London College of Music Examinations

17/06/2026

Looking for LCME handbooks? Here's what's changed...

Musicroom recently became part of Sheet Music Plus, bringing two trusted platforms together for a smoother shopping experience.

The platform has physical and digital handbooks available, and continues to be managed by the same great team at Hal Leonard Europe.

Our international LCME authorised retailers continue to operate as normal.

Visit Sheet Music Plus: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0w8b6B0

15/06/2026

We've updated several of our exam policies, and if you teach, examine with us or manage a centre, they're worth a few minutes of your time.

The changes cover our appeals against results, complaints and reasonable adjustment policies, and we've introduced two new policies on procedural appeals and the use of language in exams.

These updates support fair, transparent and consistent practice across every LCME exam, wherever in the world it takes place.

See the updated policies using the link in the comments.

03/06/2026

Why two exams before Grade 1?

Because young pianists do best with time to consolidate, not pressure to climb. Two clear milestones — Step 1 and Step 2 — give early-stage students a chance to confirm their progress and build confidence at their own pace.

The 2026 repertoire was composed and arranged by Victoria Proudler, whose “Piano Grades are Go” collection from EVC Publications is widely used by young pianists. Karen Marshall, creator of the Get Set! Piano tutor series, edited the music and worked on the specifications alongside Victoria, with the young pianist in mind throughout.

The result is a wide variety of styles and pedagogical content, thoughtfully composed and edited, so there is something for every student.

See for yourself by downloading our free sample booklet or get the full 2026 Piano Syllabus using the link in the comments.

01/06/2026

Peppa Pig. At Grade 8. Yes, really.

A Miniature Prelude, Adagio & Fugue (Peppa Pig) by Paul Ayres, musician, conductor and composer, takes Julian Nott's beloved TV theme and transforms it into a three-movement work complete with a Bach-inspired fugue.

As Paul explains the prelude is light and classical, the adagio takes a darker turn, and the fugue brings it all together. It is playful, clever, and, by Paul's own admission, quite tricky in places.

This piece appears in the new LCME Piano 2026 syllabus at Grade 8. It is precisely the kind of music our syllabus is built around: pieces that are genuinely enjoyable to learn and to perform.

🎹 Explore the new syllabus: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0vN7Lv0

What pieces are you looking forward to playing? Tell us in the comments.

27/05/2026

"This is a syllabus of discoveries as well as rediscoveries.”

Piano teacher, mentor and reviewer David Barton has spent the past few weeks sitting with the new LCME 2026 Piano syllabus. His reflections are now live on his blog, The Notebook.

Across the review, David praises the balance of familiar favourites and new repertoire, the redesigned Piano Handbooks, the inclusion of women composers from Grade 1 upwards, and the choice of pieces with genuinely universal appeal — for adult learners as well as children.

"To my mind, LCME has struck the perfect balance between old and new. They made some strong promises at the outset, but they have more than lived up to them. Much work and thought has clearly gone into the repertoire selection, and it shows. Other exam boards will now have much to live up to for the bar has been set high."

Thank you David Barton Music for such a considered review.

Read it in full:

A reflective look at the new LCME Piano Syllabus 2026, exploring the publications, repertoire selections, and my favourite discoveries from Grades 1-8.

25/05/2026

Should an early piano exam change how you already teach?

We don’t think so.

LCME Steps are designed to work alongside your tutor books, not to replace them. The repertoire, exercises and structure were shaped in consultation with LCME teachers — built around how piano teachers actually work with young pianists.

The materials were extensively road-tested before publication. Many teachers used them alongside their existing tutor books without changing their approach, dipping into both as students prepared for their exam.

This was deliberate. Steps are designed to reinforce learning and give students the essential practice they need to feel confident — not to disrupt the curriculum you have already built around your students.

See for yourself by downloading our free sample booklet or get the full 2026 Piano Syllabus using the link in the comments.

19/05/2026

Grazie Mondomusica Scuola Di Musica and to Veruska Mandelli, founder and director of Scuola Mondo Musica in Milan, for hosting us at Villa Scheiber during Piano City Milano 2026 — and for the chance to share the new 2026 Piano syllabus with teachers, students and families.

In this clip, Veruska talks through what stood out to her: the breadth of repertoire, the Popular component bringing famous works from across music history into Grade 1 to Grade 8, and the Keyboard harmony pathway that takes students from their first steps towards genuine improvisation by Grade 8.

We're proud to count Scuola Mondo Musica among the schools building structured pathways for their pianists with London College of Music Examinations (LCME).

18/05/2026

Where do LCME Steps sit in the beginner journey and alongside other beginner piano exams?

Right in the same space because your student's growth is at the heart of everything we've included here.

Step 1 remains in five finger position almost exclusively, and often suits students who are part-way through their first tutor book. It celebrates achievement and performance skills right from the start.

Step 2 is a little more advanced, but is still firmly in the beginner space. It fits at the end of the first tutor book, or part-way into the second. Most students find that they are ready for Step 2 within the first year of learning.

Steps are pre-Grade 1 introductory exams, designed for early-stage pianists on their journey towards the Graded exams. They sit at a similar level to the entry-level exams offered by other UK boards, with a clear sense of how each Step exam fits in a student’s early learning journey. Steps are made to be a companion to your curriculum, not a competitor.

Both exams take 10 minutes and assess four components: scales and exercises, two pieces from List A, two pieces from List B, and a short discussion about the music performed. They can be taken in person or digitally, with no age restrictions or prerequisite qualifications.

See for yourself by downloading our free sample booklet or get the full 2026 Piano Syllabus, using the link in the comments.

15/05/2026

Missed the first Piano webinar for teachers and candidates? Here is Andrew McBirnie, Chief Examiner in Music at London College of Music Examinations (LCME), sharing a quick summary of some key features and changes.

We have two more 2026 Piano syllabus webinars scheduled:
📆 Sunday 31 May 2026, 14:00 – 15:00 (BST)
📆 Wednesday 3 June 2026, 19:00 – 20:00 (BST)

Register here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0vkVtS0

14/05/2026

Andrew Eales reviews piano syllabuses from all the major performance exam boards on Pianodao. So his verdict on the new LCME 2026 Piano syllabus is one worth reading.

"One of the most educationally rewarding and musically inspiring piano syllabuses I've seen."

Across his in-depth review, Eales praises the pedagogical strength of the new technical work, the breadth and quality of the repertoire choices, the noticeably improved Piano Handbooks, and the return of keyboard harmony as a meaningful supporting test.

Read it in full:

Explore the 2026 LCME piano syllabus, featuring updated repertoire, exam formats, and innovative support tests to enhance your musical journey.