LCM Composition Grades Thread Options

[Alicia Ocean]

If I was to give one bit of advice for these, I'd say make sure your arrangements are arrangements. All too often, what happens is people take the original piece then they simply divide up the notes between their chosen instruments - this is really transcribing not arranging. An arrangement needs to be much more than that. For example, is there an opportunity to write an introduction or interlude between verses, using some of the thematic material? Is there opportunity for reharmonization? etc. etc. (sorry if that sounds really obvious (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) )

I'd be a bit more cautious here.

For the Grade 2 all I did was to write a four bar introduction, then divide the given notes between three instruments (literally no new notes were added), and then I did a repeat in a modulation to the subdominant - the original didn't repeat or change key,

...... yet the comments ended with the line "However the biggest problem here is that the liberties taken with the original amount more to re-composition than to arrangement". 21/30

[Seer_Green]

If I was to give one bit of advice for these, I'd say make sure your arrangements are arrangements. All too often, what happens is people take the original piece then they simply divide up the notes between their chosen instruments - this is really transcribing not arranging. An arrangement needs to be much more than that. For example, is there an opportunity to write an introduction or interlude between verses, using some of the thematic material? Is there opportunity for reharmonization? etc. etc. (sorry if that sounds really obvious (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) )

I'd be a bit more cautious here.

For the Grade 2 all I did was to write a four bar introduction, then divide the given notes between three instruments (literally no new notes were added), and then I did a repeat in a modulation to the subdominant - the original didn't repeat or change key,

...... yet the comments ended with the line "However the biggest problem here is that the liberties taken with the original amount more to re-composition than to arrangement". 21/30

Well, that's the advice I'd give based on my experience. Partly it'll depend on what you're arranging - you're going to need to do more to something which starts as a single melody line than you would a hymn which already starts with other parts and harmony.

[Alicia Ocean]

sorry - should have been clearer - I was referring to the arrangement of a piano piece from the LCM Grade 1 piano handbook, the examiner thought was overworked.

My arrangement of a song was more successful - although again the comments were a little off the mark as they referred to "this well known song" when I had actually chosen something very obscure indeed.

In all there was a general feeling of not quite knowing what I should be doing in these exams.

[lou24]

Just thought i would add that when i did my grade 2 i did a tune for a poem rather than a tune for an existing folksong, hymn etc and that was also acceptable. I am repeating this for my grade 6, in fact this is complete as is the arrangement requirement, just seem to be struggling to come up with any original thoughts for the original composition!!!!!!!
I found the board to be really helpful and the sults were back within the week and the comments very helpful.

[RoseRodent]

I did it all on my free download of Finale Notepad. I lost a few marks on presentation at each grade through the deficiencies of the program and not really my fault. Their latest version might be OK but mine had a few things you couldn't fix - such as note stems crashing into dynamic symbols.

You could look at Musescore. It's a free download and very capable. It takes a lot of getting to know but by reading the online help and following up the updates and participating in the forum to improve the code it's getting better and better. You can import files in the xml format which I would assume you can extract from Finale so you don't have to input everything from scratch.

[ymapazagain]

These exams look great. I love that they can be submitted at any time and there's a nice range of compositions required.

The only barrier I'm seeing so far is payment. I'm in Australia so it's not as simple as including a cheque in the post, there's currency issues involved. I'm contacting them to find out if it's possible to pay online/by phone with a credit card in advance of them receiving the compositions and entry form.

[Maizie]

If they will only accept payment from a UK bank, I am sue you could find a friendly forum member who you could PayPal the money and they'll send a cheque on to LCM (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Norway]

I've just got my first taker for LCM Grade 2 Composition - retired lady piano student with good grade 5 theory and a sense of adventure. The option to set a hymn is right up her street as she goes to church and could get it performed there. She struggles a bit with playing and is too nervous to take practical exams, so the "coursework" set-up is ideal! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[JudithJ]

These exams look wonderful, thanks for pointing them out.

How would you go about finding a teacher? Do you think that it could be done by email/Skype? Basically someone to point the way when you get stuck, and to mark your work.

[Tony Triggs]

Does anyone know whether passes in LCM Composition grades 6 and 8 attract UCAS points, as passes in the corresponding instrumental and theory exams do?

I emailed LCM to ask this and got no response. In general are they a good board to work with?

TDT

[Norway]

I was looking into this a couple of weeks ago - I looked at their website and found the points for the practical and theory exams but not for composition. I also have their composition syllabus, but it doesn't say for sure (or if it does I can't find it). I phoned them a couple of months ago about another matter, and got a good response.

[BitterSweet]

Having looked at the UCAS website, I suspect the answer is no, they do not carry points.

It seems to be the case, from reading the website, that ABRSM applied in 2002 to have the theory and practical grades 6-8 be given tarrif points. When this was granted, the award was expanded to the three main examination boards, and then this year to Trinity Rock & Pop vocals. See here, including the pdf doc: http://www.ucas.com/students/ucas_tariff/factsheet/music

Since LCM did not make the initial application, coupled with them being the only board to offer composition, and the number of students for whom tarrif points would be relevant (number of people taking exams x number pre-ucas application x number applying to universities which actively use the tarrif system rather than grades etc), I'm going with assuming they don't.

Not that it matters for me, since UCAS is far behind me now!

[Tony Triggs]

I asked LCM the UCAS points question again and was told no - they aren't awarded for LCM composition exams.