Rockschool music qualifications are tailor-made for the contemporary musician.
Guitar Mastery
The pieces at each grade expose students to an array of styles and instrument-specific techniques, contributing to improved musicianship. Technical exercises and rudiments will reinforce the fundamentals of guitar playing, with sight-reading and improvisation training contributing to increased musical know-how.
Diverse Repertoire
At each grade, there is a selection of benchmarked classical tracks and popular music arrangements. Diverse and engaging, including a greater representation of female composers and composers from the global majority, our repertoire will challenge and inspire students as they develop their guitar technique.
Outstanding Composers & Artists
RSL Classical Guitar includes repertoire from the likes of Laura Snowden, Debbie Cracknell, Ignatius Sancho, Florence Price, Naoko Ikeda, Leo Brouwer, Francisco Tárrega, Fernando Sor, Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Gary Ryan, Nick Powlesland, Peter Nutall, Taylor Swift, Helen Sanderson, Andrew York, Tatiana Stachak, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Frantz Casseus… to name but a few!
Audio Excellence
Exemplar performances are included for all performance pieces, including backing tracks for duets and pop tracks. Each backing track has been professionally recorded at commercial quality to give your students the feeling of doing a fully-fledged performance wherever they might be practising. Slick count-ins and fresh arrangements mean every practise session can feel like a concert performance!
UCAS Points
Grades 6 to 8 are UCAS recognised aiding Higher Education applications. Candidates can gain up to 30 UCAS points for completion of these Level 3 qualifications.
Academically Rigorous
RSL Classical Guitar has been designed with industry relevance, student engagement, and academic rigour in mind. Upon completion of an RSL Graded Music Exam, every candidate will have earned a globally recognised qualification, which has been designed to support progression routes towards higher education and the creative industries.
Classical Guitar Grades for the 21st Century
Striking a balance between radical redesign and recognisable structure, RSL Classical Guitar adheres to four fundamental principles: championing composers from the global majority, accurate representation of gender, acknowledging the history and tradition of guitar pedagogy, and enabling students to feel comfortable studying music in a popular and classical environment.
How it works
Whether you’re learning classical guitar independently or with a music teacher, it’s easy to get started learning with RSL Classical.
01
Download the syllabus and buy your grade book
Our publications provide you with everything you need: professionally arranged and produced repertoire alongside innovative technical exercises and supporting tests.
02
Start practicing with our innovative resources
From our physical publications to our interactive e-books and Learning Platform app, our teaching and learning resources are here to support you become a better musician.
03
Sit the exam and reap your rewards
If you’re ready and want to take a Graded Music Exam, achieve your very own RSL Classical qualification after putting in the hours of dedication towards mastering your instrument.
