Piano Proficiency For Music Majors

Music majors will demonstrate piano proficiency by the end of the sophomore year. Students with no prior piano experience must complete MUS 100 Class Piano I and MUS 101 Class Piano II. Students with prior piano experience will be tested to determine proficiency.

Piano Proficiency at Washington and Lee is determined as follows:

(Page #’s reference Alfred’s Group Piano for Adults: Book 1 (2nd edition) by Lancaster and Renfrow.)

1.     Play all major and harmonic minor scales in two octaves (Appendix A, P. 347-348)

2.     Play all major and minor arpeggios in two octaves (Appendix A, P. 347-348)

3.     Play 1 octave of chromatic scale, contrary motion (P. 297)

4.     Play the following chord progressions:

a.     I-IV 6/4 - I - V 6/5 - I (P. 170/See Hand Outs)

b.     i - iv 6/4 - i - V 6/5  - i (P. 210)

c.     I - IV - I - V7 - I (P. 171/See Hand Outs)

d.     i - iv - i - V7 - i  (P. 210)

e.     I -  vi -  IV- ii6 - I 6/4 - V7 - I (P. 253 or 316)

f.      I - IV - vii dim - iii - vi - ii - V - I (P. 262)

5.     Harmonization with secondary chords.  Play using an appropriate accompaniment style (students will have 5 minutes to study/prepare)

6.     Sight-reading (students will have 5 minutes to study/prepare)

7.     Improvisation from chord symbols  (P. 295 or 322)

8.     Harmonization with two-hand accompaniment (P. 293 or P. 321)

9.     Transpose simple short pieces (PP. 192-193; 214-215; 225; 234-235; 246-247; 256-257; 264-265; 279)

10.  Students should play two repertoire pieces of their choice-one from Units 22-26 and one from Supplementary Solo Repertoire (PP. 335-346).  The two pieces should be contrasting in style and character.