The Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) is a privately funded corporation which assesses music, speech, and drama in Australia. The organisation had its beginnings at the Universities of Melbourne and Adelaide in 1887; the organisation now has a Federal Office in Melbourne, and offices in each state.
In collaboration with teachers, parents and students, the AMEB syllabus writers create and publish syllabuses for educational purposes. Music syllabuses are available for most instruments found in the symphony orchestra and can be used for solo performances in concertos and examinations.
Syllabuses are available for these instruments (note that the syllabuses change each year, with difficulties fluctuating):
Piano grades include: Preliminary: Suitable for very young children learning to play piano. There are no aural tests or sight-reading tests for this grade. Scales are required, as well as Canon, List A, List B, and List C. 1st Grade:
The AMEB has also recently introduced a series of "for leisure" syllabuses for the piano which contain a repertoire of modern music. Syllabuses for Speech and Drama, as well as for Music Theory and Musicianship are also integral to the AMEB's curriculum offerings. AMEB-graded examinations cover a large range of skill levels; from a "Preliminary" grade suitable for very young children through to academic degree-level diplomas, such as the Associate of Music, the Licentiate of Music, and ultimately the Fellowship of Music, a diploma that is often conferred on an honorary basis to musical luminaries.