Do they allow recorded accompaniments in singing exams or does it have to be a live accompanist (as opposed to a dead one - lol!)

You have to have a real live pianist.

I think the only board that allow recorded accompaniments are LCM, they do for music theatre and pop (would have to check for classical singing). If you're stuck for an accompanist have a look on here:-

http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-accompanists/index.php

How much do accompanists charge?
I think it is really unfair that ABRSM compels you to have a live accompaniment and that you also have to pay for it! After you pay for the exam entry you find yourself having to pay for this as well! It should be our choice if we have recorded or 'live' as some of us don't have that much money to splash about...and what is the real 'rationale' to having a live one?
sorry about the moan but had to get it off my chest

Thank you for the link however was really disappointed as West Yorkshire is not listed. I struggle constantly to find an accompanist for students and really feel a pre-recorded accompaniment (allow in no way ideal) would be a godsend - does anyone else have any additional information/ideas?

I think they have updated the site because when I checked I wasn't listed anymore and had to re-register. I had another search and found one for West Yorkshire although this is on a violin/viola site.

http://www.jimpix.co.uk/v/search/a2.asp?po...p;Submit=Submit

I use my own accompanist. He charges £25 per exam, to include a separate rehearsal on a different day, which we do in front of the other candidates, like a little concert.
The fee is the same for grade 1 as grade 8 - he still has a round trip of 50 miles for both days. We have tried others who are cheaper, but frankly they were not really good enough. Once I had to use a different good pianist, and she was £30! I'm afraid you get what you pay for.
Other than professionals, how about contacting schools - they might have an A level student pianist who would appreciate the experience. Or local piano teachers, who might have a student good enough.

The rationale is that singing to a CD is fundamentally different from singing with another musician. In the first case you're fitting your performance into something completely inflexible; in the second you are part of a two-person team in which each responds to the other, and either may lead the other during a particular part of the performance.

I sympathise with the point about the extra expense, though.

Most of the teachers of singing that I know are able to play for their own pupils, at least for geade exams if not diplomas. It is such an important skill for potential teachers to acquire. Good accompanists can be hard to find, and have to charge a fair fee for their time spent in learning new works, revising old ones and rehearsal time as well as for attending the exam on the day.

It tests your ability to play or sing in ensemble.

That's 'fair' enough, I understand, just still upset that this is not provided by ABRSM instead of us having to pay extra (although the benefit of providing your own accompanist is that you can meet up with her/him before hand and rehearse I understand)

It is really essential to work with your accompanist before the exam. If an accompanist was provided on the day by the exam board there would be all kinds of problems with different editions, keys of songs, repeats or not, style, tempo, tempo changes, dynamics etc etc. There are so many different, but correct ways of performing pieces. In music theatre exams LCM allow the use of backing tracks but not in the classical singing exams. The singers seem to perform better if they have a live accompanist though. Things sometimes will go adrift and a reliable and competent accompanist would be able to follow and adapt. If a singer makes an error when using a pr- recorded accompaniment is far more apparent.

My singing teacher follows me rather then me her in her accompaniments. If I pause then so does she - I can't use her playing to carry me along. Also I set the pace and she follows. Once I sang so flatly she changed key. I think she'll be a rock in the exam though.

She sounds great! You would not get a machine to do that. Good luck with your exam Sneeky.