Face to Face Exam Advice

Taking a Live Music Exam: Everything You Need to Know:

Sitting music exams is a wonderful part of music education. It offers so many opportunities for personal growth – helping to build confidence, refine technique, expand repertoire, and gain valuable experience.

When the time comes to enter for an exam, the process can feel a little complex, so we’d like to walk you through it step by step.

Making the Entry:

To enter for a face-to-face (live) exam, we will need:

  • Your child’s full name (as you’d like it to appear on the certificate – this cannot be changed later)

  • Your child’s date of birth

Once we have this, we’ll issue an invoice and complete the registration on your behalf.

What Is a Face-to-Face Exam?

Unlike recorded exams, live exams take place in person with an examiner present. This offers a more traditional examination experience and carries full academic weighting (your certificate will read simply “Grade 1” rather than “Grade 1 (Recorded)”, for example).

In the live format, students are assessed on:

  • Performance pieces

  • Technical work (scales and arpeggios)

  • Sight-reading

  • Aural tests

  • A short discussion or Q&A with the examiner about their pieces

These components allow the examiner to get a well-rounded view of the candidate’s musical understanding.

Exam Periods:

Live exams are only held during specific periods throughout the year – generally three exam sessions annually. We’ll always aim to register you for the period that works best for your schedule.

You’ll be notified of your exam date, time, and location once the booking has been confirmed by the exam board.

What to Expect on the Day:

  • You’ll arrive at the exam centre a little before your scheduled time to warm up and get settled, if you are taking a guitar, bass or ukulele exam take this time to tune your instrument.

  • The candidate will be called in by the examiner, perform their prepared pieces, and complete the other exam elements as outlined above.

  • Exams typically last 10–25 minutes, depending on the grade level.

  • It’s completely normal to feel nervous – most musicians do! A helpful mindset is to focus on sharing your music rather than “passing a test.”

Supporting Your Child:

Here are a few ways to support your child before and during the exam period:

  • Help them rehearse introductions to each piece (title and composer)

  • Encourage regular mock runs at home or during lessons

  • Reassure them that nerves are okay, and they can still perform brilliantly even with butterflies!

We love this old proverb:

“It’s not about the absence of fear – it’s about becoming the master of fear.”

Results and Certificates:

  • Results are usually released within 2–3 weeks.

  • Each candidate will receive a mark form outlining scores and feedback in each area, along with an overall mark.

  • The certificate is a wonderful celebration of their progress and a formal record of their achievement.

Let’s Celebrate!

We always encourage families to celebrate the exam itself, regardless of the result. Completing an exam is a big milestone, and it’s worth recognising! Why not mark the day with a small treat or even a slice of cake?

If you have any questions at all, feel free to contact Claire at claire@westonshaw.com.

Love and Music,
Claire, Steve, Emily & Tiago