The new London College of Music piano syllabus for 2018-2020 was launched in November 2017 and is valid from spring 2018 to winter 2020. The syllabus is accompanied by handbooks for each grade, and all candidates must perform at least one piece from the relevant handbook. There are alternate pieces for each grade available in the LCM's Piano Anthologies, and these can still be used for the 2018-2020 syllabus. Overall, the syllabus ranges from three pre-Grade 1 exams up to Grade 8, and also includes professional diplomas in performance and teaching.
LCM Introductory Examinations
A quick word about the three introductory exams: these consist of Pre-Prep, Step 1 and Step 2 exams, all featuring music by the piano teacher and composer Heather Hammond. It often takes a piano pupil longer to achieve Grade 1 than other pupils, and so these introductory exams are very useful for pupils who would benefit from official recognition of their progress.
LCM Piano Handbooks Grades 1 to 5
The launch of a new piano syllabus is always exciting, and Grades 1 to 5 are very popular across all the exam boards. I was especially delighted to see that the LCM Piano Handbooks for each grade contain everything a candidate will need to sit the exam: Technical Work, Performance, Discussion, and examples of the Sight Reading and Aural Test components. No extra purchases necessary. They are beautifully presented and clearly laid-out, with notes by four trustworthy experts or by the contemporary composers featured. These give very straightforward and useful guidelines about each piece and its performance, and each is printed alongside the relevant piece – a boon for everyone.
Technical Component
The technical requirements for Grades 1 to 5 offer the option of playing either a study, or the traditional scales, broken chords and arpeggios. (Grade 1 asks for scales hands separately two octaves and together one octave – fantastic!) Of course an exam syllabus is not a curriculum, so teaching scales and so on is a very good idea either way. But neither are the studies an easy option: featuring the likes of Loeschhorn, Sartorio, Concone and so on, they certainly cover techniques that could reasonably be expected at each grade.
Performance Component
The Performance Component lists – three lists of three pieces each for Grades 1 to 5 – feature a mix of core piano repertoire and a refreshing selection of contemporary pieces. For example, List A selections include music by Mozart, Kabalevsky, J.S. Bach, Arne, Granados and Couperin. Lists B and C feature pieces by Bartók, Prokofiev, Cage, Alan Bullard, Pam Wedgwood, Elissa Milne, Evelyn Glennie, Mike Schoenmehl, Valerie Capers and more. I was also delighted to note the high incidence of pieces by female composers on the lists. LCM are to be congratulated on this.
Discussion Component
From the Pre-Prep exam right through the grades, LCM exams include a component called Discussion. In the Introductory exams it is called Recognition of Notes (Pre-Preparatory) and Questions on Rudiments (Steps 1 and 2). This component is exactly that: a discussion in a conversational style on the music performed. I think this is a wonderful part of the exams: a chance for the candidate to demonstrate their understanding of the music they have performed which can also, for some pianists, be a helpfully relaxing component of the exam.
Sight Reading and Aural Tests Component
There are several specimen sight-reading tests included in each handbook and it's worth noting that candidates are allowed up to one minute to prepare each test. Sample aural tests are also in the handbooks, in Specimen Aural Tests (LL 189), and available as downloads from www.lcmebooks.org.
Handbooks and Syllabus
The LCM Piano Handbooks not only contain the music for the standard grades but also for the LCM Piano Recital Grades (consisting of three pieces and sight-reading), and LCM Piano Leisure Play exams (four pieces). All these examination formats are Ofqual regulated, and the Piano Grades Syllabus 2018-2020 provides a very clear overview of all the piano grades and their requirements.
This new syllabus is extremely user-friendly, giving candidates and teachers increased choice, and makes good use of pieces by living composers alongside the traditional core piano repertoire – and all this in one comprehensive book per grade. An extremely valid choice.
