Diploma Pupils Info

DipLCM Checklists

A term to go:

·         Finalise your programme.

·         Enter! Make sure that it is a date you can make and that you have adequate practice time leading up to it.

·         Time your programme and decide on repeats etc

·         Write your programme notes- use a good piano concert programme as a guide and use Music in Words, Herbert, ABRSM to help with the technical aspects of writing.

·         Build up your viva folder with sections on: the composer, the piece, the style, every aspect of the score and your experiences learning and practising it. Read round your subjects.

One to two months to go:

·         Practise performing your pieces by recording them and then be honest as you listen and assess.

·         Sort out the “housekeeping issues” such as order, page turns, page turner, copies for the examiners etc.

·         Arrange to play your programme or parts of it on different pianos, include a grand in this.

·         Play through to a pianist friend- it’s good to have other opinions.

·         Have a practice viva and then re-write your folder with mock questions and model answers! Practise these.

·         Check out the diploma centre- where is it, how will you get there? Do a dummy run.

The final week:

·         Decide what to wear (include shoes, hair, gloves etc)

·         Plan your practice.

·         Rehearse the performance- walking in, adjusting stool, what you will say etc.

·         Do a countdown for the day and include travel, eating and exercise factors.

Fiona Lau March 2013

Doing a Diploma, taking on new pupils, starting teaching in schools or beginning to teach and need help? Take a look at the Piano Teachers Helpline on www.fionalau.com


Some Top Tips for performance diploma pupils:

Do 2 or 3 recitals before the Dip; it might be to one person or a roomful, but you should play without breaks, they should clap and you should bow.

Write your programme notes as early as possible as this will give you time to learn them and to have some practise viva voce sessions. Use concert programme notes, CD inserts and "Music in Words" by Herbert, ABRSM, to help you.

Do lots of grade3-7 standard pieces for your Quick Study/ Sight Reading.

Have some practise viva sessions, also prepare for the viva by writing up some model answers to possible questions. ABRSM have model questions in their dip syllabus, so use them.

See Mrs Lau's Guide to Surviving Exams!

Teaching Diploma Students.

If you are contemplating taking DipABRSM teaching, this is a link to David Barton's excellent Top Tips:

http://www.davidbartonmusic.co.uk/top-tips-for-teaching-diplomas

Here's a link to some of the best teaching videos I have ever seen and a guide to Piano Adventures Primer Level:

http://pianoadventures.com/guide/index.html

Dip LCM Piano Performance info

The Dip currently costs £145 and the nearest centre is London and you can take it three times a year- Spring, Summer and Winter.

Marks:

DIPLOMAS IN PERFORMANCE: DipLCM, ALCM, LLCM

Approved, upper level (85-100%)

A candidate who achieves a mark in this band will have offered a highly accurate, fluent and musical response in all or most of the components. They will have demonstrated secure technical accomplishment on their instrument or voice, and will have shown evidence of excellent musicality. They will have demonstrated a thorough knowledge and understanding of rudimentary and contextual knowledge in relation to the repertoire performed. They will have communicated, through performance, a sense of real engagement with, an understanding of, and a clear sense of individual personality in relation to, the repertoire, appropriate to the level of diploma being examined.

Approved (75-84%)

A candidate who achieves a mark in this band will have offered an accurate, fluent and musical response in all or most of the components. They will have demonstrated a good standard of technical accomplishment on their instrument or voice, and will have shown significant evidence of musicality. They will have demonstrated a largely assured knowledge and understanding of rudimentary and contextual knowledge in relation to the repertoire performed. They will have communicated, through performance, some sense of engagement with, some understanding of, and some sense of musical personality in relation to, the repertoire, appropriate to the level of diploma being examined.

Not approved, upper level (55-74%)

A candidate who achieves a mark in this band will have demonstrated some inaccuracy, lack of fluency, and lack of musicality in all or most of the components. They will not have demonstrated an acceptable standard of technical accomplishment on their instrument or voice. Their knowledge and understanding of rudimentary and contextual knowledge in relation to the repertoire performed will have been judged to be below the standard required to pass. They will have failed to communicate, through performance, a sufficient degree of understanding of the repertoire, or ability to engage the listener, appropriate to the level of diploma being examined.

Not approved, lower level (0-54%)

A candidate who achieves a mark in this band will have demonstrated significant inaccuracy, lack of fluency, and little or no musicality in all or most of the components. Their standard of technical accomplishment on their instrument or voice will have been judged as significantly below that required to pass. Their knowledge and understanding of rudimentary and contextual knowledge in relation to the repertoire performed will have been minimal in relation to the requirements of the diploma. They will have failed to communicate, through performance, any discernible understanding.

Exam Breakdown:

Component 1: Performance

Candidates should compile and perform a recital of 15-20 minutes’ duration. The repertoire should be chosen from the list of pieces in the DipLCM list for the instrument. As part of the recital, candidates may choose ONE own-choice work of a similar standard.

The programme should be interesting, balanced and varied. Original and creative approaches to programmebuilding are encouraged. The recital must consist of more than one single work.

Where a sonata, suite or a similar work in more than one movement is listed, candidates may decide to perform the whole work, or a movement or selection of movements from it, as they wish, unless indicated to the contrary. Where a selection of movements from a work is listed, candidates may perform one, more or all of the movements specified, unless indicated to the contrary. Candidates should produce, and bring with them to the examination, a written programme. This should comprise, for each piece performed, the composer, the date of composition and a brief description of the music, identifying any distinguishing features.

Repertoire lists for certain instruments include specific requirements, and candidates should note these with care.

Component 2: Viva voce

The examiner will lead the candidate in a discussion about the music performed in Component 1. The candidate will be expected to demonstrate detailed technical and contextual knowledge about the repertoire. Questions may be asked on the following:

• explanation of musical symbols and terms as found in the scores;

• basic formal, structural, tonal, harmonic, melodic and rhythmic structures;

• background knowledge of the composer and the historical context;

• the candidate’s personal response and approach to learning and performing the music.

Repertoire lists for certain instruments include specific requirements, and candidates should note these with

care.

Component 3: Sight reading

Candidates will be given approximately one minute’s preparation time to study a short piece of previously unseen music. During this time, they may ‘try out’ small sections of the music, but they may not play the whole piece through from beginning to end. Following the preparation time, the examiner will ask the candidate to perform the music.

NB. Refer to the repertoire lists for electronic keyboard and organ, pipe organ and popular music vocals for

tests taken in lieu of this component.

Diplomas in Performance: further guidelines

for performance component

Presentation: At all four levels of diploma, examiners will take the presentation of the performance component into account in awarding marks. Candidates should be appropriately dressed, and should conduct themselves with suitable concert etiquette and regard for platform techniques throughout. However, they will not be expected to bow either before or after their performance.

Choice of repertoire: Candidates should select their repertoire with care, in order to produce an interesting, balanced and varied programme, which demonstrates a wide range of performance techniques and elements of musicianship. This will normally be achieved by selecting music from different composers and historical periods; but programmes consisting of music of one style (eg. Romantic), genre of composition (eg. the prelude) or even of one composer, are acceptable, so long as the considerations detailed above are applied. In such instances, it will be essential to include a wide range of expressive and technical contrast in the programme. Candidates are encouraged to choose music with which they have a natural affinity and empathy. Original and

creative approaches to programme-building are encouraged.

Announcement of pieces: Candidates at DipLCM and ALCM may announce their pieces if they wish. Candidates at LLCM and FLCM, however, should not announce their pieces (except electronic keyboard and organ and classical singing).

Repeats: The decision to include or not to include repeats, tutti sections, etc. rests entirely with the candidate.

Examiners will be looking for a rounded, musical performance.

Cadenzas: Cadenzas should be included at all diploma levels.

Own choice items: These must be of a technical standard consistent with that of the appropriate diploma level. It is the responsibility of candidates to ensure that this is the case, and, where own choice repertoire does not enable candidates to demonstrate mastery at the relevant level, the assessment may reflect this. There is no need for own choice repertoire to be approved in advance; however, advice on the selection of own choice repertoire is available from the Chief Examiner in Music.

Memory: With the exception of vocal recitals, for which particular conventions apply, it is not compulsory for candidates to perform from memory. No additional credit will be given for performance from memory.

FLCM examinations: These may take place in front of an audience, provided that (a) this does not affect the normal examination procedure (ie. intervals, breaks, and the use of a compère are not permitted); and (b) this has been agreed in advance with the Chief Examiner in Music.

Scores: Candidates should ensure that additional copies of scores are available for the use of the examiner.

(See Regulation 17.)

The use of digital pianos or recorded backing tracks is not permitted under ANY circumstances. (This does not apply to sequenced backing tracks prepared by electron

DipLCM in Performance

Performance (assessed in Component 1)

Candidates should be able to:

1. compile and perform a 15-20 minute programme of music of the appropriate standard;

2. demonstrate secure technique, musicianship and interpretative skills appropriate to diploma level;

3. present a written programme.

Viva voce (assessed in Component 2)

Candidates should be able to:

1. respond orally to questions from, and enter into a discussion with, the examiner regarding aspects of the

pieces performed, and approaches to learning and performing them;

2. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the historical and musical context of the pieces

performed;

3. articulate answers clearly and confidently, employing appropriate terminology

Sight reading (assessed in Component 3)

NB. Refer to the repertoire lists for electronic keyboard and organ, pipe organ and popular music vocals for

tests taken in lieu of this component.

Candidates should be able to:

1. perform, as accurately and fluently as possible, an extract of previously unseen music, after a short period of preparation; 2. use the preparation time effectively to enable the performance to be as accurate and musical as possible.