Trinity ATCL/ DipABRSM Percussion Exam Course
Snare Drum/ Timpani/ Vibraphone/ Xylophone/ Marimba/ Multiple Percussion
Locations:
Kwai Chung Studio/ Your Home
The ARSM (Associate of the Royal Schools of Music) diploma is available for percussion and follows the same structure as other ARSM performance diplomas. It’s designed as a post–Grade 8 qualification, focusing entirely on your musical performance—no scales, sight-reading, or written tests.
🥁 Exam Overview:
- Performance Duration: 30 minutes ‘/
- At least 20 minutes must be from the ARSM percussion repertoire list
- Up to 10 minutes can be own-choice repertoire (Grade 8 standard or higher)
- No supporting tests: It’s purely performance-based
📝 Marking Criteria:
- Total Marks: 50
- Up to 30 marks for the individual pieces (assessed collectively)
- Up to 20 marks for the performance as a whole—this includes musical communication, interpretation, and stage presence
🎖️ Result Categories:
- Distinction: 45–50
- Pass: 30–44
- Below Pass: 0–29
You can perform on a mix of tuned percussion (like marimba or vibraphone), snare drum, timpani, or multi-percussion setups. The key is to create a balanced and expressive programme that shows off your musical personality and technical control.
If you’d like, I can help you build a sample recital programme or explore repertoire ideas that fit your strengths. Want to start crafting something together?
Awesome! Let’s build a 30-minute ARSM percussion programme that showcases your musical range and technical control. The goal is to balance style, instrumentation, and emotion, while sticking to the format:
- At least 20 minutes from the ARSM percussion list
- Up to 10 minutes of own-choice repertoire (Grade 8 level or higher)
- No gaps between pieces longer than 1 minute
🥁 Sample Programme:
- “Moto Perpetuo” by Evelyn Glennie – Snare Drum (4–5 min)
A high-energy opener packed with rhythmic drive. - “Yellow After the Rain” by Mitchell Peters – Marimba (5–6 min)
Lyrical and flowing, a warm contrast to the opening. - “Interzones” by Emmanuel Séjourné – Multi-Percussion (8–9 min)
A textural and theatrical centerpiece that tests coordination and expression. - Own-choice: “Catch 22” by David Long (6–7 min)
A bold and dramatic finale with theatrical flair and layered rhythms.
This lands you right around 28–30 minutes with strong contrast and momentum. Want to swap something in for timpani or add hand percussion for more color? Or are you leaning toward a different overall vibe—more contemporary, perhaps?
The LRSM (Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music) in Percussion Performance is a diploma-level qualification that assesses your ability to deliver a confident, expressive, and technically assured recital across a range of percussion instruments.
🥁 Exam Structure:
- Unit 1: Performance (80 marks)
A 35–40 minute recital showcasing a balanced programme across tuned percussion (e.g., marimba, vibraphone), snare drum, timpani, and/or multi-percussion. You’re expected to demonstrate:- Technical fluency and control
- Stylistic awareness and expressive interpretation
- Cohesive programming and stage presence
- Unit 2: Performance in Context (20 marks)
A written (2,000 words) or spoken (10-minute) submission on one of four set topics, such as historical context, interpretation, or performance practice. This explores your understanding of the music you perform.
🎯 Marking Bands:
Unit 1: Performance
- Distinction: 72–80
- Merit: 64–71
- Pass: 56–63
- Below Pass 1: 48–55
- Below Pass 2: 0–47
Unit 2: Performance in Context
- Distinction: 18–20
- Merit: 16–17
- Pass: 14–15
- Below Pass 1: 12–13
- Below Pass 2: 0–11
You can find the full criteria and assessment breakdown in ABRSM’s official LRSM qualification specification and the detailed marking criteria PDF.
If you’re planning your programme or brainstorming your written topic, I’d love to help you shape something powerful and personal. Want to start with repertoire ideas or topic themes?
Fantastic! Let’s design an LRSM percussion recital that highlights your artistic range and musical maturity. Your performance needs to be 35–40 minutes, with a well-balanced mix of instruments and styles—typically involving tuned percussion, snare drum, multi-percussion, and possibly timpani or auxiliary/world instruments.
Here’s a sample programme structure to spark ideas:
🎶 Suggested Recital Plan
- Snare Drum Solo
“Tornado” by Mitch Markovich – (Approx. 5–6 min)
A virtuosic and intense opening to show control and clarity. - Tuned Percussion
“Blues for Gilbert” by Mark Glentworth (vibraphone) – (6–7 min)
Rich in lyrical phrasing and harmonic nuance. - Multi-Percussion Showcase
“Interzones” by Emmanuel Séjourné – (8–10 min)
Dramatic and physically engaging—ideal for expression and precision. - Timpani or Thematic Piece
“Variations for Solo Timpani” by Elliott Carter – (6–7 min)
Great for showing tonal awareness and advanced rhythmic language. - Contemporary/World Music Flair (Own-Choice)
“Catch 22” by David Long – (6–8 min)
A dynamic closer with theatricality and drive.
Would you like to refine it around your instrument strengths or swap in repertoire you already love? And for Unit 2 (Performance in Context), we can brainstorm topics that connect to your programme—like the evolution of multi-percussion repertoire or interpretations of rhythmic structures across traditions. Shall we build that next?
Brilliant! Let’s match your Unit 2 written submission with your LRSM percussion recital to create a well-rounded and meaningful artistic statement. Since your programme might include works by composers like Séjourné, Markovich, Glentworth, or Carter, we can lean into themes of rhythmic innovation, textural contrast, or even the global evolution of solo percussion repertoire.
Here are a few topic directions you could explore:
🧠 1. Interpretation of Rhythmic Language in Contemporary Solo Percussion
Explore how modern composers use rhythm structurally and expressively—think Elliott Carter’s metric modulation or Séjourné’s layered polyrhythms. You could compare approaches to time, pulse, and space across your recital programme.
🌍 2. Global Influences in Modern Percussion Music
Trace the influence of non-Western percussion traditions—like Afro-Cuban, Indian, or Japanese drumming—on the development of solo percussion. If your recital features pieces inspired by world rhythms, this could tie everything together beautifully.
🎼 3. The Evolution of the Multi-Percussion Solo
A focused dive into how the genre has grown since the mid-20th century. Discuss its theatrical elements, expanded setups, and the role of performer as choreographer. Perfect if you’re featuring works like Interzones or Catch 22.
🧩 4. Programme Architecture and the Percussionist as Curator
Examine how a solo percussionist can create a cohesive narrative through instrument choice, staging, and musical contrast. This approach lets you reflect directly on your recital structure and artistic decisions.
Any of these could be tailored to your specific setlist and strengths. Want help sketching a draft or fleshing out a particular topic? We can piece together an outline step by step.
The FRSM (Fellowship of the Royal Schools of Music) in Percussion Performance is ABRSM’s highest-level diploma—equivalent to a Master’s degree recital. It’s designed for percussionists who can deliver a professionally polished, artistically mature performance across a range of instruments.
🥁 Key Features:
- Performance Duration: 42–48 minutes
- Assessment Format: Digital submission (video + supporting evidence)
- Marking: Pass/Fail only — either Approved or Not Approved
- Prerequisite: You must have passed the LRSM in Percussion Performance
🎶 Programme Requirements:
- Your recital must include at least one work from three of the following four categories:
- Tuned Percussion (e.g., marimba, vibraphone)
- Timpani
- Snare Drum
- Multiple Percussion / Other
- At least one piece must be on a tuned percussion instrument
- You can choose from the official FRSM percussion repertoire list or submit own-choice works of equivalent standard
📝 Supporting Evidence:
You’ll also submit a 2,000-word written commentary or a 10-minute spoken presentation on one of four set topics, such as:
- Interpretation
- Historical context
- Performance practice
- Programme architecture
The goal is to present a cohesive, expressive, and technically masterful recital that reflects your personal artistic identity.
If you’d like, I can help you sketch out a sample programme or brainstorm ideas for your written commentary. Want to start building something extraordinary?
Amazing. Let’s put together an FRSM percussion recital that’s artistically powerful, stylistically diverse, and uniquely you. You have 42–48 minutes to craft a compelling musical journey, so we’ll aim to balance instrumental variety, expressive depth, and cohesive flow. Here’s a sample structure to inspire you:
🥁 Sample FRSM Percussion Recital Programme
- Snare Drum Virtuosity
Mitch Markovich – Tornado (5–6 min)
A dramatic and precise opener that showcases rhythmic command and technical flair. - Tuned Percussion Poetry
Mark Glentworth – Blues for Gilbert (vibraphone) (6–7 min)
Lyrical expressiveness with subtle jazz inflections and harmonic richness. - Timpani Dialogues
Elliott Carter – Eight Pieces for Four Timpani (select 2–3 movements) (6–7 min)
Masterful exploration of pitch, resonance, and color on a single instrument. - Multi-Percussion Showcase
Emmanuel Séjourné – Interzones (8–10 min)
Physically and musically demanding; perfect for theatrical range and timbral contrast. - Contemporary/Own-Choice Statement Piece
David Long – Catch 22 or a commissioned/new work (7–9 min)
Bold, personal, and impactful—a strong conclusion to leave a lasting impression.
If you’d like to weave in something more experimental or rooted in non-Western traditions (like frame drums, tabla, or electronics), we can absolutely reshape this. You might also consider original composition, if you’re a composer-performer—it makes for an unforgettable finale.
Next, we can brainstorm ideas for your written commentary—something that links meaningfully with your programme. Want to explore a few topic directions for that?
Great! Let’s dive into ideas for your FRSM written commentary—this is where you bring deeper context, personal insight, and artistic reflection into play. The topic should relate meaningfully to your recital and show your grasp of performance, history, or interpretation at a postgraduate level.
Here are a few compelling directions we could take:
🎼 1. Rhythmic Identity in Contemporary Percussion Performance
Examine how composers like Emmanuel Séjourné, Elliott Carter, or David Long use rhythm not just structurally but expressively—blurring lines between timekeeping, movement, and drama. You could analyze how your programme reflects evolving approaches to rhythmic storytelling.
🌍 2. Global Voices, Modern Drumming
Explore how contemporary percussion repertoire is influenced by global traditions—e.g., African polyrhythms, Japanese taiko, Latin American syncopation—and how that translates into your performance approach. This is particularly powerful if your recital includes pieces or techniques with world-music roots.
🎭 3. The Performer as Interpreter and Curator
This option lets you focus on how you shaped your programme—why you chose these particular works, how you constructed the arc of the recital, and how your interpretation communicates a personal or cultural narrative.
🔍 4. Sound, Space, and Gesture: Theatre in Solo Percussion
Especially suitable if you include theatrical or multi-setup works like Catch 22 or Interzones. You could unpack how solo percussion blurs the boundaries between music and performance art.
Once you pick a theme, I can help you map out an outline, suggest resources, and even shape your first draft. Which of these sparks your interest—or do you already have something in mind?