Our aural test supports the development of candidates’ abilities in musical perception and understanding by requiring candidates to recognise musical features such as metre and pulse, pitch and performance characteristics by ear.

All questions are based on a single musical example played at the piano by the examiner. At most grades, candidates are asked to describe various features of the music such as dynamics, articulation, texture and style. Candidates are not required to sing.

Download our Aural Parameters (from 2017) for full information about our aural test.