Since 2020, we’ve received numerous requests from piano teachers/students for LCME diploma exams, we have gained important advice based on valuable examiner feedback on repertoire, technique, and interpretation for diploma piano exam pieces.

This insightful feedback greatly benefits our students, and we deeply appreciate the exam board’s support, expertise, and personal touch throughout our musical journey.

I recently emailed LCME’s chief examiner to request approval for my LLCM diploma piano student’s self-selected repertoire, including Schumann’s “Papillon Op.2” and other approved pieces.

• Mozart sonata in Cminor, K.457: 22mins (LLCM Set piece)
• Schumann’s Papillon Op.2 (14 minutes) (From Trinity LTCL repertoire)
• Rachmaninoff prelude op.23 No.4 : (5 minutes)
• Rachmaninoff prelude op.23 No.5 : (5 minutes)
• Debussy’s Estampes-I.pagodes: (6 minutes)
• The total duration of this programme is approximately 52 minutes, which aligns with the LLCM requirement of a 50 to 60 minute recital.

I was pleasantly surprised by the examiner’s kindness and helpful suggestions.

Hello Jenny,
Schumann’s Papillons is a beautiful work and certainly an acceptable choice for the LLCM exam. The programme looks very full – we would suggest you check the actual length of the performances allowing for some breathing space between pieces rather than rely on any estimated durations and consider trimming the programme accordingly. if necessary. We often find that diploma programmes are a piece too long and that the overall balance would be improved by some editing. I hope this is useful.
Let me know if you require further help.

Kindest Regards,
Mary-Anne

The diploma examiner’s email explains that the chosen pieces are too packed together, with insufficient breathing room. They suggest confirming the student’s tempo before choosing so many pieces. We also gather from the email that she wants more natural pauses and better transitions between pieces to calm the candidate before proceeding. To maintain musical quality, she wants a shorter program if the recital is too long, avoiding exhaustion and rushed performances. The priority should be a strong artistic impact, not just filling the time with a lengthy program. The ideal performance, as examiners expect, is one that demonstrates a balanced repertoire and polished execution, not an overly ambitious program. I sent a grateful message in reply, and we’re so thankful and blessed to have such caring examiners; they’ve been instrumental in developing our diploma piano students into promising pianists.

We are glad to share that among over 160 universities in the UK, University of West London (UWL) is ranked 30th in the UK by The Guardian University Guide 2025, and there are over 160 universities in the UK, according to The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024, University of West London is ranked as the best university for Student Experience and Teaching Quality in the UK. We are happy to see so many of our piano performance diploma students graduate from this esteemed university.

Preparing for your piano diploma exam? Jenny (whatsap 98256286) offers advice; contact her now!

We’ve seen a surge in inquiries from piano teachers seeking career advancement through higher qualifications since 2020. 85% of the piano tutors from the our agency want to take LCME diploma exams; these diplomas are internationally recognized, including Singapore. Also, a contributing factor is
that they may directly pursue a music degree after our diploma piano courses.

The rising popularity of LCME diploma piano exams is explained below:
1) Switching from other boards to LCM is easy for piano students because they can choose pieces from the repertoire lists of boards like ABRSM and Trinity.

2) Compared to other exam boards, the exam fee is significantly cheaper—only £254 (SGD$431) for the level 4 diploma piano exam this year.

3) The prestige of LCME (London College of Music) piano diplomas is enhanced by their issuance from the University of West London.

4) University of West London is well known for their career-focused courses and excellent teaching. 80% of UWL’s research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. The Guardian University Guide ranked UWL 30th in the UK among 130 universities. If piano teachers are interested in studying music at
degree level, they can use their LCME qualifications as credits towards getting access to University of West London. The LCME is the largest specialist music and performing arts instituition in the UK and has been in existence for over 130 years. They offer postgraduate courses within our LCM School, please visit the link below.

University of West London (uwl.ac.uk)
They have an international team who are on hand to assist with any queries you may have. If you have any questions, you can contact them on international@uwl.ac.uk. You can email them to find out more according to the academic information you achieved and also your personal information as theyadvice according to case by case basis.

5) According to their email, you can visit their website https://www.uwl.ac.uk/courses and apply to the course you wish you study. You will need the following documents for the application process:

-Passport

-Personal statement – outlining why you are a suitable candidate

-CV – comprehensive detail of work experience relevant to your chosen course and to account for any gaps in your study progression

-Results – original copies of transcripts and certificates as well as translated to English. E.g. high school or degree certificate -One academic reference letter for undergraduate courses – signed, dated within the last 6 months and contain the company’s logo as the letter head and contact information of the referee -Two academic/professional reference letter for postgraduate courses – signed, dated within the last 6 months and contain the company’s logo as the letter head and contact information of the referee -English Test – IELTS, TOEFL, IB, PTE Academic, Cambridge, A level, O level, LanguageCert, ESOL, WAEC, NECO

Information on more entry requirements can be found here: https://www.uwl.ac.uk/international/your
country/international-entry-requirements

Accommodation | University of West London (uwl.ac.uk)

Congratulations to our AmusTCL diploma music theory students who excelled in the difficult top-level music theory exam.

Here are some examiner comments explaining their marking criteria.

1. Bach’s Chorale: Lutheran Chorale The working needs to show some awareness of the chorale idiom, and successful chordal progressions. We have to avooid part-writing errors, consecutive 5ths and octaves. Avoid frequent wide spacing between the 4 parts writing. Observe the modulations and melodic decorations, including passing notes and suspensions.
2. Orchestration: We need to display a good sense of orchestral style according to composers and its musical period. Accurate interpretations of the short score, particularly the melodic assignments to trumpets and horns, are essential for good judgment. Finally, we need to add all the performance directions too.
3. Early Romantic Pianoforte: The working must sufficiently assured good sense of piano texture and chromatic harmony, accompanied by well balanced chords and good judged harmonies that smoothen the flow of the underlying left hand’s accompaniment. The conclusion needs a skillful blend of texture and idiomatic writing, resolving effectively on the final tonic.
4. Popular Song: We need to realize all the chord symbals accurately and observe style and idea that matches idiomatic characteristic of that musical period. The song’s ending must harmonically suit two-handed piano playing, maintaining its stylistic integrity with well-spaced chords and rhythmic accompaniment.
5. Set work: Our students have chosen Beethoven’s Piano trio Op.97 and achieved a good response with detailed analysis concerning the tonality, with the help of teacher jenny’s detailed analysis study notes, all chords are correctly answered.

Our students received praise for their fluent composition techniques, consistent stylistic awareness, and strong communication skills.

Starting in 2025, we’re offering self-study materials for Bach’s Partita No. 6; contact Jenny at +65 98256286 via WhatsApp to purchase at SGD$130 for the full analysis of Bach’s Partita No.6.

This Bach’s Partita analysis uses the most suitable version from several books, aligning with the AmusTCL music theory exam. We have also received many feedback regarding our analysis work for Beethoven’s Piano trio in previous syllabus 2023-2024, this time round we have decided to make some improvements according to our students’ requests, we offer the model answer in Bach’s partita analysis more exam smart, offering answers in point form according to the exam format, we have done the bar by bar, phrase by phrase analysis, identifying sequences, imitations, melodic decorations, modulations for changes of keys and all harmonic progressions stated in detail. Students can use this information to study and answer questions with greater confidence and detail. Clear markings in the score indicate the main themes, subjects, motifs, counter-subjects, sequences, and imitations. The markings and notes are synchronized, which aids student comprehension of the analysis. Each movement’s special characteristics and features are described and commented on in the detailed analysis. We look forward to hearing from you.

Before planting a seed, we know the flower’s characteristics at maturity. In our minds, we envision it perfectly situated within our chosen garden. The process of teaching kids piano is quite similar. In our minds, we should hear every nuance, every phrase, and the entire piece’s grand design, just as we want it.

The art of re-creation is filled with what seem like contradictions. Successful kid’s performances should have a sound that is fresh, spontaneous, and appears improvised. This is the steel framework where we incorporate all the intricate details and accents. We don’t always complete it in exactly the same way. During lessons, we help kids to cultivate flexibility, sensitivity, and peak proficiency on our instruments. kid’s home practice, however, provides our only reliable stability amidst uncertainty. Rhythm provides the foundational beat of any composition. Though persistent effort yields a stable beat, the pace itself is not fixed. Kid’s musical vocabulary lacks precision when describing tempo, relying on broad terms like “largo,” “andante,” “vivace,” “allegro,” “presto,” and “grave,” which often reflect feeling more than speed. We understand that kid uses a unique tempo for a given composition. There might be some slight differences between instruments since we need to use each one’s unique qualities to create the right atmosphere.

For example, a kid’s fast presto might sound hurried because they play as quickly as possible, making their efforts to speed up noticeable. Therefore, we advise incorporating a metronome from the start, beginning with scales and continuing consistently. We continue using it daily, including while touring, to stay disciplined during kids weekly piano lessons and daily practice and to fully master the keyboard, despite variations in keyboards. Electric metronomes are superior because their design allows for more precise speed adjustments. Our preference is to increase speed at regular intervals, for example, by twos, threes, fours, fives, or sixes. I might commence at 60 bpm, then incrementally progress to 62, 64, 66, etc., using a metronome. My sequence begins at 60, adding three each time: 60, 63, 66, 69, and so on.

This results in a much more balanced speed regulation. Proportion is a cousin to architecture that is hard to pin down. This is a primary yet incredibly difficult issue for kids weekly piano lessons. Achieving the ideal proportion requires prior exploration of tempo, rhythm, dynamics, and mood. We can only determine the correct tempo by contrasting it with tempos that are too fast or too slow. We achieve a controlled tone-colour only by understanding appropriate volume levels. Mastering exaggeration, understatement, and meticulous detail will enable us to convey every nuance of emotion.

Hence during piano lessons with kids, It’s essential to know the technical way to read and analyze a passage. Similar to how we choose coats based on weather, techniques should vary with our moods. World class pianist Cortot advises a light, rapid, staccato fingertip touch for fast passages and a flat, legato touch using the fingertips for slow ones. A young pianist’s ear can reveal a thousand secrets about touch.

In next lesson, we’ll continue to explore other practice method to help our student achieve excellent results. If you are interested in our kids piano lessons in Singapore, we would be more than happy to assist you in finding an alternative solution for your child. We would like to introduce you to Fiona, our coordinator, who is dedicated to helping families like yours connect with experienced and capable piano teachers in your area. Fiona can be reached at 90702625, and she will be more than happy to provide you with guidance and support in finding a suitable teacher for your child. She is a very knowledgeable and helpful person who will ensure that your requirements are met.

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Exam : ALCM in Performance (Concert)
Candidate: See Ying Teoh

Examiner’s comments as follows
Component 1: Performance

Beethoven sonata no. 27 in E minor

This was a confident performance with the expressive elements mainly well handled, the contrast were evidenced and the chords neat with a good range of articulation employed and the execution rhythmic and controlled. The dynamic control was mostly impressive and the delivery committed and communicative.
(26/30 marks)

Brahms intermezzo in A major
The romantic character was mostly achieved here with a good range of dynamic explored and the cantabile well captured. The pedalling was mainly convincing and there was some effective use of rubato to aid in the direction of the line. There was a good feel for the overall structure and design with the execution controlled and rhythmic and the contrasting moods mostly well grasped.
(12/15 marks)

John Adams China gates
This style was very well grasped and the execution was fluent and the forward motion and shape of the musical landscape well managed. The pedalling choices were mainly convincing and the dynamics were used effectively to provide direction and contrast. A solid playing with the character grasped well.
(13/15 marks)

Poulenc improvisation 2 and 13
2 – The thirds were completely securely controlled in balance and legato with the execution sensitive and musical. This was fluent and musically presented with the textures varied and the performance committed and idiomatic. The ornamentation was very neatly integrated
into the line. 13 – the sustain and cantabile were well captured with the phrasing shaped well to guide the listener. The octaves were secure and the part writing well controlled and the delivery secure with the expressive elements well handled. This was a communicative performance and delivered with confidence.
(14/15 marks)

The programme notes were well laid out, informative and covered the syllabus requirements very well in a succinct manner. A most varied and enjoyable programme delivered confidently and musically.

Overall mark: 85

Thank you for watching!!