Our Music Grade and Diploma exams are available both in digital and face-to-face formats.
Find out more about digital exams
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Change to Strings syllabus arrangements
Effective immediately, Trinity’s Strings syllabus will no longer operate with an end date. The current syllabus will remain valid indefinitely, and any necessary planned updates will be announced at least 12 months in advance.
Trinity will continue to increase the repertoire available to candidates through an ongoing programme of new publication releases. This will include a diverse range of exciting exam books, individual digital downloads, ebooks, anthologies and more. Most repertoire and technical work will remain indefinitely*. Advance notice of new publication releases will be available on the Strings webpage and the shop.
This innovative change in approach to our music exam syllabuses will make our exams more accessible, provide rich and ever-increasing repertoire to choose from, and encourage candidates to continue performing the music they love for as long as they wish.
* copyright and territory dependent
Your performance. Your choice.
Build authentic skills
Develop the skills that are specific to your instrument and authentic to the performer you want to be. A combination of bowing exercises and performance-led studies, along with orchestral extracts, develops essential and authentic skills and techniques progressively through the grades.
Explore diverse repertoire
Our strings specialists have developed wide-ranging repertoire lists, which now features more female composers and contemporary works. Pieces have been selected to develop expressive playing and instrument-specific techniques, and include a diverse range of styles and genres.
Benefit from industry expertise
Use the syllabus, supporting books and online resources, developed with prominent string players, to explore our exams and see where they can take you.
We offer Strings exams from Initial to Grade 8. The Initial exam acts as an introduction to the exam system for new performers.
The Strings Syllabus from 2020
- Wide ranging repertoire lists featuring diverse styles and showcasing more female composers and contemporary works.
- Supporting a range of teaching approaches is at the heart of the syllabus, with pieces suitable for group and whole-class strings programmes plus works from books and pedagogies including Vamoosh, Stringsongs and Suzuki offered at early grades. Duets are now an option for Initial to Grade 3 for all bowed strings.
- Instrument-specific technical work is a hallmark of Trinity exams. With a variety of options available, each individual learner can play to their strengths and build confidence in their technique. Orchestral extracts are now available for Harp for Grades 6-8.
- A range of books is available including Take Your Bow for mixed-strings group teaching, with selected pieces featured in the syllabus. The repertoire lists also include items from Raise the Bar Violin, three volumes of favourite pieces from previous syllabuses, and Performance Edition: Violin, four books featuring previously unpublished pieces by contemporary composers.
Further information
Full details (including our procedures, syllabus requirements, what to expect, and what to bring with you) can be found in our Information & Regulations.
Discover a range of resources to support Trinity’s Strings Syllabus.
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