Format
Suite of qualifications
The suite of Certificate examinations consists of three single-unit examinations:
|
Title |
Equivalence |
|
Foundation Certificate |
Grade 3 standard |
|
Intermediate Certificate |
Grade 5 standard equivalent to pre-2007 First Concert Certificate |
|
Advanced Certificate |
Grade 8 standard equivalent to pre-2007 Performer's Certificate |
The overall length of the examination is as follows:
- Foundation Certificate 13 minutes
- Intermediate Certificate 23 minutes
- Advanced certificate 33 minutes
The format of all three examinations is the same; a programme of works is performed by the candidate to fill a given time period as follows:
- Foundation 8-10 minutes
- Intermediate 15-20 minutes
- Advanced 25-30 minutes
This time limit refers to the total duration of all the pieces performed, including breaks between movements but does not include:
- Arrival/departure time
- Setting up
- Tuning
- Breaks or pauses between items
Permitted repertoire
While more than one item must be presented, the total number of works is not prescribed.
A list of indicative repertoire is provided on the Trinity Guildhall website, and the entire programme may be selected from this list.
Alternatively, up to one third of the time available may be taken up by one or more pieces of the candidate’s own choice. These may be taken from any source, including current or past grade syllabuses of any board, but must be of a similar level of technical and musical demand as the pieces on the list. A candidate’s own composition(s) may also be included in this allowance if wished.
|
Certificate |
Max. time of programme |
Time allowance for own-choice repertoire |
|
Foundation |
10 |
3 ½ |
|
Intermediate |
20 |
7 |
|
Advanced |
30 |
10 |
Guildelines for selection of repertoire are available here. Note that there will be no facility for pre-approval of any own-choice repertoire, either by Trinity Guildhall's Head Office or by individual examiners. Candidates are strongly advised to refer to the lists of indicative repertoire and the descriptors for each Certificate when selecting own-choice music.
Performances which fall significantly outside the time limits set out above and/or where the candidate's own-choice repertoire fails by a wide margin to meet the stated standard of technical and/or musical difficulty may be referred to the Chief Examiner in Music and may be penalised by a mark reduction or, in extreme cases, by disqualification.