Grades 7
The musical material selected for these grades may be described as being at the technically less demanding end of the continuum of professional repertoire. The number of keys and time signatures which may be used extends to the full range of possibilities. Melodic and rhythmic material may include a significant degree of complexity. The music will include passages where dynamics, articulation, phrasing and ornamentation demand considerable dexterity and flexibility. The repertoire of scales and arpeggios in Component 1 is expanded in number to include a large number of types; in addition, candidates may be asked to perform them with varying dynamics and articulations. Musicality is judged to be almost as important as technical accomplishment in the assessment, and the candidate is expected to communicate with an emerging sense of musical personality.
Details
hands separately and together, piano and forte,
legato and staccato = 80
hands separately and together, piano and forte,
legato and staccato = 80
hands separately, piano and forte ♩=120
hands together a minor third apart
piano and forte, legato and staccato = 80
hands together a minor third apart
piano and forte, legato and staccato = 80
root position and 1st inversion, hands separately and together, piano and forte, legato = 52
hands separately and together, piano and forte = 52
hands separately and together, piano and forte = 52






Component 1: Technical Work (15 marks)
Candidates can prepare either Option 1: Scales and arpeggios, or Option 2: Study.
Option 1: Scales and arpeggios
The examiner will ask for a selection of the scales, arpeggios and broken chords below. All are to be performed ascending and descending, from memory. Tempo markings reflect the capabilities expected at this level.
Requirements Range
Scales
C, D, A, E, B, F#, F, D♭ major; 4 octaves
C, D, A, E, B, F#, F, C# minor (harmonic minor and melodic)
Contrary motion scale
C, D, A, E, B, F#, F, D♭ major; 2 octaves C, D, A, E, B, F#, F, C# minor (harmonic minor and melodic)
Scale in thirds
G and D major 1 octave
Chromatic scale in minor thirds
Beginning on D/F 2 octaves
Chromatic contrary motion scale
Beginning on C, F# 2 octaves
Arpeggios
C, D, A, E, B, F#, F, D♭ major; 4 octaves
C, D, A, E, B, F#, F, C# minor
Dominant 7th arpeggio
In the keys of G, D, A, E, B, F major 3 octave
Diminished 7th arpeggio
Beginning on C#, D, E♭ 3 octaves
Option 2: Study
Louise Farrenc Study in D Op. 26 No. 7 Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
Carl Czerny Study in D minor Op. 740 No. 37 Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
Component 2: Performance (60 marks)
Performance of three pieces, one from List A, one from List B and EITHER a piece from List C OR an own choice piece. At least one piece performed in the exam must be taken from LCM Piano Handbook 2021-2024.
List A
Composer
Modesta Bor
Joseph Haydn
Dmitry Kabalevsky
Marianna D’auenbrugger
Georg F. Handel
Hensel [Mendelssohn] Fanny
Wolfgang A. Mozart
Pietro D. Paradies
Domenico Scarlatti
List B
Composer
Halfdan Kjerulf
Dora Pejačević
William Baines
Mel Bonis
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Leoš Janáček
Philip Lane
Franz Liszt
Karol Szymanowski
Béla Bartók
Frédéric Chopin
Claude Debussy
John Ireland
Howard Ferguson
Gabriel Grovlez
Alexander Ilynsky
Max Reger
List C
Composer
George Gershwin
Richard Lambert
Dmitry Shostakovich
Hans Werner Henze
Zenobia Powell Perry
Priaux Rainier
Scott Joplin
Christopher Norton
Carl Vine
Aaron Copland
Jenny Gould
Jennifer Linn
Christopher Norton
Peter Warlock
Christopher Norton
Component 3: Discussion (7 marks)
Grade 7
This component of the exam consists of a short discussion with the examiner. The piano may be used to demonstrate where necessary. In addition to requirements to previous grades, candidates should be able to:
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identify more complex chords, including sevenths and dissonances, as occurring in the music (either
as chords or as melodic patterns)
-
identify cadences
-
give basic biographical information about the composers of the music performed, including general
reference to their contemporaries
-
demonstrate historical and stylistic knowledge of the music styles and genres performed
-
explain how they might shape their performance to bring stylistic awareness to their playing and how different time periods have a bearing on tempo and dynamics (e.g. detached touch and terraced dynamics in Baroque music, refined legato and varied agogics and rubato in Romantic music)
-
demonstrate a widening musical awareness a little beyond the music performed
-
explain finger placement and posture on the keys and how these factors can change tone colours
Component 4: Sight Reading (10 marks)
Candidates will perform a short, previously unseen piece of music. Up to one minute’s preparation time will be allowed to study the test before playing, during which the candidate may try parts of the test if they wish. Sight reading parameters for each grade are listed.
Component 5: Aural Tests (8 marks)
Grade 7
Test 1
1a. A harmonised passage, approximately 12 to 16 bars in length, in either simple or compound time, will be played. Candidates will be asked a selection of the following:
-
To identify the time signature
-
To identify whether the passage is in a major or minor key
-
To describe the overall dynamics
-
To describe the basic overall form (this will be limited to AB, ABA, AAB, ABAB, AABA) (2 marks)
1b. Candidates will be given a copy of the score from Test 1a, without phrasing, tempo, articulation, or dynamic markings. The passage will be played once again in full; further shorter sections may also be played again. Candidates will be asked a selection of the following:
-
To suggest an appropriate tempo marking
-
To describe changes in tempo
-
To name the key
-
To describe phrasing patterns
-
To describe dynamics
-
To describe articulation
-
To identify modulations
-
To identify ornaments
-
To confirm their description of the form
(4 marks)
Test 2
The key-chord of a major or minor key will be played, followed by a short melody in the same key, approximately 2 bars in length, finishing with a harmonised cadence (perfect, imperfect, plagal or interrupted) in the home key.
Candidates will be asked to identify the cadence by its conventional name (1 mark)
The test will be repeated using a different example (1 mark)

Title
Fuga No. 1
Moderato from Sonata in B flat Hob. XVI/2 Presto from Sonatina in C Op. 13 No. 1
Rondo (3rd mvt.)
Allemand
Praeludio
Presto (3rd mvt.)
Presto [Toccata] (2nd mvt.)
Sonata in A K. 182 L. 139
Title
Wiegenlied
Lilies
Water-Pearls
Au Crépescule Op. 111
Andante in A flat
A Blown-Away Leaf
Solitude
Nos. 1 or 2
Andante ma non troppo
Merry Andrew
Prelude No. 26 in A flat
Rêverie
Holy Boy
Bagatelle No. 2 in F sharp Minor
Petites Litanies de Jésus
Berceuse
Versönung
Title
’S Wonderful from Funny Face
Ostinato Download
Prelude in E flat minor Op. 34 No. 14
Ballade from Six Pieces for Young Pianists
Blaize
Barbaric Dance
Magnetic Rag
Shiba Mo
Spartacus
No. 3 from ‘Four Piano Blues’
Stamp!
Le Chat et le Moucheron
A Steady Hand
Folksong Prelude No. 2
Prelude II
Publication
Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
Sonata in E flat (Artaria IMSLP)
Suite No. 3 in D minor HWV 428 (Bärenreiter)
Klavierbuch in E minor (Breitkopf & Härtel)
Sonata in F K 280 (Bärenreiter or Henle)
Sonata No. 10 in D (Schott)
(Heugel IMSLP)
Publication
Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
(Hamelle IMSLP)
Three-Fours Valse-Suite Op. 71 No. 2 (Schirmer or Augener IMSLP)
On an Overgrown Path JW VIII 17 No. 2 (Bärenreiter)
Piano Lollipops (Goodmusic)
Five Piano Pieces S 192 (Neue Liszt-Ausgabe IMSLP)
Preludes Op. 1 No. 8 (Universal Edition)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Publication
Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
Piano Handbook 2021–2024: Grade 7 (LCM)
Pollicino No. 1 (Schott)
Piano Potpourri No. 6 (jeanniegaylepool.com)
Klaviermusik von Komponistinnen (Schott)
(Schirmer or Dover)
Eastern Preludes Collection No. 13 (Boosey & Hawkes)
Red Blues No. 4 (PWM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)
Piano Anthology Grades 7 & 8 (LCM)