I know you can't take photocopied music into exams but what about downloaded music from copyright-free sources - is this allowed? I did a search on the forums but couldn't find anything. Thanks!

Sorry Tortellini, but what sort of exams did you mean? I notice that you are in Italy. In the UK you can't take anything with you into the exam except for your pen and pencil, and probably a blank ruler. Looking at your signature, I didn't think you meant diploma exams. Even for GCSE's you can't take anything. If you are going to an instrumental exam, you can of course take your books to play the pieces. I don't know about downloaded music if you didn't buy any books for your exam pieces.

I mean instrumental exams - specifically Grade 6 piano I have the Grade 6 ABRSM book but I also have a downloaded copy of one of the alternative pieces - do I have to buy it in book form?

Your best bet would be to email the board with details for the definitive answer.

I just took a look at the complete sylabus for piano on the Board's web-site, and in the section on 'examination music and performance requirements', paragraph f states:


Candidates may use any edition of the pieces listed in the syllabus, except where a specific arrangement
or transcription is indicated. The editions quoted in the syllabus are given for guidance only and are not
obligatory.

So unless the specific sylabus for the grade specifies as certain arrangement or transcription, then you should be able to use a downloaded version. Provided it really is copyright-free of course. And don't just take the web-sites word for that. You also might want to consider how good a version it is on the web-site, especially for higher grades.

This is quite an interesting question actually. I know that a lot of publishers allow you to buy and download sheet music off their websites now. One of my pupils regularly downloads quartet music from the saxtet publications and it's not always immediately obvious that the music has been purchased and not just a copy.
Perhaps one of the moderators could answer this?

There is no problem using LEGAL photocopies in exams, or at least there shouldn't be and I did so once. I was prepared to explain the edition was out of copyright but wasn't asked.

I just though I would bump this up as I finally got round to phoning the board and I was told that legitimately downloaded sheet music is allowed in exams.

Downloaded music is fine as long as it doesn't violate copyright law in the country in which the exam is held.

This past spring, two of my students brought in a piece downloaded from IMSLP. It was fine. The examiner did not say a word about it.

Just in case, you should state the source of the downloaded music.

I write something along this lines of, "This copy was legally downloaded from www......." on a downloaded copy, just in case the judge is unfamiliar with the concept of downloaded music. I do this because a Trinity rep told me that mi'lord commented that he nearly disqualified one of mine for using a photocopy.