After the beginning foundational lessons (getting oriented with the piano and gaining some dexterity), the teacher may suggest that the student join a Conservatory program. In Canada, there are two main ones:
Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) and Conservatory Canada (CC)<— specifically, the Contemporary Idioms program.
Here are the benefits of joining a program:
It gives the student clear goals in each level to work towards, and a certificate at the end, showing all the great work they’ve done! This is incentivizing to some students.
Preparing for an exam helps the student gain skills to become a well-rounded musician as the student needs to be at a certain level in:
Technique
Repertoire
Etudes (piano studies)
Sight Reading
Ear Training
Passing the Level 8 Practical and Theory co-requisite exams earns the student school credits.
RCM has been hailed for many years as the Gold Standard in piano study, boasting mastery of the foundational skills technically and classically, leading to virtuosity. Recently, CC has emerged as a progressive alternative with their philosophy based on the idea that the great composers of the past were never expected to study or play music that is hundreds of years old. It’s the piano equivalent to learning classical ballet vs hip hop dance.
If you’d like the student to join a Conservatory program, but want to be spared the specific details and to figure out what the student should do, here’s the Short Answer: We generally choose RCM unless we find that they don’t like playing classical music. We add “fun songs” and improvisational skills as desired by the student. We find that this way, they learn what they need technically to pick up any piano song they want (and have a leg-up when learning other instruments). We start with that base, and may add a CC book for improvisation if they’re really into that, or if they have a practical need, like they joined a band or church music team.
If you want the Long Answer, read on! Here are all the details to make a decision on which program, including a chart I made, outlining the main differences between the two.
A student may switch to the other program at any time. Any exam may be challenged (ie. There’s no pre-requisite for any exam in either program). As long as co-requisites are from the same program (eg. RCM Piano Level 5 exam requires the RCM Theory 5 exam for the RCM Level 5 Certificate; the student may not combine an RCM Piano exam with a CC Theory exam to get a certificate.
It is not necessary to take an exam for every level. Sometimes, we skip exams, and just go onto the next level that year. It depends on how much time the student has to prepare (weighing it with the other extra-curriculars), and what else is going on in the student / family’s lives that impact the student’s practice time and energy. When this is the case, we still go through all the material in the level to learn all lessons thoroughly before starting on the next.
If the student’s goal is to play purely for leisure, or if they have no interest in seeing how their skills would be evaluated, then joining a Conservatory program may not be for them. However, it is also possible to do the material, but not take the exams. That way, they get the benefit of learning the skills without the pressure of an exam. We like to suggest to most students that join a program that they do take an exam at some point to get feedback from a different established musician (the examiner) on how their skills stand. It is a valuable experience, and they get a certificate to show the great work that they’ve done!
A concern we’ve heard is that when the student joins RCM, the pressure builds as the student becomes consumed with exam prep, taking the enjoyment out of making music. While the 4 - 8 weeks before an exam we are in “exam mode,” the rest of the time, we teach our students “fun songs” of their choice in addition to their conservatory pieces to keep them engaged in making music. Also, we use these “fun songs” as fantastic learning opportunities! We often find sheet music that is 1 - 4 levels above their level, and they’re happy to do it! :D
If you have any questions about RCM or CC, or whether the student should start, please let us know, and we will figure it out!
Kim
Owner
North Peace Piano