Trinity College London (TCL) offers a complete suite of graded exams and diplomas in music performance, teaching and theory. TCL started is the examinations board associated with Trinity College of Music (now Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance). It began offering exams way back in the 1870s.
The Trinity and ABRSM syllabuses are broadly similar at the early grades, but then begin to diverge, with Trinity placing more emphasis on modern-day skills and ABRSM more on traditional. The exam boards are regulated by OFQUAL and are exactly the same standard as each other.
As well as offering exams in 8 grades for music theory, TCL also offers two levels of diploma – the AmusTCL and LmusTCL.
Unlike the ABRSM, Trinity does not have a theory requirement for candidates wishing to take the higher practical grades. The syllabus is therefore perhaps more suitable for those with a real interest in theory, rather than those whose aim is only to pass an exam!
Music Theory Exam Dates (UK)
Exam dates and fees vary from country to country, and Trinity regional sites set up for several countries worldwide. The next UK date is shown on the right hand side of this page.
For a full list of Trinity music theory exam dates and fees please see Theory Exam Dates and Fees: ABRSM and Trinity (UK)