Trailhead
The Ascent Tier 1, Levels 1-7
Trailhead Level 1
Dedicated to Ruth Stevenson Alling
Repertoire: Hot Cross Buns, Merrily We Roll Along or Mary Had a Little Lamb, from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Play hands together, memorized, singing while playing. Any other repertoire, any instrument, of public domain folk songs and children’s songs.
Instruments: Piano, voice, any additional instrument (optional).
Technical Skill: None at this level.
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.
Performance: Recital, 3-4 minutes, including minimum 0.5 minutes singing in primary language.
Trailhead Level 2
Dedicated to Zoltán Kodály
Repertoire: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Wayfaring Stranger, from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Play 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.
Instruments: Piano, voice, any additional instrument (optional).
Technical Skill: Play C Major and A Natural Minor scales, hands separate, one octave, up and down, on piano. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale one octave, up and down, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege.
Musicianship: Sing on lyrics Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, using hand to show pitch direction. Clap a steady beat while singing on lyrics Wayfaring Stranger. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up and down one time. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up three times, and then down three times.
Project: Improvise a melody, singing, using the text This Little Piggy.
Performance: Recital, 3-4 minutes, including minimum 0.5 minutes singing in primary language.
Trailhead Level 3
Dedicated to Carl Orff
Repertoire: The Wind, Happy Birthday, and America, from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Play 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.
Instruments: Piano, voice, any additional instrument (optional).
Technical Skill: Play C, G, D, A, and E Major scales, and A Natural Minor scale, hands together, one octave, up and down, on piano. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale one octave, up and down, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege.
Musicianship: Play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in the three keys C, G, and D Major. Clap a steady beat while singing on lyrics Happy Birthday and America. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up and down one time. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up three times, and then down three times. Clap a steady beat while speaking the Major scale pattern of whole step and half step, going up.
Project: Improvise a melody, playing on any instrument, using an ostinato I-V-I pattern, accompanied.
Performance: Recital, 4-5 minutes, including minimum 0.5 minutes singing in primary language.
Trailhead Level 4
Dedicated to Shinichi Suzuki
Repertoire: Bought Me a Cat, The Herring Song, and De colores, from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 1. Play 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.
Instruments: Piano, voice, any additional instrument (optional).
Technical Skill: Play C, G, D, A, and E Major scales, and A Natural Minor scale, hands together, one octave, up and down, on piano. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale one octave, up and down, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in the six keys C, G, D, A, and E Major, and A Minor. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up and down one time. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up three times, and then down three times. Clap counting patterns in 2, 3, and 4, executing two movements at once, and then again executing three movements at once.
Project: Improvise a rhythm by playing The Wind in two different rhythms.
Performance: Recital, 5-6 minutes, including minimum 1 minute singing in primary and secondary language.
Trailhead Level 5
Dedicated to Émile Jaques-Dalcroze
Repertoire: On Top of Old Smokey, Aiken Drum, and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Play 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.
Instruments: Piano, voice, any additional instrument (optional).
Technical Skill: Play C, G, D, A, and E Major scales, and A, E, G, D, and C Natural Minor scales, plus the tonic triad, blocked and broken, hands together, one octave, up and down, on piano. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale one octave, up and down, plus the Do Mi So Mi Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up and down one time. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up three times, and then down three times. Clap counting patterns in 2, 3, and 4, executing two movements at once, and then again executing three movements at once. Conduct in 2, 3, and 4, while counting subdivisions of two (8th notes), and then while counting subdivisions of three (triplets).
Project: Improvise a movement or dance to Chiapanecas, optionally using accessories such as scarves or handheld percussion instruments, to live or recorded music.
Performance: Recital, 5-6 minutes, including minimum 1 minute singing in primary and secondary language.
Trailhead Level 6
Dedicated to Edwin Gordon
Repertoire: Hail Hail the Gang's All Here, Amazing Grace, and Oh Freedom, from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Play 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.
Instruments: Piano, voice, any additional instrument (optional).
Technical Skill: Play C, G, D, A, E, B, and F Major scales, and A, E, G, D, C, B, and F Natural Minor scales, hands together, two octaves, up and down, plus the tonic triad, blocked and broken. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale one octave, up and down, plus the Do Mi So Mi Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up and down one time. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up three times, and then down three times. Clap counting patterns in 2, 3, and 4, executing two movements at once, and then again executing three movements at once. Conduct in 2, 3, and 4, while counting subdivisions of two (8th notes), and then while counting subdivisions of three (triplets). Play the piano while singing one complete Solfege & Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2.
Project: Improvise a melody, singing, using the text Pat-a-Cake Baker's Man.
Performance: Recital, 6-7 minutes, including minimum 1 minute singing in primary and secondary language.
Trailhead Level 7
Dedicated to Frances Clark
Repertoire: Arkansas Traveler, Pretty Birdie, Skip to My Lou, and Row Row Row Your Boat, from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Play hands together, memorized, singing while playing. Two other selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Any other repertoire, any instrument.
Instruments: Piano, voice, any additional instrument (optional).
Technical Skill: Play C, G, D, A, E, B, and F Major scales, and A, E, G, D, C, B, and F Natural Minor scales, hands together, two octaves, up and down, plus the tonic triad, blocked and broken. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale one octave, up and down, plus the Do Mi So Mi Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up and down one time. Clap a steady beat while speaking the music alphabet up three times, and then down three times. Clap counting patterns in 2, 3, and 4, executing two movements at once, and then again executing three movements at once. Conduct in 2, 3, and 4, while counting subdivisions of two (8th notes), then while counting subdivisions of three (triplets), and then while counting subdivisions of four (16th notes). Play the piano while singing one complete Solfege & Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2.
Project: Improvise a melody, singing, using the text One Two Buckle My Shoe. Improvise a melody, playing any instruments, using a bass line I-vi-IV-V-I pattern, accompanied. Improvise a rhythm by playing Pretty Birdie in two different rhythms. Arrange Row Row Row Your Boat and include in your recital performance.
Performance: Recital, 7-8 minutes, including minimum 1.5 minutes singing in primary and secondary language.