Hello all,

Who has taken Grade 6 theory?

What were the main differences you found from Grade 5 theory, and in your opinion, was it marginally or susbstantially harder than Grade 5?

Thank you!

Hi, Lizzy . A few of us took grade 6 theory at the last session.

I think grade 6 theory is very different to grade 5: a much greater emphasis is placed on harmony and analysis. The exam consists of five questions:

Harmonising a given melody
Realising a figured bass
Composing a melody from a given opening
Analysis question on usually a piano piece
Analysis question on an orchestral excerpt

For the first three questions, a knowledge of harmony is very important: what progressions one can do, for instance, when harmonising the melody; or how to modulate to a new key. Questions 4 and 5 build on the work done in grade 5, and have questions such as asking where a given interval is in the score.

All in all, it's a good course, and is useful when playing music: expression is easier if one understands the music better .

Thank you very much, Pianist, that was a really helpful answer. How many marks were awarded for the harmony section, do you know?

Have you received your own results for the exam yet? I hope you did well.

violin_lizzy

There are a few of us (*possibly* including me...) planning to do grade 6 theory next session - a group did it this session as a challenge.

grade 6 is fun and much more interesting than grade 1 - 5

Any sign of your result yet ?