Component 1: Technical Work (15 marks)

Candidates can prepare either Option 1: Scales and arpeggios, or Option 2: Study.

Option 1: Scales and arpeggios

The examiner will ask for a selection of the scales, arpeggios and broken chords below. All are to be performed ascending and descending, from memory. Tempo markings reflect the capabilities expected at this level.

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Requirements                                                                   Range  

Scales                                                                                                                                       

C, B, F#, F, B♭ major;                                                              3 octaves                                                         
F#, C#, B♭ harmonic minor; A, D, C melodic minor

Staccato scales

G, E, A♭ major                                                                       3 octaves

Contrary motion scale

A, B, F major;                                                                          2 octaves

E, D, C harmonic minor

Chromatic scale

Beginning on any note                                                            3 octaves                                                                                                   

Chromatic contrary motion scale

Beginning on C/E and F#/A#                                                   2 octaves

Arpeggios

B, F, B♭, A♭, D♭ major;                                                         2 octaves                                                           

B, F, B♭, G#, C# minor                                                                    

 

Option 2: Study 

Stephen Heller                Study in F No.9                                Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 5 (LCM)

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Component 2: Performance (60 marks)

Performance of three pieces, one from each list, A, B and C. At least one piece performed in the exam must be taken from LCM Piano Handbook 2021-2024.

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List A

Composer                                                                                  

Elisabetta De Gambarini

Friedrich Kuhlau

György Ligeti
Jiří Antonín Benda

Anna ‘di Venezia’ Bon

Johann P. Kirnberger

Jean-Philippe Rameau

Domenico Scarlatti

Dmitry Shostakovich

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List B

Composer                                                                          

Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt-

Gramatté

Aleksandr Scriabin
Franz Schubert
Gareth Balch
Fryderyk Chopin
Heinrich Hofmann
Anatoly Lyadov
Darius Milhaud
Teresa Tagliapietro-Carreño

Mike Cornick

Heinrich Hofmann

Alison Hounsome

Herbert Howells

John McCabe

Dmitri Kabalevsky

Sergei Prokofiev

Robert Schumann

Igor Stravinsky

Martyn Williams

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List C

Composer                                                                        

MacCunn arr. Moores

Saman Shahi
Kevin Olson
Béla Bartók

Ernest Bloch
Sofia Gubaidulina

Lowell Liebermann

Lola Perrin
Eric Thiman

Michael Ball
Brian Chapple
Brian Chapple
Brian Chapple
Brian Chapple
Art Draper
John Guilfoyle

Marian Ingoldsby

Jennifer Linn

Martha Mier

Christopher Norton

Feliks Rybicki

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Component 3: Discussion (7 marks)

Grade 5

This component of the exam consists of a short discussion with the examiner. The piano may be used to demonstrate where necessary. In addition to requirements to previous grades, candidates should be able to

• identify intervals up to and including an octave by number and type (major 2nd, perfect 4th etc.)

• demonstrate knowledge of basic formal structures (e.g. contrasting or repeated sections)

• identify principal modulations (by naming the new key or its relationship to the home key)

• identify major and minor chords as occurring in the music (either as chords or as melodic patterns)

• identify the historical period of the music performed (Renaissance, Baroque, etc.)

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Component 4: Sight Reading (10 marks)

Candidates will perform a short, previously unseen piece of music. Up to one minute’s preparation time will be allowed to study the test before playing, during which the candidate may try parts of the test if they wish. Sight reading parameters for each grade are listed. 

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Component 5: Aural Tests (8 marks)

Grade 5
Test 1 (Rhythm)
A short harmonised passage, approximately 8 bars in length, will be played. The passage will be in either 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8 or 6/4 time. Candidates will be asked the following:

     1a. To beat (conduct) time, with a correct and clear beat shape (conducting pattern) according to the time signature of the music, in time with the examiner’s playing as they play the passage again

(passages in 6/8 or 6/4 time should be conducted with a 2-beat or 6-beat pattern as appropriate) (2 marks)

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An unharmonised version of a short phrase (approximately 2 bars) from the passage will be played twice. Candidates will be asked the following:

     1b. To identify and describe the note values (rhythmic values of the notes) in the phrase in any order (for example: crotchets and quavers, or quarter notes and eighth notes) (2 marks)

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Test 2 (Pitch)

An interval will be played twice, with the pitches sounded together. The interval may be any major, minor or perfect interval within the octave, as well as the augmented 4th / diminished 5th. Candidates will be asked the following:

     2a. To identify the interval, by type and numerical value only (major 2nd, perfect 4th, diminished 5th, major 7th etc) (1 mark)
The test will be repeated, using a different interval (1 mark)

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The key-chord of a major key will be played, followed by a short melody in the same key, approximately 2 bars in length, finishing with a harmonised cadence (perfect, imperfect, plagal, or interrupted) in the home key. Candidates will be asked the following:

     2b. To identify the cadence, either by its conventional name, or as ‘finished’ (perfect and plagal) or ‘unfinished’ (imperfect or interrupted) (1 mark)
The test will be repeated, using a different example (1 mark)

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