Improve Your Aural! Grade 1 (Revised): Book & CD

This workbook hits the specific skills ABRSM Grade 1 candidates need without the busywork. The two-CD format means you're not hunting for online audio links; students can work independently at home while you focus rehearsal time on ensemble skills and repertoire.

The book meets students where they are with accessible listening tasks and clear feedback loops. Activities feel purposeful rather than repetitive, building confidence incrementally through carefully graded difficulty.

Students preparing for ABRSM Grade 1 aural exams will find structured, progressive practice aligned with current syllabus expectations. Solo instrumentalists and singers benefit most, though younger ensemble members can work through it alongside their regular lessons.

• Anchor listening sessions to specific moments in the week when your students' ears are fresh; early morning practice before other instruction works better than Friday afternoons.
• Have students complete written activities before playing back the CD examples, so they're making predictions rather than just confirming what they hear.
• Rotate between individual ear training and group listening so quieter students don't get lost in ensemble settings.

Assign this as independent study material 8 to 10 weeks before ABRSM exams so students arrive with solid foundational ear skills. Teachers can pull specific exercises into lessons to reinforce concepts covered that week, using the CD to model correct responses.

• Identifying melodic intervals by ear
• Recognizing major and minor tonalities
• Dictating simple rhythmic patterns
• Understanding tempo and dynamic markings through listening
• Singing back short melodic phrases with pitch accuracy
• Distinguishing between musical textures and instrumental timbres