Diplcm In Piano Options

[Maxim]

Hi,

I'm thinking of entering the piano DipLCM in the summer but am worried that I haven't reached the required standard, even though I passed grade 8 with a high merit nearly 3 years ago, but I've heard that many candidates fail because the standard is extremely high, even though this is only an introductory diploma.

I would love to hear from those of you who have taken this examination, and find out how long you prepared for it, how confident you felt at the time (were your pieces nearly perfect?), and also what sort of comments you got from the examiner.

Many thanks.

[Lucid]

Hi,

I'm thinking of entering the piano DipLCM in the summer but am worried that I haven't reached the required standard, even though I passed grade 8 with a high merit nearly 3 years ago, but I've heard that many candidates fail because the standard is extremely high, even though this is only an introductory diploma.

I would love to hear from those of you who have taken this examination, and find out how long you prepared for it, how confident you felt at the time (were your pieces nearly perfect?), and also what sort of comments you got from the examiner.

Many thanks.

Hi Maxim,

I haven't done the DipLCM but I do know that it's the same NQF level as the DipABRSM and the ATCL - they are all NQF level 4. Level 4 is the equivalent standard to a 1st year undergraduate degree module. Have you been keeping your playing up to scratch in the 3 years since you did grade 8 and do you feel your standard has improved? If so then you should probably feel quite confident about entering for the diploma. Do you have a teacher who is able to help and advise you too?

Good luck! Lucid (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Mad Tom]

Hi,

I'm thinking of entering the piano DipLCM in the summer but am worried that I haven't reached the required standard, even though I passed grade 8 with a high merit nearly 3 years ago, but I've heard that many candidates fail because the standard is extremely high, even though this is only an introductory diploma.

I would love to hear from those of you who have taken this examination, and find out how long you prepared for it, how confident you felt at the time (were your pieces nearly perfect?), and also what sort of comments you got from the examiner.

I took my ALCM over 20 years ago, and was giving regular classical recitals and accompanying singers and instrumentalists in the mid 1980's. I returned to serious study of piano early in 2007, and have been working hard at it (4 hours a day) ever since.

I intend to take the DiprABRSM as the first step back into the world of exams and Diplomas. It is probably at a slightly higher standard than the ALCM of 20-odd years ago.

Lucid says that the NQF level 4 diplomas are about the level of a first year undergraduate degree module, but somehow makes it sound as if that is not much of a standard to reach. Well I share theory classes and practice rooms with a bunch of 1st year conservatoire students (call me grandad!) and I can tell you that the standard expected of the pianists at the end of their first year is light years beyond grade 8.

My advice would be to wait until you have 75% of the recital nailed before you make your entry. Try to create opportunities to perform the works - student recitals, festivals, competitions ... anything helps. And record them and listen back to yourself. Also it is helpful to learn several other works from the composers that you choose, and by their contemporaries, to give your playing more understanding, depth and authority.

I originally thought I'd have done the Dipabrsm by now, but as it is I am entered to take the exam in November this year.

[Lucid]

Lucid says that the NQF level 4 diplomas are about the level of a first year undergraduate degree module, but somehow makes it sound as if that is not much of a standard to reach. Well I share theory classes and practice rooms with a bunch of 1st year conservatoire students (call me grandad!) and I can tell you that the standard expected of the pianists at the end of their first year is light years beyond grade 8.

Darn, I forgot to add that they probably refer to a 1st year undergrad module of a music college/conservatoire, which is something I've picked up on here before - probably from you Mad Tom! I didn't mean to make it sound like it's not much of a standard to reach. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I'm not sure if they are quite looking for conservatoire standards though because I passed my diploma while I was at uni (2nd year) and at that time would have been less of a player than someone in their 1st year of a music college degree. It is a little ambiguous I think as they don't specify (as far as I know) that they mean music college standard, rather than standard uni degrees.

I'm currently preparing for my ALCM on the sax for the end of the year and it's the first sax exam I will have done for about 8 years. It's level 5 but I'm actually feeling pretty confident about it. The thing with the DipLCM is you have to do a Viva Voce (like in the DipABRSM) so you want to make sure you're really well read on the pieces, composers and the instrument. Looking back on my diploma I'm amazed at how little background reading I actually did for preparation. When I eventually go for the LRSM on my clarinet I'm going to put as much work and effort in as I can as I don't want to just pass, which is the same approach I'm using for the ALCM sax diploma too.

Following on from Mad Tom's advice I would say that if you haven't got a teacher maybe try to have a lesson or two with someone who is experienced in preparing candidates for diplomas so that they can give you some ideas on your standard and the timescale.

Lucid (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Maxim]

Thank you very much for your replies.

I do see a teacher every now and then but he's not sure if I'll pass or not as he's never entered anyone for this examination. A couple of other teachers who have heard my recital have completely different opinions: one of them said I was talented and that it's worth a go, but another teacher (who also works as an examiner) said I don't have the musical maturity, and told me to play just "for pleasure" and forget about the diploma. This was quite upsetting as I have been working very hard, but according to my teacher, we all have limitations and perhaps my limit was grade 8.

I have recorded myself and have mixed feelings about it all - the Romantic and Modern pieces are just about tolerable on a good day, but the Baroque ones don't sound quite convincing, even though I've played them hundreds of times and know them from memory. All I can do is keep working at it - I would really like to prove the "negative" teacher wrong!

Exams are important to me because they give me the encouragement to work very hard on quality, even though I only play piano as a hobby and the qualifications are of no use to me (I started to learn piano as an adult, and I have a full-time job).

[BerkshireMum]

I have recorded myself and have mixed feelings about it all - the Romantic and Modern pieces are just about tolerable on a good day, but the Baroque ones don't sound quite convincing, even though I've played them hundreds of times and know them from memory. All I can do is keep working at it - I would really like to prove the "negative" teacher wrong!

I'd say you need to feel that your pieces are convincing and more than tolerable before you do a diploma. Why not wait another year, working on the musical interpretation, and then see how you feel? It certainly isn't enough at diploma level just to play the right notes, however advanced the piece; they are looking for a lot of musicality.

I take your point about exams being a motivator, but to take one before you're really ready, and then fail, wouldn't be a helpful experience. It's quite a big step from grade 8 to diploma, so don't enter too soon.

[fsharpminor]

I took my ALCM over 20 years ago, and was giving regular classical recitals and accompanying singers and instrumentalists in the mid 1980's. I returned to serious study of piano early in 2007, and have been working hard at it (4 hours a day) ever since.

I intend to take the DiprABRSM as the first step back into the world of exams and Diplomas. It is probably at a slightly higher standard than the ALCM of 20-odd years ago.

I may do the same when I retire Tom , but in my case I did ALCM 46 years ago ! I thought I might just have a go at DipABRSM just to prove I can still pass an exam ! I could even play Beethoven Op10 No 2 again which I can still more or less play from memory. However when I think of the cost of taking the exam, and the fact that I would just be doing it for personal satisfaction, and not for any professional reason, I have to ask whether it is worth doing .

[mel2]

However when I think of the cost of taking the exam, and the fact that I would just be doing it for personal satisfaction, and not for any professional reason, I have to ask whether it is worth doing .

Go for it, fsm! What better thing to spend money on than your own personal satisfaction? It's not that much, after all, in the great scheme of things and it is good to scare yourself now and then. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

And, why not enter with something completely new to really shake up the brain cells? There is nothing like a challenge and unlike work, this is for fun. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

[Lucid]

Lucid says that the NQF level 4 diplomas are about the level of a first year undergraduate degree module, but somehow makes it sound as if that is not much of a standard to reach. Well I share theory classes and practice rooms with a bunch of 1st year conservatoire students (call me grandad!) and I can tell you that the standard expected of the pianists at the end of their first year is light years beyond grade 8.

I thought it'd be relevant to post on here that I emailed the diploma office at the AB to ask them whether they do refer to conservatoire students when they refer to the equivalent levels. Basically they don't and the NQF levels refer to standard degrees but to see the full reply I've edited my post here:

http://forums.abrsm.org/index.php?act=ST&a...t=0#entry681565

Lucid (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Mad Tom]

Lucid says that the NQF level 4 diplomas are about the level of a first year undergraduate degree module, but somehow makes it sound as if that is not much of a standard to reach. Well I share theory classes and practice rooms with a bunch of 1st year conservatoire students (call me grandad!) and I can tell you that the standard expected of the pianists at the end of their first year is light years beyond grade 8.

I thought it'd be relevant to post on here that I emailed the diploma office at the AB to ask them whether they do refer to conservatoire students when they refer to the equivalent levels. Basically they don't and the NQF levels refer to standard degrees but to see the full reply I've edited my post here:

http://forums.abrsm.org/index.php?act=ST&a...t=0#entry681565

Lucid (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Thanks for the clarification. So probably the Conservatoires are expecting a higher standard of performance than NQF Level 4.

It is interesting that the ALCM is rated at level 5 - but I guess that applies to the current ALCM, and not the award as it was back in the 1980's and earlier, which would probably be level 4 like all the other first diplomas - or maybe aven level 3.5