ABRSM vs Trinity: Which Exam Board for Your Child?
If your child is learning piano in Singapore, sooner or later the question of exams comes up — and with it, a choice many parents didn’t realise they had: ABRSM or Trinity? Both are well-established, internationally recognised graded music exam boards, and both run exams here in Singapore. So how do you decide which one is right for your child, and does the choice even matter that much?
The short answer is that it matters less than the worry it tends to cause. Both boards lead to the same place — a confident, capable young musician — and a child who does well with one would very likely do well with the other. But there are real differences in how each exam is structured, and understanding them can help you and your child’s teacher pick the path that suits your child best. This guide walks through those differences in plain language, without the jargon.
If you’d first like a broader overview of how graded exams work — the grade levels, fees, and exam-day basics — our parent’s guide to ABRSM piano exams in Singapore covers that ground. Here, we’re focusing on the choice between the two boards.
First, What Are ABRSM and Trinity?
ABRSM stands for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, a UK-based board that has been running graded music exams worldwide since 1889. It’s the most widely sat exam board in Singapore, and the name most parents recognise.
Trinity College London is the other major UK-based board offering graded music exams here. It’s been around a long time too, and its qualifications carry the same international recognition. In Singapore, Trinity is well established — plenty of teachers and students use it — it’s simply less of a household name than ABRSM.
Both boards run their exams at registered centres in Singapore across the year, both use the same Initial-to-Grade-8 progression most parents are familiar with, and both produce certificates that are recognised internationally. So whichever you choose, your child isn’t getting a “lesser” qualification.
How the Two Exams Are Structured
This is where the real differences sit. The two boards test the same underlying skills — performing, technique, reading music, and musical listening — but they package them differently. Here’s a side-by-side look.
| Element | ABRSM | Trinity |
|---|---|---|
| Total marks | Out of 150 | Out of 100 |
| Pieces | Three pieces, one each from set lists A, B and C | Three pieces, freely chosen from the whole book |
| Technique | Scales and arpeggios from memory | Scales and arpeggios, plus short technical exercises |
| Sight-reading | Compulsory from Grade 1 | Optional until higher grades, then compulsory |
| Other tests | Aural tests (compulsory) | A choice of supporting tests (e.g. sight-reading, aural, improvising, musical knowledge) |
A few of these are worth unpacking, because they’re the differences most likely to affect a particular child.
Piece selection: structured vs flexible
In an ABRSM exam, your child plays three pieces, but each must come from a different list — A, B, and C — within the current syllabus. These lists are organised by style and period, so the format gently nudges your child toward a balanced range of music.
Trinity also asks for three pieces, but they can be any three from the syllabus book, with no list requirement. This gives more freedom — a child who loves a particular style can lean into it. The trade-off is that ABRSM’s structure quietly ensures variety, which some children benefit from.
Scales: how much memory work
Both boards include scales and arpeggios played from memory, and both increase the requirements as the grades climb. In practice, many teachers find ABRSM asks for a larger volume of scales, especially at the higher grades, while Trinity tends to ask for somewhat fewer. For a child who finds memorising scales a slog, Trinity’s lighter load can feel more manageable. For a child who likes the security of “knowing exactly what’s coming,” scales are actually among the most reliable marks in either exam.
Sight-reading and supporting tests
In ABRSM, sight-reading is part of the exam from Grade 1 onward, and aural tests are always included. Trinity takes a more flexible approach at the lower grades: sight-reading becomes compulsory only from the higher grades, and below that, candidates choose from a menu of “supporting tests” — which can include sight-reading, aural, improvising, or musical knowledge. This means a child who freezes at sight-reading but loves making up their own tunes might play to their strengths with Trinity’s improvising option in the early grades.
Technical exercises (Trinity’s extra)
Trinity includes short technical exercises — little characterful pieces designed to develop specific aspects of technique like tone, balance, and coordination. ABRSM tends to develop these qualities through the set pieces themselves rather than as a separate component. Neither approach is better; they’re just different routes to the same skill.
(Exam structures and requirements are revised periodically by both boards. Always check the current syllabus on the official ABRSM Singapore or Trinity College London websites before registering, as details for a specific grade and year can change.)
So Which One Should You Choose?
Here’s the honest truth: for most children, either board is a perfectly good choice, and the difference in the final outcome is small. Rather than agonising over “the right board,” it’s more useful to think about your individual child.
Trinity may suit a child who thrives on freedom and personal expression, who would rather choose pieces they love than follow set lists, who finds large volumes of scales discouraging, or who enjoys improvising and creating their own music.
ABRSM may suit a child who likes clear structure and benefits from the gentle nudge toward a balanced range of styles, who is heading toward higher grades where its pathway is very well-trodden, or who simply wants the board most of their friends and teachers are using.
One practical Singapore consideration: if your child eventually aims for higher ABRSM grades (Grade 6 and above), there’s a theory prerequisite to be aware of, which we cover in our post on why music theory matters for young pianists. Trinity does not have the same theory gateway. That difference doesn’t make one board better — it’s just worth knowing if higher grades are on the horizon.
Most importantly, you don’t have to make this decision alone, and you don’t have to make it on day one. A child can learn piano happily for a year or more before any exam board enters the picture. When the time comes, your child’s teacher will know their temperament, strengths, and goals — and that’s the best basis for the choice.
How Patricia Approaches Exam Boards
At Music with Pat, Patricia treats exams as milestones, not the whole point of learning. She prepares students for graded exams at a pace that suits each child, and she’s happy to talk through which board makes sense for your child’s personality and goals rather than defaulting to one out of habit. The priority is always a child who walks into the exam room feeling capable — and who keeps enjoying the piano long after the certificate is filed away.
If your child is learning piano and you’re starting to think about exams, Patricia can help you weigh the options honestly. You can explore how exam-focused lessons are structured on the ABRSM piano lessons page, see options closer to home on the Tengah piano lessons page, or look at graded piano lessons for the broader picture. If you’d like to read more about preparation itself, our guide on how to prepare for an ABRSM piano exam is a good next step.
To arrange a friendly, no-pressure chat or book a trial lesson, get in touch through the contact page or message Patricia directly on WhatsApp at +65 8389 8853. No sales pitch — just an honest conversation about the best path for your child.