Tacoma Chapter WSMTA Music Literacy Program
Curriculum Guide

LEVEL ONE - Tacoma I.  
Rhythm and pulse development:
- Clap or tap a rhythm pattern, counting aloud, with a metronome tempo of 72 for
	the quarter beat
- The student may use any counting method, giving one measure of preparation
- The pattern will include quarter, half and whole notes 

II. Sight-playing  
- Play a 4 to 8 measure piece or excerpt. Simple meters. The student is encouraged to count
	aloud.
- Scoring will be based on note accuracy, rhythm accuracy and continuity
- The sight-playing example will be in the C Maj, G Maj, a min, or d minor 5-finger positions , 		hands playing separately, with no accidentals. Rhythms will include quarter, half and whole 		notes.  

III. Technique:
Scales:
- Prepare and play the following one-octave scales in either hand, separately. 
- C,G,D major and a and d minors in any form 			
- Also prepare the C major scale hands together, one octave in contrary motion 
- 5 of the above will be chosen in the exam.
- Use correct fingering and play with a steady pulse

Chords:
- Play a triad in the keys of prepared scales
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IV. Applied Theory – Intervals:
- Play steps and skips on white keys only, up and down
- Play whole and half steps, up or down

V. WRITTEN THEORY
- Identify the number of beats for quarter notes and rests, half notes and whole notes
- Identify and/or draw treble and bass clef symbols
- Recognize and/or give definitions for forte and piano symbols
- Identify note direction as up, down, or repeat
- Identify steps and skips, moving up or down, on the staff or a pictured keyboard
- Identify the letter names of white keys
- Identify and/or draw whole and half steps on a pictured keyboard
- Give the letter names of notes on the grand staff from first line bass G to fifth line
	treble F

VI. LISTENING
Give verbal answers to questions concerning examples played by the facilitator:
- Identify low, middle and high sounds
- Identify the directions of 5 notes as moving up, moving down or repeating
- Listen to an 8 measure example played by the facilitator, then clap the pulse as the
	facilitator plays the example a second time, and ID the meter as 2 (4) or 3. 
- Listen to a played piece to identify dynamic contrasts (P or F), articulation (Staccato-legato), and 	the general quality of music by choosing the best description(s) from a multiple-choice list.
- Recognize rhythm changes made to a printed 2 bar melody.  simple meters. up to 8ths. 
- Tap or clap backs (echoing) of two played 2 bar rhythms, steady pulse, total of 8 bars, beginning 	on downbeat, simple meters, 16ths to half notes. 
- Sing-back (echo), two 2 bar examples in major key, 8 bars total. Scalar patterns or 3rds. (May be 	prepared by singing scale fragment or triad in the key.)                                  
- Play-backs of single 2 bar melody (played twice) drawn from above. Major 5-finger position. keys 	of scales previously listed, simple meter. Key and tonic given. 							                                                                                                                                                                  
VII. 
- Free Improvisation for 20 seconds, not graded, but must be done

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LEVEL TWO  

I. Rhythm and pulse development:
- Clap or tap a rhythm pattern, counting aloud, with a metronome tempo of 72 for
	the quarter beat
- The student may use any counting method, giving one measure of preparation
- The pattern will include quarter notes and rests, half notes and rests, dotted half
	notes and whole notes

II. Sight-playing and Sight-singing:
- Play a 4 to 8 measure piece or excerpt. The student is encouraged to count
	aloud. Simple meters.
- Scoring will be based on note accuracy, rhythm accuracy and continuity
- The sight-playing example will be in a five-finger position, hands playing
	mostly separately , with no accidentals. Rhythms may include quarter notes and rests, half 		notes and rests, dotted half notes and whole notes. Simple dynamics, articulations,  			tied notes, added keys of D major, e and g minor. 
-Sight sing a 4 bar melody in 2. Key chord and starting note and pulse given. Stepwise with 			occasional 3rd.

III. Technique:
Scales:
- Prepare and play 5 scales drawn from keys below.
- Scales one octave, hands together, in keys of C,G,D,A,F major and e,d,g minor (hm. or mel.), 		contrary motion scales in C and E major, and hands separately chromatic scale on D. - Use 		the correct fingering and play with a steady pulse
Chords:
- Play a triad in the keys of prepared scales
- Play one octave arpeggios, in G,D,A major and d, g minors, hands separately
- Play F maj. and e minor blocked and broken chords in root position and inversions, hands 			separately.                                                                 

IV. Applied Theory - Intervals:
- Play 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, and 5ths on white keys only, up and down

V.  WRITTEN THEORY
- Identify the number of beats for quarter notes and rests, half notes and rests, dotted	 half notes, 	and whole notes and rests
- Write in the counting for rhythm examples in 2/4, 3/4 or 4/4 meter
- Recognize and/or give the definitions for forte and piano symbols, legato and
	staccato
- Identify white or black keys on a pictured keyboard
- Give the letter names of notes on the grand staff from the first line bass G to fifth
	line treble F.
- Draw sharp, flat and natural sign
- Identify 2nds, 3rds, 4ths and 5ths on a pictured keyboard and staff, white keys only

VI.  LISTENING
Give verbal answers to questions concerning examples played by the facilitator:
- Identify the direction of 3 notes as moving up, moving down or repeating
- Listen to an 8 measure example played by the facilitator, then clap the pulse as the facilitator 		plays the example a second time
- Identify steps and skips. Examples will be played 3 times, melodically and harmonically.
- Identify the general quality of a played piece of music by choosing the best 					description(s) from a multiple-choice list, to include ID of dynamic contrasts and 				gradations, articulations, tempo changes and gradations using Italian terms.
-recognition of 2 or 3 rhythmic changes made in a 2-4 bar melody.  Simple meters. Pulse given
- tap-backs as in Level One, with addition of 6/8 time, up to 12 bars
-Tap or clap on the last beat of each bar to an example played. Simple time and count-ins 			given.)
-Echo sing-backs as in Grade 1. 12 bars total. Range of 5th. Key chord, root, starting note and 		beginning pulse given. Major key or minor
- Play-backs of single 2bar melody (played twice) drawn from above sing-back example. Major or 		minor 5-finger position. keys of scales above, simple meter. Key and tonic given.
	
VII. Improvisation

-To play at sight a two-bar passage in a 5-finger pattern (with one hand only for pianists) and to improvise a two-bar continuation based in the key indicated and used for bars 1 and 2. This key will be any one of those set for this grade.The first two bars will be fully notated in 4/4 time and written within the range of a 4th. Chord symbols may also be provided. 
Students will first be given the pulse followed by a short interval of up to half a minute in which to look through and, if they wish, try out any part of the test before they are required to perform it.  The examiner will then count in the candidate, who should play bars 1 and 2 exactly as written, following on with the improvised two-bar response in strict time without an intervening pause. Response should proceed to tonic.

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LEVEL THREE 

I. Rhythm and pulse development:
- Clap or tap a rhythm pattern, counting aloud, with a metronome tempo of 72 for
	the quarter beat
- The student may use any counting method, giving one measure of preparation
- The pattern may include eighth note pairs, quarter notes and rests, half notes
	and rests, dotted half notes, whole notes and rests, and tied notes

II. Sight-playing and sight-singing:
- Play a short 4-8 measure piece, in the key of scales below. The student is encouraged to 			count aloud. Simple meters, incl. 3/8. Music will move outside of 5 finger position, and 	allow 	for 2 note chords in either hand. 
- The sight-playing example will use accidentals, simple dynamics, articulations, and will 			include the same rhythms as listed in the rhythm and pulse section above.
- Scoring will be based on note accuracy, rhythm accuracy and continuity
- Sight sing a 4 bar melody in 2/4 or 3/4 meter to accompaniment by examiner. Key, pulse, and 		starting note given. Scale wise, reds and occasional 4th. Major key.

III. Technique:
Scales:
- Prepare and play the following scales, of which 4 will be chosen for the exam – A,E,B,Bb 			majors, b,g,c minors (hm. or melodic), contrary motion scales in A Major and a harmonic 		minor. 2 octaves hands together. Also 2 octave chromatic scales on Ab and C, hands 			separately.  
- Use the correct fingering and play with a steady pulse

Chords:
- Play a root position tonic and dominant triad in the keys of prepared scales –single hand or 		both hands, separate or together

Chord Progressions:
- Play a I-V-I or I-V7-I chord progression in the keys of prepared scales – both hands, separate 		or together

Arpeggios:
- Play a two-octave hand over hand arpeggio in the keys of prepared scales. Also A Major and 		g minor, 2 octaves hands together, and E,B,Bb,Eb Majors and b and c minors 2 octaves 		hands separately.

IV. Applied Theory - Intervals:
- Play 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6ths in the keys of prepared scales up from tonic only, using 				appropriate black keys
 
V. WRITTEN THEORY
- Write in the counting for rhythm examples in 2/4, 3/4 or 4/4 meter. Rhythms may include 			paired eighth notes, quarter notes and rests, half notes and rests, dotted half notes, and 		whole notes and rests.
- Recognize and/or give the definitions for piano, mezzo piano, mezzo forte and forte symbols
- Identify ties and slurs
- Explain the meaning of the numbers in a time signature
- Draw stems for notes on the staff in the proper direction
- Draw sharp, flat and natural symbols on the staff in proper placement
- Give the letter names of notes on the grand staff, including exterior space notes adjacent to 		the staff
- Identify 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths and 6ths by distance only on a pictured keyboard and staff
- Identify whole and half steps on the staff

VI.  LISTENING
Give written answers to questions concerning recorded examples:
- Identify 2nds, 3rds, 4ths or 5ths, distance only. (Teachers please note: these will be major 		2nds and major 3rds.) 	Each interval will be played 3 times, melodically and harmonically.
- Identify triads as major or minor. Each triad will be played 3 times, melodically and 				harmonically.
- Select a rhythmic pattern from two written examples. The rhythm pattern will be played 			twice.
- Add a sharp or flat sign in front of a note to indicate movement up or down.
- Identify general features of a played piece of music with regard to tempo, dynamics, mood, 		articulation, and major/minor tonality by choosing the best descriptions from a 				multiple choice list. 
- Recognition of 3 to 4 rhythmic or melodic changes made in a 4-16 bar melody. Pitch or note 		values only. Simple meters, major or minor key. The key chord, tonic and pulse 				given.
- Tap or clap back as in Level Two, with addition of 9/8 meter. ID of meter.
- Sing back (echo) of 2 bar examples for 8 measures (as in Level Two) while tapping a one 			measure ostinato. Range to octave. Key chord, tonic and pulse given. Major or minor key.
- Play back of a single 2 bar melody, played twice, drawn from the above. Major key, simple 			meter, interval of 4th allowed if in triad. Key and tonic given.

VII. IMPROVISATION
- Improvise a 2 bar response to a written 2 measure phrase in major key. Final should be the 		tonic, approached through the dominant, leading tone, or scalar. In 3/4 or 4/4. A 4 bar 		accompaniment or “groove” may be given to start, which will continue.
OR
- After hearing a 2 bar passage for one hand (played 3 times by the examiner), the student will 		improvise a 2 bar continuation, in any of the keys above. Common time and within range 		of a 4th. Key chord, pulse and starting note given. (In practice, the rhythm may be 			addressed 1st, then the student may simply repeat the 1st measure heard. The initial 			goal would be to 	end on tonic.)