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Recitals, Juries, and Proficiencies
4.40 Piano Proficiency
March 9, 2005
All entering students are expected to have
acquired fundamental keyboard skills in order to be able to function in
theory and sight-singing classes as well as in their own applied area. All
music majors except keyboard majors are required to demonstrate these basic
skills through either 1) an entrance audition consisting of the proficiency
requirements or 2) continuous enrollment in piano classes until the
proficiency is passed.
Proficiency Examination Information
1. Proficiency examinations will be held twice each semester, first, during
the week prior to the beginning of classes and second, during the week of
finals.
2. Dates of proficiency examinations for both the fall and spring semesters
will be scheduled prior to the beginning of the academic year. These dates
will be posted in the music building. Students wishing to schedule a time
for an examination at the beginning of the fall or spring semesters must
contact the music office no later than one week prior to the examination
date(s). Students scheduling pre-semester exams must specify in advance the
proficiency requirement(s) to be tested before an examination time will be
assigned. Examinations held during the week of finals will be scheduled
during the last two classes.
3. All proficiency examinations will be heard and graded by a minimum of two
keyboard faculty.
4. Each of the nine piano proficiency requirements (see list of requirements
on page 2) will be graded on a pass/fail basis. Additionally, students who
are enrolled in piano class will receive a letter grade—based on the quality
of work—for each proficiency requirement tested in examinations held during
finals week. The average of the proficiency exam grades will factor into the
student’s final grade in piano class (see instructor syllabus for
information regarding weight and/or percentage of final examination grade).
Letter grades will not be given in proficiency examinations held at the
beginning of the semester. Pre-semester examinations will also have no
affect on a student’s grade in any piano class.
5. Students must continue to enroll in piano class until all piano
proficiency requirements have been successfully completed. Students who
fulfill the necessary proficiency requirements during pre-semester
examinations may drop from piano class. Interruption of progress towards the
completion of the proficiency (four or more consecutive semesters) will
result in the student having to retest on all requirements passed prior to
the interruption.
Piano Proficiency Requirements
1. All major scales, traditional fingerings, hands together for two octaves.
2. Harmonic and melodic minor scales of a, e, and g, traditional fingerings,
hands together for one octave.
3. Arpeggio, three octaves, hands together in the keys of C Major, D flat
Major, and D Minor.
4. Improvisation of an accompaniment to a given melody using primary (I, IV,
V) and secondary (ii, iii, vi) chords as well as secondary dominant and/or
other non-diatonic chord.
5. Sight read a simple piece.
6. Sight read and then transpose a melody at sight up or down by one or two
half steps.
7. Prepare the accompaniment to a section of work appropriate to the
student’s instrumental or vocal concentration. The work is to be performed
with the soloist for the examination. Pieces must be approved prior to the
examination. Correct etiquette concerning cuing and counting will be used.
7. Prepare three contrasting pieces on the border of difficulty of the
following:
a) J.S. Bach – a short prelude or minuet from Ann Magdalena;
b) Clementi – one movement of a sonatina;
c) Schumann – a piece from Album for the Young.
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