Music Examination Systems in Canada

An overview of the music conservatories used in Canada and the music examination boards, including RCM, ConCan and CNCM.

Music examinations have played an intrinsic role in Canadian music education since Confederation. Music teachers, music students and their parents can benefit from learning more about the various curricula available so as to adopt a system that complements the teachers’ vision and the students’ goals.

The Royal Conservatory of Music – Canada’s Oldest Music Examining Board

The Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto (RCM) was established in 1886. Notable alumni include 15-time Grammy Award winner David Foster, former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and jazz legend Oscar Peterson.

Preparatory to Grade 10 practical examinations are available for all brass, percussion (including piano), strings and woodwind instruments, as well as accordion, speech arts and voice. Exams are offered for all levels of music theory and musicianship.

Associate Teacher/Performer (ARCT) and Licentiate (LRCM) certification are available. High school accreditation is granted for Grades 6 – 8.

Examinations can be taken worldwide in December/January, April, May/June or August. In the US, RCM Examinations is known as the National Music Certificate Program.

For practical exams, students prepare four to seven contrasting pieces from different musical periods (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionism/Late-Romantic and Modern Classical). They are also tested on aural, sight reading, rhythm and technical proficiency.

Traditional and Contemporary Music Examinations Through Conservatory Canada

Conservatory Canada (ConCan) is a merger between two regional conservatories that stemmed from amalgamations of older systems:the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music (founded in 1891) and the Western Board of Music (established in 1934).

Grade 1 – 10 Traditional practical examinations are offered for all brass instruments, clarinet, classical guitar, flute, organ, piano, saxophone, teacher development, violin, viola, violoncello and voice. Associate Teacher/Performer (ACCM) and Licentiate Teacher/Licentiate Performer (LCCM) certification are available. ConCan also offers music examinations for Levels 1 – 10 in piano, guitar and voice through its Contemporary Idioms syllabus.

Examinations are held throughout Canada in February, June and August. Partial examinations are available for the higher grades. Music theory exams are available for all levels.

Conservatory Canada offers recital assessment, teacher development and mini-lessons with the examiner. Students can apply their examination marks for high school credits in music.

Music students prepare six to eight contrasting pieces, from Baroque to 21st Century Classical for Traditional examinations. They prepare four contrasting pieces for Contemporary Idioms, ranging from ragtime to rock. They are also graded on improvisation and lead sheet playing.

For both formats, students must perform a supplemental piece. They can select one song from the other program, improvise or perform their own composition. Technical tests also assess fluency of chords, as well as jazz scales, church modes, whole tone, pentatonic and octatonic scales (much more than just traditional major/minor scales). Bonus marks are awarded if one piece is performed with a CD back-track or live jazz musicians. Aural, sight reading, harmonization, rhythm, transposition and musical knowledge are also graded.

Comprehensive Exams Through the Canadian National Conservatory of Music (CNCM)

CNCM was founded in 2002. Introductory Level – Grade 10 practical exams are offered for piano and voice (strings program in development). Certification is available in Early Childhood Music Education, Pedagogy, Associateship in Music (A. Mus.), Licentiate in Music (Lic. CNCM) and Fellowship.

Students can take a Performance Exam, where they perform a full recital programme for the examiner, family and friends (other components are tested separately). Alternately, students can take a Workshop Examination, in which all requirements are performed privately for an examiner. The parents and the teacher can attend the interactive workshop.

Students can do a “theme examination”, such as an all-Disney recital or a Canadian composer programme. As with all music examinations, solo performance is graded. However, it is possible to perform a collaborative work, such as a piano duet or a jazz combo in a theme examination.

Students must prepare at least seven works and one encore. Aural, vocalization, sight reading, harmonization, rhythm, transposition, improvisation and musical knowledge are also assessed.

Music examinations are held throughout Canada in February, May/June and August. Partial exams are available. Music theory testing is offered for all levels. CNCM has applied for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition to grant high school accreditation.

Some Canadian music teachers and students follow a British curriculum. Two popular conservatories are the London College of Music and Media (LCM) and the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM).

Each music conservatory has something to offer; therefore it is impossible to say that one is “the best”. Music teachers contemplate several factors when deciding which system(s) to use, from their teaching philosophies and approach to their students’ skills, aptitude, interest and commitment level. These grading systems and curricula offer music teachers and students a broad spectrum in music education.

Sources:

Canadian National Conservatory of Music. Canadian National Conservatory of Music Piano Syllabus. Markham: Mayfair Montgomery Publishing, 2002.

Conservatory Canada. Conservatory Canada Piano Syllabus, 1999 Edition. Waterloo: Waterloo Music, 1999.

The Royal Conservatory of Music. he Royal Conservatory of Music Official Examination Syllabus, 2008 edition. Mississauga: The Frederick Harris Music Co. Ltd., 2008.

Official Syllabi of The Royal Conservatory of Music: Popular Selection List, 2011 Edition - An Addendum to the Piano Syllabus, 2008 Edition

(2011 Edition). By The Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program. For Piano. This edition: 2011. Piano. Official Syllabi of The Royal Conservatory of Music. Level 1-9 (Level 1-9). Book. 36 pages. Published by The Frederick Harris Music Company (FH.S34)

...more info

Ideas for Practicing Piano Technique

Try as I might, some students just loathe practicing their technical exercises. You know the ones - scales, chords and arpeggios. I must admit that when I was their age, I wasn't too keen on practicing them either. However, if you want to "level up" and/or ace this portion of your music examination, you can't get away from it. You have to practice them. A lot.

If I have to ask my students to play a scale more than once in a lesson, I ask my them to play to play it differently. For instance, if a student played it legato the first time, they could play it staccato the second time.

But why stop there? Change the rhythm and make it sound like a real tune. Zig-zag back and forth so it doesn't sound like a scale. Change where you place the accents so that it's on every fifth note instead of every second or third.

The bottom line is that some degree of repetition is needed, so why not make it interesting for yourself?

Sheet Music Plus and Passive Income Streams

I like to shop locally whenever possible. However, sometimes it's just much more economical and just gosh darn convenient to shop online. Digital orders are just a couple of clicks away. You see with the ads on the side that I'm affiliated with Amazon. If you check out the ads, you'll see that I'm actually able to tailor them so that you will see music related items. Teachers, you can do this on your studio website and/or your blog, providing that your account allows you to host ads (for instance, Wordpress.com blogs don't allow ads but Wordpress.org blogs do).

Now, there is another joint in town though that sells a great selection of print and digital sheet music, learning aids and other musical goodies - Sheetmusicplus.com , This is the place that Rideau Music directed their customers to when Gill brothers closed their doors last year.

One of the cool things is that music teachers can create music lists for their students. Anything to make it easier for our busy piano parents to buy the right materials, I say. Some of my piano parents already shop online for sheet music.

Here are my lists:

• Beginner Students Music List

• Supplemental Music List

• Fake Books & Jazz Materials List

• Conservatory Canada List (sadly, very limited. Mayfair Publishing has the full product offering)

• Royal Conservatory of Music List

• Technical Exercises & Study Aids List

Fellow music teachers, if you sign up for a teacher account, you can register for their Easy Rebates for Music Teachers program. You can earn 8% cash back on your sheet music purchases. Not only that, by creating music lists and sharing them with your students, family and friends, you will earn a little bit with every sale.

If you're looking for an additional income stream that requires very little effort, check this out. Just bear in mind that as with any passive income stream online, it does take time to build up your presence. You will need to go in an occasionally tweak the keywords and update your lists. You will also need to remember to periodically share the lists with your network of family, friends and students via print, email, your website and/or social networking.

Good luck and happy shopping!

RCM and ConCan on Youtube

Students - did you know that the Royal Conservatory of Music and Conservatory Canada have their own Youtube Channels? Check out tips, great performances, repertoire demos and interviews with musicians past and present. Conservatory Canada Youtube Channel

Royal Conservatory of Music Youtube Channel

Music Practicing 101 - Keyboard Harmony Demo

Another quick demo primarily for students studying through the Conservatory Canada system (although anyone interested in chording can still benefit from this).ConCan students in Grade 5 and up have to demonstrate that they can harmonize a melody. In Grade 5, they use the Tonic (I) and Dominant (V). As they progress to higher grades, they must be able to harmonize using a wider selection of chords.From a speed learning perspective as well as a piano accompanist perspective, I must say that keyboard harmony is a necessity! It's saved my bacon on numerous occasions.This video shows you how to practice when you are just starting out with keyboard harmony.