SCOTTISH HARP GRADE 1

GRADE 1
© 2007 RSAMD
SCOTTISH HARP
1. PERFORMANCE: you have a maximum of 4 ½ minutes to play:
One air:
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
A1 Buain na Ràinich (Pulling Bracken)* Trad / arr Isobel Mieras 4/4 Air Ref 14
A2 Tog Orm Mo Phìob (MacLeod of
MacLeod’s Lament)**
Trad / arr Isobel Mieras 3/4 Air Ref 15
A3 Hush a Baw Bairnie Wendy Stewart 3/4 Air Ref 1
A4 Nameless Lassie Wm Marshall / arr Isobel
Mieras
4/4 Air Ref 1
A5 Thig am Bàta (The Boat Will Come) Trad / arr Catriona McKay 4/4 Air Ref 9
A6 Fuaim an t-Saimh (The Sound of
Stillness)
*This tune may be played in either Ab or A major.
** This tune may be played in either Eb or E major.
One dance tune:
Trad / arr Isobel Mieras 3/4 Air Ref 1
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
B1 Merrily Danced the Quaker’s Wife Trad / arr Isobel Mieras 6/8 Jig Ref 15
B2 Streams of Abernethy (top section only; Wendy Stewart
twice through)
6/8 Jig Ref 3
B3 Duncan Gray Trad / arr Charlotte Petersen 4/4 Reel Ref 16
B4 Oliver Jack Trad / arr Patsy Seddon 4/4 Reel Ref 1
B5 Alexander Gibb Trad / arr Alison Kinnaird 6/8 Quickstep Ref 23
B6 Islay Jig Alan Reid / arr Alison
Kinnaird
One recent composition:
1
6/8 Jig Ref 4
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
C1 Ishbel Begg (a.k.a. Sticky Jig) Heather Yule 6/8 Jig Ref 23
C2 Fires at Midnight Wendy Stewart 3/4 Waltz Ref 5
C3 Käte MacKinnon Wendy Stewart 4/4 March Ref 1
C4 The Youngest Ancient Mariner Phil Cunningham / arr Patsy 3/4
Seddon
Waltz Ref 23
C5 The Breeze on the Brae Isobel Mieras 6/8 Jig Ref 23
C6 Cearc air Greideal Theth (Hen on a Hot
Griddle)
ML Napier 4/4 Reel Ref 4

© 2007 RSAMD
2. TECHNICAL WORK: to be played from memory in the following keys:
Eb or C major
The examiner will request only as many of the items below as needed to form a firm opinion of your
ability – normally one per category. All items can be transposed according to key and lever settting.
Scales: one octave, ascending and descending, right or left hand, as in:
One octave in triplets (replacing thumb), descending and ascending, right or left hand, in the following
pattern (play one octave lower for left hand):
Triads: two octaves, root position, alternating hands, then block chords alternating hands, then block
chords hands together, in the following pattern:
Exercises: changing fingers on a repeated note, right hand only in the following pattern:
Octaves and fifths, left hand only in the following pattern:
Repeating notes, alternating hands, in the following pattern (stems up, right hand; stems down, left):
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© 2007 RSAMD
3. QUICK STUDY: Perform EITHER at sight or by ear, at your choice, a short passage in air or waltz
time, right hand only. For example:
The piece will be in one of the keys covered by the scale requirements at this grade.
4. PRACTICAL AND AURAL MUSICIANSHIP FOR THE GRADE
3

GRADE 2
© 2007 RSAMD
1. PERFORMANCE: you have a maximum of of 4 ½ minutes to play.
One air:
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
A1 Tuireadh Iain Ruaidh (Lament for
John Roy)
Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 6/4 Air Ref 1
A2 Crodh Laoidh nam Bodach (The
Old Men’s Milking Cows)
Trad / arr Wendy Stewart 3/4 Air Ref 1
A3 Cumha Mhic Cruimein
(MacCrimmon Will Never Return)
Trad / arr Patsy Seddon 3/4 Air Ref 1
A4 MacLean’s Welcome Trad / arr Isobel Mieras 3/4 Air Ref 15
A5 Oran na Maighdinn Màra (The
Mermaid’s Song)
Trad / arr Catriona McKay 6/8 Air Ref 24
A6 I’m A’ Doun for Lack of Johnnie Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 4/4 Air Ref 20
One dance or rhythmically varied tune:
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
B1 The Wind That Shakes the Barley Trad / arr Isobel Mieras 4/4 Reel Ref 17
B2 Dh’ fhalbhainn Sgiobalta (I Would
Hurry Along)
Trad / arr Charlotte Petersen 6/8 Jig Ref 16
B3 Barren Rocks of Aden A MacKellar / arr Patsy
Seddon
2/4 March Ref 1
B4 Dòmhnall Beag an t-Siùcair (Sweet
Young Donald)
Trad / arr Charlotte Petersen 4/4 Reel Ref 24
B5 Puinneagan Càil (Brussel Sprouts) Trad / arr Wendy Stewart 6/8 Jig Ref 3
B6 Air Eilean Mhara Nach Traigh (On
the Ebbless Isle)
Trad arr/ Ann Macdearmid 4/4 Song air Ref 19
B7 Queen Elizabeth’s March PM Willie Ross / arr A
Kinnaird
4/4 March Ref 4
One recent composition:
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
C1 Miss Kirsten Lindsay Morrison Patsy Seddon 4/4 Reel Ref 1
C2 Reely? Wendy Stewart 4/4 Reel Ref 1
C3 Balfour Village Bob Groat / arr Alison Kinnaird 2/4 Polka Ref 4
C4 Marigold Dick’s Delight Isobel Mieras 3/4 Waltz Ref 15
C5 Tolsta Solstice Wendy Stewart 4/4 Slow air Ref 1
C6 The Oakwoods of Glen Etive Isobel Mieras 3/4 Air Ref 1
C7 Lasses of Lasswade Anne Macdearmid 6/8 Air Ref 19
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© 2007 RSAMD
2. TECHNICAL WORK: to be played from memory in the following keys:
Eb, Bb major and C minor; or
C, G major and A minor
The examiner will request only as many of the items below as needed to form a firm opinion of your
ability – normally one per category. All items can be transposed according to key and lever setting.
Scales: two octaves, ascending and descending, hands separate or together, as in:
Triads, arpeggios: chords and inversions in the following pattern:
Arpeggios, one octave, ascending and descending, hands separate or together, as in:
Exercises: turns in the following pattern:
Cuts in the following pattern:
Three-note runs in the following pattern:
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© 2007 RSAMD
3. QUICK STUDY: Perform EITHER at sight or by ear, at your choice, a short passage requiring both
hands in air, waltz or march time. For example:
The piece will be in one of the keys covered by the scale requirements up to and including this grade.
4. PRACTICAL AND AURAL MUSICIANSHIP FOR THE GRADE
6

GRADE 3
© 2007 RSAMD
1. PERFORMANCE: you have a maximum of 6 minutes to play two stand-alone tunes and one set of
two tunes chosen from the following categories. At least one tune from each category must be played.
Airs:
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
A1 Low Down in the Broom Trad / arr Isobel Mieras 4/4 Air Ref 17
A2 Gleann Gollaidh (Glen Golly) Trad / arr Jean Campbell 3/4 Air Ref 18
A3 Cròdh Cinn t-Sàile (Cattlefold of
Kintail - theme only)
Trad / arr Alison Kinnaird 6/8 Air Ref 4
A4 ‘Sa Choill ud Thall (In Yonder
Wood)
Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 6/8 Air Ref 19
A5 Roslin Castle Trad / arr Wendy Stewart 4/4 Air Ref 6
A6 Sealg a’s Sugradh nan Gleann
(Hunting and Sporting of the
Glens)
A7 Eilean Beag Donn a’ Chuain (The
Little Brown Sea Isle)
A8 Nach Truagh mo Chàs (Hard is my
Fate!)
Dance or rhythmically varied tunes:
Trad / arr Catriona McKay 3/4 Air Ref 24
Trad / arr Isobel Mieras 6/8 Air Ref 17
Trad / arr Isobel Mieras 4/4 Air Ref 15
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
B1 When ye Cold Winter Nights Were Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid
Frozen
and
6/8 Air Ref 10
Bobbin’ John Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 4/4 Dance air Ref 10
B2 John MacAlpine Trad / arr Wendy Stewart 4/4 Strathspey Ref 1
B3 Tail Toddle Trad / arr Patsy Seddon 4/4 Reel Ref 1
B4 Glenlivet Trad / arr Alison Kinnaird 4/4 Reel Ref 4
B5 Marry Me Now Trad / arr Patsy Seddon 4/4 Reel Ref 1
B6 Fac’ Thu na Feidh (Have You Seen Trad / arr Catriona McKay
the Deer)
6/8 Jig Ref 24
B7 Dunkeld Steeple Niel Gow / arr Alison Kinnaird 4/4 Reel Ref 4
B8 Deil Amang the Tailors Trad / arr Alison Kinnaird 4/4 Reel Ref 4
B9 Gillean nan Dròbhair
(The Drover Lads)
Trad / arr Corinna Hewat 6/8 Jig Ref 7
B10 The Burning of the Piper’s Hut
and
Morag nighean Dòmhnaill Duinn
Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 4/4 Air Ref 19
(Lord MacDonald’s Reel) Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 4/4 Reel Ref 19
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Recent compositions:
© 2007 RSAMD
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
C1 Cairn Water Wendy Stewart 3/4 Air Ref 5
C2 Ellen’s Dreams Robin Morton 3/8 Air Ref 8
C3 White Rose Waltz Isobel Mieras 3/4 Waltz Ref 25
C4 Plantxy Crockery Patsy Seddon 4/4 Reel Ref 1
C5 Lindsay Grace Johnson Corinna Hewat 3/4 Waltz Ref 7
C6 Mrs E Matthews of
Ponteland
Isobel Mieras 4/4 Air w/ variations Ref 15
C7 Bunnahabhain Isobel Mieras 3/4 -12/8 Air w/ jig
variations
Ref 25
2. TECHNICAL WORK: to be played from memory in the following keys:
Eb, Bb, F, C, G, D, A majors; C, G, D, A, E, B and F# natural minors
The examiner will request only as many of the items below as needed to form a firm opinion of your
ability – normally one per category.
Scales: two octaves, ascending and descending, hands separate or together, as in:
Arpeggios: two octaves, ascending and descending, divided between hands, as in:
Two octaves as brushed (rippled) chords, as in:
Exercises: repeated fast notes in the following key and pattern:
Four-note runs in the following key and pattern:
8

© 2007 RSAMD
3. QUICK STUDY: Perform EITHER at sight or by ear, at your choice, a short passage requiring both
hands in waltz, march or jig time. For example:
The piece will be in one of the keys covered by the scale requirements up to and including this grade.
4. PRACTICAL AND AURAL MUSICIANSHIP FOR THE GRADE
9

GRADE 4
© 2007 RSAMD
1. PERFORMANCE: you have a maximum of 6 minutes to play two stand-alone tunes and one set of
two tunes chosen from the following categories. At least one tune from each category must be played.
Airs:
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
A1 Lure of the Sea Maiden Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 6/8 Air Ref 19
A2 An Cuala Sibh Mar a Thachair
Dhuinn (Did You Hear What
Befell Us, or Culloden Day)
Trad / arr Isobel Mieras 4/4 Air Ref 17
A3 Dh’ fhag Thu Mi Fo Bhròn
(You Have Left Me Sad)
Trad / arr Catriona McKay 3/4 Air Ref 9
A4 The Massacre of Glencoe Trad / arr Corinna Hewat 3/4 Air Ref 7
A5 The Dowie Dens of Yarrow Trad / arr S Stevenson 3/4 Air Ref 30
A6 O Cait’ an Caideal an Ribhinn a- Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid
Nochd? (O Where Will the
Maiden Sleep Tonight?)
6/8 Air Ref 26
A7 The Sweetness of Mary Trad / arr Charlotte Petersen 12/8 Air Ref 9
Dance or rhythmically varied tunes:
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
B1 Miss Sally Hunter of Nath. Gow / arr Wendy 6/8 Jig Ref 5
Thurston’s Jig
Stewart
B2 The Favourite Dram Trad / arr Wendy Stewart 9/8 Jig Ref 5
B3 The Iron Man J Scott Skinner / arr Patsy
Seddon
4/4 Strathspey Ref 1
B4 The Spey in Spate J Scott Skinner / arr Patsy
Seddon
4/4 Reel Ref 1
B5 The Little Cascade GS MacLennan / arr Wendy
Stewart
4/4 Reel Ref 6
B6 Cailleach an Dùdain (The
Old Woman of the Mill Dust)
Trad / arr Alison Kinnaird 6/8 Jig Ref 4
B7 Port Patrick Trad / arr Alison Kinnaird 4/4 Air/Jig Ref 8
B8 The Thorn Bush*
James Fraser / arr Anne 4/4 Strathspey Ref 20
and
McDearmid
Sir Reginald MacDonald* Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 4/4 Reel Ref 20
B9 Ben Dorain Ronald Stevenson 4/4, 12/8,
2/2
*These tunes may be played in either Ab or A major.
Recent compositions:
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Song Air Ref 27
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
C1 Lament for a Blind Harper Savourna Stevenson 4/4 Air Ref 11
C2 The Wild West Waltz Wendy Stewart 3/4 Waltz Ref 3
C3 Amy’s Rollerskates Mary Macmaster 6/8 Jig Ref 1
C4 Marsaili Stewart Skinner Corinna Hewat 4/4 Reel Ref 7
C5 Harps at Hamnavoe Isobel Mieras 3/4 Air Ref 1

© 2007 RSAMD
2. TECHNICAL WORK: to be played from memory in the following keys:
As in Grade 3, plus mixolydian (the ‘pipe scale’) starting on Bb, F, C, G, D, A and E
The examiner will request only as many of the items below as needed to form a firm opinion of your
ability – normally one per category.
Scales: two octaves, ascending and descending, hands separate or together.
Arpeggios: three octaves, ascending and descending, divided between hands, as in:
Exercises: damped scale, one octave, left hand only descending, as in:
Or etouffe thumb:
Shakes in the following key and pattern:
‘Thistles’ in the following key and pattern:
Repeated notes in the following key and pattern:
3. QUICK STUDY: Perform EITHER at sight or by ear, at your choice, a short passage requiring both
hands in march, jig or strathspey time. For example:
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© 2007 RSAMD
The piece will be in one of the keys covered by the scale requirements up to and including this grade.
4. PRACTICAL AND AURAL MUSICIANSHIP FOR THE GRADE
12

GRADE 5
© 2007 RSAMD
1. PERFORMANCE: you have a maximum of 9 minutes to play two stand-alone tunes and one set of
three tunes chosen from the following categories. At least one tune from each category must be played.
Airs:
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
A1 An t-Eilean Muileach (The Isle Trad / arr Savourna Stevenson
of Mull)
3/4 Air Ref 2
A2 Isle of Aigas Corrina Hewat 3/4 Air Ref 7
A3 Port Atholl Trad / arr Alison Kinnaird 4/4 Air Ref 8
A4 Miss Graham of Inchbrakie Nath. Gow / candidate’s own
arrangement
4/4 Air Ref 13
A5 Mo Dhòmhnallan Fhèin (My Trad / candidate’s own 3/4 Air Ref 22
Own Dear Donald)
arrangement
A6 Leanaibh an Aigh (Child of
Joy)
Trad / arr Anne MacDearmid 3/4 Air Ref 28
A7 Smeòrach Chlann Dhòmhnaill Trad / arr Isobel Mieras
(Clan Donald’s Thrush)
3/4 Air Ref 1
Dance or rhythmically varied tunes:
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
B1 The Shepherdess Trad / candidate’s own arrangement 12/8 Jig Ref 22
B2 The Point Road Iain MacLeod / candidate’s own
arrangement
6/8 Jig Ref 12
B3 Aandowin’ at the Bow and Trad / arr Catriona McKay 4/4 Reel Ref 2
Bonnie Isle o’ Whalsay and Trad / arr Catriona McKay 4/4 Reel Ref 2
Ahint da Daecks o’ Voe Trad / arr Catriona McKay 4/4 Reel Ref 2
B4 Fr John MacMillan of Norman MacDonald/ candidate’s 2/4 March Ref 21
Barra
own arrangement
B5 Crossing the Minch Donald MacLeod/ candidate’s own
arrangement
4/4 Hornpipe Ref 21
B6 The Old Reel Trad / arr Corinna Hewat 4/4 Reel Ref 7
B7 The G Minor Reel Trad / arr Corinna Hewat 4/4 Reel Ref 7
B8 Old Woman’s Dance Donald MacLeod / arr Patsy Seddon 6/8 Jig Ref 1
B9 The Seagull Donald MacLeod / arr Patsy Seddon 6/8 Jig Ref 1
B10 The Merry Boys of Greenland Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid
and
4/4 Reel Ref 10
Sleep Soon in da Mornin’ and Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 4/4 Reel Ref 10
Willafjord Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 4/4 Reel Ref 10
B11 Seann Triubhais Uilleachan
(Plain Old Trews)
Trad / arr Charlotte Petersen 4/4 Dance air Ref 29
B12 Bhanarach Dhonn a’ Chruidh
(The Brown-haired Dairymaid)
and
Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 3/8 Air Ref 10
Bò Lurach Thu (My Pretty Trad / arr Anne Macdearmid 3/4 Working Ref 10
Cow, You)
song
Recent compositions:
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© 2007 RSAMD
Title Composer/arranger Time-sig Type Source
C1 The Flawless Juggler Mary Macmaster 4/4 Reel Ref 1
C2 Michael’s Mazurka Michael Ferrie/ arr Patsy Seddon 3/4 Mazurka Ref 1
C3 Calum’s Road Donald Shaw / candidate’s own 4/4 Strathspey/ Ref 21
arrangement
Reel
C4 Marnie Swanson of the A. Thorburn / candidate’s own 6/4 Air Ref 12
Grey Coast
arrangement
C5 Ceolraidh Inbhirnis (The
Inverness Muses)
and
Anne Macdearmid Tbc Strathspey Ref 1
Ceolraidh 2002 Anne Macdearmid Tbc Reel Ref 1
2. TECHNICAL WORK: to be played from memory in the following keys:
As in Grade 4, plus C, G, D and A harmonic minors
The examiner will request only as many of the items below as needed to form a firm opinion of your
ability – normally one per category.
Scales: two octaves, ascending and descending, hands separate or together.
Arpeggios: two octaves, ascending and descending, hands separate or together, as in:
Dominant seventh chords: two octaves in the keys of Eb, Bb and F majors, root position, divided
between hands, as in:
Exercises: harmonics in the following key and pattern:
Grips in the following key and pattern:
Strikes in the following key and pattern:
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Birls in the following key and pattern:
© 2007 RSAMD
3. QUICK STUDY: Perform EITHER at sight or by ear, at your choice, a short passage requiring both
hands in jig, strathspey or reel time. For example:
The piece will be in one of the keys covered by the scale requirements up to and including this grade.
4. PRACTICAL AND AURAL MUSICIANSHIP FOR THE GRADE
15

© 2007 RSAMD
References for tunes listed in the Scottish harp syllabus
Reference Title Publisher/Edition/Year
Ref 1 Not yet published. Please check for updates on
availability at http://gradedexams.rsamd.ac.uk.
N/a
Ref 2 Comunn na Clàrsaich: The Milennium Folio Comunn na Clàrsaich: 2000
Ref 3 About Time: Music for the Clarsach by Wendy Stewart Harpstring House: 1994
Ref 4 The Small Harp: a Step by Step Tutor by Alison
Kinnaird
Kinmor Music: 1989
Ref 5 Standing Wave: Music for the Scottish Harp by Wendy
Stewart
Cairn Water Music: 2003
Ref 6 About Time Too!: Scottish Harp by Wendy Stewart Harpstring House: 1998
Ref 7 Scottish Harp: A Collection of Original and Scottish
Traditional Tunes Arranged for the Celtic Harp by
Corrina Hewat
Harpstring House: 2002
Ref 8 The Harp Key: Music for the Scottish Harp Arranged by Kinmor Music: 1986 (2
Alison Kinnaird
nd
reprint 1995)
Ref 9 Traditional Tunes for Harp: Arranged by Catriona
McKay and Charlotte Peterson – Book 1 (Intermediate to
Advanced)
CMCP Publications: n.d.
Ref 10 Ceòl na Clàrsaich: Arrangements and Compositions for
Celtic Harp by Anne Macdearmid
Anne Macdearmid: 1987
Ref 11 Lament for a Blind Harper, by Savourna Stevenson Old School Productions: 1997
Ref 12 The Nineties Collection: New Scottish Tunes in
Traditional Style
Saltire Music: 1995
Ref 13 The Fiddle Music of Scotland Hardie Press: 1988
Ref 14 Singing Strings Swanston Music: 2005
Ref 15 Comunn na Clàrsaich, Folio 28 Comunn na Clarsaich: n.d.
Ref 16 Tunes from Scotland for Harp: Arranged by Catriona
McKay and Charlotte Peterson – Book 1
CMCP Publications: n.d.
Ref 17 The Wind That Shakes the Barley Swanston Music: 2004
Ref 18 Comunn na Clàrsaich, Folio 1 Comunn na Clarsaich: n.d.
Ref 19 Ceòl na Clàrsaich: Arrangements and Compositions for
Celtic Harp by Anne Macdearmid, Book 2
Anne Macdearmid: n.d.
Ref 20 Ceòl na Clàrsaich: Arrangements and Compositions for
Celtic Harp by Anne Macdearmid, Book 4
Anne Macdearmid: 2001
Ref 21 Ceòl nam Fèis (vol 1) Feisean nan Gaidheal: 1996
Ref 22 The Simon Fraser Collection: Airs and Melodies Peculiar Cranford Publications: n.d.
to the Highlands of Scotland
Ref 23 Comunn na Clàrsaich 75 th Anniversary Folio Comunn na Clàrsaich: 2007
Ref 24 Tunes from Scotland for Harp: Arranged by Catriona
McKay and Charlotte Peterson – Book 2 (Elementary to
Intermediate)
CMCP Publications: n.d.
Ref 25 A Harper’s Pleasure Swanston Music: n.d.
Ref 26 Comunn na Clàrsaich Folio 14 Comunn na Clàrsaich: n.d.
Ref 27 Sounding Strings United Music Publishers: n.d.
Ref 28 Comunn na Clàrsaich Folio 15 Comunn na Clàrsaich: n.d.
Ref 29 Traditional Tunes for Harp: Arranged by Catriona
McKay and Charlotte Peterson – Book 2 (Intermediate to
Advanced)
CMCP Publications: n.d.
Ref 30 The Dowie Dens of Yarrow, by Savourna Stevenson Old School Productions: n.d.
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