Music Grade Exams — Should I Do Them?
Grade exams are worth doing — but only under the right conditions. They demand real commitment, from both student and parent, and going in without that commitment can do more harm than good.
The upside. A looming exam is powerful motivation. Certificates give students concrete evidence of well-rounded musical skills at each stage, and plenty of students respond well to that structure — in my experience, many come out of an exam saying, “Let’s start working on the next one!”
The risk. Poor preparation flips this entirely. Going in underprepared can be a highly stressful and demotivating experience, and in the worst cases an embarrassing or even humiliating one. That kind of outcome can put a student off music altogether — which is the opposite of what an exam is meant to do.
How to decide. It comes down to whether the student is genuinely ready to commit. If they can go in with a positive, determined attitude, the exam is worth pursuing. If they’re not prepared to put in the work, a looming exam will only induce stress rather than motivation — in that case, it’s better to wait.
Setting a student up to succeed. A free Lesson and Practice Journal is a simple, effective way to build the practice habits that make exam preparation actually work.
Australian readers can find specific exam requirements on the AMEB website.