LAMDA exams - what to expect

LAMDA exams are taken by people all around the world.

LAMDA stands for London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and is based in London.

LAMDA have exam centres around the country, in some places they hold exams once a year, some twice a year and in others three times a year. I am based in Wimborne near Bournemouth and the public centre I use in Bournemouth runs exams three times year. These are usually at the end of March, the beginning of July and the end of November each year.

You can indicate which day you would prefer to take your LAMDA exam and whether you'd prefer morning or afternoon but LAMDA cannot guarantee you will get what you want, imagine if everyone wanted Saturday morning - it couldn't be done.

The entry forms and payments for the LAMDA exams have to be in at least 6 weeks before the exam and the results take up to 6 weeks to arrive after the exam (sometimes longer!)

LAMDA exams can be taken by anyone of any age from about the age of 5 upwards, I have plenty of candidates in their late 50's and they don't intend to stop for a long time yet.

I teach pupils to take LAMDA exams in Reading for Performance, Speaking Verse and Prose, Solo Acting and Spoken English but you can also take them in Public Speaking, Acting in pairs, Mime and Improvisation.

On the exam day you need to take copies of your chosen pieces with you as well as your folder to read from (for Reading for Performance), any hand props (for acting), objects to talk about (for some Spoken English and prelimary grades) you may need.

Your teacher will also have given you your report sheet to give to the examiner (although as I am always present at the LAMDA exams I give this to my pupils on the day). This sheet will have your name on it and also the titles of the pieces you are reciting, reading, speaking about or acting.

At the end of the exam you will be given your copies but the examiner will keep the report sheet. This has to be sent back to London for checking before it is sent to your teacher with the result on it.

If you are taking one of the introductory, preparatory or preliminary grades you will be given the result on the day of your LAMDA exam.

Once you are in the exam room you need to stand far enough away from the examiner to feel comfortable. Wait for the examiner to tell you to start and then proceed. If you are acting you should arrange any furniture, props etc before you start.

If you are Reading for Performance you should read through your whole programme unless the examiner tells you to stop between each piece.

If you are doing any of the other exams you will say one piece and then wait for the examiner to tell you to continue.

Once you have said all your pieces you will be asked to sit at the table with the examiner while he/she asks you some questions about your pieces, about the words in your pieces and the techniques you used to perform the pieces. At the higher grades in the speaking of verse and prose you will also learn a little about English Literature and verse forms.

These knowledge parts at the end of the exam are worth a lot of points and so should be taken as seriously as the actual reciting parts of the exam

LAMDA UCAS Points

DVD - How to speak clearly

Basic Explanation of different LAMDA exams

Intoductory exam

Speak a poem form memory (from a set list) and have a conversation about a favourite toy or object.

Preparatory exam

Speak a poem from memory (from a set list) and have a conversation about a picture, photograph or postcard

Preliminary

Speak a poem from memory (from a set list) and have a conversation about a favourite book.

Speaking Verse and Prose

Entry Grade

Recite from memory two poems - one from the set list the other is own choice.
Talk with examiner about the mood of each piece and the meanings of individual words etc.

Grade 1

Recite from memory two poems - one from the set list the other is own choice.
Talk with examiner about the mood of each piece and the meanings of individual words etc.

Grades 2 and 3

Recite from memory one poem and one piece of prose. One is set the other is own choice.
Talk with examiner about the book the prose was taken from, the characters etc.

Grades 4 and 5

Recite from memory one poem and one piece of prose. One is set and the other is own choice.
Read at sight a piece given to you by the examiner
Answer questions about theory of speaking and the b ook the prose was taken from.

Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Recite from memory one poem and one piece of prose, one is from the set list, the other is own choice.
l Read at sight a pice given to you by the examiner.
Answer question on the theme of the book chosen and about Breathing, voice production etc.

Grade 7 - Silver Medal

Recite from memory one poem and one piece of prose. One is from a set list the other is own choice.
Speak form memory a sonnet by a poet in the set list.
Read at sight a piece given to you by the examiner
Answer questions on the book, on verse forms and ways of obtaining expressive speech.

Grade 8 - Gold Medal

Speak from memory one poem and one piece of prose. One is from the set list and the other is own choice.
Speak from Memory a Shakespeare Sonnet.
Read at sight a piece given to you by the examiner
Answer questions on the book, the writers biographical details, metre and rhythm.

Reading for Performance

For all grades pupils have to present a recital based around a theme. Themes we have used include Christmas, Summer, Unexpected Endings, War, Animals, Nonsense Literature, Scottish Literature, Roald Dahl, Things I would tell my children.
All pieces must be read from a book or folder and I use A5 folders for children and some adults, other adults prefer A4 folders.
The candidate must have a sense of performance and may sit or stand to read these pieces and should move as appropriate (from stage left to stage right for example)

In all of the following Reading for Performance exams the marks are split as follows:
Max 40 for interpretation, 40 for Technique and 20 for Knowledge. 50 is needed for a Pass, 65 for a Merit and 80 for a Distinction.

Entry Grade

Present a recial consisting of :

• An introduction (which must be spoken from memory and not read)
• A verse reading
• A linking piece (spoken from memory)
• A prose reading

Grades 1, 2 and 3

Present a recial on a theme consisting of :

• An introduction (which must be spoken from memory and not read)
• A verse reading
• A linking piece (spoken from memory)
• A prose reading
• A conclusion (spoken form memoruy)

Each piece can be a maximum of 2 minutes long.

Grades 4 and 5

Present a recial on a theme consisting of :

• An introduction (which must be spoken from memory and not read)
• A verse reading
• A linking piece (spoken from memory)
• A prose reading
• A linking piece (spoken from memory)
• A prose or verse reading
• A conclusion (spoken form memoruy)

Each piece can be a maximum of 3 minutes long.

Grades 6, 7 and 8

Present a recial on a theme consisting of :

• An introduction (which must be spoken from memory and not read)
• A verse reading
• A linking piece (spoken from memory)
• A prose reading
• A linking piece (spoken from memory)
• A prose, verse or dramaticreading
• A conclusion (spoken form memoruy)

Each piece can be a maximum of 3 minutes long.

If you'd like help choosing a theme have a look here.

Spoken English

Entry Grade

Take a book into the exam room and retell the story to the examiner. You must not read from the book. This mustn't be longer than 2 minutes.
Give the examiner a choice of two topics to converse about - the examiner will choose one.

Grade 1

Give a talk about an experience, eventt or visit. Note cards may be referred to nut should not be read. Maximum time of 3 minutes.
Give the examiner a choice of two topics to converse about - the examiner will choose one.

Grade 2

Take an object into the room and use it as the basis of a talk. maximum time 3 minutes.
Give the examiner a choice of two topics to converse about - the examiner will choose one.

Grades 4

Give a talk about a hobby or interest not longer than 4 minutes Note cards may be used.
Oral presentation on a topic form a set list. Note cards may be used.
Converse with the examiner on one of the topics from the set list.

Grade 5

Give an informative talk not longer than 4 minutes Note cards may be used..
Oral presentation on a topic form a set list.Note cards may be used.
Converse with the examiner on one of the topics from the set list.

Solo/Duologue Acting

In all of the following Acting exams the marks are split as follows:
Max 40 for interpretation, 40 for Technique and 20 for Knowledge. 50 is needed for a Pass, 65 for a Merit and 80 for a Distinction.

Entry Grade

Perform an own choice piece from memory
Answer questions about the character and the scene

Grades 1, 2 and 3

Perform a piece from the set list
Perform an own choice piece between 2 and 3 minutes long
Answer questions about the character and the scene

Grades 4 and 5

Perform a piece from the set list
Perform an own choice piece between 3 and 4 minutes long
Answer questions about the character, the scene the staging and movement

Grade 6 - Bronze Medal

Perform a piece from a time period set.
Perform a piece written since 1980
Answer questions about the plays, characters etc.

Grade 7 - Silver Medal

Perform a piece from a time period set in list A
Perform a piece from a time period set in list B
Perform a piece written since 1980
Answer questions about the plays, characters etc.

Grade 8 - Gold Medal

Perform a piece from a time period set in list A
Perform a piece from a time period set in list B
Perform a piece written since 1980
Answer questions about the plays, characters etc.
Describe the process applied for developing characters for performance. Discuss one of the following, Stanislavski, Brecht or Gordon Craig.

Go from LAMDA Exams to UCAS points

Go from LAMDA Exams to DVD How to Speak Clearly

Go from LAMDA to Ideas for reading Aloud themes.

Breathing for Speaking

Sight reading tips

Basic Theory