Improvisation Throughout the process, the candidate must perform musically and accurately at the piano ith a clear sense of flo, i.e., ithout pauses, uncertainty, or hesitations. While performing, the candidate must demonstrate metric integrity, rhythmic accuracy, coherent phrase structure, clear articulation, including the use of the damper pedal, and cogent dynamic nuance. Prescribed Tonalities For Level II: Doh, Sol, Ré, La, Mi, Fa, Sib Mib, Lab major La, Mi, Si, Fa#, Doh#, Rè, Sol, Doh, Fa minor Prescribed Meters For Level I: 2/4 3/4 4/4 2/8 3/8 4/8 2/2 3/2 4/2 /8 9/8 12/8 5/8 7/8 8/8 Simple, Compound, Complex Preparation Time: A total of 20 minutes unless indicated otherise. Rhythmic Mode Improvisation in To Parts 1. The candidate ill improvise in equal phrase lengths an A-B form using to prescribed rhythmic modes chosen by the candidate just before the exam. (See examples belo.) One mode is used for the right hand or melody and the other is for the left hand or bass line for part A. For part B the to voices sitch rôles. The candidate may choose any minor key other than la minor from the prescribed list. / 4 / 4 / 4 3 3 / 4 / 8 / 8
Rhythm Realization: 1. The candidate ill realize at the piano a sixteen to tenty bar rhythmic phrase ritten in simple, compound meter or simple and compound changing meter. The rhythm ill serve as the melody that is played in the right hand along ith any chords hile the accompanying bass line ill be in the left hand. The improvisation ill be performed in and minor key other than la. (See example belo.) Hoever, before playing, the candidate ill articulate the rhythm on neutral syllables and conduct the meter using arm beat patterns. Allegro 2 > > > Q. - hemiola j j - j j - - - j j - j j - - j j - j j j - - j j - Andantino 3 4 amphabrach > > > > > > q2. hemiola amphibrach j j > > > > hemiola q3 amphibrach q2. iamb iamb q3 j j j j > > >
Figured Bass Line Harmonization The candidate ill harmonize a given 1-bar figured bass line ritten in any of the prescribed keys using triads in root position and all inversions plus the dominant seventh chord (first espece) in root position and all inversions. The realization ill be done ith a melody and harmony in the right hand against the bass in the left hand. (See examples belo.) Figured Bass Line?# # 4 2 Ó Ó # # Ó Ó 3 4 2 3 3 5D 3 5 9 53 8 53 4 7 5D 5 3 & # #?# # # Ó realized in four voices Ó Ó Ó # # # 3 4 2 3 3 5D & # #?# # Ó # # Ó Ó Ó 3 5 9 5 3 8 53 4 7 5D 5 3
Interpretation The candidate ill choose painting from a selection of three. The candidate ill then improvise music in equal or unequal phrases that best describes the image on the card. The music may be in any study and from any period of history including contemporary.
Melody Harmonization The candidate ill harmonize a given 12 to 1-bar melody ritten in any of the prescribed keys. (See example belo.) The harmonization ill be done ith a contrapuntal bass line in the left hand as the right hand plays the melody. The candidate ill then repeat the melody ith the same bass line but ith chords played in the right hand. (See example belo.) 4 4 Adagio f Melody to Harmonize n n n p b n n Adagio Melody Harmonization realized in to voices 4 n n? b b b b 4 n n? b b b b f n n p b n n? b b b b n n
Adagio Melody Harmonization realized in three and four voices 4 n n n n n? b b b b 4 n n? b b b b n b n n f p f n b? b b b b 3 bn b n n n n n n Improvising for Movement The candidate ill improvise a pattern cannon for a jury member to perform. The performance may be in to or more voices in any of the prescribed keys. The use of tonicization and modulation must be present throughout the exercise. The candidate must correct the jury member verbally hen necessary ithout stopping the canon. The candidate ill improvise eight-bar rhythmic phrases as a jury member steps the phrase in canon at the measure. The candidate must observe the jury member to be certain the meter is conducted correctly, and that the rhythm is stepped correctly in canon at one measure. At the end of each eight-bar phrase the candidate ill cadence, ait for one measure so the jury member may catch up and then repeat the process at lest four more times. The beat should never be broken throughout the entire exercise. The improvisation may be in simple or compound meter and in any prescribed key, major or minor prescribed. Modulation and tonicization are expected to be used ithin the improvisation.
Chord Progression (Assigned in Advance) The candidate ill prepare and perform an improvisation upon an assigned harmonic paths that incorporate triads in root position and all inversions plus the dominant seventh chord (first espece) in root position and all inversions. (See example belo.) The realization ill be in a specific meter and in one of the prescribed keys other than doh major or la minor. To or more voices are used throughout, but the left hand plays only the bass line hile the right hand plays a soprano voice and/or chords. (See an example of a four-voice realization belo.) Chord Progression level three i ii i$ V7 V5 ii 7 T ii5 i5 i III5 ii5 iv5 3 V5 Z V R 2 tonicization of V i iv5 V7 I5 5 E V VI 5 i5 i ii ii5 i$ VZ 4 i5 & bb b2? b b b 2 Chord Progression realized in four voices n n # n n i5 i ii ii i$ V7 i5 i III5 ii5 iv5 V5 ii 7 T 3 V5Z V & bb b n? b b b tonicization of V i i iv5 V7 I5 V 5 E VI5 i5 I ii ii5 i$ V4Z i5 n n R 2