Short answers, pulled from the story.
ABRSM was established in 1889 when Alexander Mackenzie stood at the Royal Academy of Music to make a decision that would reshape music education. George Grove, founding Director of the Royal College of Music, joined him to form an associated examining board for joint local exams.
The present structure with grades 1 through 8 was introduced by ABRSM in 1933 after demand for beginner levels grew rapidly over the next four decades. Originally, the organization had only two grades equivalent to current grades 6 and 7 before expanding its syllabus.
More than 600,000 candidates take ABRSM exams each year across over 90 countries. This organization ranks among the UK's 200 largest charitable organizations by annual expenditure and operates under Ofqual regulation.
Major revisions to diploma syllabuses were announced by ABRSM in 2023 which led to the withdrawal of DipABRDM diplomas by 2024. The Diploma system existed in three levels: ARSM, LRSM and FRSM with specific prerequisites such as Grade 8 Performance required for performance options.
ABRSM published its first books in 1918 before establishing a dedicated publishing department in 1921. Sir Donald Tovey served as one of the original editors writing informative notes still highly regarded today while the department provided suitable music for examinations.