For the second successive year Bermudian students have proved their top of the class when it comes to tinkling the ivories and fiddling.

For a 32-strong mix of youngsters and adults from the Bermuda Conservatory of Music have passed a world recognised practical examination in piano and violin music.

The students sat various levels of the Royal Conservatory of Music Examination -- and all passed with either Honours or First Class Honours.

The prestigious RCM board was set up in Toronto more than 100 years ago and offers alternative examinations to the British based Royal School of Music.

In April examiners from the centre's headquarters flew to Bermuda to assess the practical skills of the Island's piano and violin players. Students sat various standards from Introductory up to Level Five and all sailed through with flying colours. The most advanced musicians eventually go on to take examinations at Level Ten.

Students had to play a selection of musical styles, from classical to modern and jazz.

It is only the second time that Bermudian students have had the chance to sit the examinations, which have been funded by the Bermuda Arts Council. Last year 25 young musicians took the RCM tests.

And the Canadian authorities have given the Bermudian students special treatment. They do not normally accept schools with less than 100 students but made an exception to allow the cream of Bermuda's musical talent to sit the exam.

Top of the form awards went to violinists Belle Von Albrecht and Rosemary Hall who achieved 88 percent and 85 percent in their exams respectively while Jana Darrell and Jonathan McBeath scored 85 percent and 82 percent in their piano recitals.

Music teacher Marlene Campbell from the Bermuda Conservatory of Music is thrilled with her students' success.

"These really are excellent marks,'' Ms Campbell said.

"The examinations are recognised around the world and it puts Bermuda's students on the world stage.

To get 88 percent as Belle did really is impressive. It's so hard to get 90 percent -- they only give that mark out to world class proteges, people who really blow them away, and so Belle really did do well.'' Ms Campbell, who has been teaching music on the Island for nearly 20 years, also believes that children benefit a great deal from learning a musical instrument.

"Music stimulates both sides of the brain and so helps to develop different forms of intelligence,'' she explained.

"It also requires commitment and discipline to learn a musical instrument -- skills that we all require for life.''