Examinations

Aside from the obvious merits in providing an all-important milestone, a music examination helps to secure a reliable technical and musical grounding and provides some pupils with that necessary future goal or objective. Working towards an examination also develops a sense of discipline and encourages musical excellence.

Once you have reached the stage in your learning where you feel this is the path for you, a wide variety of examination opportunities awaits. London College of Music offer introductory tests (that can be sat after only a few months’ study) to the more demanding and widely-recognised graded examinations in practical and theoretical music.

For those not wishing to pursue the traditional graded assessment (which usually involves scales, sight-reading, aural tests, etc.), the Leisure Play syllabus which focuses on contemporary piano styles might serve them better. Piano duet and composition examinations can also be sat by likeminded candidates.

Advanced pupils can also receive training in preparation for diplomas, which place an emphasis on the analytical, technical and interpretative skills intrinsic for success at this level.