Aspiring musicians are now able to complete graded exams remotely thanks to a new digital scheme by the London College of Music Examinations (LCME) at the University of West London (UWL).
The LCME has been grading music students for 133 years, but this new online offering will enable learners to safely perform for examiners while adhering to social distancing guidelines laid out by the government amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Any student studying up to Grade 4 can now undertake their exams remotely, complete with live assessments from experienced LCME examiners. The system replicates a traditional face-to-face-test setting but allows participants to conduct the assessment from the comfort of their homes.
LCME also provides an alternative option in which students can opt to convert to recorded exams. In this stream of assessment, students pre-record their performance and upload the video to a newly developed, secure examination platform.
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Currently applicable for students learning up to Grade 8, the recorded exams will incorporate the discussion and technical work components, and candidates can select performance pieces from the LCME set list or another accredited equivalent.
The digital shift means students now have a reliable, independent and regulated assessment option and do not have to postpone their exams until campus teaching resumes.
“With a strong reputation for innovative and flexible exam formats, LCME is well placed to ensure that musicians from all styles of music to see their hard work and dedication rewarded with a recognised and regulated qualification,” said Merv Young, head of LCM examinations at UWL.
“Our priority is to provide an alternative to face-to-face examining, and these new measures will ensure our candidates’ hard work and preparations will not go to waste despite the challenging circumstances we are faced with.”
