Students can now be assessed in their own home

Picture: London College of Music Examinations

Aspiring musicians can now complete graded music exams from home thanks to a new online scheme by the London College of Music Examinations (LCME) at the University of West London (UWL).

The digital exams offering by examinations body, LCME – which has been grading learners for the past 133 years – will allow candidates to perform for examiners easily and safely while maintaining social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Anyone studying up to Grade 4 can now undertake Online Exams with live assessments by experienced LCME examiners, exactly as they would in a traditional face-to-face test setting but all conducted from their own homes.

Alternatively, students can opt to convert to Recorded Exams where they simply record a performance at a time and place that suits them, and upload the video to a newly developed, secure platform for assessment.

Currently available up to Grade 8, Recorded Exams will incorporate the discussion and technical work components, and candidates can select performance pieces from the relevant LCME set list, or equivalent from another accredited body.

The move is designed to offer a reliable, independent and regulated assessment option for students who do not wish to postpone until face-to-face teaching resumes.

Merv Young, Head of LCM Examinations at UWL, said: “With a strong reputation for innovative and flexible exam formats, LCME is well placed to ensure that musicians from all styles of music see their hard work and dedication rewarded with a recognised and regulated qualification.

“Our priority is to provide an alternative to face-to-face examining, and these new measures will ensure our candidates’ hard work and preparations will not go to waste despite the challenging circumstances we are all faced with.”

LCME is an examinations body which offers graded and diploma qualifications in music, as part of the London College of Music.

Find out how to convert to digital exams via the LCME website.

May 13, 2020