Listening is at the heart of music-making, helping musicians to develop their musical awareness, confidence and ability to respond to what they hear. Trinity College London’s Aural and Unpitched Aural tests assess these practical listening skills as part of the Supporting Tests in face-to-face Classical & Jazz graded exams, with Unpitched Aural available as an alternative to Aural for Drum Kit candidates. In this blog, we’ll explore what each test involves, how candidates are assessed, and how teachers can help students prepare with confidence.
Trinity’s Supporting Tests for face-to-face exams offer candidates a choice of four options, from which they select and perform two:
- Sight Reading (mandatory at Grades 6-8)
- Aural (or Unpitched Aural, if desired, for Drum Kit)
- Improvisation
- Musical Knowledge (Initial – Grade 5 only)
The aim of the Aural test is to assess a candidate’s musical perception and understanding by asking them to recognise musical features by listening to a short piece. These features might include changes in metre or pulse, pitch, dynamics and articulation, as well as other aspects of musical performance.
What does the Aural test entail?
For a standard Aural test, candidates answer questions about a single musical extract played on the piano by the examiner. The extract is played numerous times throughout the test, both before and between questions.
At most grades, candidates are asked to describe different features of the music such as dynamics, articulation, texture and style. They may be asked to clap the pulse, but they will never be asked to sing as part of this test.
Full details of the requirements and parameters for each grade can be found in our syllabuses. Our Aural parameters are also available on the Trinity website.
How does the Unpitched Aural test differ?
Drum Kit candidates can choose to take either the Aural or Unpitched Aural test. The Unpitched Aural test is designed to assess listening and response skills in ways that are particularly relevant to drum kit players and, in most instances, is delivered using a combination of pre-recorded audio and live playing.
The Unpitched Aural test comprises four parts:
- Time signature: candidates identify the time signature of a rhythmic phrase played twice on the snare drum.
- Style recognition: candidates identify the musical style of a pattern played on the drum kit twice.
- Identify the changes: candidates listen to a short piece played two or three times on the drum kit. On the second playing, one or more rhythmic and/or pattern changes will be introduced. Pattern changes may include the introduction of a different part of the drum kit.
- Playalong: the examiner plays a short piece of music twice on the piano. On the second playing, the candidate accompanies the examiner on the drum kit using appropriate style, rhythm and fills.
Full details of the requirements and parameters for each grade can be found on pages 28-29 of the Drum Kit syllabus. Please note that the Initial grade test differs slightly; the parameters for this level can be found on page 52.
Preparing candidates for Aural tests
Trinity’s Aural Test books – Book 1: Initial to Grade 5 and Book 2: Grades 6–8 – provide useful resources for students preparing for their Aural test. The Unpitched Aural book offers dedicated preparation for Drum Kit candidates.
Teachers can also find a range of additional resources online, including:
What reasonable adjustments are available for candidates with SEND?
We want all candidates to have the opportunity to demonstrate their musical abilities. Where additional needs may affect a candidate’s participation in the Aural test, reasonable adjustments can be put in place to support their individual requirements.
Depending on the candidate’s individual requirements, adjustments may include additional time to respond to questions or alternative presentation formats, such as Braille, enlarged print or coloured paper, where written notation is provided. Alternative assessments, such as an aural awareness test, may also be available for candidates with hearing impairments.
For more information about the reasonable adjustments available for Trinity’s face-to-face exams, please visit our website.
How are candidates assessed?
All supporting tests are marked out of 10. For both Aural and Unpitched Aural tests, a holistic mark is awarded based on the degree of aural perception, as well as how promptly and confidently their responses were made. The full assessment criteria for Aural tests can be found in the relevant instrumental or vocal syllabus.
For a further explanation of the assessment criteria for Supporting Tests and how they are applied, watch our Teaching & Assessment: Supporting Tests webinar back on demand. You can also read our previous posts covering:
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