RCM Exam Preparation for All Levels
West Vancouver’s piano teacher Yuki offers RCM exam preparation for all levels from Preparatory A to ARCT.
Did you know that achievement in RCM exam is recognised for credit toward high school graduation in BC?
About “RCM”
What is “RCM” of RCM exam, which you have heard about? RCM stands for The Royal Conservatory of Music.
The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) is a music education organisation. It is branded as “The Royal Conservatory”. Its headquarters is located in Toronto, Canada. The Royal Conservatory’s Examination Division administers its “RCM exam (or RC exam)” across Canada through its Examinations Certificate Program. The RCM piano exams are conducted four times each year.
Benefits of Taking RCM Exams
Piano students should not just be taking piano lessons privately. RCM provides a national standard for piano students to track their progress. RCM exam encourages piano students to set a goal of earning a Certificate of Achievement at each level of piano study.
Instead of just playing piano pieces, RCM exam promotes well-rounded musical training, such as playing etudes (technical practice pieces), technical requirements (such as scales, triads and arpeggios), ear training and sight reading.
You can earn BC high school credit for taking RCM exams. And you can mention it in your university entrance applications and resumes.
Recently, two of piano teacher Yuki’s former piano students contacted her and asked her to become a verifier for their UBC’s medical school application. The medical school wanted to verify whether her former piano students really did study piano with a piano teacher and and took their RCM practical piano exams and RCM music theory exams during their high school years.
When to Start Taking RCM Exams
West Vancouver’s piano teacher Yuki encourages her piano students to finish Piano Adventures method book level 3 before transitioning to the RCM exam curriculum.
Some piano students appear to be in a hurry to transition to the RCM exam only after finishing Piano Adventures method book 2A. But my professional experience with preparing piano students towards their RCM exams is that if you transition to the RCM exam curriculum too early, it will take you longer to finish taking the lower level exams of RCM.
RCM Levels
RCM offers two-preparatory levels (Preparatory A and Preparatory B), Levels 1 to 10 and ARCT (The Associate Diploma) and LRCM (the Licentiate Diploma).
What to Expect at an RCM Exam
Piano students can receive an objective assessment of their skill for the exam level chosen and receive personalised feedback and marks from an RCM examiner.
Whether to Register or Not to Register for an RCM Exam
As a piano teacher, I encourage my piano students to take RCM exams. However, I do not think it is for every piano student. For example, if your young child does not want to practise the same piano pieces over and over again until the day of the RCM exam, then you should not register your child yet.
Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) Eligibility
Piano students, who have a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) may be eligible to use these funds to support private music studies at the Grade 9, Grade 10 and ARCT levels of the RCM Exam. Please consult your RESP provider for more information.
More Information about the RCM exam
For more information about the RCM exam, click on the link below:
https://www.rcmusic.com/learning/examinations
Email Yuki for Piano Lessons in West Vancouver
Click on the link below to email Yuki’s Piano Studio for piano lessons in West Vancouver.
Call Yuki for Piano Lessons in West Vancouver
Click on the link below to call Yuki’s Piano Studio for piano lessons in West Vancouver.