Grade 6 Examination
In the Grade 6 examination, selections of two tunes are required in both the Performance and Repertoire
components. Three selections of two tunes should be presented in the Performance component and an additional four
selections of two tunes should be presented in the Repertoire component – all three Performance selections will be
performed and the examiner will ask the candidate to play a number of selections from the Repertoire component. A
‘selection’ must include two tunes, and one of the Performance selections should begin with a slow air and be followed
by a dance tune – it is important that a ‘slow’ air is presented, rather than an ‘air’. At Grade 6 the inclusion of a wide
range of ornamentation is required throughout, and the candidate should include forms of ornamentation which are
appropriate to their instrument. A wide variety of tune types should be presented in a Grade 6 examination and more
demanding examples of these should be performed. The performances should be fluent, stylish and from memory, and
all tunes should be played twice through with repeats observed where appropriate.
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The Supplementary Tests component is more demanding than that at Grade 5: the candidate will be expected to (i)
name and demonstrate four types of ornament appropriate to their instrument (ii) identify a wider range of tune types
(iii) play, hum or lilt from memory one phrase of any tune type after the examiner has performed it twice (iv) play any
phrase of a tune of their choosing then play it a second time demonstrating simple melodic variation, and (v) name and
briefly describe three different regional styles.