Bruce Alan Wilson asked:

1. "would it be a good idea if there were [a unified music examination
system as in the UK]", and
2. "what group would be the best group to sponsor it?"

(1) All I can do is point at the benefits in the UK: (the ABRSM has a
lot more!)

a.  Because many school-children do these exams, there appears to be some
positive peer pressure towards doing music seriously (as opposed to the
insidious negative peer pressure shown to boys who do ballet).

b.  There is a long-term statistical link between working on music exams
and enhanced success in academic exams.

c.  The step level of the exams encourages pupils to move to the next grade
- to increase their musical skills.

d.  County and national orchestras and bands then have a standard
evaluation measure for "rough-cut" purposes; so you can have an ensemble
of Grade 4-6 where you know in advance that Royal Fireworks is feasible
but Firebird is not.

(2) Perhaps a combination exam board (Curtis, Julliard etc) would be the
way forward; or, indeed, a collaboration by the major US music schools with
the ABRSM!

CR