Saxophone Exams
Junior Music Exam Saxophone
The JME is a CMS exam and is the first exam you will take with us, usually in the 1st or 2nd year of lessons. Assessment takes place in school, with your instrumental teacher.
A1 Frankie and Johnny
With the Sax
Just the piano
This version of Frankie and Johnny was recorded by American jazz vibraphonist Warren Wolf in 2013.
A2 Be happy, Be natural, Be flat piano
Just the piano
B1 Down the Road
With the Saxophone
Just the piano
B2 Blue Call
With the Saxophone
Just the piano
C1 Cat’s Tail Swing
Just the Saxophone
C2 Cool 4 Cats
Just the Saxophone
Close
Scales/Arpeggios
All 1 octave
G major
F Major
D Minor
Senior Music Exam Saxophone
The SME is a CMS exam and is the second exam you will take with us, usually in the 2nd or 3rd year of lessons. Exams usually take place at the Music Centre with a senior teacher from the music service.
A1 Franck Allegretto
To follow
A2 Here Comes the Blues
With the Saxophone
Just the piano
B1 Theme from ‘Men behaving badly’
With the Saxophone
Just the piano
Men Behaving Badly was a TV sitcom on the telly from 1992 – 1998.
B2 Wintertime Blues
With the Saxophone
Just the piano
C1 The King's Own Dance
Just the Saxophone
C2 Greensleeves
Just the Saxophone
‘Greensleeves’ is a traditional English folk song that evokes the spirit of England. Although it is said that it was written by Henry VIII, this is probably not true!
Here is a version by famous English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams’s – Fantasia on “Greensleeves”
Or something jazzy? The Manhattan Jazz Orchestra.
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Scales/Arpeggios
All 1 octave
G major
F Major
D Minor
ABRSM
The Associated Board of the Royal Schools offers a range of examinations all the way to university level and beyond. Exams take place 3 times a year and are held in various locations locally.
Syllabuses are available from the ABRSM here.
Grade 2
A3 The Ploughboy
Just the piano
B1 Farewell for a Fox
Just the piano
C1 Prelude from L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1
Close
Grade 3
A1 Flower Duet from Lakmé
Just the piano
This is a very famous duet from the opera Lakmé but French composer Léo Delibes. It is sung by the characters Lakmé, daughter of a Brahmin priest, and her servant Mallika, as they go to gather flowers by a river.
B3 Bye Bye Blackbird
With the sax
Just the piano
Bye Bye Blackbird is a well know jazz piece and has been recorded by everyone. Here are a couple of examples:
C3 Phish and Chips
Close
Grade 4 Jazz
Mr P.C.
Straight through… many times
A Night in Tunisia
This version does not include the interlude, so it just runs round the basic form – back to A 8 bars after C. Straight in after the clicks.
The Wedding
This one is very slow, what sounds like crotchets are minims… Straight into A, no introduction.
The Mountain
Includes the introduction. The walks are walks in this one.
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Grade 4
A3 Rondeau and Dance of the Haymakers
Just the piano
Both of these pieces are from ‘Fairy Queen’ which is an adaptation of William Shakespeare‘s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Rondeau
Dance of the Haymakers
B2 Beeline
Just the piano
C2 The Jazz Detectives
Close
Grade 5
A2 La Paix and La Réjouissance
Just the piano
B3 Tango Till You Drop!
Just the piano
C2 Rossini Aria
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