“You create the music, we’ll support your journey”
Hot off the heels from launching their new Creative Musicianship qualification, ABRSM kindly shared their thoughts about the new curriculum and how it will support a route into music education for budding creators;
Creative Musicianship is a new suite of qualifications in Composing, Songwriting and Music Production. They’re designed to give learners opportunities to apply their musical knowledge creatively, working in styles and formats that reflect how music is made today. For all subjects, learners complete a portfolio of creative work which they submit online for assessment by specially trained assessors.
Four levels: from Introducing to Advanced
There will be four levels of qualification: Introducing, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Qualification specifications for Introducing and Beginner are available now with assessments available from the end of May. Intermediate and Advanced levels will be available in 2027.
Recognition and rewards for creative skills
We’ve worked closely with teachers, pilot centres and industry experts to shape these qualifications. They provide a structured path for learning and new ways for a wide range of musicians to gain recognition and rewards for their skills.
Learners working towards a Creative Musicianship qualification will have opportunities to develop and work with musical ideas and reflect on what they’ve created. They can experiment with different ways of making music while producing a portfolio of work that reflects their interests and skills.
New pathways into music
These qualifications build on our heritage in music assessment, while extending our reach to meet the evolving needs of learners, teachers and the music sector. They support our ambition to offer new pathways into music for a broader and more diverse group of learners.
The qualifications are open to learners of all backgrounds, ages and levels of experience. They’re compatible with learning in education settings but also accessible to learners exploring music on their own. There are no entry requirements at any level and learners can work in any genre, using any instrument or voice and any digital tools.
Support for teachers and learners
To support teachers and learners we’re providing free Creative Musicianship teaching resources on our Teacher Hub platform and expert tips and demonstrations from top creators on our YouTube channel. All content supports our new Creative Musicianship qualifications, helping to build skills, confidence and creativity.
