Your oboe grade 2 ABRSM exam will be marked out of 150 and you will need a total of 100 marks to Pass, 120 marks for a Merit and 130 marks for a Distinction.  The exam comprises of four main areas:

    Pieces

    In your exam you are required to play three pieces (worth up to 30 marks each), one from each of the three lists, A, B and C below:

    LIST A

    1. S. Arnold Giga (from Op. 12 No. 2) (observing 2nd repeat). Airs and Dances, arr. Blood (Gonzaga)
    2. Chambonnières Sarabande. Time Pieces for Oboe, Vol. 1, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    3. Clarke The Duke of Gloucester’s March. Bravo! Oboe, arr. Barratt (Boosey & Hawkes)
    4. Couperin La Bourbonnaise. Oboe Music to Enjoy, arr. Francis and Gray (Boosey & Hawkes)
    5. Handel Bourrée (from The Water Music) Sounds Classical for Oboe, arr. Sparke (Anglo Music AMP 361-400)
    6. Stölzel Bist Du bei mir (from Diomedes) Sounds Classical for Oboe, arr. Sparke (Anglo Music AMP 361-400)
    7. Handel He Shall Feed His Flock (from Messiah) Winner Scores All for Oboe, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
    8. Schubert Briar-Rose (Heidenröslein) Winner Scores All for Oboe, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
    9. Trad. Scottish Skye Boat Song. 22 Traditional Tunes for Oboe, arr. Ramsay (Fentone F485A-401)

    LIST B

    1. Keith Bartlett Dreamy or Cairo Carnival: from Just for Fun! for Oboe (UMP)
    2. Elgar Chanson de matin Winner Scores All for Oboe, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
    3. Terry Gilkyson The Bare Necessities (from The Jungle Book) Winner Scores All for Oboe, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
    4. Jürgen Golle Romance (from Miniatures 1). Time Pieces for Oboe, Vol. 1, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    5. Grieg Con moto or Andantino. No. 3 or No. 4 from Norwegian Suite, arr. Kelly (Spartan Press SP828)
    6. Christopher Norton Blues for Oboe or A Little Song: No. 1 or No. 2 from Stepping Out (Boosey & Hawkes)
    7. Duncan Reid Sad Café or Spooky Serenade. No. 1 or No. 2 from Duncan and Paul’s Shopping List for Oboe (Sunshine Music SUN304)
    8. Sarah Watts Humdinger Hoedown: from Fresh Air for Oboe (Kevin Mayhew)
    9. Pam Wedgwood Dragonfly or Easy Tiger: from Really Easy Jazzin’ About for Oboe (Faber)

    LIST C

    1. C. Baermann Study in C. No. 12 from 80 Graded Studies for Oboe, Book 1 (Faber)
    2. Dave Gale Swinging Janos or Little Red Mug: from Jazz FX for Oboe (Brass Wind)
    3. Hinke Study in C (P. 5 No. 3) or Study in G (P. 6 No. 2): from Elementary Method for Oboe (Peters EP 2418)
    4. Mike Mower Blue Truth or Quirky Quails: from The Good-Tempered Oboe (Itchy Fingers Publications 058)
    5. James Rae Shot or Javelin: No. 1 or No. 2 from Track and Field for Oboe (Reedimensions RD063)
    6. Graham Salter The Satin Gown or Blown Away: from 35 Melodic Studies for Oboe (Emerson E413)
    7. Philip Sparke Highland March or Wednesday Waltz: No. 37 or No. 45 from Starter Studies for Oboe (Anglo Music AMP 079-401)

    Scales & Arpeggios

    As part of your exam you are also required to play scales & arpeggios from memory (worth up to 21 marks) - please see the ABRSM Oboe Grades 1-8 Scale Book

    Sight-Reading Test

    You will also be required to sight-read some music that you have not seen before (worth up to 21 marks) - to prepare for this part of your exam please see the ABRSM Oboe Grades 1-5 Sight-Reading Book which has a selection of specimen sight-reading pieces.

    Aural Tests

    In another part of your exam you will be required to complete a set of aural tests challenging your musicianship (worth up to 18 marks). To help prepare for this please see the ABRSM Aural Training in Practice Grades 1-3 Book (a guide with tests) and/or ABRSM Specimen Sight-Reading Tests Grades 1-3 Book (specimen tests).

     

    *Information correct at time of publishing 14.03.16


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