This year, the RCM is pleased to be able to offer our practical examinations remotely via online video conferencing. In development for over a year, our new Remote Practical Exams offer students the ability to complete their exams from the comfort of their own home.
By utilizing easy to use software, and your smartphone, PC, iPad, or Mac you will be able to connect to an RCM examiner, at a time of your choosing, to take your exam.
What does this mean?
- To be able to take your practical exam for Levels 9 to ARCT, you will need an Apple iPhone, iPad, Samsung/Android tablet, Android/Samsung smartphone, a PC with webcam and mic or a similarly equipped Mac computer. We recommend using your smartphone or iPad instead of a computer.
- You will need a reliable Internet connection. Most high-speed (1.5Mbps and faster) services will work well for the examination.
- You will need your instrument available at your location.
- For pianists at this level, an in-tune acoustic piano is required.
- For Advanced Level Piano (9, 10, ARCT & Licentiate) exams, students will record their repertoire and etudes on YouTube and submit their recordings to the RCM for evaluation. Please be advised that it takes some time to upload your video, depending on the speed of your internet connection.
- Students in Levels 9 – ARCT in brass, strings, and winds, and all voice students, will need to reschedule their exam for a future in-person session if they cannot provide a collaborative pianist for their remote exam. For Advanced Levels in these disciplines, repertoire, etudes, and orchestral instruments are to be uploaded to YouTube. For voice students, vocalises and accompanied sight reading will have to be recorded and uploaded as well as repertoire.
- For Advanced Levels requiring the use of YouTube, we suggest you become familiar with how to create Private Channels and upload content from your device.
- For all students in Levels 9 and 10, and for all levels of Piano Pedagogy, the balance of the exam (technique, ear tests, sight reading) will be conducted via Zoom. The sight-reading example will be provided to you 24 hours in advance of your exam to ensure that you have time to print it out. You may prepare your sight-reading in advance.
- For best results, we recommend that during this portion of your exam, others in your household refrain from accessing the internet.
- We recommend that you and your teacher conduct a mock-exam over Zoom to get a feel for how to use Zoom.
- Please see our “Guide to Online Meeting Safety” page for more details on how we are making Zoom secure for our examinations and protecting your privacy.
- For your instrument, we will provide instructions for how to place your device for best results. A stand for your device is recommended during the exam.
- To accommodate the change from in-person to Remote Practical Examinations, you may schedule your examination on a day of your choosing from June 1st to July 31st between 9am and 9pm EST (6am and 6pm PST). Additional information on how to do so will be sent as soon as it is available.
For a handful of practical exams, where the instrument is difficult to obtain, or accompaniment is required, you will be eligible to take your exam at the next in-person session when available. We will contact those students directly to re-schedule.
You will receive an invitation to attend a webinar on how to prepare for the exam. As you are already registered for a practical exam, you will be automatically enrolled and there will be no additional cost.
We wish you the best of luck with your studies!
