I was just wondering about the ABRSM Jazz exams (as now I'm learning piano there's a possiblity of taking them)

Maybe this is one for the teachers, if you or your students are doing them where do you fit them around the other exams?

Are people doing grade 1 piano then grade 1 Jazz for example or doing a few grades and then slipping in a Jazz?

My piano teacher recently did the Jazz grades as she put it 'to remind herself what it was like to do exams' but she already has the standard grade 8.

What are people's thoughts? Plus do people think they are worthwhile?

I'm not a teacher but my daughter recently did Grade 2 Jazz Piano. I think the Jazz grades are slightly harder technically than the classical ones on Piano. This is not the case on wind instruments. I couldn't see someone doing G1 Classical and then G1 Jazz. Some people may just work on the Jazz Grades.

I expect the teachers will be better placed to answer you.

I think G1 Jazz Piano is about level with G3 "Classical" Piano.

I have a year 12 student preparing for grade 4 jazz piano. We hoped he would do it in the summer, but 'AS' exams got in the way, so Nov looks like the earliest possible date now.

The young man in question is a first study trumpeter, grade 6 theory (pass) and future grade 8 in both trumpet and theory. The jazz piano thingy is merely my attempt to give him a reason to carry on playing the piano at all. I know nothing about jazz, and hate the little that I have heard.

We are having a lot of laughs trying to work out what to do. There is no published guidance that I can find, so we are mostly taking cues from the cd that ships with the grade 4 book. The most obvious characteristic of the performances on the cd is insensitivity - lack of dynamic contrast or musical feeling.

My overall impression so far is that the exam is a waste of time as a vechicle for musical development. As a vechicle for keeping the student playing, it does at least help.

I'm only a parent but from what i have gathered the purpose of the CD is only to give a brief outline of the improvisation. They are not intended as a learning tool. You may find AB Jazz Piano from Scratch useful for this.

It's strange that you don't feel the Jazz grades are auseful for musical development. My daughter's teacher gave her the Grade 2 Jazz to help her work on technique in a fun way.

If you know nothing about jazz and hate the little you've heard it's hardly surprising that you can't find a way to use the exam as a vehicle for music development.

I'd suggest that a teacher with a good knowledge of jazz and jazz theory and a passion for the music may well find otherwise.

Interesting that it's mentioned that the Jazz grades are a bit harder than classical on piano.

I bought the grade 2 Jazz piano book out of interest and do find it quite tricky even though I'm looking at grade 3 classical stuff.

I guess if nothing else the Jazz does provide a bit of variety if you fancy doing something a bit different.

Maybe not, but is is proving useful in this role. The performances have fired the young man's creative juices and he is coming up with some smashing improvisations.


Thanks. I will get hold of a copy.

I've only had one student do a jazz exam so far (grade 2) - the format of the exam suits him really well - he did the Quick Study by ear. He is interested in jazz, confident with improvisation and learns well be ear. I'm mainly a classical teacher, but I've learnt enough from the AB course and various books and recordings to feel that I can teach the early jazz grades reasonably competently. I would send more advanced students to a specialist jazz teacher.

I'm not a big jazz fan or player myself, but I think it is an incredibly rich musical genre, and to dismiss it out of hand is appalling! There is sooo much you can do in terms of learning about improvisation, harmony, chord structures, musical form, textures, aural skills, modes, alternative scales (pentatonic, blues etc)... PD, are you trying to wind us up?!

Emsoboe did grade 2 Jazz after grade 3 classical and found it a little more difficult. She did find it quite fun though , it impresses her friends much more than the clasical stuff




Again my experience is limited but I would think putting a really impressive solo on the CD would encourage people to copy it and I'm sure this was in the AB's thinking when they had the CD's recorded. My guess is they are avoiding giving too many ideas.

Perhaps PD you're pupil might enjoy pieces in a Jazz style too. I can't recommend any but I'm sure there must be lots of excellent improvised Piano repertoire out there to further inspire your pupil.

There is, he does. In fact, all of mine do. Unless the kids have different musical tastes, I use lots of rep written within the last 15 years or so. Mostly the kids love these - Martha Mier, Mick Cornick, people like that.

The young man in question is doing 'A' level music, will soon do grade 8 trumpet, is going to take grade 8 theory in the summer of 2010 and has played the piano for several years. We wanted some piano exam passes to show up on his Uni application form and the standard exam format did not appeal. He is enjoying the jazz pieces, so they are doing the business for him.

I expect the fact that he is grade 8 Trumpet will mean that he's already had some improvisation exposure and that should make the whole thing easier. I somehow got the impression he was younger

Good luck with it all

It is probably the '12' in the 'I have a year 12 student' bit. Even after many years if this, I still have do a mental count. In old money, he is a lower 6th student.

Up till now, he had no experience of impro; persuading him to try it was the hardest part. The CD provided an invaluable start and his confidence is increasing with each attempt. The thing that slows down his progress is, the only 'practise' he does is during his lesson. Hey ho. Given that we have to do some trumpet rehearsal, theory and piano, they are loooooong lessons, open-ended and fun.

Just to give my own experiences of the AB jazz exams - for what it's worth - it isn't much - but that in itself may give my opinion it's context!

I'm a classical pianist and teacher, but find it easy to improvise melodies and rhythms. Harmonies are not so easy for me; I can do it on paper, but not ad hoc.
Some of my pupils are similar in that respect.
So some of us tried the AB Jazz Grade books for Jazz piano, I, as 'teacher'/experimenter, having bought as much background material as possible.

The main thing that struck me - and this has been discussed before - is that this is not real improvisation; this is preparation in advance, with teacher's help. The TG improvisation option in the supporting tests for classical piano is actually more creative and requires more artistry.

So our 'jazz' classes turned into fun sessions of putting things to music on the spot - and our favourite was Spike Milligan's poetry...

Not sure what we gained by looking at AB's jazz books - but we had lots of fun with Spike Milligan...

Yep - I composed my improvisation and then practiced it as part of the piece for G1. I won't be taking G2. For a critique on performing my own composition I'd be better to take a Trinity Classical Piano exam and use the option to substitute a piece of my own writing.

Of course, one doesn't preclude the other. It's quite possible to do a lot of preparation in advance and still do a real improvisation in the exam.

I can see that you don't have to but that is what some people will do.