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6.3: The Proficiency Test

  • Page ID
    310500
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    Solos

    Perform two memorized, contrasting pieces at the appropriate level.

    Scales

    Prepare two octave scales in all major and minor (both harmonic and melodic) keys, with the correct standard fingering, observing good hand position and maintaining a steady tempo (80 b.p.m., or beats per minute). Here is a C major scale with fingerings. All 12 major and minor scales can be found on the Oktav site (see link at the end of the chapter).

    51-Piano-fingering.png

    Sightreading

    Play (without prior practice) a short piece in a key signature of up to two sharps or two flats. There is also often a requirement to sightread a choral open score, a four-part church hymn, or a condensed score for band/orchestra.

    Chords

    Prepare the primary chords of I, IV and V in all major and minor keys. Here they are in the Key of C:

    Image52.png
    I
    Image53.png
    IV
    Image54.png
    V

    Melody

    Sightread a given treble-clef melody (as may be found in an elementary music textbook), and then harmonize it with LH chords.

    Transposition

    Transpose a melody and its chordal accompaniment into a different key. (All intervals stay the same and the melody sounds the same, but begins on a higher or lower pitch.)

    Image55-e1724362317933.png

    Image56.png

    Harmonization

    Provide a left-hand accompaniment to a familiar tune. Think tunes like Amazing Grace, Old MacDonald, Happy Birthday, or You Are My Sunshine. Can you sing or hum these melodies and figure out which chord to use? (All can be done with only I, IV and V—with roots of do, fa, and sol, respectively.) Then, play the melody in the right hand while playing the left-hand accompaniment. You can find loads of lists of two-and three-chord songs online (see Chord Genome below).


    This page titled 6.3: The Proficiency Test is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jill Wilson and Natalie Steele Royston (Iowa State University Digital Press) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.