For advancing piano students
RCM Certificate Program in Huntington Beach
Private 45-minute weekly lessons that prepare students for Royal Conservatory of Music piano examinations, from Preparatory A to Level 10. It is the next step for students who have met the learning objectives of Piano Express.
- Royal Conservatory certified teacher
- Free placement session
- Levels
- Preparatory A to Level 10
- Lessons
- Private, 45 minutes a week
- Tuition
- $350 a month
- Exam day
- Remote or in person
What it is
A clear ladder, one level at a time
The RCM Certificate Program is a graded system of music study from The Royal Conservatory of Music. It gives piano students a level to work toward, a set of skills for each level, and an examination at the end.
The exam is marked by an independent examiner, not by us. Your child plays, the examiner writes comments and a mark, and a certificate arrives for each level passed. It is an outside measure of real progress, and something to be proud of.
For motivated students it answers the question “what comes after the beginner books?” with clear goals and performance opportunities, year after year.
What students work on
Every part of a piano exam, covered in lessons
Repertoire
Pieces from different musical periods, polished and performed for the examiner.
Technique
Scales, chords and arpeggios in the keys set for each level.
Etudes
Short studies that build a particular skill, like speed or evenness.
Ear training
Clapping back rhythms, naming intervals and chords, and playing back melodies.
Sight reading
Playing a short piece and tapping a rhythm the student has never seen before.
Theory
Written theory exams join the requirements from Level 5 onward.
How it works here
From placement to certificate
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Placement
Students who have met the learning objectives of Piano Express move straight in. Coming from another teacher? A free placement session finds the right level.
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Private weekly lessons
One student, one teacher, 45 minutes every week. Each lesson works through repertoire, technique, ear training and sight reading for the level ahead.
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Mock exams
Before the real thing, students practice the exam itself, including with our free Piano Exam Room, which asks for technique and ear tests the way an examiner does.
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Exam day
Families choose a remote exam, played for the examiner by video, or an in-person exam at an RCM location. We help you register.
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Certificate, then the next level
The examiner’s written comments guide what we work on next, and your child has a certificate from The Royal Conservatory to show for it.
Results
Independently examined, not just our opinion
Examiners’ comments have consistently noted strong note accuracy and rhythm.
Taught by someone who has climbed the whole ladder
Founder Eric Rinehart holds the Licentiate Diploma (LRCM) and the ARCT diploma from The Royal Conservatory of Music, and is a certified RCM teacher, elementary and intermediate specialist. Meet our teachers.
Questions parents ask
Good to know
What is the RCM Certificate Program?
It is a graded system of music study from The Royal Conservatory of Music. Piano students move through Preparatory A, Preparatory B and Levels 1 to 10. At each level they can take an examination with an independent examiner and earn a certificate.
When is my child ready to start?
Students move into the RCM Certificate Program once they have met the learning objectives of Piano Express, which brings them to about RCM Level 1. Students coming from another teacher start with a free placement session so we can find the right level.
How are lessons taught?
RCM students take a private 45-minute lesson every week with their teacher at our Huntington Beach studio. Each lesson covers exam repertoire, technique, ear training and sight reading.
How do students take the exam?
Families can choose. RCM offers piano exams remotely, where the student plays for the examiner by video, and in person at an exam location. We help you register and pick the option that suits your child.
Are there theory exams?
Not at first. RCM does not require a theory exam from Preparatory A to Level 4. Theory exams begin as a requirement at Level 5.
What does it cost?
Tuition is $350 a month for a private 45-minute lesson every week. The Royal Conservatory also charges its own fee for each examination.
Ready for the next level?
Tell us where your child is now, and we will map out the path from here. Not at this stage yet? Start with Piano Express.
Eric’s Piano School is an independent studio. Examinations and certificates are administered by The Royal Conservatory of Music.