ABRSM Versus Trinity College London Flute Examination Pieces: A Comparative Study of Musical Elements and Playing Techniques

Abstract

Music examinations offered by internationally recognized institutions such as the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity College London provide individuals of all ages and backgrounds with the opportunity to assess their musical abilities against a standardized benchmark. These British-based institutions have a long history of conducting music examinations and serve more than 600,000 candidates worldwide each year across a wide range of Western instruments.

The flute is a woodwind instrument widely popular among students and the general public. However, previous research on standardized music examinations in Thailand has primarily focused on the piano. Studies specifically examining flute examinations have been relatively scarce. Furthermore, the researcher, with extensive experience teaching flute at various educational levels, has observed that the pieces used in Grades 1-8 examinations at both institutions can not only serve as assessment tools but also be valuable resources for teaching from elementary to tertiary levels. Therefore, this research aims to disseminate information and knowledge about the musical elements and flute techniques encountered in these examination pieces for Grades 1-8 at both institutions.

This research has two objectives: 1) To study, analyze, and compare the musical elements used in flute examination pieces from ABRSM and Trinity College London. 2) To study, analyze, and compare the flute techniques employed in flute examination pieces from ABRSM and Trinity College London.

The scope of this research, in terms of content, is focused on the study and analysis of musical elements and flute techniques related to classical music pieces which Sample Selection are 1) ABRSM: Flute examination pieces from Grades 1 to 8, implemented from 2022 onwards, were selected from all three groups (A, B, and C). Three pieces were chosen from each group for each grade, totaling 72 pieces. 2) Trinity College London: Flute examination pieces from Grades 1 to 8, implemented from 2023 onwards, were selected from both groups (A and B). Each grade contains 12 pieces, divided equally between groups A and B. A total of 96 pieces were analyzed.

This qualitative study examined relevant documents, including flute examination syllabuses and music examination books from both the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity College London. Additionally, the study incorporated information from books, textbooks, research articles, and electronic media related to flute performance, music examinations, and music theory. Data analysis was conducted using knowledge of music theory and flute performance. Musical elements were categorized into two groups: 1) Musical elements related to piece details, including tempo, time signature, dynamics, articulation, key signature, and piece length; and 2) Musical elements related to flute technique, such as the pitch range used in each examination grade and the length of breath marks.

The research process involved the following steps: 1) Collecting data from examination syllabuses and music examination books, as well as other relevant sources. 2) Analyzing examination pieces at each grade level. Both institutions divided the 8 grades into three levels: elementary (Grades 1-3), intermediate (Grades 4-5), and advanced (Grades 6-8). The results were presented descriptively, incorporating relevant literature on music examinations. Musical elements were presented in tables, while flute techniques were explained briefly.

Overall, the study found that the examination pieces from both institutions presented a wide range of musical elements and flute techniques. In terms of musical elements, a variety of tempos (from very fast to very slow), time signatures (simple, compound, and complex), and articulations (staccato, legato, accents, tenuto, etc.) were observed. Regarding flute techniques, the pieces included various techniques such as playing in different registers, tonguing, dynamics, vibrato, and advanced techniques like flutter tonguing. While there were similarities and differences across the grade levels, Trinity College London examination pieces exhibited a slightly wider range of techniques compared to ABRSM pieces, including pitch bending and glissando, which were not found in ABRSM pieces.

Additionally, it was found that both institutions' examination pieces followed a progression of musical elements that aligned with the flute repertoire database created by the National Flute Association in 2009. The technical difficulty also increased with each grade level, consistent with Harrow's Instructional Model and Pestalozzi's approach to music education. Comparing the 10-level (A-H) difficulty rating in the NFA database, ABRSM and Trinity College London Grades 1-8 corresponded to levels A-K. The findings of this research can be used as a reference for creating teaching materials for flute, from elementary to advanced levels, as well as in research, textbooks, and further flute-related compilations.