Trailhead

The Ascent Tier 1, Levels 1-7

Trailhead Level 1

Dedicated to Ruth Stevenson Alling

Repertoire & Instruments: Hot Cross Buns, Merrily We Roll Along or Mary Had a Little Lamb (piano), hands together, memorized, singing while playing. Any other repertoire, any instrument, of public domain folk songs and children’s songs.

Musicianship: Sing on lyrics Hot Cross Buns and Merrily We Roll Along or Mary Had a Little Lamb, using hand to show pitch direction; Clap steady beat while singing on lyrics same two songs.

Recital: 3-4 minutes, including minimum 0.5 minutes singing (in primary language).

Trailhead Level 2

Dedicated to Zoltán Kodály

Repertoire & Instruments: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Wayfaring Stranger (piano), hands together, memorized, singing while playing. One other selection from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Any other repertoire, any instrument, of public domain folk songs and children’s songs.

Scales: C major, A natural minor, hands separate, one octave, up and down (piano). Major scale and natural minor scale, one octave, up and down, absolute and relative, singing solo or singing while playing, on solfege and/or on numbers.

Musicianship: Sing on lyrics Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, using hand to show pitch direction; Clap steady beat while singing on lyrics Wayfaring Stranger. Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up and down one time; Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up three times; Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet down three times; Improvise a melody (singing) given a set of lyrics (This Little Piggy).

Recital: 3-4 minutes, including minimum 0.5 minutes singing (in primary language).

Trailhead Level 3

Dedicated to Carl Off

Repertoire & Instruments: The Wind, Happy Birthday, and America (piano), hands together, memorized, singing while playing. Two other selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Any other repertoire, any instrument, of public domain folk songs and children’s songs.

Scales: C, G, D, A, E major, A natural minor, hands together, one octave, up and down (piano). Major scale and natural minor scale, one octave, up and down, absolute and relative, singing solo or singing while playing, on solfege and/or on numbers.

Musicianship: Play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in three keys: C, G, and D major; Clap steady beat while singing on lyrics Happy Birthday and America. Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up and down one time; Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up three times; Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet down three times; Clap steady beat while speaking scale pattern of WS/HS, major, going up; Improvise a melody (playing on any instrument) given an ostinato (I-V-I pattern).

Recital: 4-5 minutes, including minimum 0.5 minutes singing (in primary language).

Trailhead Level 4

Dedicated to Shinichi Suzuki

Repertoire & Instruments: Bought Me a Cat, The Herring Song, and De colores (piano), hands together, memorized, singing while playing. Two other selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Any other repertoire, any instrument, of public domain folk songs and children’s songs.

Scales: C, G, D, A, E major, A natural minor, hands together, two octaves, up and down, plus the tonic triad (piano). Major scale and natural minor scale, one octave, up and down, absolute and relative, singing solo or singing while playing, on solfege and/or on numbers.

Musicianship: Play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in six keys: C, G, D, A, and E major, and A minor; Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up and down one time; Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up three times; Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet down three times; Clap patterns in 2, 3, and 4, executing two movements at once; Clap patterns in 2, 3, and 4, executing three movements at once; Clap patterns while counting beats; Improvise a rhythm by playing The Wind in two different rhythms.

Recital: 5-6 minutes, including minimum 1 minute singing (in primary and secondary language).

Trailhead Level 5

Dedicated to Émile Jaques-Dalcroze

Repertoire & Instruments: On Top of Old Smokey, Aiken Drum, and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child (piano), hands together, memorized, singing while playing. Two other selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Any other repertoire, any instrument, of public domain folk songs and children’s songs.

Scales: C, G, D, A, E major, A, E, G, D, C natural minor, hands together, two octaves, up and down, plus the tonic triad, blocked and broken (piano). Major scale and natural minor scale, one octave, up and down, absolute and relative, plus Do Mi So Mi Do pattern, singing solo or singing while playing, on solfege and/or on numbers.

Musicianship: Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up and down one time; Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up three times; Clap steady beat while speaking the music alphabet down three times; Clap patterns in 2, 3, and 4, executing two movements at once; Clap patterns in 2, 3, and 4, executing three movements at once; Clap patterns while counting beats; Clap patterns while counting beats and subdivisions; Conduct in 2, 3, and 4, while counting subdivisions of two; Conduct in 2, 3, and 4, while counting subdivisions of three (triplets); Improvise a movement or dance to Chiapanecas (can use accessories such as scarves).

Recital: 5-6 minutes, including minimum 1 minute singing (in primary and secondary language).

Trailhead Level 6

Dedicated to Edwin Gordon

Repertoire & Instruments: Hail Hail the Gang's All Here, Amazing Grace and Oh Freedom (piano), hands together, memorized, singing while playing. Two other selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Any other repertoire, any instrument, of public domain folk songs and children’s songs.

Scales: C, G, D, A, E, B, F major, A, E, G, D, C, B, F natural minor, hands together, two octaves, up and down, plus the tonic triad, blocked and broken (piano). Major scale and natural minor scale, one octave, up and down, absolute and relative, plus Do Mi So Mi Do pattern, singing solo or singing while playing, on solfege and/or on numbers.

Recital: 6-7 minutes, including minimum 1 minute singing (in primary and secondary language).

Trailhead Level 7

Dedicated to Frances Clark

Repertoire & Instruments: Arkansas Traveller, Pretty Birdie, Skip to My Lou, and Row Row Row Your Boat (piano), hands together, memorized, singing while playing. Two other selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Any other repertoire, any instrument, of public domain folk songs and children’s songs.

Musicianship: Clap patterns in 2, 3, and 4, executing two movements at once; Clap patterns in 2, 3, and 4, executing three movements at once; Clap patterns while counting beats; Clap patterns while counting beats and subdivisions; Conduct in 2, 3, and 4, while counting subdivisions of two (eighth notes); Conduct in 2, 3, and 4, while counting subdivisions of three (triplets); Conduct in 2, 3, and 4, while counting subdivisions of four (16th notes) Improv a melody (singing) given a set of lyrics (One Two Buckle My Shoe); Improvise a melody (playing) given a bass line (I-vi-IV-V-I) Improvize a rhythm by playing Pretty Birdie in two different rhythms; Perform one Solfege & Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2; Arrange Row Row Row Your Boat and include in recital performance.

Recital: 7-8 minutes, including minimum 1.5 minutes singing (in primary and secondary language).