Grade 4 Aural Tests Questions Options

[undertoad]

Hi all

I'm working one of my students towards Grade 4 piano. We're working on aural tests a lot, and I'm using the ABRSM Aural Tests (1-5) book. It's a loooooooong time since I did my last ABRSM exams (1988), so I don't remember how it works (even assuming things haven't changed).

A few things are unclear:

a) Test 4A:
"To sing or play from memory a four-bar melody...."
I don't understand how anyone could play the melody, unless they have absolute pitch. And for a piano student, how would they play this? Shove the examiner off the piano and play it, again with absolute pitch?
I'm going with "sing" on this one.

b) Test 4B:
"To sing five notes from score...The examiner wil.... if necessary, play each note after it has been attempted..."
Does this mean the examiner will echo the student, or play the note they should have sung? I don't understand what this phrase is about - surely the test is for the student to remember and pitch five notes without prompting?

Can anyone clarify these?

thanks!



seb