Accepted Students

 Repertoire performed should not exceed 6 minutes in length.

• Brass & Woodwinds
  • Two Contrasting Solos, Movements of the same solo, or one solo and one etude.
  • Sight-reading, a chromatic scale, and a major scale of your choice.
• Guitar
  • Any classical piece. The piece must be fingerpicked, not flatpicked. Any exceptions must be approved in advance.
  • A chromatic scale, three octave range, from memory. From a low E (6th string open) to a high E (12th fret of the 1st string). If fingerpicked, use i and m (index and middle fingers) in alternation. If flatpicked, use alternate picking.
  • A major or minor pentatonic scale in any key asked for, from memory. If fingerpicked, use i and m (index and middle fingers) in alternation. If flatpicked, use alternate picking.
  • A two-octave major scale in any key asked for, from memory. If fingerpicked, use i and m (index and middle fingers) in alternation. If flatpicked, use alternate picking.
• Percussion
  1. A solo in two of these three areas: snare drum, timpani, or mallets.
  2. Sight-reading, a chromatic scale, and a major scale of your choice.
• Piano
  • Two contrasting works from different style periods (i.e. Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or 20th Century). At least one work must be performed from memory.
  • Sight-reading
  • Major and minor scales, at least 2 octaves, hands together.
• Strings
  • Two contrasting Solos, movements from the same solo, or one solo and one etude.
  • Sight-reading
  • One major and one melodic minor scale in a key of your choice. Be able to play them at fast and slow tempi.
    • Violin: 3 (preferably 4) octaves
    • Viola: 3 octaves
    • Cello: 3 (preferably 4) octaves
    • Bass: 3 octaves
• Voice
  • Two solo selections with piano accompaniment. Art songs or arias are recommended, memorization is required.
  • Sight-reading

If you have any more questions regarding your selected piece(s), you are encouraged to email the Music Department.

All music majors at UND must demonstrate proficiency at the piano. This can be fulfilled either through taking the Keyboard Skills courses and/or passing the Piano Proficiency Exams. Bachelor of Arts Music Majors are required to take two semesters of Keyboard Skills (levels I and II), or pass levels I and II of the Piano Proficiency Exam. Bachelor of Music majors (Performance, Therapy, and Music Education) are required to take all four semesters of Keyboard Skills or pass all four levels of the Piano Proficiency Exam. These requirements must be met prior to graduation, or prior to registration for either Student Teaching or Music Therapy internship. The music minor does not include a Piano Proficiency requirement.

Students are encouraged to take any level(s) of the Piano Proficiency Exam if they feel they have the skills to pass out of any level(s) of Keyboard Skills. Students may sign up to take any level(s) of the Piano Proficiency Exam during the first week of classes. New incoming students will also have the opportunity to take the Piano Proficiency Exam on the first Monday of the fall semester during the New Music Major Orientation Day.

Students interested in taking the Piano Proficiency Exam should contact the Music Office (701.777.2644) to set up a time.

Below are the items needed to for each keyboard skills exam.

Textbook

Alfred’s Group Piano for Adults, Book 1, 2nd Edition, by E. L. Lancaster and Kenon D. Renfrow. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. Van Nuys, CA, 2006

I. Technique

All technical skills must be played from memory.

• Scales:
  
  • Hands together, with a consistent tempo and logical fingering (one octave)
  • All major scales

II. Harmonization

Harmonize at sight one simple melody with or without given chords, using I, IV, V, V7, and VI chords.

• Study examples: p 115

III. Transposition

Sight-read and transpose one simple melody, chosen by the instructor. Maintaining a steady tempo is of utmost importance.

• Study examples: pp 130-131

IV. Repertoire

Prepare one of the following pieces. You may substitute a piece of your own choosing if you wish, as long as it is a similar difficulty level.

• p 151: March (Louis Kohler)
• p 160: Minuet in F Major (Leopold Mozart)

Keyboard Skills I Study Examples

Textbook

Alfred’s Group Piano for Adults, Book 1, 2nd Edition, by E. L. Lancaster and Kenon D. Renfrow. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. Van Nuys, CA, 2006

I. Technique

All technical skills must be played from memory.

• Scales:
• Hands together, with a consistent tempo and logical fingering (two octaves)
• All major scales
• C, D, E, G, and A minor scales (harmonic)
• Arpeggios:
• Hands separate, two octaves
• All major and minor white key arpeggios (C, D, E, F, G, A, B)
• Chord Progressions:
• I-IV-I-V7-I
• All major and minor keys

II. Harmonization

Harmonize by sight one simple melody with or without given chords. Selection may include the following chords: I, IV, V, V7, ii, iii, vi.

• Study examples: p 226

III. Transposition

Sight-read and transpose one melody chosen by the instructor. Maintaining a steady tempo is of utmost importance.

• Study examples: p 234

IV. Repertoire

Prepare one of the following pieces. You may substitute a piece of your own choosing if you wish, as long as it is a similar difficulty level.

• p 238: Dance (Christian Gottlob Neefe)
• p 290-291: Andante in G Minor (Dennis Alexandra)

Keyboard Skills II Study Examples

Textbook

Alfred’s Group Piano for Adults, Book 2, 2nd Edition, by E. L. Lancaster and Kenon D. Renfrow. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. Van Nuys, CA, 2006

I. Technique

All technical skills must be played from memory.

• Scales:
  • Hands together, two octaves, with a consistent tempo and logical fingering
  • All major scales
  • C, D, E, G, A, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, and F minor scales (harmonic)
• Arpeggios:
  • Hands together, two octaves
  • All major and minor white key arpeggios (C, D, E, F, G, A, B)
• Chord Progressions:
  • Must be played with the sustaining pedal
  • I-IV-I-V7-I
  • All major and minor keys

II. Harmonization

Harmonize by sight one simple melody with or without given chords. Selection may include primary and secondary chords, as well as secondary dominants and various seventh chords.

• Study examples: pp 73-74

III. Transposition

Sight-read and transpose one melody, chosen by the instructor. Maintaining a steady tempo is of utmost importance.

• Study examples: p 80, p 85

IV. Repertoire

Prepare one of the following pieces. You may substitute a piece of your own choosing if you wish, as long as it is a similar difficulty level.

• p 108: Prelude in C Major (J.S. Bach)
• p 137: Minuet in G major

Keyboard Skills III Study Examples

Textbook

Alfred’s Group Piano for Adults, Book 2, 2nd Edition, by E. L. Lancaster and Kenon D. Renfrow. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. Van Nuys, CA, 2006

I. Technique

All technical skills must be played from memory.

• Scales:
• Hands together, two octaves, with a consistent tempo and logical fingering
• All major scales
• All minor scales (harmonic)
• Arpeggios:
• Hands together, four octaves
• All major and minor keys

II. Harmonization

Sight-read and transpose one melody, chosen by the instructor. Maintaining a steady tempo is of utmost importance.

• Study examples: p 224

III. Selected Repertoire

Prepare and perform the following piece: Star Spangled Banner

Keyboard Skills IV Study Examples

All incoming music majors should initially enroll in MUSC 130 Diatonic Harmony and MUSC 131 Aural Skills I. A placement examination will be given at the first class meeting to test students' knowledge of music fundamentals. Students will be notified of the exam results at the second class meeting.

Exams will be graded as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. A satisfactory grade allows the student to enter first semester music theory and aural skills (MUSC 130 Diatonic Harmony, MUSC 131 Aural Skills I). An unsatisfactory grade requires that the student either 1) enroll in and pass MUSC 101 Music Fundamentals with a grade of C or better; or 2) retake the entrance examination at the beginning of the following academic year. If needed, enrollment adjustments will be made following the results of the examination.

Fundamentals

The examination will cover the following music fundamentals:

1. Note identification in treble and bass clefs (up to three ledger lines above and below each clef).
2. Interval size identification (unisons, seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, sevenths, and octaves).
3. Key signature identification (all major and minor key signatures).

You may consult any standard theory textbook, or contact your local music instructor.