in Music Theory
LCM’s theory of music exams is designed to provide a structured approach that complements and supports the practical exams. The Music Theory certification course is available for students from all backgrounds. Our active courses start from Grade One to Grade Eight. The courses are one to one with our Teachers; you will be free to start on the first week of each month.
The lessons will take place once a week, online, with live teachers. We will provide you with all the books and teaching aid necessary to successfully pass the exam. The exam will be taken Online through the London College of Music platform.
The lessons language is English for all international students.
STUDY PLAN
Each grade corresponds to a different level; Grade 1 is a course for complete beginners or kids, while Grade 8 requires awareness and understanding of complex musical structures, techniques and concepts. To understand your starting point, please read the Grades description below.
Grades 1–2
Candidates who achieve a Pass or higher at this level will have demonstrated: an awareness and understanding of the rudimentary aspects of pitch, key, triadic harmony, metre and rhythm; and an ability to conceptualise simple logical structures and arithmetical calculations. All candidates will have assimilated a sound theoretical basis that supports the performance of repertoire assigned to the corresponding grades in Music Performance.
Grades 3–4
Candidates who achieve a Pass or higher at this level will have demonstrated: an awareness and understanding of more advanced aspects of keys and modes, functional harmony, metre and rhythm; an understanding of the principles and uses of transposition and transposing instruments; an understanding of rudimentary issues of form, shape and structure; an ability to conceptualise more complex logical structures and arithmetical calculations; and an increasing ability to relate signs and symbols to practical meaning. All candidates will have assimilated a sound theoretical basis with which to support the performance of repertoire assigned to the corresponding grades in Music Performance.
Grade 5
Candidates who achieve a Pass or higher at this level will have demonstrated: general awareness and understanding of a quite advanced body of theoretical knowledge, comprising all notational elements which would commonly be discovered in repertoire up to and including Grade 8 performance standard; an awareness of the structural relationship between keys and key signatures; the development of a sense of shape, form, proportionality and structure; an ability to conceptualise complex logical and arithmetical structures and patterns; and an understanding of the relationships between theory, notation, and expression in music. All candidates will have assimilated a sound theoretical basis with which to support the performance of repertoire assigned to the corresponding grade in Music Performance. Students need to pass the Music Theory Grade 5 in order to be admitted to the LCM level 6 Bachelor program in Music Performance; please check the appropriate page if interested.
Grades 6–7
Candidates who achieve a Pass or higher at this level will have demonstrated: a developing awareness and understanding of complex musical structures, techniques and concepts; developing awareness and understanding of issues of shape, pattern, structure, proportionality, symbols and notation, and expression; the ability to complete creative and critical assignments of short to moderate length; a developing degree of language skills. All candidates will have assimilated a sound theoretical basis with which to support the performance of repertoire assigned to the corresponding grades in Music Performance.
Grade 8
Candidates who achieve a Pass or higher at this level will have demonstrated: a fully developed, sophisticated awareness and understanding of complex musical structures, techniques and concepts; a fully developed and sophisticated awareness and understanding of issues of shape, pattern, structure, proportionality, symbols and notation, and expression; and a fully developed and sophisticated language skills and the ability to complete creative and critical assignments of moderately substantial length and complexity. All candidates will have demonstrated the assimilation of sound theoretical understanding that supports the performance of repertoire assigned to the corresponding grade in Music Performance.
RQF AND EQF LEVLES
The following table compares the LCME Graded examinations with the RQF and the EQF systems.
| London College of Music Examinations (LCME) | UK Regulated Qualification Framework (RQF) | European Qualification Framework (EQF) |
| Grades 1-3 | Level 1 | Level 2 |
| Grades 4-5 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
| Grades 6-8 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
FEES AND DEADLINES
Fill the form below to request our informative brochure with all the details of the course.
The lessons will take place one hour per week, the student will be able to express a preference to define the schedule.
All the study materials are included in the quota, as well individual lessons to focus on your personal skills. The exam quota is excluded and will be paid once per year.
Applications are welcome all year round.
