Our Music Grade and Diploma exams are available both in digital and face-to-face formats.
Find out more about digital exams
Booking
Outside the UK: book all music exams via your local Trinity representative
Trinity’s performance diplomas provide a pathway to professional musicianship, focusing exclusively on the planning and performance of a recital. They are offered at three levels: ATCL, LTCL and FTCL.
Performance pathways
Begin your journey into professional musicianship, building a programme you can be confident in and that reflects you as a musician. Choose your pieces from our newly expanded and regularly updated repertoire lists, which include trusted and popular choices made by fellow teachers and candidates over the years, or submit your own-choice pieces (or a mixture of both).
Performance recognition
Our mark scheme is heavily weighted towards performance, allowing you to make your exam performance matter and to gain a respected qualification that fully reflects your performance standard.
Performance expertise
Enjoy dedicated support and an enhanced experience. Use our programme approvals portal to receive timely feedback on your programme from our expert panel, and benefit from online support resources and clear syllabus advice.
Levels offered
Trinity performance diplomas are our most advanced performance awards. They follow on from our grade and certificate exams, taking musicians up to a professional standard of performance and musical understanding.
Performance Diplomas are available at three levels:
- ATCL: equivalent in standard to the first year recital of an undergraduate degree
- LTCL: equivalent in standard to the final year recital of an undergraduate degree
- FTCL: equivalent in standard to a postgraduate course recital at a conservatoire or university
The 2019 Music Performance Diploma Syllabus
- Extensive repertoire with over 3,500 pieces on lists exclusively available online and updated at regular intervals with newly approved pieces
- Performance focus; 96% of the marks are awarded for the recital for ATCL and LTCL, with detailed programme notes only required for FTCL diplomas.
- Programme approvals portal means candidates receive quick, dedicated feedback on their own-choice programme from our expert panel
- Online digital resources provide teaching and learning support
The exam
Each exam has two sections: recital and programme & planning.
Recital (96 marks)
Compile and perform a programme of pieces, chosen from published repertoire lists, own-choice repertoire, or a combination of listed and own-choice repertoire.
Discover our repertoire listsAdditional guidance relating to timing of diploma programmes
Programme & Planning (4 marks)
Plan a balanced programme that includes contrasting styles, and provide a written programme.
Further information
Full details (including our procedures, syllabus requirements, what to expect, and what to bring with you) can be found in our Information & Regulations.
Diploma exam results are generally released up to eight weeks after the date of the exam. Occasionally, there may be a delay to results – please see Release of Music exam results page. For any other questions, please see our Music exam help pages.
Information & Regulations Music syllabus infringements Music exam help Diploma Masterclass
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Discover the benefits of becoming a Trinity Registered Exam Centre (such as access to Music books at business discount prices) and learn how to apply.
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