Conduct & Important Notes
*This is pertaining to the Year-End Examinations 2026 only.
Candidates are required to verify their particulars on the attached confirmation slip. If any amendments are needed, please email grading@thetengcompany.com by 16 November 2026. No action is required if all particulars are correct.
For candidates taking Certificate In Professional Performance level only: It is compulsory for candidates taking the Examination for Certificate In Professional Performance to submit the music scores of all pieces to be performed via https://bit.ly/cippscores26 by 16 November 2026. Candidates who fail to do so will be disqualified from taking the Examination
Accompaniment is not required for the Certificate In Professional Performance Examinations.
Candidates taking the Face-to-face Examinations can also download a copy of the Important Notes here.
Required documents
Candidates are required to bring along the following items for the Examinations:
A printout or a screenshot of the Official Notification Email
Original Examination Score Book, bearing the exam scores serial number (applicable to Grade 1 to 8 candidates only)
*Candidates who are unable to produce an original Examination Score Book will be required to purchase a copy at the Examination Venue. The Examination Score serial number (found on copyright page) must be present.
Original NRIC / Student Pass / Passport
Instrument
Provision of instruments
Candidates are strongly encouraged to use their own instruments. Accessories (including but not limited to instrument stands, bows, picks, sticks) and tuning services will not be provided at the Examination Venues.
Only Guzheng (D Key and G Key), Yangqin (402 model), Double Bass (1/2 and 3/4 size) and Percussion instruments (excluding mallets) will be provided in the Examination Room. All other instruments are to be candidates’ own.
Instruments will not be provided in the holding area for practice. The holding area is strictly for tuning of own instruments.
Candidates are not allowed to change the tuning of the instruments provided at the examination venues. Candidates who need a different tuning (e.g. Guzheng tuned to C Key) must bring their own instrument.
Music scores
Candidates are required to present the original copies of scores when reporting for the Examinations. You may view details on usage of scores during the Examinations here, or view the full list of retailers here.
For candidates taking Certificate In Professional Performance level only: It is compulsory for candidates taking the Examination for Certificate In Professional Performance to submit the music scores of the song pieces to be played by a given deadline (please refer to your notification email for more information). Candidates who fail to do so will be disqualified from taking the Examination.
For more information on the examination structure, please click here.
For candidates taking Digital Examinations
Candidates taking the digital Examinations will be assessed of their performances through video submissions. Videos have to be submitted from the date of receiving the notification of the Examination details to 16 November 2026. Details on the video recording and submission will be released at a later date.
Candidates must adhere to the key and instrument indicated in the Examination Scores.
*This is pertaining to the Year-End Examinations 2026 only.
Examination durations
The duration for each grading level varies, from approximately 10 minutes (Grade 1 Examination) to 30 minutes (Examination for Certificate in Professional Performance).
Please arrive punctually at the reporting time stated on your notification email. Candidates will be given time (approximately 15 minutes) to tune their instruments before the actual Examination timeslot.
Due to space constraints, candidates may not be allowed to register and/or enter the holding areas if they arrive more than 15 minutes earlier than the stated reporting time.
Conduct
Candidates should dress in a neat and presentable manner.
Only ONE parent or guardian is allowed to accompany the candidate into the Examination Venue. Parents and guardians are not allowed beyond the tuning and/or holding areas.
Examinations Procedures
Candidates will be called to enter the individual Examination Room by the staff on duty. Personal belongings are not allowed to be brought into the Examination Room, but may be placed at the waiting area outside the Examination Room.
Candidates are allowed to bring in the Examination Scores into the Examination Room.
For Grade 1 to Grade 8 candidates: Candidates are not required to memorise the scores, and there are no penalties for using them during the Examination.
*Effective from the 2027 Year-End Examinations (November - December 2027), candidates taking the Certificate In Professional Performance will need to perform the two music pieces from memory, i.e. memorization is required.
Candidates should introduce their name and the titles of their two pieces before performing.
Candidates are required to start performing with their set piece (applicable to Grade 1 to 8 candidates only).
Candidates may be asked to stop performing at any point without completing the Examination pieces, for example to skip repeated parts. This does not affect the assessment of the performances.
Candidates are not allowed to bring any unauthorised material or equipment (such as recording devices) into the Examination Room, and mobile phones must be switched off.
No one is allowed to wait near or listen at the door of the Examination Room.
Examination Results
The results will be sent to the same mailing address as on your notification email by Singpost Local Tracked Mail services from 11 January 2027. For more information, please click here.
*This is pertaining to the Year-End Examinations 2026 only.
Rearrangement of Examination date (face-to-face Examinations)
The Examinations will not be rescheduled. Please ensure that you are available during the period of Examinations (23 November 2026 to 30 November 2026). If the candidates are unable to be present for the face-to-face Examinations, they should opt for the digital Examinations, or will be asked to submit their videos online. The difference in the fee amount will not be refunded if the Examination mode needs to be changed from face-to-face Examination to Digital Examination.
No refunds will be made for failure to attend the face-to-face Examinations and/or submit the examination videos.
In the event that the candidates are feeling unwell on the Examination day, a Medical Certificate has to be submitted to The TENG Company. The TENG Company reserves the right, without refunding registration fees or providing other compensation, to assign a new Examination slot, allow the candidates to take the Examinations digitally by submitting their performance videos to The TENG Company, or cancel the Examination. Further instructions will be provided in due course.
Candidates will receive their Examination notifications by 30 October 2026 via email.
*This is pertaining to the Year-End Examinations 2026 only.
Others
We audio and/or video record Examinations for monitoring, quality assurance and training purposes. These recordings are the property of The TENG Company. Candidates will not be identified or identifiable in recordings used for training.
Candidates will be disqualified from taking the Examinations if they are unable to adhere to all the points above.