Trailhead
The Ascent Tier 1, Levels 1-7
Trailhead is Tier 1 of the Dennis Frayne Ascent and includes Ascent Levels 1–7. The requirements for each Level are listed below.
Trailhead Level 1 (Ascent Level 1)
Dedicated to Ruth Stevenson Alling
Repertoire: Perform Hot Cross Buns and either Merrily We Roll Along or Mary Had a Little Lamb from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Play these selections on piano, hands together, from memory, while singing. Complete the recital program with additional student-selected public-domain folk songs and children’s songs on any instrument.
Instruments: Piano and voice are required. An additional instrument is optional.
Technical Skills: None at this level.
Musicianship: Sing the lyrics to Hot Cross Buns and either Merrily We Roll Along or Mary Had a Little Lamb while using one hand to show pitch direction. Clap a steady beat while singing the lyrics to the same two songs.
Performance: Present a 3–4-minute recital that includes at least 30 seconds of singing in the student’s primary language.
Trailhead Level 2 (Ascent Level 2)
Dedicated to Zoltán Kodály
Repertoire: Perform Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Wayfaring Stranger from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Play these selections on piano, hands together, from memory, while singing. Perform one additional selection from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Complete the recital program with additional student-selected public-domain folk songs and children’s songs on any instrument.
Instruments: Piano and voice are required. An additional instrument is optional.
Technical Skills: Play the C Major and A Natural Minor scales on piano, hands separately, one octave, ascending and descending. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale, one octave ascending and descending, a cappella or accompanied, using movable-Do solfège.
Musicianship: Sing the lyrics to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star while using one hand to show pitch direction. Clap a steady beat while singing the lyrics to Wayfaring Stranger. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending and descending once. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending three times and then descending three times.
Project: Improvise a sung melody using the text “This Little Piggy.”
Performance: Present a 3–4-minute recital that includes at least 30 seconds of singing in the student’s primary language.
Trailhead Level 3 (Ascent Level 3)
Dedicated to Carl Orff
Repertoire: Perform The Wind, Happy Birthday to You, and America (My Country ’Tis of Thee) from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Play these selections on piano, hands together, from memory, while singing. Perform two additional selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Complete the recital program with additional student-selected public-domain folk songs and children’s songs on any instrument.
Instruments: Piano and voice are required. An additional instrument is optional.
Technical Skills: Play the major scales in C, G, D, A, and E and the natural minor scale in A on piano, hands together, one octave, ascending and descending. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale, one octave ascending and descending, a cappella or accompanied, using movable-Do solfège.
Musicianship: Play Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star on piano in C Major, G Major, and D Major. Clap a steady beat while singing the lyrics to Happy Birthday to You and America (My Country ’Tis of Thee). Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending and descending once. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending three times and then descending three times. Clap a steady beat while speaking the whole-step and half-step pattern of the major scale in ascending order.
Project: Improvise a melody on any instrument over an accompaniment using an I-V-I ostinato.
Performance: Present a 4–5-minute recital that includes at least 30 seconds of singing in the student’s primary language.
Trailhead Level 4 (Ascent Level 4)
Dedicated to Shinichi Suzuki
Repertoire: Perform Bought Me a Cat, The Herring Song, and De colores from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Play these selections on piano, hands together, from memory, while singing. Perform two additional selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Complete the recital program with additional student-selected public-domain folk songs and children’s songs on any instrument.
Instruments: Piano and voice are required. An additional instrument is optional.
Technical Skills: Play the major scales in C, G, D, A, and E and the natural minor scale in A on piano, hands together, one octave, ascending and descending. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale, one octave ascending and descending, a cappella or accompanied, using movable-Do solfège and again using scale-degree numbers.
Musicianship: Play Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star on piano in C Major, G Major, D Major, A Major, E Major, and A Minor. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending and descending once. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending three times and then descending three times. Clap counting patterns in 2, 3, and 4 while executing two movements simultaneously, then repeat while executing three movements simultaneously.
Project: Improvise two different rhythms while playing The Wind.
Performance: Present a 5–6-minute recital that includes at least 1 minute total of singing, with both the student’s primary and secondary languages represented.
Trailhead Level 5 (Ascent Level 5)
Dedicated to Émile Jaques-Dalcroze
Repertoire: Perform On Top of Old Smokey, Aiken Drum, and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Play these selections on piano, hands together, from memory, while singing. Perform two additional selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Complete the recital program with additional student-selected public-domain folk songs and children’s songs on any instrument.
Instruments: Piano and voice are required. An additional instrument is optional.
Technical Skills: Play the major scales in C, G, D, A, and E and the natural minor scales in A, E, G, D, and C on piano, hands together, one octave, ascending and descending. For each scale, play the tonic triad in blocked and broken form. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale, one octave ascending and descending, followed by the Do-Mi-So-Mi-Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, using movable-Do solfège and again using scale-degree numbers.
Musicianship: Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending and descending once. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending three times and then descending three times. Clap counting patterns in 2, 3, and 4 while executing two movements simultaneously, then repeat while executing three movements simultaneously. Conduct in 2, 3, and 4 while counting subdivisions of two using eighth notes, then repeat while counting subdivisions of three using triplets.
Project: Improvise a movement or dance to Chiapanecas, optionally using accessories such as scarves or handheld percussion instruments, with live or recorded music.
Performance: Present a 5–6-minute recital that includes at least 1 minute total of singing, with both the student’s primary and secondary languages represented.
Trailhead Level 6 (Ascent Level 6)
Dedicated to Edwin Gordon
Repertoire: Perform Hail! Hail! The Gang’s All Here, Amazing Grace, and Oh, Freedom from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Play these selections on piano, hands together, from memory, while singing. Perform two additional selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Complete the recital program with additional student-selected public-domain folk songs and children’s songs on any instrument.
Instruments: Piano and voice are required. An additional instrument is optional.
Technical Skills: Play the major scales in C, G, D, A, E, B, and F and the natural minor scales in A, E, G, D, C, B, and F on piano, hands together, two octaves, ascending and descending. For each scale, play the tonic triad in blocked and broken form. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale, one octave ascending and descending, followed by the Do-Mi-So-Mi-Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, using movable-Do solfège and again using scale-degree numbers.
Musicianship: Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending and descending once. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending three times and then descending three times. Clap counting patterns in 2, 3, and 4 while executing two movements simultaneously, then repeat while executing three movements simultaneously. Conduct in 2, 3, and 4 while counting subdivisions of two using eighth notes, then repeat while counting subdivisions of three using triplets. Play the piano while singing one complete Solfege and Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2.
Project: Improvise a sung melody using the text “Pat-a-Cake Baker’s Man.”
Performance: Present a 6–7-minute recital that includes at least 1 minute total of singing, with both the student’s primary and secondary languages represented.
Trailhead Level 7 (Ascent Level 7)
Dedicated to Frances Clark
Repertoire: Perform Arkansas Traveler, Pretty Birdie, Skip to My Lou, and Row, Row, Row Your Boat from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Play these selections on piano, hands together, from memory, while singing. Perform two additional selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Complete the recital program with any additional student-selected repertoire on any instrument.
Instruments: Piano and voice are required. An additional instrument is optional.
Technical Skills: Play the major scales in C, G, D, A, E, B, and F and the natural minor scales in A, E, G, D, C, B, and F on piano, hands together, two octaves, ascending and descending. For each scale, play the tonic triad in blocked and broken form. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale, one octave ascending and descending, followed by the Do-Mi-So-Mi-Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, using movable-Do solfège and again using scale-degree numbers.
Musicianship: Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending and descending once. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet ascending three times and then descending three times. Clap counting patterns in 2, 3, and 4 while executing two movements simultaneously, then repeat while executing three movements simultaneously. Conduct in 2, 3, and 4 while counting subdivisions of two using eighth notes, then repeat while counting subdivisions of three using triplets and subdivisions of four using sixteenth notes. Play the piano while singing one complete Solfege and Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2.
Project:
Improvise a sung melody using the text “One Two Buckle My Shoe.”
Improvise a melody on any instrument over an accompaniment using an I-vi-IV-V-I bass-line pattern.
Improvise two different rhythms while playing Pretty Birdie.
Arrange Row, Row, Row Your Boat and include the arrangement in the recital.
Performance: Present a 7–8-minute recital that includes at least 1 minute 30 seconds total of singing, with both the student’s primary and secondary languages represented.