Licentiate in Music, Australia facts for kids

The Licentiate in Music, Australia (LMusA) is a diploma awarded by examination to outstanding candidates in the fields of musical performance and music theory by the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB).

AMEB administers music examinations in Australia, and its Licentiate diploma has a national success rate of around 10% of candidates. Typically, a candidate will have already completed AMEB exams up to the Associate diploma level prior to attempting the LMusA, although there is no requirement for this. The requirement is to have successfully completed a Grade 6 theory examination for a practical LMusA, and a Grade 6 practical examination for a theory LMusA. Above the LMusA is the most prestigious but extremely rare Fellowship in Music, Australia (FMusA).

An LMusA practical examination is conducted by two examiners (one Federal examiner who maintains consistency in the national standard, and one state examiner who is a specialist in the instrument being examined). Candidates must present a repertoire from the prescribed lists of pieces that is 40 minutes, but no more than 50 minutes in length, with a further ten minutes testing musical general knowledge of the pieces presented. Candidates receive one of three grades at diploma level: "no award", "award", and the exceptional "award with distinction" (very rarely awarded).