Unleashing creative possibilities: LCME's new composition syllabus
By Dr Helen Madden, Senior Lecturer, Composer and LCME Examiner
If you're teaching composition, studying it at A-Level or beyond, or working as a musician who writes, you'll know that the landscape of contemporary composition has transformed dramatically. We're no longer confined to concert halls and traditional scores. Today's composers create for games, films, theatre, dance, digital platforms – and yes, still for the concert stage too. Our musical voices are needed everywhere, yet many exam syllabuses haven't quite caught up with this reality.
That's why I'm genuinely excited about LCME's revised 2025 Composition syllabus. As both an examiner and active composer, I've seen firsthand how students and professionals struggle when their creative work doesn't fit into traditional assessment boxes. Perhaps you've had a student whose film scoring is exceptional but couldn't showcase it formally. Or maybe you're a teacher wondering how to nurture diverse compositional voices within structured assessment frameworks. This syllabus speaks directly to those challenges.
Welcome, then, to a syllabus that truly recognises the breadth of contemporary composition practice. Let me guide you through what's changed and why it matters for your creative journey or that of your students.
1. Opening doors to media composition
One of the most exciting developments is the introduction of a new element for media, specifically, composition for visual media or live performance. At the diploma levels, candidates can now submit original works composed for and synchronised to video, film, commercials, or other visual media, as well as music created for live dance or drama performances.
What's exciting is that the syllabus is now much more open. It recognises composers working across a range of styles and parts of the industry, not just the traditional route. Whether you're into avant-garde experiments or more traditional approaches, all the way through to large-scale stage productions, the new syllabus embraces a wide variety of creative approaches and compositional styles.
2. Your style, your voice
Candidates are encouraged to experiment with any compositional style. This may include tonal, atonal, minimalist, contemporary, progressive, experimental or popular styles of various kinds. At early grades, work may be mostly pastiche, and what we really encourage is experimentation and evidence of thinking outside of the box, where suitable.
As you move through the grades, we'd expect to see more adventurous use of the instruments. Things like extended techniques and really making the most of their full range. And if you're working in media or using a DAW, we're looking for increasingly sophisticated mixing and mastering, and a real sense of how the music enhances what's happening on screen.
All of this can, of course, be explained in your write-up… which brings me nicely onto the next point - programme notes!
3. The power of programme notes
These should briefly outline your composition process, what you were aiming to do, and how you went about it creatively and technically. They're actually really important in helping the examiner understand your thinking.
For example, if you've written a slow-moving piece with minimal harmonic changes as a deliberate nod to a particular composer or style, using long, bowed notes on the cello bridge to create an ethereal, otherworldly feel, explaining that can really shift how the piece is understood, rather than it being seen simply as 'harmonically limited.'
And for media composers, let's say you've written a sparse, ambient cue because the scene needed space for dialogue or to reflect a sense of isolation, that's exactly the kind of thing to explain. It helps us see your musical decisions in context, which often leads to stronger marks.
4. Recording requirements
Although our examiners are experts in marking scores, recordings can be really helpful, and as the grades progress, they become a mandatory part of the submission process.
For Grades 2 to 8, there's no requirement to submit recordings, but it's encouraged as it helps develop good practice early on. From ALCM upwards, things change: at ALCM level, at least one composition must be accompanied by a recording; for LLCM, that goes up to two compositions; and at FLCM, you'll need recordings for at least three compositions.
If you're submitting film or media-synced compositions, candidates must provide a conductor's score along with a video file (usually MP4 or MOV) that contains the synchronised music cues. For dance or drama performances, you can submit a video recording alongside the score, but a separate audio recording is always required.
If you have a live recording, that's fantastic! But if you're working with notation software like Sibelius, a simple audio export from the program works perfectly too.
5. Professional presentation: Title pages
One thing that often gets missed is what's actually on the title page. From diploma level onwards, scores really do need a proper title page. This means including the instrumentation, how long the piece is, and if you've done anything unusual with notation or layout, that needs to be explained in your programme notes.
Scores can be in concert pitch or transposed, but whichever you choose, just let us know clearly at the start. And although it's only a formal requirement at diploma level, it's a great habit to get into for all grades, and it helps present your work professionally.
6. And finally…have fun with it!
This is such a brilliant opportunity to explore your creativity and start shaping your own unique musical voice. The further you go, the more that individuality really matters.
And remember, we're a friendly bunch here at LCME, so if you're ever unsure about what to submit or have any questions at all, just get in touch. One of us from the team will be more than happy to help.
Ready to find out more? Explore the full LCME Composition & Music Thesis Diplomas Syllabus to continue your creative journey today.