1. Composing a melody

1.1. The Marking Criteria

See http://www.abrsm.org/en/our-exams/information-and-regulations/music-theory-marking-
criteria-grades-6-8/ for full details about the marking scheme for the grade 7 composition
question.
For question 3a, you need to have good musical grammar - this means observing the rules
which learnt about when studying harmony for grade 6, and includes things like avoiding
consecutive and doubling the appropriate note of the harmony.
You also need to make sure, of course, that the solo part actually fits together properly with
the piano part.
For question 3b you need to make sure you add performance directions, and they need to
be meaningful ones! You need to use the ideas from the given opening or chord
progressions, if you were asked to do that specifically.
There are 20 points available for the composition question, and you'll get awarded a
minimum of 7 points for handing in a complete attempt at the composition, so make sure
you do put something down on the page, even if you're having a really bad day.