Piano Proficiency Requirement

All students whose primary instrument is not piano or organ must complete the Piano Proficiency. It is recommended that this be completed by the end of the sophomore year. The proficiency can be completed in one of two ways: 1) take the required courses and receiving a grade of C- or better, or 2) receive credit and a grade for each required course through the proficiency exam. The courses are:

• Music 113 (Music minors and Theater-Dance majors)
• Music 221R (Music Education Majors)
• Music 221R & Music 222R (all other music majors). Music 221 must be completed before enrolling Music 222. 

For those students wishing to receive credit for Music 221R and 222R by taking the Piano Proficiency Exam, only the Music 222R portion of the exam needs to be prepared. Students can opt to pass off portions of the exam until the entire exam is completed, but no less than four items may be presented at a time.

 All proficiency items should be played as indicated at appropriate tempos without hesitations and mistakes. Fingerings for repertoire pieces, scales and arpeggios should be perfect. Repertoire and all other material must be played fluently without mistakes, and musically with appropriate tempos, articulation and dynamics to pass.

All Music 221R and 222R proficiency items are found in the Music 221 and 222 packets in the bookstore.  Music 113 proficiency items are found in Beginning Piano Techniques. A copy of either text can be checked out from Dr. Pierce. Be sure to follow the instructions in the textbook regarding each item.

Music 221R Proficiency Requirements

1. Play the major and minor five finger pattern with triads in all keys as found on page 4.
2. Play the Hanon exercise on p. 39 at a tempo of 126 two notes per beat.
3. Play major and minor cadences without music in all keys as directed on p. 25 and p. 35 of the text. Tempo: 80 with a quarter note equaling one beat.
4. Harmonize two melodies, one in a major key and one in a minor key from pages 71-72. Play the melody with the right hand and a chordal accompaniment with the left hand using the given chords, inversions, and indicated accompaniment patterns. Accompaniments must be played from the chord symbols; notes cannot be written in.
5. Improvise a melody with the right hand using the accompaniment found on p. 73.
6. Play major and harmonic minor scales that begin on the white keys for one octave up and down the keyboard as found as found in Chapters 5 and 6. Play them at a tempo of 100 – two notes per beat with perfect fingering.
7. Perform four pieces of repertoire, two from Chapter 5 and two from Chapter 6 in the text. Do not use pieces designated as Sight Reading.
   

Music 222R Proficiency Requirements

(also satisfies the Music 221R requirement)

1.  Play the progression found on page 51 or the on page 70 in all keys. Tempo: 88 per half note. The chords cannot be written out and played from notation.
2. Harmonize two melodies, one from Chapter 11 and one from Chapter 12. Play the accompaniment using the given chords and using accompaniment patterns found in the previous chapters. Accompaniments must be played from the chord symbols. Chord symbols can be written in.
3. Improvise an accompaniment below the melody on page 74. Also improvise a melody above the given chords or the accompaniment found on page 91.
4. Play major and harmonic minor scales that begin on the white keys for two octaves up and down the keyboard as found in Chapters 10, 11 and 12. The fingering must be perfect. Tempo: 120 – two notes per beat.
5. Sight read examples similar in difficulty to the sight reading pieces found in Chapters 11 and 12.
6. Perform four pieces of repertoire. Choose two from Chapter 11 and two from Chapter 12.
7. Perform a hymn of your choice from the LDS hymnbook, from any standard hymnbook, or from the ones found in the text.
8. Perform the two accompaniments found in Chapters 11 and 12.

Music 113 Proficiency Requirements

Text: Beginning Piano Techniques by Richard Anderson

1.  Play the 5 Finger Position in major and minor with triads starting on all black and white keys as described on p. 30 of the text.
2. Harmonize 2 melodies, one in a minor key and one in a major key, using the divided chord accompaniment pattern, on pp. 95-96.
3. Using tetrachords, play the major and three forms of minor scales starting on all black and white keys as instructed on p.69-70 and 93.
4. Play the B major scale with both hands for two octaves, pp. 99-100.
5. Play major and minor cadences starting on all black and white keys as described on pp. 46, 73-74.
6. Play 4 pieces, 2 from the Performance section of Chapter 5 and 2 from the Performance section of Chapter 6.
7. If passing off Music 113 for credit and a grade, a written exam must also be passed. The exam is based on the questions found at the end of each chapter through Chapter 6.