Aaaaagh, did the ABRSM change the scale requirements for grade 5 piano???

[Seashore2018]

I am due to do grade 5 piano in 6 weeks (gulp) and diligently bought the ABRSM's scale book, assuming as you do that whatever's in the book will be what's asked for in the exam.

I was checking the new syllabus today for some other reason and glanced at the scales only to notice that THEY ARE DIFFERENT TO WHAT IS IN THE SCALE BOOK. Eg. syllabus says a range of 2 octaves, book says 3 octaves; syllabus says I must play diminished 7ths and those aren't even in the scale book.

Am I going mad? The syllabus says that the scale requirements have been refreshed but I can't find any other panicking people online and am beginning to wonder if someone sold me a delberately wrong version of the scale book as a (cruel & unusual) prank.

Anyone have any insights? I am not a teacher and am just putting myself in for this exam on my own, so I haven't anyone I can ask.

Is this your book?

startermusic.co.uk/products/abrsm-piano-scales-arpeggios-grade-5-from-2021

"The new Practical Grades syllabus also includes a complete update of the scales and arpeggios requirements, the first since 2009."

Candidates may present their three Pieces and Scales and arpeggios from the 2019 & 2020 syllabus or from the 2021 & 2022 syllabus. All the pieces and the scales must be from the same syllabus – presenting a mixture from old and new will not be allowed.

gb.abrsm.org/en/our-exams/piano-exams/

There is a one-year overlap period so you may be able to play the scales that you have been learning if you let them know but I would contact ABRSM to make sure. Are the pieces you are doing from the old syllabus as well, because the pieces and scales have to be from the same syllabus.

I see the hive mind has spoken here not a piano player myself but have a daughter who takes ABRSM exams.

Right. The initial panic has subsided as I've now been through the grade 5 scale book and compared it properly to the syllabus. And it's mostly good news: I now have to play far fewer scales, and they are all supplied in the book except for the diminished 7ths (which is fine, I can work those out myself). But now I'm really cross that I've been struggling to learn about three times as many scales as I actually needed to know when I could have been putting that effort into the 2020-21 scales.

Also you would think that when you order the ABRSM Grade 5 scale book from the ABSRM (which I did only a few months ago) they would make it very clear on the website that the scale book they were going to send was the 2009 edition and there has since been a complete refresh of the syllabus. (Or even stop selling the out of date scale book once it has ticked over to the 2020-21 syllabus). There was only one scale book on offer when I bought mine, I see now they've put both editions on but if you didn't know there had been a syllabus update, you wouldn't be on the lookout to buy the new one rather than the outdated one.

Anyway, if this post saves someone else redundant scale panic, on a piano exam or any other exam, that's something.

What, I have no clue about all this(don't play myself), but my ds will be taking grade5 piano in few weeks too. I need to check with the teacher. Thank god I saw this thread.
I've just checked his scale book, and it's 2021, so I assume it's fine?

@roguetomato

What, I have no clue about all this(don't play myself), but my ds will be taking grade5 piano in few weeks too. I need to check with the teacher. Thank god I saw this thread. I've just checked his scale book, and it's 2021, so I assume it's fine?

I think you're probably fine @roguetomato if the book says 2021. Mine only says 2009 in small letters on the back cover. If it's got the diminished sevenths starting on B, you're golden.

Thanks!

That's very annoying if you bought it direct from abrsm. Glad you've learnt too many rather than not enough. The rest will come in useful eventually.

I've done a similar thing without even the excuse of the wrong book. It's fine it's only scales and such a small proportion of the marks.

Coming back because I discovered another change between the syllabi: what I thought were chromatic scales in similar motion starting a major third apart were in fact chromatic scales in contrary motion. Fortunately got a few weeks to bed down the contrary motion versions, but I had another heart attack when I noticed in tiny letters 'contrary' on the syllabus. So posting here in case there are any other idiots whom this saves!

You saved me, I bought a scale book last week and wouldn't have known to look! Thanks