Jury Requirements for Piano Minor

MUS150M PIANO REQUIREMENTS FOR MINORS

Piano minors enroll in MUS150M for 1 credit. They are required to complete a minimum of 2 credits of MUS150M.

In order to enroll in MUS150M they must have completed, or waived through examination, the class piano requirements. MUS150M is designed to give the piano minor a basic proficiency at the keyboard. The curriculum consists of basic technique, repertoire, accompanying and sight-reading.

The course grade will be based, in part, on attendance, preparation, and progress. The final exam will be the jury. The jury will constitute 25% of the grade. In order to complete the piano minor requirement the student must successfully perform a piano proficiency exam. This exam will be graded on a pass/fail basis and will not affect the grade in MUS150M. Successful completion of the piano proficiency exam is a graduation requirement for piano minors.

The proficiency exam, in the case of students who have had considerable piano background, may be used as a waiver for all piano minor requirements, if passed. The piano proficiency exam as a waiver must be completed before the first semester of scheduled piano study. The waiver exam should be scheduled on an individual basis with the Area Chair of Piano. The waiver exam must be completed during the first week of classes, before the end of the Add period.

The piano proficiency exam may only be taken while the student is enrolled in MUS150M.

TECHNIQUE:
All major and harmonic minor scales. Hands together, parallel motion, a minimum of two octaves. Scales must be performed in rhythmic groups of two, mm.80. Major and minor triad arpeggios in all keys, root position only. Hands together parallel motion, four octaves. Arpeggios must be performed in rhythmic groups of two, mm.60.

REPERTOIRE:

Keyboard composers before 1770. Little preludes or two-part inventions of J. S. Bach; or similar contrapuntal works by other composers.
Classical Period. Sonatinas or short sonatas of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Kuhlau, Clementi or other composers in this period.
Romantic Period. Schumann, Album for the Young;; other works of similar difficulty.
Impressionistic and Contemporary Periods. Easy works of Satie, Ravel, Debussy, Bartok, Kabalevsky, or Prokofiev or other composers in these periods.
Accompaniment. The student should work on accompaniments to compositions for the student’s major instrument. The voice major must be able to sing and play her/his own accompaniment.
Sight-reading. Material should be chosen from school song books, hymns, easy four-hand music, and accompaniments in the student’s performance field.

JURY EXAMINATION:
A jury examination, including technique, repertoire (two compositions chosen from I – IV on the above list), and sight-reading, will be required at the completion of each semester of study. The jury will be considered the final exam. The faculty/graduate students present will provide the students with written comments as well as a grade. The averaged jury grade will constitute 25% of the student’s grade in the course. Memorization is recommended but not required. Students must be prepared to perform complete movements.

THE PIANO PROFICIENCY EXAM:
This exam will be administered on a pass/fail basis. The student must prepare all technique listed above as well as three compositions chosen from groups I – IV. Each group may be represented only once. In addition the student must perform an accompaniment (Group V). The accompaniment (a composition for the student’s major instrument) must be performed as an ensemble except in the case of voice. The voice major must play/sing her/his own accompaniment. Sight-reading will be an integral part of the exam and will be at a level consistent with the student’s abilities. Memorization is recommended but not required. Students playing from music must use original copies. Students must be prepared to perform complete movements.

In the event that the student does not pass this exam they may retake it but must play different repertoire.

The piano proficiency exam is offered only during exam week in fall and spring semesters. In order to be certified for graduation the student must successfully complete the piano proficiency exam in the semester prior to that in which they expect to graduate. It is recommended that the piano proficiency exam be completed by the end of the junior year.