Creative Musicianship graphic ‘Make Some Noise’

We are delighted to welcome The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) as a Corporate Member of Technology in Music Education UK (TiME).

For more than 135 years, ABRSM has been one of the world's most respected music awarding organisations, providing trusted qualifications, assessments and learning resources that have supported millions of musicians across the globe. Their work has helped shape music education for generations, combining rigorous musical standards with a commitment to helping every learner achieve their potential.

As music education continues to evolve, it is exciting to see ABRSM expand its offer through its new Creative Musicianship qualifications. Designed for today's creators, the new pathways in Music Production, Songwriting and Composing recognise the many different ways young people engage with music, whether in the classroom, at home or in professional creative environments.

ABRSM graphic with a student working on music production

For us at TiME, the introduction of Music Production qualifications is a positive development. Music technology has become one of the most important routes into music-making, enabling learners to create, record, mix, and produce original work using digital tools. The qualification allows learners to build and submit a portfolio of creative productions, encouraging experimentation, technical development and reflective practice while recognising skills that are increasingly valued throughout the music and creative industries. There are no entry requirements; learners can work in any genre using any digital tools, and the portfolio-based approach provides a flexible and authentic way to demonstrate achievement.

The Songwriting qualification gives learners the opportunity to develop original songs, explore lyrics, melody, harmony and structure, and document their creative process through a portfolio of work. Similarly, the Composing pathway supports learners in developing original musical ideas across any style or genre, encouraging creativity alongside musical understanding. Together, these qualifications recognise creative practice as a core musical skill, opening new progression routes for learners whose strengths extend beyond traditional performance.

We are also pleased to see ABRSM continuing to broaden access through flexible assessment models. Their Open Music Assessment provides musicians of any age or ability with the opportunity to receive constructive feedback without the pressure of grades or pass/fail outcomes. Particularly encouraging is the inclusion of the Clarion within these assessments, making it the first fully accessible digital instrument recognised through the programme. Developed by Open Up Music, the Clarion has transformed opportunities for many disabled musicians, and its inclusion represents another positive step towards a more inclusive assessment landscape.

ABRSM's continued commitment to recognising a wider range of musical skills and creating more accessible pathways into accredited music learning aligns strongly with TiME's mission to champion innovation, inclusion and the effective use of technology in music education.

We look forward to working with the ABRSM team and sharing more about these exciting developments with the TiME community over the coming months.

Find out more about all the exams, assessments, progression pathways and support that ABRSM provides at www.abrsm.org/en-gb

We're delighted to welcome ABRSM as new Corporate Members of TiME!

We're delighted to welcome Woojer as new Corporate Members of TiME!