ABRSM Grade 6 Keyboard Percussion

General Info

• Xylophone / Vibraphone / Marimba may be used in exam.
• Candidates must not alter a piece at any grade to suit the range of an instrument (unless indicated in the music).
• Scales and Arpeggios must be played on a single instrument. Sight reading may be played on the same or a different instrument.
• Candidates must choose three pieces from the repertoire list.
• Candidates must provide their own accompanist(s).

Song List

Item	Works	Composer	Instrument	Mallet Required	Publication	Publisher	Video Performance
1	Prelude from Partita No. 3	J. S. Bach	Xylophone / Marimba	2 Mallets	Modern School for Mallet-Keyboard Instruments	Hal Leonard
2	Prelude from Suite No. 1 in G	J. S. Bach	Marimba	4 Mallets	Six Suites for Marimba	Keyboard Percussion Publications
3	Mucho Gusto	Chris Baron	Marimba	2 Mallets	ABRSM Principal Percussion	Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
4	Jovial Jasper	George Hamilton Green	Xylophone	2 Mallets	George Hamilton Green’s Xylophone Rags	Meredith Music
5	Caribe Vibe	Arthur Lipner	Vibraphone	4 Mallets	Places to Visit	Southern Percussion
6	Tender Talk	Akira Miuoshi	Marimba	4 Mallets	Modern Japanese Marimba Pieces 2	Ongaku
7	My Dear Friend	Ney Rosauro	Vibraphone	4 Mallets	Vibes Etudes and Songs	Pro Percussao
8	Preludio No. 1 Mi menor	Ney Rosauro	Marimba	4 Mallets	Three Preludes for Solo Marimba	Pro Percussao
9	Tarantella	Cameron Sinclair	Xylophone / Marimba	2 Mallets	Tarantella	Scottish Music Centre
10	Johnny's Shuffle	Nebojša Jovan Živković	Marimba	4 Mallets	Funny Marimba - Book 2	Gretel Verlag
11	Macedonia	Nebojša Jovan Živković	Marimba	2 Mallets	Macedonia	Studio 4 Music

Technical Requirements

Playing scales and arpeggios is important for building strong technical skills such as reliable hand movement and position, co-ordination and fluency. It also helps to develop pitch and interval awareness, and familiarity with keys and their related patterns. This leads to greater confidence and security when sight-reading, learning new pieces and performing- from a score or from memory, as a solo musician or with others.
Memory: All requirements should be played from memory.
Ranges: Candidates are free to start at any octave, provided the required ranges are covered.
Patterns: Arpeggios and Dominant Sevenths are required in root position only.
Instruments: Requirements may be played on Xylophone / Vibraphone / Marimba. Scales played on the vibraphone should be played without pedal.
Scales in Third: D / F / Ab / B Major (Two Octave) and D / F / G# / B Harmonic Minor (Two Octave)
Scales in Octaves: D / F / G# / B Melodic Minor (ONe Octave)
Chromatic Scales: Starting on E(Two Octave)
Broken Chords: D / F / Ab / B Major (Two Octave) and D / F / G# / B Minor (Two Octave)
Dominant Sevenths(resolving on tonic): in the keys of D / F / Ab / B (Two Octaves)
Diminished Sevenths: Starting on D (Two Octaves)
Sticking: All requirements should be played by hand to hand. Candidates may lead with either hand.
Supporting Publications: Percussion Scales & Arpeggios, ABRSM Grades 6-8

Sight Reading

Sight-reading is a valuable skill with many benefits. Learning to sight-read helps to develop quick recognition of common rhythm patterns and tonality. Strong Sight-reading skills make learning new pieces quicker and easier, and also help when making music with others, so that playing in an ensemble becomes more rewarding and enjoyable. Candidates will be asked to play a short unaccompanied piece of music which they have not seen before. They will be given half a minute to look through and, if they wish, try out all or any part of the test before they are asked to play it for assessment.