
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.