Keen to take your speech or singing to the next level? Learn about the theory that underpins the craft.
The syllabus starts by developing technique in the classical style - a tried and true method to help achieve basically any performance goals - but the music (the main component of the exam) is where it really branches into all sorts of different territory.
What's in the syllabus?
The syllabus builds from Grade to Grade and covers knowledge relating to:
- dramatic performance,
- oral interpretation, and
- spoken interaction in a variety of communication situations.
Exams include questions that explore topics such as:
- transcription and use of phonetics;
- the presentation skills required to portray a character or give a talk;
- devise an introduction or staging for a given prose or theme;
- history of theatre;
- poetic forms and their attributes;
- analysis of examples of communication;
- aspects of non-verbal communication;
- the role of technology in complementing verbal communication; and so on.
Have a read of the full Syllabus to ensure you've prepared all the requirements for your exam.
How will theory help my practical skills?
We know that understanding theory can be a huge help when it comes to growing your skills and passion for your craft. By learning theory, you deepen your knowledge and comprehension of your actions, helping inform your artistic choices. By increasing your understanding of the language and history behind the prose, you gain the tools to bring your characters to life and discover new and interesting layers to your repertoire. Theory will help you to get more out of your performing arts education, and support you in your learning journey.
- You'll gain deeper insight into the writers' intentions and be able to better (and more easily) translate words into emotion.
- Get to know your character on a deeper level to really connect with them and bring them to life.
- Understand how language and sound production work to fully expand your tool kit of techniques.
- Practical exam Discussion and General Knowledge segments will be a breeze if you know the backstory.
The Speech & Performance Theory material is directly relevant to the Speech & Performance practical Syllabus. If you're working towards a Speech and Performance Associate Diploma (ASPA), you'll need to have successfully completed your corequisite Speech and Performance Theory Grade 7 exam. More broadly, Grade 4 Theory aligns with the skills of Grade 6 practical exams, continuing sequentially upwards from there.
This Theory Syllabus is incredibly useful in supporting many syllabuses and skills:
- Speech & Performance
- Drama & Communication
- Voice & Communication
- Singing
- Singing for Leisure
- Musical Theatre
- PAA Acting
- PAA Screen Acting
- PAA Public Speaking
- PAA Musical Theatre
- Rockschool Vocals
How does the Online Theory Exam work?
When you enrol in an Online Theory Exam, you'll have 12 months in which to complete your Official exam. Until then, you have unlimited access to practice exams which use the exact same software as the Official exam. Your practice exams also get marked so you'll have a really good idea of the result you're likely to get and also where you might need to do some more study. That means you can take the time to familiarise yourself with the platform and give yourself the best possible chance of success. Phonetic symbols are provided in a palette on the screen so you don't need any fancy keyboards or contraptions to do the exam.
Teachers can enrol a cohort of students in a Class Exam for them all to sit at the same time. This also provides all candidates in the group with the exact same sets of questions to help with equal benchmarking across the class.
All exams require an exam supervisor to ensure exam policies are adhered to. If you need to trouble shoot anything with the online platform, we have a heap of helpful FAQs on SCORE and our customer support team is here to help.
Can I get TCE bonus points for my Speech & Performance Theory exams?
Yes you can! And that goes for any AMEB exam, including all Speech & Drama, PAA, Classical, and Rockschool syllabuses. In fact, all theory exams are eligible for TCE bonus points from Grade 2 onwards, as well as practical Grade 4+.
When can I do a my Speech & Performance Theory exam?
Almost any time! Exams are all online and can be done at a time that suits you. You'll need a supervisor to ensure all the work is your own but the online platform is available 24/7. We even see people achieving their theory exam on Christmas Day! Head to SCORE to enrol and start practicing with access to free practice exams.
I have more questions.
That's great! We'd love to help with those. Please feel free to browse the other great sources of information on our website or get in touch to find out more.
