A life with music

Why? Why is music theory important? Why would learning music theory help me? Why does it seem like such a scary subject?

Our new digital diplomas in Music Teaching and Education are available to book worldwide from 31 October. 

We’re closing our online shop on 20 November 2024. 

Our Play On fund supports music making, teaching and learning all over the world. This year we’ve been funding the Music in Africa Foundation and their Instrument Building and Repair project. 

Why? Why is music theory important? Why would learning music theory help me? Why does it seem like such a scary subject? 

For the latest instalment in our series exploring lives with music, we spoke to musician, author and international speaker Nate Holder.

For the first time, our Piano syllabus features a selection of pieces for musicians playing with one hand. 

Why? Why is music theory important? Why would learning music theory help me? Why does it seem like such a scary subject? We asked members of our Youth Advisory Board to help answer these questions by

This year we’re running our composer mentoring programme – Writing for Music Education – in Southeast Asia for the first time. Eight emerging composers are taking part. 

Our Play On fund supports a range of music education projects around the world. One of this year’s recipients was the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra's Go Compose programme. 

Our teacher-led assessments are now available for the go-to classroom instrument everyone loves. 

For the latest instalment in our series exploring lives with music, we spoke to Hannah Fouracre from Arts Council England.

We’re delighted to be working with eight emerging composers from Asia through our latest composer mentoring programme. 

Through our Play On fund we support music education projects and organisations all over the world. This year one of our Play On recipients is CACEFU-Mozambique.

We’re excited to announce a new collaboration with artist-led music learning specialists PLAYvirtuoso.

Our five Chief Examiners collectively lead, support and guide our team of examiners. They also contribute to everything we do as a music education organisation. Read on to find out more about Mervyn.

In the latest instalment of our series exploring lives with music, we spoke to Will Crawford, guitarist and founder of mindfulness through music company quietnote. 

We’re making all our audio recordings available via major streaming services or as MP3s which you can buy from download stores. 

Marcel Miska is our Engagement Executive. He’s also a musician, actor, voice-over artist and published author. We asked Marcel to tell us about his life with music.  

You can now listen to all pieces from our new Piano Syllabus 2025 & 2026 through the streaming service of your choice.

Our Artistic Director, Alexis Ffrench, shares his vision for our new online performance series.

Our new Piano Syllabuses for 2025 and 2026 are now available along with a range of supporting resources.  

Get ready to be inspired with our new series of amazing musical performances.  

Once again we’re partnering with Classic FM for their Music Teacher of the Year Awards. Find out about two of last years winners and the impact the awards have had on their teaching. 

Our five Chief Examiners collectively lead, support and guide our team of examiners. They also contribute to everything we do as a music education organisation. Read on to find out more about Andrew.

Earlier this year we celebrated with six emerging composers who had just completed our latest composer mentoring programme. Our Deputy Head of Engagement, James Welburn, explains what it’s all about. 

Our Youth Advisory Board is open to young musicians aged 10 to 25 who are living, studying or working in the UK. Find out what's involved and how to apply.

Kate Andrews, one of our Chief Examiners, shares one of our her own experiences of performance anxiety and some ways to understand, overcome and accept it.  

We’re excited to be supporting Classically Black, a one-day symposium presented by Black Lives in Music.

We are very happy to announce that King Charles III will be the new Royal Patron of ABRSM. This follows his long relationship with the organisation as our former President.

For this instalment of our blog series exploring how music can become a part of your life we spoke to Kiki O’Connell, music maker, music tech entrepreneur and advocate for gender equity in music.  

Are you aged 10 to 25 with a passion for music? If so, we’d love you to think about joining our Youth Advisory Board. 

Our new digital LRSM and FRSM Music Performance diplomas are now available to book. Book online at any time, then submit your performance video and supporting evidence within 28 days.

Drummers now have a new set of assessments and resources to support their learning.   

Now in its second year, our Play On fund provides grants to grassroots music projects outside the UK. This year we're support eight organisations all over the world. 

Our new blog series explores the many ways that music can become a part of your life or career. We start with Jamie Collinson, whose career in the music industry spans more than twenty years.  

From 3 April 2024, there will be some changes to the platform that candidates use to take online Music Theory exams at Grades 1 to 5.  

We’re making some changes to the way we provide face-to-face Jazz exams at our Public Venues (ABRSM Jazz Visits).  

Awards for Young Musicians (AYM) is a UK charity that supports talented young people from low-income families. Their programmes help young musicians to fulfil their  potential and help others to

Rondo Production in Malaysia focuses on delivering innovative programmes that promote performances, artistic collaboration and access to quality music education. Our partnership focuses on their

We’re excited to share our new podcast series – Start Here. 

Our five Chief Examiners collectively lead, support and guide our team of examiners as well as contributing to everything we do as a music education organisation. Read on to find out more about Zoë. 

Our five Chief Examiners lead, support and guide our team of examiners as well as contributing to everything we do as a music education organisation. Read on to find out more about Mark and look out

In our third and final article about the lives of influential musicians featured on our syllabuses, composer and performer Althea Talbot-Howard shines a spotlight on the composer, writer and

The qualification specification for our new Music Teaching diplomas is now available! 

We asked Jordan Ashman, winner of the 2022 BBC Young Musician of the Year award, to share his feelings about performance and provide some tips. 

In our latest spotlight on partnerships, we’re focusing on the inspirational work of Casa Alianza Mexico, who we’ve been supporting over the last year through our Play On funding.

We asked some of our scholars, studying at our partner Royal Schools, to share their feelings about performance and provide some tips. This week we hear from Guylaine…

Be inspired by the Kenyan charitable foundation that has been transforming music education in a Nairobi primary school with support from our international Play On fund.

Music Medals are the perfect way to inspire and reward pianists from the first note. 

We asked some of our scholars, studying at our partner Royal Schools, to share their feelings about performance and provide some tips. This week we hear from Jurica… 

In November, we delivered a large-scale, hybrid workshop for students, teachers and parents at City Montessori School in Lucknow, India.

We asked some of our scholars, studying at our partner Royal Schools, to share their feelings about performance and provide some tips. This week we hear from Connor… 

We’ve recently published our newly-updated repertoire lists for Singing for Musical Theatre exams.

From 11 January 2024 candidates will have access to a new online Music Theory practice platform to prepare for their Grade 1 to 5 exams.

In this second instalment of a series about the lives of influential composers featured on our syllabuses, composer and performer Althea Talbot-Howard shines a spotlight on the Romantic composer

We asked some of our scholars, studying at our partner Royal Schools, to share their feelings about performance and provide some tips. This week we hear from Felicitas… 

In early 2024 we’re changing the name of our Performance Assessment to the Open Music Assessment to better reflect the accessible nature of this assessment.

The qualification specification for the new LRSM and FRSM diplomas in Music Performance is available now!  

We are inviting you to compose an audio logo that will become part of our brand!  

This year’s theme for Black History Month is Celebrating our Sisters, emphasising the important role Black women have played in shaping our society.

Ali Bowen-Davies, our Head of Assessment and Curriculum, introduces some small but important changes to our Singing repertoire lists. 

Learn more about Interactive Sheet Music

Selecting pieces to feature in Piano Inspiration – the new two volume collection of piano music published by ABRSM - was a labour of love for Isata Kanneh-Mason.

In the first of a series on the lives of influential composers, composer and performer Althea Talbot-Howard shines a spotlight on this extraordinary musician.

Play On: supporting singing in the Cayman Islands

News about our diplomas

We’re excited to share an update about our new diplomas, which will give performers, teachers and directors opportunities to study for and achieve high-quality, advance-level

Landmark string syllabuses offer more choice than ever