VWO Muziek exam-day guide
VWO Muziek · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Bring a valid identity document
Take an official photo ID (passport, ID card, or residence permit) as required by your school or examination center. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether a school pass alone is sufficient.
Know the exact time and location of your scheduled slot
The practical component is usually scheduled individually or in small groups rather than for the whole cohort at once. Confirm with the provider your personal start time, room, and whether you must report earlier for warm-up or registration.
Bring your own instrument if you perform on one
For a performance practical you normally play or sing your prepared repertoire. Confirm with the provider whether the school supplies a piano or drum kit and whether you must bring your own instrument, cables, reeds, sticks, or sheet music.
Bring clearly labeled sheet music or a lead sheet
If you perform, have your notation or chord chart ready and legible for yourself and any accompanist or examiner. Confirm with the provider whether photocopies are allowed and whether page turns must be planned.
Prepare and rehearse your required repertoire or assignment
Know exactly which pieces, exercises, or assignments are compulsory and which are your own choice. Confirm with the provider the required number of pieces, maximum duration per piece, and whether repeats are expected.
Bring a pencil, eraser, and ruler for any written or listening element
Some practical exam days include a short written or aural component. Pack basic stationery even if you expect only playing; confirm with the provider the format of the day.
Check whether a calculator, metronome, or tuning device is permitted
Electronic aids are often restricted during assessments. Confirm with the provider what may be used during preparation time and whether a tuning app on a phone is allowed.
Leave your phone and smart devices switched off and stored
Phones, smartwatches, and other connected devices are commonly banned from the assessment room. Confirm with the provider the exact policy on storage and on devices used as instruments or tuners.
Plan your travel and arrive early
Aim to arrive well before your slot so you can register, warm up, and settle. Check public transport disruptions and, if you rely on a lift, confirm with the provider the drop-off arrangements.
Prepare for warm-up and nerves
Plan a short warm-up routine for voice or instrument and a breathing or focus routine for the minutes before you start. Confirm with the provider whether a warm-up room is available.
Know what to do if you are ill or cannot attend
Illness or a missed slot may affect your result or require a resit. Confirm with the provider the procedure for reporting absence and whether a medical certificate is needed; do not assume a resit is automatic.
Know the marking criteria in advance
Practical marks usually combine technical control, musicality, accuracy, and presentation. Confirm with the provider the published rubric and the weighting so you can prioritize your final rehearsals.
Plan the day
Do a full run-through of your programme in the order you will perform it, timing each piece against the limits. Fix the weakest two passages rather than starting new material. Confirm your start time, room, instrument arrangements, and ID requirements with the provider. Prepare and label your sheet music, check instrument accessories (strings, reeds, sticks, cables, batteries), and plan your travel.
Do a light rehearsal only: slow warm-up, tricky transitions, and the openings of each piece, since first notes are where nerves show most. Lay out clothes, ID, sheet music, and instrument accessories in one place. Avoid late-night practice that tires your voice or hands. Eat normally, hydrate, and get a full night's sleep. Re-read the marking criteria and your own notes on interpretation.
Eat a normal meal and avoid unfamiliar food or excessive caffeine. Do a short, gentle warm-up rather than a full rehearsal. Arrive early, register as instructed, and store your phone and bag where directed. Use any waiting time for quiet breathing and mental rehearsal of the first few bars, not for last-minute cramming of new material. Keep your sheet music in performance order.
Follow the examiner's instructions on order, timing, and whether you may restart after a slip. Announce your pieces briefly if asked. If you make a mistake, keep the pulse going and recover rather than stopping; examiners assess the whole performance. Stay within time limits, keep good posture and stage presence, and thank the panel at the end. If a written or aural element follows, read each question carefully and manage your time across the paper. If something goes wrong with equipment or accompaniment, tell the examiner immediately rather than trying to fix it silently.
Rules to check
Bring the identity document required by your school or examination center, and confirm with the provider in advance which forms of ID are accepted and whether you must also bring your appointment or candidate number.
Arrive at your assigned time and report to registration as instructed. If you are delayed or cannot attend, contact the provider immediately; do not assume that a missed slot can be made up.
Phones, smartwatches, and other connected devices must normally be switched off and stored away from the assessment room. Confirm with the provider whether any device may be used as a tuner or instrument.
Perform only the repertoire or assignments set or approved in advance, within the stated time limits. Confirm with the provider whether you may substitute a piece and how repeats and cuts are treated.
Follow the examiner's directions during the assessment, including whether restarts are allowed and how any written or aural component is timed. Ask for clarification before you begin if instructions are unclear.
Breaks and movement between rooms are usually at the examiner's discretion. Confirm with the provider whether you may leave the room between components and what supervision applies.
Marks are awarded against the published criteria for the practical component and combined with other components according to the official weighting. Confirm with the provider how results and any appeals are handled.
Any request for special arrangements, such as extra time or an adjusted instrument, must normally be made well before the exam day. Confirm with the provider the deadline and evidence required; do not assume arrangements can be granted on the day.