct answer and, in some tests such as 'Is it in two-time or three-time?' there is actually a 50/50 chance of getting it right!

ONLINE HELP WITH AURAL TESTS

In my experience as a music teacher and examiner, I've found that the 'unpredictable' elements of the exam – aural and sight reading – cause many candidates a good deal of anxiety. Knowledge is power, as the saying goes; understanding how to respond to each type of aural test and practising examples are both crucial to boosting accuracy. A detailed explanation of every test, including useful strategies for success and extra examples to try, is available in the free E-MusicMaestro Guides to ABRSM and TCL Aural Tests.

WHY TAKE A 'LIVE' EXAMINATION?

Candidates may wonder why they should opt for a face-to-face exam rather than a digital assessment, when the live exam entails extra learning and effort - the student must acquire the additional skills needed for the supplementary tests.

The ABRSM supplementary tests are: technical work (for singers, an unaccompanied song), plus sight reading, and aural tests.

TCL offers some choice of supplementary tests: technical work (for singers, vocal exercises or unaccompanied folk song), plus two tests from sight reading, aural tests, improvisation, or musical knowledge (depending on grade).

Digital performance grade exams assess just the performance of the repertoire, although TCL has an option that includes an element of technical work, whereas face-to-face exams assess a whole range of musical skills and knowledge. The reason for choosing a 'live' exam is that this option encourages, and tests, well-rounded musicianship, not just the ability to play or sing. I applaud those teachers who value musicianship sufficiently to teach these skills and to provide opportunities for students to practise them. Most of all, I congratulate the candidates who put in the extra effort to become successful, all-round musicians.