Slopes
The Ascent Tier 2, Levels 8-14
Slopes Level 1 (Ascent Level 8)
Dedicated to Louis Streabbog
Repertoire: Distant Bells and Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Play memorized. Three other selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Books 2 or 3. 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 cadence I-IV-I or i-iv-i using common tones. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale one octave, up and down, plus the Do Fa Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Sing the defined major mode and natural minor mode vocalises, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers. Sing a melody on solfege while tapping two rhythms as written. 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). Perform one Solfege & Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2.
Project: Improvise a melody, singing, using the text Cross Patch Lift the Latch.
Performance: Recital, 8-10 minutes, including minimum 2 minutes singing (in primary and secondary language).
Slopes Level 2 (Ascent Level 9)
Dedicated to Albert Ellmenreich
Repertoire: Spinning Song. Play memorized. Two other selections from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 3. Any other repertoire, any instrument. Consider music by Louis Streabbog, Albert Ellmenreich, Friedrich Burgmüller, Stephen Heller, and Robert Schumann.
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 cadence I-IV-I or i-iv-i using common tones. Sing a major scale and a natural minor scale one octave, up and down, plus the Do Fa Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Sing the defined major mode and natural minor mode vocalises, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers. Sing a melody on solfege while tapping two rhythms as written. 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). Perform one Solfege & Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2.
Project: Learn Silent Night on any instrument, and then play it in 4 instead of in 3, improvising the rhythm and embellishing the melody. Play Distant Bells transposed into D Major.
Performance: Recital, 10-12 minutes, including minimum 2 minutes singing in primary and secondary language.
Slopes Level 3 (Ascent Level 10)
Dedicated to Friedrich Burgmüller
Repertoire: Six selections from Burgmüller’s Op. 100, such as Arabesque, Ballade, Tarantelle, La chevaleresque, Ave Maria, Barcarolle, Hirondelle, The Chase, and others. Play memorized. Any other repertoire, any instrument. Consider music by Louis Streabbog, Albert Ellmenreich, Friedrich Burgmüller, Stephen Heller, and Robert Schumann.
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 Harmonic Minor scales, hands together, two octaves, up and down, plus the cadence I-IV-V-I or i-iv-V-i using common tones. Play a chromatic scale, one octave, up and down, hands together. Sing a major scale and a harmonic minor scale one octave, up and down, plus the Do Fa So Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Sing the defined major mode and natural minor mode vocalises, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers. Sing a melody on solfege while tapping two rhythms as written. 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). Perform one Solfege & Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Sing the chromatic scale up and down on solfege.
Project: Improvise a movement or dance to Burgmüller’s Tarantelle, optionally using accessories such as scarves or handheld percussion instruments, to live or recorded music.
Performance: Recital, 12-15 minutes, including minimum 2 minutes singing in primary and secondary language.
Slopes Level 4 (Ascent Level 11)
Dedicated to Anna Magdalena Bach
Repertoire: Six selections from the Anna Magdalena Notebook, such as Menuet BWV Anhang 114, Menuet BWV Anhang 115, Menuet BWV Anhang 116, March BWV Anhang 122, Musette BWV 126, and Chorale “Schaff's mit mir” BWV 514. Play memorized. Any other repertoire, any instrument. Consider music by Louis Streabbog, Albert Ellmenreich, Friedrich Burgmüller, Stephen Heller, Robert Schumann, and other selections from the Anna Magdalena Notebook.
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 Harmonic and Melodic Minor scales, hands together, two octaves, up and down, plus the cadence I-IV-I-V-V7-I or i-iv-i-V-V7-i using common tones. Play the tonic triads in inversions, blocked and broken, up and down. Play a chromatic scale, one octave, up and down, hands together. Sing a major scale, a harmonic minor scale, and a melodic minor scale one octave, up and down, plus the Do Fa Do So Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Sing the defined major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor mode vocalises, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers. Sing a melody on solfege while tapping two rhythms as written. 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). Perform one Solfege & Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Sing the chromatic scale up and down on solfege. Sing major and minor mode triads in inversions, up and down.
Project: Improvise a melody, singing, using the text Brow Brinky Eye Winky.
Performance: Recital, 15-18 minutes, including minimum 2 minutes singing in primary and secondary language.
Slopes Level 5 (Ascent Level 12)
Dedicated to Maria Anna (Nannerl) Mozart
Repertoire: Six selections from the Notebook for Maria Anna (Nannerl), such as No.1 Menuett in C, No. 5 Menuett in F, No. 6 Menuett in F, No. 7 Menuett in D, No. 9 Menuett in A, No. 11 Menuett in F, No. 12 Menuett in A, No. 15 Menuett in E. Play memorized. Any other repertoire, any instrument. Consider music by Louis Streabbog, Albert Ellmenreich, Friedrich Burgmüller, Stephen Heller, Robert Schumann, other selections from the Anna Magdalena Notebook, and other selections from the Notebook for Maria Anna (Nannerl).
Instruments: Piano, voice, any additional instrument (optional).
Technical Skill: Play F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db/C#, Gb/F#, Cb/B Major scales, and D, G, C, F, Bb/A#, Eb/D#, and Ab/G# Natural Minor scales, hands together, two octaves, up and down, plus the cadence I-IV-I-V-V7-I or i-iv-i-V-V7-i using common tones. Play the tonic triads in inversions, blocked and broken, up and down. Play a chromatic scale, two octaves, up and down, hands together. Sing a major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scale one octave, up and down, plus the Do Fa Do So Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Sing the defined major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor mode vocalises, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers. Sing a melody on solfege while tapping two rhythms as written. 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). Perform one Solfege & Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Sing the chromatic scale up and down on solfege. Sing major and minor mode triads in inversions, up and down.
Project: Improvise a melody, playing any instrument, using an ostinato I-IV-I-V-I pattern, accompanied.
Performance: Recital, 15-18 minutes, including minimum 2 minutes singing (in primary and secondary language).
Slopes Level 6 (Ascent Level 13)
Dedicated to Stephen Heller
Repertoire: Three selections from Stephen Heller’s Op.138, such as l'Avalanche, Gondola Song, Barcarolle, and Curious Story, Play memorized. Any other repertoire, any instrument. Consider music by Louis Streabbog, Albert Ellmenreich, Friedrich Burgmüller, Stephen Heller, Robert Schumann, selections from the Anna Magdalena Notebook, and selections from Notebook for Maria Anna (Nannerl).
Instruments: Piano, voice, any additional instrument (optional).
Technical Skill: Play F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db/C#, Gb/F#, Cb/B Major scales, and D, G, C, F, Bb/A#, Eb/D#, and Ab/G# Natural Minor scales, hands together, two octaves, up and down, plus the cadence I-IV-I-V-V7-I or i-iv-i-V-V7-i using common tones. Play the tonic triads in inversions, blocked and broken, up and down. Play a chromatic scale, two octaves, up and down, hands together. Sing a major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scale one octave, up and down, plus the Do Fa Do So Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Sing the defined major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor mode vocalises, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers. Sing a melody on solfege while tapping two rhythms as written. 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). Perform one Solfege & Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Sing the chromatic scale up and down on solfege. Sing major and minor mode triads in inversions, up and down.
Project: Improvise a movement or dance to Stephen Heller’s Barcarolle, optionally using accessories such as scarves or handheld percussion instruments, to live or recorded music.
Performance: Recital, 15-18 minutes, including minimum 2 minutes singing (in primary and secondary language).
Slopes Level 7 (Ascent Level 14)
Dedicated to Robert Schumann
Repertoire: Four selections from Robert Schumann’s Album for the Young, such as Soldiers Song, Happy Farmer, Wild Rider, and Sicilienne. Play memorized. Any other repertoire, any instrument. Consider music by Louis Streabbog, Albert Ellmenreich, Friedrich Burgmüller, Stephen Heller, Robert Schumann, selections from the Anna Magdalena Notebook, and selections from Notebook for Maria Anna (Nannerl).
Instruments: Piano, voice, any additional instrument (optional).
Technical Skill: All major scales, and all natural, harmonic, and melodic minor scales, hands together, three octaves and four octaves, up and down, plus the cadence I-IV-I-ii-V-V7-I or i-iv-i-ii°-V-V7-i using common tones. Play the tonic triads in inversions, blocked and broken, up and down. Play a chromatic scale, three octaves and four octaves, up and down, hands together. Sing a major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scale one octave, up and down, plus the Do Fa Do Re So Do pattern, a cappella or accompanied, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers.
Musicianship: Sing the defined major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor mode vocalises, on moveable-Do solfege, and again on scale degree numbers. Sing a melody on solfege while tapping two rhythms as written. 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). Perform one Solfege & Intervals Practice exercise from Presto! It’s Piano Magic, Book 2. Sing the chromatic scale up and down on solfege. Sing major and minor mode triads in inversions, up and down.
Project: Arrange a folk song or nursery rhyme, from the public domain, for beginner piano and voice, and perform in your recital.
Performance: Recital, 18-20 minutes, including minimum 2 minutes singing (in primary and secondary language).