Trinity's top tips for parents supporting children through their music exams

Supporting your child through their first music exam can be exciting, rewarding and, at times, a little daunting. At Trinity College London, we help thousands of learners prepare for music exams every year. We also know that many of our own colleagues have experienced the process from a parent’s perspective. We asked them to share their top tips for helping children feel confident, prepared and ready to perform at their best.

Keep communication open with their teacher

Good communication between your child, their teacher and you can make a big difference when preparing for an exam. How easy it is to maintain will vary depending on the arrangements in place; you might speak face-to-face, by phone or email, or simply use your child’s practice log to share notes and updates. Whatever works best, keeping the lines of communication open can help everyone stay on the same page.

It’s also important to make sure you understand the practical arrangements for the exam. As the exam approaches, you may want to ask:

• Will the exam be face-to-face or digital?
• When and where will the exam or recording take place?
• Who is responsible for booking the exam, and when does this need to be done?
• Will your child need an accompanist or backing track? Who will organise this?
• Are copies of the accompaniment part available?
• Will your child have an opportunity to rehearse with the accompanist or backing track beforehand?
• If they are using a backing track, is there a way to practise with it at home?
• What will they need to bring on the day? This could include their music, the accompanist’s copy, photocopies for the examiner, backing tracks and a playback device, and their appointment slip.
• If it’s a digital exam, who will be responsible for submitting the recording?

Knowing what to expect can help both you and your child feel more prepared.

Get familiar with what your child needs to prepare

Having someone at home who understands what your child is preparing for can be really helpful. You don’t need to be a musician or a teacher – simply knowing what they need to practise means you can offer support and help them keep track of all the different elements of the exam.

It can also help make sure that they are practising the whole exam programme, rather than focusing only on the pieces they enjoy most!

As a general guide, graded exams typically include the following:

Classical & Jazz

Rock & Pop

For more detail about the requirements for your child’s specific instrument, take a look at our syllabuses and repertoire lists:

Classical & Jazz

Rock & Pop

Get involved and help keep them motivated

When we first asked colleagues to share their experiences, one challenge came up again and again: keeping children motivated to practise.

Preparing for a music exam takes dedication and, often, months of working on the same material. It’s understandable that children can sometimes lose interest or motivation along the way.

If you’re a musician yourself, playing alongside your child can be a great way to make practice feel more enjoyable and collaborative:

‘One thing I've found really helpful with M is simply spending time practising and playing alongside him. I'm not teaching him in those moments; rather, I'm engaging with what he's doing and sharing in the experience. I've noticed that when I sit with him, listen, or even play along with him, he is far more focused and will often spend considerably longer at the kit than if he is practising on his own.

Showing an interest and making practice feel like a shared activity, rather than a task to be completed, can make a huge difference to motivation, concentration, and enjoyment.’

- Toby

Sarah has found a similar approach helpful with her son:

‘Taking time out at the weekend to get my violin out as well really helps. My son likes to hear the rhythm played to him while he reads the music along with me playing. It works with scales and arpeggios too so he can hear them played first. It helps his confidence. It's important to know when to step away and let them get on with it though.’

- Sarah

And you don’t need to be musical yourself to get involved. Nicola turns practice into an opportunity for her daughter to take on the role of teacher:

‘Instead of playing along I get her to be the 'teacher' and she is showing me and then gets to tell me off when I don't get it and she needs to repeat it and show me over and over again...’

- Nicola

Help them get comfortable with performing

Feeling nervous before an exam is completely normal – even experienced performers get nervous. In fact, many performers see nerves as a positive thing that can help them focus and perform with energy.

Giving your child opportunities to perform in less formal settings can help them become more comfortable with the experience. They could play in an ensemble, take part in a school concert or perform for friends and family at home.

You could even create your own mini concert:

‘We used to line up her teddies to watch the show.’

 - Nicola

Keep talking to your child and listen to their concerns

Taking a music exam can be an emotional journey, with excitement, frustration, nerves and pride all playing a part. Talking to your child throughout their preparation can help them make sense of these feelings and understand that they are a normal part of performing.

Start by making sure your child understands what an exam is and what they can expect. If you’re unsure whether they are ready to take an exam, our blog, Are music exams the right choice for my child?, explores some of the things you and your child might want to consider.

Most importantly, keep talking to your child about how they are feeling. If they tell you that something isn’t working for them – perhaps they don’t feel happy with a piece they have chosen, or they lack confidence in one of their Supporting tests – don’t be afraid to raise this with their teacher. Your child should feel that they are going into their exam with confidence in their programme and their own abilities. Trinity exams are designed to offer flexibility, helping candidates play to their strengths and demonstrate what they can do.

Would you like support booking, filming and submitting your child's digital music exam? Watch our webinar recording, Digital music exams: from booking to results, on demand.