Kids Piano

FUNCTIONAL PIANO TEST
A criterion for passing any portion of the portions of this test which involve playing the piano is that the song flows smoothly and correctly enough for people to sing along without hesitation.

NOTE: It is the professor’s bias that functional piano skills do not exist in a vacuum. Therefore, skills associated with ear training, sight-singing, keyboard theory, and general knowledge of the piano and its literature will be tested.

I. Sing, without notation/cues/notes/symbols of any kind and using scale step numbers as “lyrics”, the following patterns and tunes:

1-5-1 (up to 5; back down to 1); (down to 5; back up to 1)

Major arpeggio; minor arpeggio

6-5-lower 7-1

6-4-5-3-4-2-1

6-4-5-octave down 5-7-1

Happy Birthday

University of Alabama Alma Mater

My Country Tis of Thee

Auld Lang Syne

Star-Spangled Banner

Over the River and Through the Woods

Joy to the World

Eensy Weensy Spider

II. [A sworn statement that the following was completed without the aid of any person, keyboard, instrument, book, or picture is required.]

Away from the keyboard, sketch on manuscript paper the following tunes and indicate the chords which accompany them. Bring this sketch to the piano test. It will be graded for accuracy of melody, accuracy of rhythm, and appropriateness of the chords which you chose.

O Susanna (Key of F)

This Land is Your Land (Key of G)

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (Key of G)

Clementine (Key of F)

III. With your eyes closed, reach for the keyboard and play an octave with the left hand. Return hand to lap. Repeat three times.

Perform this skill, using the left hand, for the interval of a fifth.

IV. With the left hand, demonstrate these chord progressions in block chords (chord changes must occur at a rate of at least one per second) in the keys of C, F, G, D, Bb, g min, and d min. Use inversions for smooth transitions between chords.

I IV I V7 I

I IV V7 I

I vi IV V7 I

V. Play the following songs from memory, using an interesting and appropriate accompanying pattern:

Happy Birthday (Key of F)

Silent Night (Key of C)

Auld Lang Syne (Key of F)

My Country Tis of Thee (Key of F)

University of Alabama Alma Mater (Key of G)

VI. Select either List 1, List 2, or List 3. Using interesting and appropriate accompanying patterns, play all of the songs on your chosen list from the Heritage Songster. All accompanying patterns must be demonstrated.

VIII. Give a three-minute explanation (without using notes) of how the piano works, including the hammers, pedals, dampers, and soundboard.

IX. Give a three-minute history of the instrument (without using notes).

X. Bring a signed statement affirming that (this semester) you have listened to a recording of…

one Mozart piano concerto, heard twice

one Chopin prelude, one mazurka, one waltz, and one polonaise

Brahms piano concerto #1 or #2, heard twice

Three selections from Albeniz’ Iberia