PART A: PRACTICAL EXAMINATION

General Requirements
Candidates will be required to demonstrate their grasp of the art of liturgical presidency (i.e., the necessary qualities of leadership, personality, communication, and public speaking skills). They must show the skills required when leading public worship, an understanding of how music may be used in worship, and other attributes commensurate with one who plans and leads public worship.

Specific requirements
The examination will test the ability of the candidate to:
• demonstrate technical proficiency, understanding and sensitivity in the reading of Scriptural and other passages, and in the other spoken parts of the authorized Forms of Service of the candidate’s Church or denomination;
• demonstrate competent liturgical presidency skills;
• make appropriate and intelligent choices, from the variable (seasonal and other) liturgical elements in the authorized services of the candidate’s own Church or denomination, when planning worship;
• demonstrate either technical competence, general musicianship and sensitive interpretation as a singer or player participating in public worship, or critical understanding of the context, purpose, style and structure of a substantial piece of church music;
• demonstrate an imaginative understanding of how music may be used in worship, on different types of occasion and with a variety of resources;
• make choices of musical repertoire which are imaginative and liturgically appropriate for use in public worship.

The content of the examination
The examination will last a maximum of one hour, and will include practical tests in, and questions on, the following:
1. the principal elements in the services of the candidate’s own Church or denomination;
2. the spoken parts of authorized services;
3. the sung/spoken responses/dialogues from authorized services;
4. either performance (as singer or instrumentalist) of a short piece of at least ABRSM Grade 5 standard or equivalent or presentation of a critique of a piece of church music;
5. written orders of service for both occasional and statutory acts of worship,
submitted in advance by the candidate.
The music for item 4 will be chosen by the candidate, and submitted to the Examinations Secretary for approval not less than four weeks before the date of the examination.

Time and place of the examination
The Practical Examination will normally take place between 1 July and 31 August, in the candidate’s own church, or one nominated by the candidate. It is usually combined with the Viva Voce examination (see Part C ).

Entry to the examination
Application forms are available from the Examinations Secretary, to whom they must be returned, with the appropriate fee, by 31 January prior to the examination.

Further information
Guidelines for Candidates, giving full details of the requirements of the Practical Examination and associated marking schemes, appear later in this document.

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