1. Music Medals are assessments and teaching resources that introduce essential skills and encourage playing together.
2. There are five levels of Music Medal – Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum – progressing in difficulty from Copper upwards.
3. Candidates can take an assessment at any level irrespective of age and without previously having taken a Music Medal.
4. A Music Medals assessment involves the following people: the candidate; up to three other pupils; their teacher (Teacher-Assessor). There is no external examiner.
5. Each Music Medal comprises three obligatory sections: Ensemble (the candidate plays an individual line in an ensemble piece for two, three or four players); Solo (the candidate performs a solo piece, with or without accompaniment); Option (the candidate chooses one of four musicianship tests).
6. The Teacher-Assessor video records the three sections of each Music Medal in one uninterrupted sequence in the order given in 5. above.
7. Music Medals are currently available in the United Kingdom only. Assessments are available for the following instruments: Recorder, Flute (including Fife at Copper/Bronze levels), Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Saxophone, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Guitar, French Horn, Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn, E flat Horn, Trombone, Baritone, Euphonium, Tuba, Keyboard.
8. Music Medal booking, release of confidential tests, confirmation of results and assessment information all take place online and access to the internet is essential for participation.

1. Teachers must undergo Teacher-Assessor training before conducting Music Medals. This training must be carried out via the free online training scheme provided by ABRSM or by attending a training session conducted by an ABRSM representative.
2. All necessary training material is provided by ABRSM.
3. Copyright in all materials provided by ABRSM for training purposes resides with ABRSM. Teacher-Assessors agree to respect this copyright and to refrain from duplicating any materials supplied by ABRSM.

Teacher-Assessors

Teacher-Assessors must be aged 18 or over. Teacher-Assessors are responsible for the assessment of Music Medals and the preparation of candidates and pupils beforehand and their safety and welfare during the assessments.

1. Teacher-Assessors may only assess their own pupils.
2. To be eligible to conduct Music Medals, Teacher-Assessors must first have undergone Teacher-Assessor training (see Regulation 2).
3. Each Teacher-Assessor must register for an ABRSM account and complete a registration form formally confirming agreement to abide by ABRSM’s Music Medals Regulations.
4. Teacher-Assessors must agree to undergo any necessary further training identified by moderation (see Regulation 17.4).
5. Teacher-Assessors agree to notify ABRSM of any changes in their registration details by emailing [email protected]
6. ABRSM reserves the right to refuse or terminate registration of any individual as a Teacher-Assessor.

1. As part of the registration process, all those parties involved in the operation of Music Medals are required to agree to the relevant undertakings concerning confidentiality detailed below.
2. The confidential Option tests may be accessed and printed only by the Teacher-Assessor, and their security and confidentiality must be maintained at all times. Tests may be handled only by the Teacher-Assessor and must not be seen by the candidate in advance of the assessment.
3. The confidentiality of assessments made by the Teacher-Assessor and of video footage must be maintained at all times. The assessments and video-recordings may be prepared for return to ABRSM only by the Teacher-Assessor and must be kept safe and secure and out of sight of any third party, including candidates.
4. The contact ID, used in conjunction with the confidential password, provides access to sensitive information concerning entries and results and will only be confirmed by ABRSM to the registered party. It is the responsibility of the party concerned to safeguard the confidentiality of the password.
5. ABRSM will not divulge information concerning the moderation of any individual Teacher-Assessor’s assessments to anyone other than the Teacher-Assessor concerned. ABRSM is not responsible for information passed on by those parties to others.

See our Child safeguarding and child protection policy.

1. Before assessments may take place, Teacher-Assessors must have ensured that permission to video-record each participating child has been obtained from parents/guardians.
2. The process of obtaining parental permission must be undertaken by the Teacher-Assessor. ABRSM has no involvement in this process, although a sample consent form is available. The signed consent form should be retained by the Teacher-Assessor and not be sent to ABRSM.
3. Confirmation that parental permission has been obtained for each participating child must be made during online entry. Entry cannot proceed unless the Teacher-Assessor confirms this.
4. The Teacher-Assessor confirms consent to the copyright of video-recordings of Music Medals assessments passing to ABRSM.
5. ABRSM is eager to ensure that the purposes and use of Music Medals video-recordings are fully understood when parents/guardians give their consent to their children being filmed and that good practice is adopted, not only with regard to gaining parental consent but also in the subsequent handling of video footage.
6. Assessment videos are permanently destroyed 130 days from date the video was uploaded
7. The video is only accessible to the moderators and authorised users (only if strictly necessary)

1. Entries for Music Medals can only be made online, using ABRSM’s exam booking service
2. Entries can be made at any time by registered Teacher-Assessors by logging in with their ABRSM username and password.
3. There is no restriction on the number of candidates who may be entered on any single occasion.
4. During online entry, the Teacher-Assessor is required to supply full details of all candidates being entered. It is the responsibility of the Teacher-Assessor to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied.
5. During online entry, Teacher-Assessors are required to confirm that they have understood, and agree to abide by, ABRSM’s Music Medals Regulations.
6. Entries can be accepted by ABRSM only in accordance with the conditions stipulated in the Music Medals Regulations, and on the understanding that in all matters the decision of ABRSM must be accepted as final.
7. ABRSM reserves the right to refuse, invalidate or cancel any entry. In such cases, the entry fee(s) may be reimbursed at ABRSM’s discretion. ABRSM reserves the right to invalidate the assessment of any candidate entered incorrectly.
8. If, after the eight-week period allowed for each Music Medal (see Regulation 10.2), an entered candidate’s assessment has not been uploaded, the Medal becomes invalid and the entry fee is retained by ABRSM. Further entry may be made, provided that a new entry fee is paid.

1. Current Music Medals fees are available from this website.
2. Payment is made online by debit/ credit card at the time of entry
3. Once entry has been made, this triggers the eight-week period in which the assessment must be completed and uploaded to the ABRSM exam portal.

1. Entry fees for candidates who withdraw from a Music Medal for which they have been entered will be refunded only in exceptional circumstances. Refunds in cases of unforeseen events, such as minor illness, will not be made, since the eight-week period allowed for each Music Medal permits flexibility for rescheduling assessments (see Regulation 10.2).
2. If the withdrawal is caused by serious illness or injury, a medical certificate will be required; in such cases, the refund will not exceed 75% of the entry fee.
3. Any request for consideration of a refund due to withdrawal must be made to ABRSM as soon as possible and no later than two weeks after the expiry of the eight-week period allowed for each Music Medal, and must include full details of the circumstances. Any refund is made at the discretion of ABRSM.

1. Within five working days of booking, the Teacher-Assessor will be sent an email with the options tests for the candidate(s).
2. The assessment must be conducted within eight weeks of booking, using the option test provided.

1. A video-recording device is required for Music Medals assessments.
2. The Teacher-Assessor must ensure that the video-recording device used is of sufficient quality for assessment moderation purposes and is able to record in one of the formats listed in 11c below
3. The following video formats are accepted MP4, WMV, MOV or MPG. The file size must not be more than 2GB. If the resolution of the video is too high, the file may be too large or slow to upload. In these circumstances, you can compress the file so that it uploads successfully.
4. The Teacher-Assessor is responsible for ensuring that the video-recording device operates smoothly during assessments and is responsible for solving any technical problems. ABRSM cannot be held responsible for any failure of the video-recording device or power supply.
5. Video-recordings of assessments may be handled only by the Teacher-Assessor and must not be distributed to any other party. After assessments have taken place, only the Teacher-Assessor may view the video-recordings before their return to ABRSM.

1. In the assessment, each candidate must perform one of the Ensemble pieces and one of the Solo pieces listed by level in the Syllabus Repertoire Lists for the relevant instrument. The Syllabus Repertoire Lists are available from this website.
2. The Syllabus Repertoire Lists are regularly updated on this website. ABRSM cannot be held responsible for the non-availability of any listed publication.
3. Photocopying of copyright works is not permitted.
4. Candidates offering a wrong piece or not being prepared to perform the whole of the work specified in the syllabus repertoire lists for their instrument and level will be liable to disqualification.
5. Repeats may be played at the discretion of the Teacher-Assessor or candidate. However, those repeats that are essential to the musical structure must be observed. Ornaments may be simplified or omitted.
6. No doubling of lines is permitted in the Ensemble. All Ensemble pieces are to be played without the use of a piano, guitar or other harmonic accompaniment or a CD backing track. Teacher-Assessors may contribute to Ensemble performances by playing the accompanying line in a duet with the candidate at Copper and Bronze levels only, or by playing any line other than the candidate’s in a trio or quartet at all levels.
7. Teacher-Assessors may arrange lines of set ensemble pieces (excepting the line taken by the candidate) for other instruments available to them, provided that the arrangement is faithful to the original and copies of it (either written-out or computer-generated) reproduce the appropriate copyright line and publisher’s credit as they appear in the original publication. Such copies must also bear the wording: ‘This arrangement is for use only in [name of school] and may not be publicly performed, reproduced or broadcast.’
8. In the Solo, candidates may play either with an accompaniment (live or CD backing track) or unaccompanied. If a CD backing track is used, it is the Teacher-Assessor’s responsibility to ensure that the balance and volume are sufficiently regulated so as to allow the candidate’s performance on the video-recording to be properly audible for moderation purposes.
9. Option tests are copyrighted by ABRSM and must not be reproduced in any way.

1. Assessments are held at a time chosen by the Teacher-Assessor during the eight weeks permitted by ABRSM for each Music Medal (see Regulation 10.2).
2. The Teacher-Assessor must ensure that each individual assessment is recorded in one uninterrupted sequence. Before the confidential Option test is administered, an assessment may be abandoned and restarted any number of times. Once the Option test has been administered, the Music Medal cannot be restarted.
3. The Teacher-Assessor must ensure that video-recorded assessments are of sufficient quality of sound and picture for moderation to be possible.
4. In order to ensure that each candidate is identified correctly for moderation purposes, the Teacher-Assessor agrees to follow ABRSM’s instructions for announcing candidates’ details. Instructions are available on this website.
5. In Ensemble performances, the Teacher-Assessor must ensure that the candidate stands nearest to the video-camera and appears to the left of the screen.
6. After the Ensemble, the Teacher-Assessor must ensure that the group members not being assessed remain quiet and do not distract the candidate in the Solo and Option sections.
7. Teacher-Assessors must ensure that pupils do not bring any unauthorized material or equipment into the room, such as other recording equipment, cameras, phones, etc.
8. Teacher-Assessors must not intervene in any way that might favourably influence a candidate’s performance, such as prompting, giving hints before the candidate performs the Option test, or allowing more than the specified Option preparation time.
9. Should any Teacher-Assessor be deemed to have conducted an assessment in a biased or unfair manner or contrary to the Music Medals Regulations, he/she risks the disqualification of the assessment in question and the termination of his/her status as a Teacher-Assessor.
10. Should any assessment be disqualified for whatever reason, ABRSM will not reimburse the entry fee.
11. In all matters relating to the conduct of Music Medals assessments, ABRSM’s decision is final.

1. Performances in each section of the Music Medal are placed within one of three attainment categories – Excellent, Pass or Working Towards. A minimum of two Passes is required for a Medal to be awarded. One of these Passes must be in the Ensemble section; if a Pass is not achieved in the Ensemble, an overall Pass cannot be awarded, even if the Solo and Option have both passed.
2. At Bronze to Platinum levels, the Medal is passed ‘with excellence’ if the candidate achieves Excellent in all three sections. At Copper level, if Excellent is achieved in all three sections, an overall Pass is still awarded.

Video-recordings and report forms should be uploaded and submitted online as soon as possible after the assessments have taken place.

1. Once the exam entry has expired it is not possible to submit the assessment online.
2. Once results have been issued, the Option test and report form should be confidentially destroyed.

1. Teacher-Assessors' results are moderated until ABRSM is satisfied that they are assessing correctly in accordance with the criteria. Thereafter their results are subject to random selection for moderation on a regular basis.
2. The moderation process involves an ABRSM moderator corroborating or adjusting Teacher-Assessors’ assessments. Only once this process has taken place are results confirmed.
3. The moderation of a Teacher-Assessor’s assessments may lead to ABRSM recommending or requiring further training for that Teacher-Assessor. ABRSM reserves the right to deregister any Teacher-Assessor where further training is declined or is not effective.
4. The work of ABRSM moderators is subject to regular and rigorous scrutiny.

1. Provided that assessments have been carried out correctly and the video-recordings and assessment materials have been submitted in accordance with ABRSM’s instructions, ABRSM will endeavour to issue Music Medals digital mark forms 7 days after receipt of the materials. However, on occasion additional moderation is required and this can delay the release of results.
2. Initial notification of the release of results is made by email to the Teacher-Assessor who booked the assessment. Teacher-Assessors can then view results online via their ABRSM account. Candidates who have an ABRSM account will be able to view their results seven days after we have released them to the Teacher-Assessor.
3. All successful candidates receive a digital mark form, medal and certificate. For those who are still Working Towards their Music Medal, a digital mark form is issued. Medals/certificates/digital mark form are sent to the Teacher-Assessor, and it is their responsibility to distribute them.
4. ABRSM is unable to divulge results by telephone or by any means other than those described above.
5. ABRSM cannot accept responsibility for the non-receipt of medals/certificates after their despatch.
6. The Teacher-Assessor to whom medals/certificates are sent is responsible for notifying ABRSM if any such items are missing upon receipt. Provided this is done within 14 days of the date of posting from ABRSM, there will be no charge for reissuing any missing items. After the elapse of this period and in cases of loss or damage, a replacement certificate and/or commentary and/or medal may be issued by ABRSM on application and payment of a fee of £6.

1. Enquiries about the result or conduct of a Music Medals assessment must be addressed to the Chief Examiners team, whose decision shall be final.
2. Any such enquiry should be sent to the Music Medals team in the first instance at [email protected] with your concerns within 28 days after receiving the result. Appeals can take 4 weeks to resolve and there is no fee for Music Medal appeals.

1. Music Medals assessments are designed to be accessible, wherever possible, to all instrumental pupils, regardless of sensory impairments, learning difficulties or particular physical needs.
2. Candidates with a sensory impairment or learning difficulty should choose the Option test which best suits their requirements and abilities. Further information can be found here.
3. Where a candidate requires an Option test in enlarged or modified print or in Braille, it is the Teacher-Assessor’s responsibility to produce the tests in these formats after receiving them in the usual way (see Regulation 10).
4. If you have a candidate whose needs are not covered by these arrangements in the Access Guidelines, please contact our Access Coordinator, outlining the particular needs of the candidate, and the likely impact on their Music Medal assessment.

ABRSM is committed to providing equality of opportunity and treatment for all, and will not unlawfully or unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly on the basis of gender, age, ethnic origin or disability in its dealings with Music Medals participants.