For the first time, ABRSM will make a selection of pieces from its Piano syllabus available as digital sheet music downloads. ABRSM’s Piano syllabus 2021 & 2022 was launched on 9 July, and comes into effect on 1 January 2021. The new syllabus has completely revised repertoire choices and list structure, with lists defined by musical characteristics rather than period of composition. 48 pieces are now available as downloads, and will provide a broad selection of the diverse choice of inspirational pieces from the lists for Initial to Grade 8. As the new repertoire lists are the same for the long-standing Practical Grades and ABRSM’s new remotely-assessed Performance Grades, downloaded pieces can be used to prepare for both exams.

Digital downloads can be viewed on any device or printed, and are available from ABRSM’s online shop and all major digital retailers including Sheet Music Direct, Musicroom.com, Sheet Music Plus, and an extensive network of online and in-store digital retailers. The downloads complement ABRSM’s best-selling printed editions of its supporting resource, Piano Exam Pieces, which was published on 9 July, and is available worldwide.

Michael Elliott, ABRSM’s Chief Executive, said

“The introduction of digital sheet music downloads is part of ABRSM’s organisational response to changing customer needs, and one that is especially relevant in the context of an growing landscape of remote teaching and learning. We are excited that our future offer will also include online Theory exams and new remotely-assessed Performance Grade qualifications, that will provide access, consistency and greater flexibility in an increasingly virtual world.”

Robin Barry, ABRSM’s Publishing Director, said

“This new service is a collaboration between ABRSM and Hal Leonard Europe, as well as Faber E-Partners and Boosey & Hawkes, enabling us to offer a varied selection from our new Piano syllabus lists via both ABRSM’s long-established online shop, which is operated by Boosey & Hawkes, and through Hal Leonard Europe’s extensive retail channels and networks. With the choice and added convenience of digital sheet music, ABRSM can support teachers and learners exploring our new Piano syllabus more fully than ever before as they progress on their musical journeys.’

Notes to editors:

About ABRSM

Established in 1889, ABRSM is the UK’s largest music education organisation, one of its largest music publishers and the world’s leading provider of music exams, offering assessments to more than 600,000 candidates in over 90 countries every year. ABRSM’s mission is to inspire achievement in music. It does this globally by supporting music teaching and learning worldwide in partnership with four Royal Schools of Music: Royal Academy of Music; Royal College of Music; Royal Northern College of Music and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Everything ABRSM does supports musical journeys by giving people the tools they need to teach, learn, make and enjoy music, from music assessments and books to digital resources and events. As a charity, ABRSM’s donations, scholarships and sponsorship programmes provide financial support for a wide range of organisations and individuals around the world.

About Boosey & Hawkes

Boosey & Hawkes is a leading provider of services for the music community, with a retailing history stretching from 1792, when its first shop opened, to today’s digital shopping technology. The development of The Shop at Boosey.com from 2004 witnessed a strategic move from bricks and mortar to ecommerce operations. The inventory now features music from all international publishers with over 500,000 products, including the 5,000 specially selected to appear in the ABRSM online music shop, operated by Boosey & Hawkes since 2010.

Boosey & Hawkes, a Concord company, is the world’s leading publisher of modern classical music, with a blue chip catalogue of 20th century masters alongside an eminent front list of leading contemporary composers.

www.boosey.com

About Faber e-Partners

Founded in 1965 as a sister company to the distinguished book publisher Faber and Faber, Faber Music is a leading independent British publisher of classical, contemporary, Film & TV, pop and printed music. With a performance catalogue comprising a distinguished list of composers that includes Thomas Adès and George Benjamin, the company has gained a reputation as one of the most influential publishers of serious contemporary classical music in the world.

The 'E-Partners' scheme launched in 2009 as a digital distribution service designed to enable clients wishing to create and sell digital sheet music via their website or App to do so with full authority from the respective rights holders. E-Partners receive professional publishing support from Faber Music's in-house copyright, editorial, royalties and technology specialists. The scheme hosts downloads for a growing network of music shops, publishers, exam boards, professional and amateur performers, teachers and music arrangers worldwide.

www.fabermusic.com

About Hal Leonard Europe

Hal Leonard Europe is part of the Hal Leonard group of companies – the world’s largest source of music publications, representing many of the world’s best-known and most respected publishers, artists, songwriters, arrangers and instrument manufacturers. Hal Leonard Europe companies publish and distribute an extensive catalogue of printed and digital publications, sheet music, music education resources, instruments, gifts, accessories and pro audio in Europe and around the world.

There are Hal Leonard Europe offices and distribution centres located in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and the United Kingdom.

www.halleonardeurope.com