STRINGS: BOWED STRINGS & HARP 2016 2019 Initial Grade 8 Exams to support the way strings players learn, testing perormance and technique through exciting repertoire, careully selected technical work and specially designed exercises The 2016 2019 Strings syllabus rom Trinity College London oers the choice and lexibility to allow candidates to play to their strengths, enabling them to gain recognition or their own unique skills as perormers. Repertoire lists or violin, viola, cello, double bass and harp cover a wide range o styles and genres to give bowed string players and harpists the reedom and choice to demonstrate the ull extent o their musicianship. Technical work includes specially commissioned studies at Grades 1 and selected orchestral extracts at Grades 6 8 or all bowed strings, as well as scales and arpeggios requirements or all instruments. A range o supporting publications is available including a set o repertoire books and high-quality exemplar recordings on CD or violin (Initial to Grade 8). A set o technical work books is available or violin, viola, cello and double bass, containing all the scales, arpeggios, exercises and studies eatured in the technical work section o the exam. Take Your Bow, Raise the Bar Violin, and Sound at Sight books are also available. Why a Trinity Strings exam? Trinity s Strings exams have been designed to develop conident, creative and skilled musicians through a structured learning ramework, which nurtures development and evaluates a musician s progress at every level. Unparalleled choice and lexibility to allow candidates to play to their strengths, enabling them to gain recognition or their own unique skills as perormers Candidates choose three pieces rom the repertoire lists and may oer their own composition in place o one listed piece At Initial to Grade, candidates may choose two supporting tests rom our options: sight reading, aural, improvisation and musical knowledge. At Grades 6 8, sight reading is compulsory and candidates choose one other test Varied and exciting repertoire lists including a range o genres and styles Uniquely diagnostic mark scheme providing detailed and speciic musical eedback Internationally recognised qualiications, with UCAS points available at Grades 6 8 A range o support materials including books o repertoire, sight reading and technical work
How is the exam structured? Pieces Candidates play three pieces selected rom two dierent groups, with at least one piece rom each group. Candidates may substitute one piece or their own composition i they wish. This part o the exam is designed to provide the right balance o lexibility and structure, enabling candidates to demonstrate their own musical personalities while requiring them to present a balanced programme. Technical work At Initial level, candidates perorm a selection o scales to set rhythms. At Grades 1, candidates perorm a bowing exercise, then either scales, arpeggios and technical exercises, or studies. At Grades 6 8, ater the bowing exercise, candidates perorm either scales, arpeggios and technical exercises, or orchestral extracts. This is designed to enable candidates to demonstrate their technical ability in a way that plays to their strengths as musicians. Bowing exercise At Grades 1 8, all candidates begin the technical work section by perorming one o the scales set or the grade to a speciied bowing pattern. This is designed to introduce strings players to important bowing techniques including martelé, spiccato and hooked bowing. Scales, arpeggios & technical exercises A selection o scales is set or each grade, structured progressively to develop technique and awareness o keys. Candidates prepare the scales and arpeggios set or the grade, and play a selection in the exam as requested by the examiner. In addition, candidates perorm a small number o short technical exercises, the majority o which include double stopping patterns. Studies Specially commissioned studies provide an alternative to scales, arpeggios and technical exercises, and ocus on three technical areas o particular relevance to strings players: tone and phrasing, mixed articulation and bowing styles, and double stops and contrasts. Candidates prepare three studies, o which two are played in the exam. One is chosen by the candidate and one by the examiner. Orchestral extracts At Grades 6 8, candidates prepare three orchestral extracts, o which two are perormed in the exam. One is chosen by the candidate and one by the examiner. Supporting tests At Initial to Grade, candidates choose two supporting tests rom our options: sight reading, aural, improvisation and musical knowledge. At Grades 6 8, sight reading is compulsory, and candidates choose rom improvisation or aural or their second test. This lexibility is designed to give candidates choice in how they demonstrate their broader musical skills, while recognising that sight reading is an important skill at the higher grades. Sight reading The sight reading test is designed to be musically intuitive to enable candidates to demonstrate their sight reading skills to the best o their ability. Candidates perorm a short, accessible musical extract ater a brie period o preparation, at a level approximately two grades lower than the exam being taken. Aural The aural test assesses candidates skills in musical perception and understanding through careully graded questions about a single musical extract played at the piano by the examiner. At most grades candidates are asked to describe various eatures o the extract such as dynamics, articulation, texture and style. No singing is required. Improvisation This test assesses candidates ability to respond luently and creatively to a musical stimulus, which can be stylistic, motivic or harmonic at the candidate s choice. Musical knowledge The musical knowledge section o the exam is based exclusively upon the repertoire played by the candidate in the pieces section. It is delivered conversationally by the examiner, who draws out what the student knows through questions such as point out the most interesting eatures o this piece.
Sample study Violin Grade 1 A Cheeky Hamster Violin and viola studies are categorised in three groups: tone and phrasing, mixed articulation and bowing styles, and double stops and contrasts. This Grade 1 study appears in mixed articulation and bowing styles, and candidates should take special care over the articulation o the quaver pairs, o which some are slurred and others are staccato. The study is based on D major scale and arpeggio patterns. A Cheeky Hamster mixed articulation and bowing styles Allegretto q = 80 m p 4 Sample study Viola Grade 3 On a Swing This study represents the double stops and contrasts category, and eatures double stopped thirds, iths, sixths and octaves. A proicient perormance will combine good intonation in the double stopped intervals with observance o the dynamic contrasts. As with all studies, the key is also listed or candidates selecting the scales and arpeggios option. On a Swing double stops and contrasts Lilting q. = 4 m p 4 4 pizz. Sample study Double bass Grade 4 Groovy Blues Continually alternating between arco and pizzicato phrases, this blues-inspired Grade 4 study explores two important techniques or the double bass player: double stopping and jazz playing style. Groovy Blues double bass techniques?# # 4?# # m Easy swing (iq = q K e) œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ J œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ pizz. arco pizz. œ œ J œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ pizz. arco pizz. œ œœ œ œ J œ œ œ Œ arco pizz.?# # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ J J œ œ œ œ> œ Ó > cresc. 9
Sample study Cello Grade 4 Countdown This Grade 4 study is in the mixed articulation and bowing styles category, and players will need to pay close attention to the markings. These include staccato and tenuto marks, in addition to bowing indications which vary across repeated patterns. The key o the study and its use o the chromatic scale will also make this useul practice material or those choosing the scales and arpeggios option. Countdown mixed articulation and bowing styles Allegro vivo 3 7 2 1 3 mp cresc. sub. p a tempo cresc. mp rit. 0 1 4 2 x1 2 0 3 0 gliss. 3
Contributors Trinity developed the Strings syllabus with input rom a team o teachers, specialist musicians and composers with a variety o musical backgrounds and training. This resulted in a wide range o repertoire options in an array o styles and genres. Contributors included: Violin: Anna Dryer-Beers, Janice Gillard, Liz Partridge Viola: Lynne Baker Cello: Oliver Gledhill Double bass: Cathy Elliott, Tony Osborne Harp: Danielle Perrett Recognition Trinity exams are externally regulated in the UK and recognised by education authorities in many countries around the world. Grades 6 8 are also eligible or UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) points or those applying to UK colleges and universities. Repertoire and support books A range o publications is available to support candidates as they work towards their exams. A set o repertoire books or violin (Initial to Grade 8) contains a wide range o pieces encompassing a variety o styles and periods, with high-quality exemplar recordings available on CD. A set o technical work books is also available or violin, viola, cello and double bass, containing all the scales, arpeggios, exercises and studies eatured in the technical work section o the exam. The new Take Your Bow series is a collection o 20 concert pieces or beginner strings players, available in ive volumes: violin, viola, cello, double bass, and a ull score. The pieces are the same across the instruments, and can be played together in any combination, making the books ideal resources or individual and group teaching. Books in the Raise the Bar Violin series bring together the most popular pieces rom past Trinity exam syllabuses. Sound at Sight books are available or all bowed strings, providing examples o the sight reading tests. The books are available rom your local music shop or online at trinitycollege.com/shop
Teacher support At the heart o Trinity College London s activity in music education is teacher support. The ocus o our activity is supporting and building a community o educators through high-quality online and ace-to-ace proessional development. Discover Trinity College London We hold a wide range o teacher support events all over the world. To ind out more visit trinitycollege.com/discover, contact the music support team at Trinity s central oice at music@trinitycollege.com, or ind the contact details o your local representative at trinitycollege.com/worldwide Certiicate exams Trinity oers certiicate exams which provide an alternative to graded music exams and ocus solely on perormance. To ind out more visit trinitycollege.com/musiccertiicates Theory exams Theory exams are available rom Grade 1 to support learners to develop their understanding o the technical language o music. To ind out more visit trinitycollege.com/theory Find out more: trinitycollege.com/strings Trinity College London is a charitable company registered in England. Company no: 02683033. Charity no: 1014792. Copyright 2018 Trinity College London Photos: Andy Howes, Belinda Lawley, Zute Lightoot, Paul Maven, Kevin Ricks MUSIC-FACS-07 (STR-02) 027741 0123