Is the Gold award easier than the St Nicolas and St Cecilia Awards?
No. The new award is intended to be not ‘easier than’ but ‘different from, at the same standard as, and more engaging for the candidate than’ the old Awards. The Gold award now carries a smaller portfolio of prepared repertoire in Section A (Using the voice well) than the old exam, but this is balanced by the newly-established need for written submissions in Sections C (Repertoire) and E (Choir in context). The examiner, as well as setting a sight-reading test, also chooses 3 of the candidate’s 5 prepared pieces in Section B (Musical skills and understanding) and asks a range of clearly-stated technical tests in the exam. The standard of singing excellence required throughout this new exam, remains unchanged: the assessment criteria being used by Gold award examiners are printed at the end of the syllabus.
