Woodwind

Trinity’s woodwind certificate exams offer an alternative to graded exams.

• Create your own mini-recital
• Gain marks for programme planning, programme notes and stagecraft
• Receive precise and specific feedback to inform your continued musical development
• Prepare for Trinity’s Performance diplomas, which follow the same format as certificate exams
• There is no technical work and there are no supporting tests

Our music certificate exams are open to all candidates, with no age restrictions or other limitations. There is no requirement to have passed lower levels, theory exams or other qualifications.

Choose from three levels of assessment representing key stages of musical development.

Certificate exams are available for the following woodwind subjects:

• Flute
• Clarinet
• Oboe
• Bassoon
• Saxophone
• Recorder
• Jazz flute
• Jazz clarinet
• Jazz saxophone

Flute
You may offer own-choice pieces on piccolo/alto flute/bass flute

Clarinet
Works written originally for Clarinet in A may be played on Clarinet in Bb and the accompaniment transposed accordingly. You may also offer own-choice pieces on Eb clarinet/bass clarinet. 

Saxophone
Exams may be taken either on one instrument only, or on a variety of saxophones at the candidate's discretion.

Recorder
Any size(s) of instrument may be used; pieces published for descant recorder may be played on the tenor and pieces published for treble may be played on bass or sopranino.

Recorder exams should be taken on recorders with baroque fingering; instruments using German fingering must not be used. Instruments pitched at A=415 may be used where suitable accompanying instruments are available.

Jazz Flute, Jazz Clarinet, Jazz Saxophone
At least one third of the programme duration must comprise pieces containing improvisation.

Repertoire

Certificate repertoire lists are available for some subjects. For instruments without a repertoire list, candidates may select their pieces from the graded lists. For full details (including what you can play, and how long your recital should be), please see the syllabus.

Flute repertoire lists Clarinet repertoire lists Saxophone repertoire lists Recorder repertoire lists

Further information

Full details (including our procedures, syllabus requirements, what to expect, and what to bring with you) can be found in our Information & Regulations.

Exam report forms are released typically within 1-2 weeks, enabling candidates to benefit from the detailed feedback whilst the exam experience is still recent. Certificates usually follow 4 weeks later. Occasionally, we may not be able to release the exam result straight away. Further details about this can be found on our music syllabus Infringements page. For any other questions, please see our music exam help pages.