Music Examination Board

I don’t want to offend anyone here but this is just simply my own opinion. You can object if you want to. I just wish to express my thought.

Anyone who learn music, be it piano or violin or any other instruments when ask about preparing for graded exam – must be ABRSM (Associate Board Royal School of Music). Seems like ABRSM is the only choice available (so untrue!) and very popular in Malaysia (yes, thanks to parents’ advertising). Well, at least I thought back in my music learning years. In fact, I would said ABRSM is the Number One choice in Asia, bet no one in music line will against me. Yes, ABRSM has very high reputation and very demanding in producing quality and hardworking students batch by batch all years round.
Moreover, ABRSM is well-known for its difficulties in achieving high marks as the requirement for technique and accuracy is so high. Not to highlight anything here but that’s why the quality is damn good!

Trinity College London exam board came to me when I was about 17 years old and was thinking it’s a new exam board that entered our country recently or maybe newly formed??! I was so wrong!!! Trinity exam board is the oldest music exam board in the world!!! Only know this recently after attending a small seminar held by the music center. It is now known as Trinity Guildhall. Not so sure whether this is the college in Cambridge University? I think most probably not.

The reason is ABRSM rooted in Malaysia longer than any other exam board. Lately, they are parents who heard about this Trinity exam board and some are willing to try going for it instead of the all time favourite ABRSM. I’m not selling anything here but I feel glad that there are people who opt for a change instead of following the crowd.

I wouldn’t say which one is good or bad as for me both are also good in their own way, I can’t give any comments on this. Afterall, they are boards that produce music talents by evaluating music pupils around the world. So to me, sitting for graded exam under ABRSM or Trinity has no difference since both are also qualified by QCA, a quality control institute. The main intention is to get yourself evaluated after so many years of hardwork, isn’t it?

Then again, the choice is yours and if people think that they want quality they still go for ABRSM (yes, they have very high expectation and many will fail if ones is not hardworking or talented enough) since that’s how Asian looks for quality assurance exam board. (Don’t understand why we have such mindset) Oh yeah… not forgetting there’s another exam board from Thames Valley University - The London College of Music Examination.