Selected and Reviewed by ANDREW EALES
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In addition to launching their 2025-26 Piano Exam Syllabus reviewed here, ABRSM have surprised us with an update to their Prep Test content, with a new book to replace their previous (2016) one.
Historically, this was their only Pre-Grade 1 option, which gave future grade exam candidates the opportunity to visit the exam room and play for an examiner in a more friendly, less formal context, and without an assessed pass/fail outcome. But with the introduction of ABRSM’s Initial Grade and video-based assessments, teachers may have wondered whether the Prep Test would be quietly forgotten.
From 2025, the Prep Test retains its existing format in full, and remains exclusively a live music examination, with happy, human connection at its heart.
But in the age of “Performance Grades” and digital diplomas, this first visit to the exam room could now prove to be a learner’s only ever visit. And with the Initial Grade now sharing the Pre-Grade 1 space, we need to consider where the Prep Test now fits in the educational landscape…
The Prep Test Book
Introducing the new book, ABRSM’s Mervyn Cousins writes:
“Welcome to your Prep Test book, the first step to taking the Prep Test itself, and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate your progress on the piano so far. I hope you enjoy learning the Pieces and Tunes, and that you have lots of fun practising the Listening Games too.”
The book assumes that the player will have used a first beginner method book, and delivers its content in four sections: Tunes, First Piece (solo), Second Piece (solo or duet), and Listening Games.
Bearing in mind that the core content here is exactly as before (some of it quite literally so, as we will see), the best way to consider the new book is by directly comparing it to its 2016 predecessor..
The first thing those familiar with that book will notice is that the cover illustration is the same, recoloured. Moreover, the inside title page still features the same cartoon illustration as before, the only change being that the space left for the pupil to add their name and the date of their Prep Test has been amplified to include a space for the examiner’s signature.
This subtle addition seems calculated to guarantee sales of the book to every child taking the test, rather than them using a teacher’s copy. Some might not like this, but personally I am in favour of encouraging players to invest in sheet music from the start, and the cover price seems fair.
Following the friendly introduction by Mervyn Cousins, we come to the “Tunes” section. These prove to be three short exercises (all compulsory in the exam) that emphasise articulation and musical phrasing.
Though previously a requirement to play these from memory in the exam room, now this is “encouraged” but no longer compulsory.
This proves to be the first of a number of subtle changes that combine to make the Prep Test easier, for better or worse, as we shall see.
The New Pieces
Next we come to the meat of the book: the new pieces. In section 2, ABRSM now provide four solo repertoire choices in the new Prep Test book itself, up from three last time:
- Yawning all Morning (Sarah Watts)
- Donkey on a Scooter (Adrian Sutcliffe)
- Crocodile! (Alan Bullard)
- The Lonely Locomotive (David Gorton)
I have to admit that despite their pedagogically reliable content, none of the four appeal to me musically to the same extent as the three in the 2016 book. Others may well disagree of course, and there will at least be relief in many quarters that the book doesn’t include trivialised versions of pop and tv themes.
Meanwhile, those wanting to look further afield for inspiring material need to be aware that the required difficulty level has dropped, so that they can choose accordingly.
Whereas before, candidates were invited to choose any piece from Piano Star 2, Party Time for Piano, Party Time on Holiday, or Roundabout, players can now pick from the easier Piano Star 1 or Piano Star: Five Finger Tunes.
In section 3, where players are encouraged to play a duet with their teacher or the examiner, this list expands to include, inevitably, the Piano Star Duets book (reviewed here). The new Prep Test book, meanwhile, includes two new duets:
- Buccaneer Bobby (Katie Davies)
- The Enchanted Garden (Michael McMillan)
The second of these is particularly attractive, with a lilting melody for the pupil, accompanied by gentle harmonies with ninth chords in the teacher part; it seems sure to prove popular. Meanwhile, those who don’t want to play a duet are actually given a completely free choice of solo piece from any other book of their choosing.
Supporting tests
Those familiar with the 2016 Prep Test book may be startled to find that the remainder of the book, pages 12-16, comprising Listening Games and a crossword puzzle, have been reproduced entirely unchanged in the 2024 book.
I have to say this seems a little lazy on the board’s part, and teachers who use this material a lot may well have welcomed some fresh Listening Games to use after eight years of these ones.
In any case, the Listening Games are useful, and they effectively prepare the way for Grade 1 Aural Tests, should a teacher and learner want to progress towards those practical grades next. They comprise:
- Clapping the Beat is essentially the same as Test A at Grade 1, joining in clapping the pulse of a piece in 2 or 3 time played by the teacher/examiner.
- Echoes is a ‘call and response’ clapping game in which the candidate claps back rhythms as echoes.
- Finding the Notes is a simple singing game in which the pupil must correctly pitch three notes (and there is an option to play instead of sing).
- What can you hear? is an easier version of Grade 1 Test D in which the pupil must identify the dynamics or tempo of a piece.
To finish the book, there is a crossword similar to those found in some tutor books. The pupil will need some music theory knowledge to complete this, and I think it’s a rather nice and friendly way to encourage that within the context of early learning.
Prescriptive technique?
There’s another slight change here. While it has generally been ABRSM policy to avoid prescriptive pedagogy, the advice offered for the Moonglow Minuet has obvious physical implications for playing technique:
“Drop gracefully onto the dotted minims in bars 1 and 3, then gently lift up in bars 2 and 4.”
While I don’t personally disagree with this advice in the slightest, it belongs in the context of understanding and teaching a wider range of physical technique, and with the greatest care. Such an isolated and superficial piece of advice, on its own and without that context, could unfortunately be misapplied, resulting in a stressed or misaligned wrist.
ABRSM should perhaps be reminded that not all teachers of beginners are highly qualified, first-study pianists. For some teachers and learners, their printed advice may well cause confusion, especially given that our profession hardly has a uniform view on beginner methods!
Pianists at Prep Test level will hopefully be developing the hand stability that leads to a secure fingering technique, discovering how to support arm weight, and learning about the importance of well-aligned, soft wrists. But the various popular method series don’t unpack such techniques in a uniform way, and it seems unwise for ABRSM to lean into a partisan stance.
It may seem a benign comment in itself, even a useful one that supports healthy technical goals. But I believe a more inclusive intelligence would have avoided a sense of being prescriptive about physical technique, as the board has rightly done in all their other assessments.
In any case, it will be interesting to see whether examiners start commenting on such matters of technique, bearing in mind ABRSM’s instruction here. Hopefully not, and the board’s (in my view very ill-advised) diversion into prescriptive pedagogy will prove to be a one-off misstep.
The Prep Test in context
Despite the signs of cost cutting, ABRSM have produced an attractive book for their 2025 piano Prep Test update, printed on cream paper, and again sporting the engaging illustrations of Alan Rowe. But what of the wider clues this arrival gives us about the current and future direction of ABRSM in these changing times?
Some will no doubt draw attention to the fact that the Prep Test is getting easier, in line with the general perception that ABRSM are “dumbing down” standards across all their grades and diplomas. And at face value, this certainly seems difficult to ignore, or to deny without blushing.
However, and while I do not personally favour putting children forward for regular standardised tests anyway, it seems to me sensible that the easier Prep Test is now more clearly distinguishable from the Initial Grade, so offering an obvious route of progression.
In terms of the live performance element, and the genuine human interaction between ABRSM’s team of expert examiners and the young players taking the Prep Test, would it be too optimistic to interpret this as a volte-face change of direction, perhaps even pointing to the board reconsidering the importance of live performance more generally?
It is, after all, this commitment to providing a supportive platform for young players which remains the most distinctive core value and positive benefit of ABRSM’s Prep Test. It is therefore something of a relief to see that the board have not tinkered too much, or spoilt such a winning formula.
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