Graduation Requirements
After the Introductory Primer Level has been completed, Omaha Conservatory of Music’s graduation levels correspond to the levels of the Royal Conservatory Development Program. We use the repertoire lists provided by the Royal Conservatory Program in our graduation process. These repertoire lists are comprehensive and offer a wide range of styles and genres. The syllabi are available here.
Each level in the Royal Conservatory syllabus includes two or more repertoire lists. In order to graduate from a level at the Omaha Conservatory, a student must perform a piece from each of the appropriate repertoire lists for a teacher with a high degree of mastery. Omaha Conservatory pianists are also required to complete the Royal Conservatory technical requirements for their level if they wish to graduate from levels Preparatory A through 6.
When all other requirements have been completed, the graduating student will perform, from memory, one of the pieces he or she has learned from the repertoire lists at their next recital, where they will then receive their graduation award.
Students who graduate from the first level will earn a medallion from the Omaha Conservatory. The awards for each subsequent graduation, as well as for other achievements such as 100 days of practice, are special pins to be attached to the lanyard of the medallion. Students are encouraged to wear their medallions at solo recitals to showcase their accomplishments and motivate younger students to continue achieving.
Students so inclined may register to take the official Royal Conservatory tests at authorized testing sites throughout the country. In addition to the performance component, these exams test technical, aural, theory and reading skills. Because this is a rigorous process and one that requires the student to register online, pay fees, and travel to an evaluation center, students who have decided to try for this certification should work closely to plan and prepare with their teacher.
FAQs
What will the new graduation process be like?
- Student and teacher choose a piece from each of the Royal Conservatory repertoire lists for the appropriate level.
- When all of the pieces have been learned and performed for the teacher at a high level, one is selected to perform on the next solo recital.
- Faculty members submit the names of any students who are graduating to the office on the recital program form. Students must have their pieces ready for performance at the time of the program submission.
- At the solo recital, another OCM faculty member will write an evaluation of the student's performance. This evaluation will not determine whether the student graduates but rather serve as an additional tool for developing a culture of excellence at the school.
- At the end of the recital, the student will receive the graduation award.
- The recital evaluation will be given to the student's teacher to discuss with the student in the next lesson.
Why does OCM offer a system of graduations and awards?
Omaha Conservatory of Music offers a system of graduations and awards to recognize students' progress and achievements, to motivate them, and to build a culture of excellence. By celebrating students' accomplishments within the graduation and awards system, OCoM's artist-faculty encourages them and helps them to recognize their own progress. The graduation and awards system is designed to build on all three of the core intrinsic motivators identified by researchers Richard Ryan and Edward Deci: connectedness, competence, and autonomy. First, having a set of common goals and being recognized in front of their peers strengthens students' sense of connectedness. Then, by achieving clearly defined goals of excellence and having their work honored, students recognize their growing competence as musicians. Finally, students have an opportunity to express their autonomy within the system by moving at their own pace, choosing which goals to pursue or not to pursue, and choosing their repertoire within each goal. The only means of reaching their goals is the autonomous work that they do. The system encourages students to strive for excellence by building their skills through pedagogically sequenced graduation levels and working toward specialized achievement awards. It defines what excellence is and establishes a high standard of performing within the school.
