Starting tomorrow, 8 May, and going on until the 22 May, the Malta Society of Arts (MSA) will be hosting its bi-annual practical music examinations with the London College of Music (LCM), which is the largest specialist music and performing arts institution in the UK. The MSA has been the representative of the LCM in Malta for the past 80 years and has built a strong relationship with this internationally-reputed college.

249 music students will be sitting for exams in various Grades, while 14 students will be hoping to obtain their Diploma certificate. For this session, three students (playing the clarinet, flute and trombone) will also sit for the prestigious Fellowship Diploma exam, which is the LCM's highest qualification. The lowest level is called 'Pre-preparatory' and the youngest student sitting for this exam will be a four-year old boy who will be playing the piano. Musical education has no age limit and the oldest student will be 49 years old.

The most popular instrument is by far the piano with 180 students sitting for exams, followed by the drum kit with 25 students, and the clarinet and guitar with 15 students each. Other instruments are the violin, snare drum, saxophone, flute, double bass and trombone. For the first time ever, the session will include 2 students sitting for their timpani exam.

For this summer session, the LCM examiner will be Greg Palmer. Palmer has worked extensively in UK theatre, composing, directing and arranging music for around 150 professional theatre productions over the last 30 years or so. In addition to his work as an educator, Greg has been a frequent contributor to higher and further education programmes including the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Rose Bruford College, Birkbeck College, University of London and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.