** Please note that I am NOT an expert and please read the question carefully before making assumptions that I am an expert *** Thank you.


Can you mix and match ABRSM and Trinity exams?

Say....Grade 1 for Trinity and then do Grade 2 with ABRSM. What would be the benefits or the complications of doing so?

That's a good question and I'm sorry that I don't have an answer because I know absolutely nothing about Trinity. I do have a question though ......... why on earth would you want to do that? As an ABRSM teacher I have enough to cope with, without having to think about another examining board. I'm sure your idea should be possible but personally I wouldn't be brave enough to attempt it.

Yes you can.
I don't see any real complications though maybe the difference in scale requirements is a potential one but only if you are learning scales only to an exam syllabus and not as a part of your ongoing development.


I don't see myself as a teacher with affiliations to a particular exam board.
I go with whatever best suits the student at the time.
I've done both AB and Trinity exams myself though on different instruments.
I don't think it needs any sort of bravery do do so.

Personally I wouldn't feel the need to. I was asking because Jojo was chatting about why she doesn't want to do exams and there was a lot of discussion as to doing different types of exams and it got me thinking about whether mixing and matching was actually allowed and if there would be any benefit in doing so. Just curiosity really.



Thank you. Interesting.

Though I did grades with ABRSM, when I was considering a diploma, it was the ATCL. That is because I didn't feel like having to do a viva and quick study (while we're prefixing everything with disclaimers: I am not saying this because I think it's a bad system, and this is not meant to be any sort of denigration of anyone's chosen diploma). This is just because I've got a music undergraduate degree and I feel that I had plenty of experience in those, and less in performing.

Isn't this interesting.

Wouldn't it be great when we started learning our instruments that we were given the options. Something like a flow diagram with pros and cons would be great We could then say, oh...I fancy that route and then that route. Obviously you have to be of an age when you can make those kind of decisions.

I would have liked the choice.

All the boards are assessed as being of equal standing, so their qualifications carry the same weight. For example they give the same number of UCAS points, and I believe you can take grade 5 theory with any board and use it for the same purposes. They are regulated by the QCA (I think that's the right initials) which gives accreditation to exams.

Some boards suit some candidates better. My children have taken exams with all three boards at different times on different instruments.

Porilo I find your comment very odd and rather out of touch. I would expect a teacher to be familiar with all the options and prepared to advise as to the benefits and drawbacks of each of them.

Sorry Tassimo I don't know your background - now that you are several years older than presumably when you started - does it really matter which exam board you did exams with back then? Not trying to be obnoxious, it's a genuine question. I don't think it would have mattered to me which exam board I took exams with, but everyone did AB back then anyway.

Edit: Three replies appeared in the time that it took me to type the above so I have a better idea of why you were asking. Oh well, I'll leave my reply up anyway

I did Trinity exams as a child for grades one and two (35 years ago) as Associated board started at grade 3 then. I also did Trinity theory for grades 1 and 2 and it was a great relief to change to AB because the workbooks had wider spaced lines on the stave and it was such a struggle to write the notes clearly in the Trinity one.

I think that one possible benefit from changing between exam boards could be that the difference in supporting tests gives you a wider range of experience.

Ok. That's a thought. I think that I will have a discussion with my teacher tomorrow, just to cover all bases.

Sometimes there's a better choice of pieces for you on one syllabus or another.

Are the pieces very different in the type / style of music? I would imagine that a scale, is a scale, is a scale?

Sometimes there is some crossover to a greater or lesser degree.
The last exam I did was clarinet grade 6 (TG) and there was very little crossover of pieces with AB.

Yes, a scale is a scale but there may be differences in how many and which scales per grade and in the way they are tested but this varies between instruments. Sometimes there is an option with TG to do some other sort of technical work in place of scales and sometimes there are both scales AND other technical exercises (piano for one).
The range of musical style is pretty similar.

But for the other boards you have a choice of not doing scales. LCM piano (and presumably the other instruments) you can choose to do a study instead. The study tends to be full of scales and in the higher grades there are two studies. My daughter preferred the study, as it was less boring to practice, although at least as difficult as the scales. Trinity you pick 2 out of 4 (in the early grades) of scales , sight reading, aural and something else (can't remember). My son liked that because he didn't like sight reading!

Others are far more qualified to comment but this is my understanding.

There is a lot of overlap on the syllabuses but also some differences. If you were struggling to find something you liked on one syllabus I think it would be worth looking at other. So it gives you wider choice if you look at more than one board.

The supporting tests are quite different - you can do technical exercises in place of scales, if you opt for scales I think you have to do additional articulations and also scales at given dynamics. The aural is also very different.

Another consideration if you play, for example, the oboe you can do one of your pieces on Cor Anglais...not an option available for ABRSM till Diploma. I am hoping to buy a Cor post Grade 8....I think if I'd bought one earlier I would be tempted to do Trinity purely for the opportunity to play it!

I like the idea of the studies. I really do think that I might investigate the different boards for the grade after the one that I am doing.

I kind of like scales though. It fits well with my brain.

On some instruments with Trinity piano has scales and no alternative while clarinet has an alternative to scales at all grades.
Choice of supporting tests is 2 from Sight Reading, Improvisation, Musical Knowledge or Aural up to grade 5. From grade 6 you have to do sight reading and chose from Aural and improvisation for the second test.

I like the idea of only picking a couple out of the bunch. I have found that at grade 3 there is a lot of scales and arpeggios to memorize.

LCM clarinet has no alternative to scales.

What is a Cor Anglais?

Scales are not in the choice of supporting tests.
You'd have to check your own instrument syllabus to see how technical work is tested as it differs as it does with LCM.

Okay. I see. This is something that I feel I might really want to investigate. To take control of my learning.

Is it violin you play?

If so LCM has either scales or studies.
TG has a bowing exercise (from memory) then either scales or studies. That's up to grade 5 anyway.
It may change after that.

I don't really think it's a question of being "out of touch". Every exam I've taken myself has been with ABRSM, I am used to that board and am a qualified teacher with that board. I don't have the time or energy to contend with two or three other boards when one is perfectly sufficient. If someone particularly wants to do Trinity or another exam, I have plenty of colleagues to refer them to. I am not prepared to be a "Jack of all trades and master of none".

I did Trinity exams as a child - the choice of teachers were Mrs G who did Trinity or Mrs R who did Royal Schools - Mrs G won as I liked the name Trinity - nothing to do with the exams themselves - and besides my parents hadn't a scooby doo about exam boards anyway. Besides Mrs G had a normal surname and Mrs R had a surname which I found quite frightening!

As an adult I have done ABRSM (5-7) and Trinity (6 & 7). For me, Trinity wins hands down in its approach to scales and aural. I love scales and have no problem doing them but at grade 8 the scales in 6ths are a step too far ...and as far as the aural goes I really don't want to lose marks attempting to sing back the lower notes of a passage...and I quite like singing!

So, I think you need to find out what exam brings out the best in you - for me that is Trinity - and should I one day reach the giddy heights of doing a diploma that will be with Trinity.

That makes sense to me!

I'm interested in this question as I think I might like, at some point, to take one of these exams, which are not an option in Costa Rica. Just to see how I compare (though of course an exam result is really only that).

I would have to prepare here so definitely wouldn't have access to a teacher who considers themself an "ABRSM teacher" or a "LCM teacher". While the teaching and examining system is quite different here, I feel that in general it ought to provide me with most of what I need to pass an equivalent exam in the UK. I feel confident that if my teacher takes a look at the syllabus, and maybe with a bit of information about the criteria for each level, should be able to help me make a decision about the right Grade and teach me what I need to know, without necessarily having to change any of his current teaching methods if they are already working. I might lose a point here or there because of difference of emphasis or some particularities of the approach of a particular Board but it shouldn't be more than that if I have been taught well and studied well to an equivalent level. Of course I am assuming that all of the examining boards have, on the whole, well designed and tested systems that measure generally accepted musical skills and knowledge. Am I wrong?

What I haven't found for the ABRSM but did come across somewhere for Trinity or the LCM (can't remember which) are the more qualitative indications about what is musically expected at each Grade. Does anyone know how to find this for the ABRSM?

I've found that the learning is pretty much the same.
When it comes to exams it's just a matter of reading the syllabus and regulations.
I can see that if you are used to one examining board then having to get to grips with another's system can be a pain and you can find yourself having to keep on checking regulations.
I'm not sure that which board your teaching qualification comes from makes much difference.
No problem with having a strong preference.


You are right.
For ABRSM the mark scheme is laid out in 'These Music Exams' which you can download.

It is the violin. The bowing exercise sounds interesting.

Thanks sbhoa.

I teach a number of students who have already taken AB exams on several instruments. I don?t think there is much to be gained musically from taking yet another exam with the AB at the same grade level. More interesting for them to do a TG or LCM exam for a change. The differences between the boards are fairly superficial if you are already covering all bases like aural, sight-reading and scales etc.

Great info thank you. I love the fact that you tried both as an adult. Was this for strings, or another instrument?

Another question. When you get to G6-8 level and need to have G5 theory (at least you do for ABRSM - or Jazz, or Practical Musicianship) can the theory exam be from a different Board?

Good question. Very relevant.

It is like an alto oboe. It is pitched lower than an oboe and many oboists play both (quite similar to flautists also playing the piccolo)

There is more info on the wiki page here

The Largo from Dvorak's New world symphony, famously used to advertise Hovis in the UK, has the theme played on a Cor.

From the regulations....

Brilliant. Thank you

Yes , sorry, the "can't remember " in my list was an indication of lack of precise memory of what is what. My son does TG on the horn and since I don't know anything/ much about brass and trust our very experienced teacher, I don't get too involved. He has to do lip flexibility exercises too, but they are compulsory I think. (Or maybe he just always went for that option) That would be the equivalent to the bowing exercises, and seems a good idea as it is instrument specific.

That was the point I was trying to make about the equivalence of the qualifications from one board to another and that it is regulated.

Porilo, is it so difficult to read the requirements for the other boards? I find your attitude unbelievable. The LCM exams are far easier for you to manage, as the scales, sightreading tests, viva sample questions, pieces, exercises etc are all in one book for piano. You buy the book and it's all there! It is still learning the piano, no one is expecting you to sudddenly play another instrument.

I like sticking to one board cos I like all my certificates to look the same!!!

But I give my pupils a choice...though most choose ABRSM cos they are more familiar with them.

One reason why I might consider changing boards from one grade to another is if someone really can't get on with the pieces from one board - or sees something they REALLY want to play from a different syllabus.

But if you look around between the grades the pieces often overlap - and sometimes at different grades (eg Grade 7 violin ABRSM has a piece that was Grade 6 Trinity Guildhall a few years ago)

Good enough reason




I'll have a look at that. Thank you.

As a teacher I have used ABRSM, Trinity, LCM and Rockschool exams over the years and currently have students using ABRSM and Trinity. I can accept that if you are entering large quantities of candidates at once, for example working at a school with large groups, perhaps, maybe arranging a special visit, coping with the admin for several different boards could be tricky. I've never found it to be problematic for my private students and see offering a choice as all part of the service. On a mundane level, differences in exam timings/days/geographical locations can make all the difference to some candidates; for example, when I used LCM in the past our local LCM centre held exams only on weekends, which made entering possible for some adult students with jobs like teaching where time off during week day term times was well nigh impossible.

On the musical front, I have to disagree with the concept of being an 'ABRSM teacher', or indeed a 'Trinity' teacher- the exams are just that, a syllabus, not a curriculum for learning as such.

No, not at all. The point I was trying to make, unsuccessfully it seems, is that I know nothing about other exam boards so I cannot make any comments about them. I refuse to comment about matters which I know little or nothing. I have spent many years and a lot of money doing various courses to become a qualified ABRSM teacher. I am confident and comfortable teaching those courses to my pupils. Your suggestion of LCM is a very good one and I shall certainly explore that in the future when I have more free time to spare.

But surely we are instrumental teachers - not "ABRSM teachers"??

ABRSM is not core curriculum of things that result in a well-rounded musician...

Do you include Jazz in that, or are you a "classical ABRSM teacher"? Do you advertise as an "ABRSM teacher" or a piano teacher (or whichever instrument you teach)?

When students start, are they clear they are following the ABRSM "syllabus" and are they even aware that there are other options out there?

I took G1 as a child with Trinity, then changed teachers and took G2-G6 with LCM, then, within the last 2 years took G5, G7 & G8 with LCM, all piano, plus theory with ABRSM. I won't be taking any more exams and feel quite happy that my certificates are from 3 colleges. The only reason I chose LCM for the recent exams was that I can no longer memorise scales (or anything) and anyway, I liked the alternative studies, though they were not easy.

But there's no such thing as "a qualified ABRSM teacher". You may well be (and presumably, from what you've said, are) a teacher with ABRSM qualifications, but the ABRSM do not in anyway stipulate that teachers need to have specified qualifications in order to prepare and enter students for ABRSM exams - and the same applies to the other music exam boards.

Really? I didn't know that. All this is very new to me but having passed the CT ABRSM exam I presumed that made me a "qualified" ABRSM teacher. After all, isn't that the purpose of the exam? As for advertising, I don't do any of that because I work in schools so I get plenty of pupils without having to advertise. I don't teach jazz, just classical piano, and I always explain to the pupils which syllabus I am following. In fact all the instrumental teachers follow the same syllabus because that is what the school uses. This thread is interesting and has encouraged me to investigate Trinity and LCM as possible alternatives but I'm not sure whether I would be permitted to use them at school.

I think that was my concern. If your comment was " I have read the syllabuses and considered the boards carefully and have decided that I will always follow the ABRSM syllabus, so I make that clear from day 1 to all new pupils. " then I wouldn't have had an issue with what you said. I expect a teacher to be knowledgable about their subject, not just about a certain exam syllabus. I wouldn't expect the school biology teacher to say " I don't know anything about microbes, they aren't on the syllabus." Your comments suggested that you have done very little research or even reading (beyond the one syllabus) about the subject you teach. It sounded from what you said as if the only things your pupils ever play are AB exam pieces.

I appreciate your comments and yes, you are perfectly correct. I have not done any research into other exam syllabuses (or should that be syllabi?) but reading the comments in this thread has encouraged me to explore them. My pupils play a variety of music, not just exam pieces, because a lot of them just want to learn for pleasure or are not interested in taking exams. I find the Classics to Moderns books very useful and also some of Alan Bullard's books. Not to sound boastful but I consider myself to be sufficiently knowledgeable about music, having done both an MA and PhD in the subject, although completely ignorant about other exam boards apart from ABRSM. That is something I will correct and I shall be investigating both Trinity and LCM during the summer holiday when I have more time, although I'm not sure whether I would be allowed to use them at school. Again that is something I will have to check.

Speaking from a singer's point of view, it is important to guide the student to the examining board that suits THEM. My students have a choice, for example, between ABRSM, Trinity Guildhall and LCM music theatre exams. There are others, but I have not found it necessary to look further, because these three will suit most people.
With AB they need to choose a song from three lists (grades 1-5) or four (grades 6-8). With Trinity they can choose more than one song from a list, provided they do one from list A. So if they have a preference for a certain genre, there is the opportunity to partially specialise in that. There is the opportunity not to do sightreading in grades 1-5 by choosing an alternative. BUT TG put more emphasis on interpretation and communication - more marks are allocated for this than for each of technical ability and notational accuracy. So if you have a shy student who is inhibited, don't choose Trinity.
In the higher grades, IMO, the aural tests are easier with TG but the sight singing is fiendish, with no accompaniment and a nasty modulation in the middle, unlike AB, which has accompaniment and words. A smaller percentage of the marks is allocated to this with TG.
AB requires an unaccompanied traditional song at all grades. This may be offered with TG in the early grades, thereafter it is accompanied technical exercises. Both boards require a foreign language post grade 5.
Then there is the advantage, depending on your point of view, that TG does not have the grade 5 theory requirement to take grades 6-8 practical. I find my opinion split on this. I have some students who are well advanced in the theory stakes, and either take their grade 5 at a similar time or earlier than their practical. Others, for various reasons - lack of aptitude, not so bright, severe dyslexia, whatever, are lagging behind, yet are very talented practically. I have students singing to grade 8 distinction standard in any song you can put in front of them, and can sight read and do the aural tests, yet cannot or do not want to "get" WRITTEN theory. Should I hold them back? No - they do TG exams.
The music theatre exams speak for themselves - incorporating libretto, movement and some use of costume, and a viva on the programme.
So you see, I believe it is ESSENTIAL to have a knowledge of other boards and use the correct one for your student. One size definitely does not fit all.

Actually that's not analogous and it's unfair to doubt Porillo's subject knowledge simply because he/she uses only one exam board (no-one does an MA and a PhD without some commitment to increasing their subject knowledge). It would be more like a biology teacher saying "Yes, I know all about microbes, but I'm not sure whether they appear on the Edexcel syllabus because I always use AQA."