Grade 1 -
Piece 1 Piece 2 Piece 3
Unaccompanied Piece General Standards
Emphasis on notes, rhythm and intonation. Limited range and basic control of tone.
Technical Exercises Rhythmic Test - Rap Scales - Major Intervals - 3rds - Roots Phrasing & Dynamics - Staccato & Legato - Dynamics Aural Test - Identify the printed example and clap back improvising two bars. General Musicianship - Dynamic Markings - Note Values - Times Signatures - Meaning of song lyrics.
General Standards
Grade 3
Stylistic awareness with subtle technique. Chest voice and limited solid voice. Wider intervals.
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Piece 1 Piece 2 Piece 3
Unaccompanied Piece – 16 bars Technical Exercises Rhythmic Test - Rap Scales - Major Scale - Natural Minor Scale - Harmonic Minor Scale - Major Pentatonic -A
-B
Intervals - Major and Minor 3rd’s - Perfect 4ths - Perfect 5ths - By step – Major 3rd , Minor 3rd and Root Phrasing & Dynamics - Staccato and legato - Dynamics Aural Tests - Identify The Melody – Clap back & improvise. - Sing back the melody (ascending) and improv two bars (descending returning to the tonic). Improvised Song - Eight Bars - C Major - Rhythmic repetition and shape. General Musicianship – 4 Questions on P&D - Dynamic Markings and meanings - Note Values - Time Signatures - Pitch Names - Cresc/ Decresc
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Rest values Recognition of intervals 2nds and 3rds (not maj or min) Staccato marks and slurs
One question on expression and performance of a song.
Grade 2 General Standards
Use of tone and solid voice.
Limited use of head voice. Extended range than grade one with use of intervallic leaps.
Technical Exercises Rhythmic Test
Rap over 16 bars with an 8 bar intro. Quarter eighth and sixteenth notes. Simple syncopation.
Scales – Notes A – E (around middle C)
Major scale – Quarter and eighth notes with rests. Natural minor. Harmonic minor.
Intervals
A - Major or minor third or perfect fifth above the notes I, IV, V above the scale sung previous. The note is to be held for 4 beats. B – Pitch the root note of a perfect fifth chosen from the same I, IV and V.
Phrasing & Dynamics
Performed with a backing track and any vocal sound that is felt appropriate. Minor exercise of 30 bars. (C minor). Simple phrases made up of half, quarter and eighth notes and rests. Staccato and legato. Attention to marked dynamic changes. Simple syncopation. Range is one octave.
General Musicianship 4 questions on: Dynamic markings and meanings. Note values. Time signature. Pitch names. Cresc/ decresc. Rest values. 1 question on expression and performance of a song.
Grade 4 - One piece memorised & Microphone General Standards
Tone production, rhythmic shifts, dynamics and phrasing. Secure chest voice that can move into a reliable head voice. Some ornamentation and improvisation to the given line. Extended intervals.
Technical Exercises Rhythmic Test
Rap over 16 bars with an 4 bar intro. Quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes. Advanced syncopation. More developed phrasing.
Scales – Notes A – D (around middle C)
Major scale – Quarter, dotted quarter and eighth notes with rests. Natural minor. Harmonic minor. Minor pentatonic. Major arpeggio. Minor arpeggio.
Intervals
A - Major or minor third, perfect forth and perfect fifth, by step and back, above the notes I, IV, V above the scale sung previous. The note is to be held for 4 beats. B – Pitch the root, second and major or minor third below fifth chosen from the same I, IV and V.
Phrasing & Dynamics
Performed with a backing track and any vocal sound that is felt appropriate. Minor pentatonic exercise of 20 bars. (Females – B minor. Males – E minor). Phrases made up of half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth and dotted notes and rests. Staccato and legato. Attention to marked dynamic changes. More sophisticated syncopation. Range up to a tenth. Emphasis on semiquaver articulation.
General Musicianship 4 questions on: Dynamic markings and meanings. Note values. Time signature. Pitch names. Cresc/ decresc. Rest values. Recognition of intervals up to fifth between 2 adjacent notes. (Not required to state maj/ min/ perfect). Staccato marks, slurs.
1 question on differences or relationships of styles between 2 songs.
Grade 5 – Two pieces memorised – Use of a microphone -
Piece 1 Piece 2 Piece 3
General Standards
Unaccompanied Piece Technical Exercises Rhythmic Test - Rap
Tonal variety, stylistic rhythmic execution and broader understanding and control of dynamics and phrasing. Chest voice and head voice in a secure manner so that wider intervals have an even tone. Ornamentation and improvisation.
Scales - Major Scale and Arpeggio - Natural Minor with Minor Arpeggio and Minor Seventh Arpeggio - Minor Pentatonic -A -B - Blues Scale -A -B Intervals - Singing parts with a backing track Phrasing & Dynamics - Staccato and Legato - Dynamics - Sustained Notes with controlled gradation of tone
Aural Tests - Identify the rhythm and clap it back. - Identify the melody (with pitch). - Sing back the melody and improv two bars returning to the tonic or mediant (3rd) or dominant (5th). Improvised Song (minor) – Either: - Minor Pentatonic Scale - Blues Scale - Rhythmic idea, style and shape. – Amin, Cmin, Dmin or Gmin. - Chords I, II, IV, V and VI. General Musicianship – 4 Questions - Dynamic Marking and Meanings - Note Values - Time Signatures - Pitch Names
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Cresc and Decresc Rest Values Intervals up to a 5th (identify maj/ min or perfect) Staccato and slurs
One question on performance difference between 2 songs and reason for the choice. (Include style, voice quality and lyrics).
Grade 6 – All pieces memorised General Standards
More solid understanding of stylistic matters – more complex construction and content. Subtle tone, delivery and rhythm. Portray the meaning of the song with confidence. Microphone techniques.
Effortless movement between registers and a wide range of dynamic control and articulation.
EAR TEST QUICK STUDY General Musicianship 3 questions on: Dynamic markings and meanings. Note values. Time signature. Pitch names. Cresc/ decresc. Rest values. Recognition of intervals up to and octave between 2 adjacent notes. (Not required to state maj/ min/ perfect). Staccato marks, slurs. 1 question on how to produce basic dynamics and what is involved. 1 question on performance intentions and communication of 2 songs.
Grade 7 – All pieces memorised General Standards
More suitable stylistic techniques. Personal interpretation with improvisation and ornamentation to produce a balanced musical result. Considerable sense of commitment and musical integrity with a well-grounded sense of performance and communication.
EAR TEST
QUICK STUDY General Musicianship 3 questions on: Dynamic markings and meanings. Note values. Time signature. Pitch names. Cresc/ decresc. Rest values. Recognition of intervals up to and octave between 2 adjacent notes. (Not required to state maj/ min/ perfect). Staccato marks, slurs. 1 question on how to produce dynamics and cres/ dim, legato/ staccato. 1 question on performance and communication of 3 songs.
Grade 8 – All pieces memorised. General Standards
Main emphasis on performance and demonstrated through subtle stylistic techniques. Microphone techniques to enhance the performance. Secure ability in registers and tone. Considerable improvisation and ornamentation to produce an advanced and mature sense of performance with a HIGH degree of personal interpretation.
EAR TEST
QUICK STUDY General Musicianship 3 questions on: Dynamic markings and meanings. Note values. Time signature. Pitch names. Cresc/ decresc. Rest values. Recognition of intervals up to a tenth between 2 adjacent notes. (Not required to state maj/ min/ perfect). Staccato marks, slurs. 1 question on how to produce dynamics and cres/ dim, legato/ staccato, articulation, and change between registers. 1 question on performance and communication of 3 songs.
