Empowering Latin American musicians: Meet Cecilia Ramírez Icaza
For over two decades, Cecilia Ramírez Icaza has been leading the charge to bring internationally recognised music qualifications to Latin American students as Director of Music at Markham College in Lima, Peru. Under her leadership, the centre has built a strong reputation for supporting musical excellence, with students consistently achieving distinctions and creating vibrant performance opportunities.
A vision for Latin American music education
"I wanted to offer the opportunity to evidence the level of musical performance, theory and composition to Latin American people", explains Cecilia when asked about her decision to become an LCME exam centre. This vision has transformed into a thriving music programme that has seen numerous students achieve distinctions and even perfect scores of 100% in their exams.
Creating the perfect environment for success
The success of Markham College as an exam centre comes down to meticulous preparation and outstanding facilities. "We provide spaces, practice rooms with very good pianos and soundproof individual rooms", says Cecilia. A dedicated team of music staff and administrators works before, during and after exams to ensure everything runs smoothly, while teachers provide valuable pre-exam guidance to candidates when needed.
Celebrating achievement
Cecilia believes in making LCME exams a true celebration of musical achievement. "It is very motivating for youngsters to take LCME exams. It is a great way to have a musical goal," she says. Cecilia encourages teachers to organise recitals before or after exams and ensures certificates are presented during special assemblies or ceremonies. This approach has helped build a strong musical community at Markham College while enhancing the school's reputation for excellence in music education.
Building your own LCME success story
Are you interested in becoming an LCME exam centre? Cecilia's advice to teachers is to study the syllabuses carefully and explore the variety of exam options available. "There is always the perfect one for each music student!" she emphasises.
Contact LCME today to learn how you can join our global network of exam centres and help empower the next generation of performers.