FOR ALL STUDENTS NEW TO CALARTS
Placement Exams for Incoming Students
All entering students, both undergraduate and graduate, are required to take Music Theory and Musicianship Skills Placement Exams during Orientation Week, just prior to class signup and the beginning of class meetings. Based on the results, each undergraduate will be placed at an appropriate level in the core
curriculum. If an undergraduate student lacks sufficient background to begin the core curriculum sequence, s/he may be required to take the class, Fundamental Musicianship, as a prerequisite. For graduate students, results may indicate
either that a student’s prior training and current skill levels are already appropriate for graduate study or that a graduate theory review class and/or graduate skills review class will be required in addition to the normal graduate curriculum. In some cases, graduate students may be asked to enroll in supplemental undergraduate theory and/or skills classes in order to acquire
necessary prerequisite knowledge and skills. Please note that while not all programs require the full sequence of courses, incoming students should proceed as far as possible during the placement exams.
In order to assist students in preparing for these placement tests, an outline of their content is posted here. Testing is given in modules. Upon passing one module, students proceed as far as they can through subsequent levels. Advance practice and preparation is strongly encouraged.
Pre-requisite:
Fundamental Musicianship: music (i.e. note) reading in treble and bass clefs; time and key signatures; interval identification (timed); chord and inversion identification (timed).
Following the Fundamental Musicianship level, separate modules continue with theory and musicianship skills.
Music Theory Placement Tests:
Theory A: tonal harmonic analysis and basic phrase structure; 4-part harmonization (from figured bass) using diatonic chords and V of V.
Theory B: contrapuntal analysis (section of a piece of counterpoint by Bach); harmonic analysis through modulation to closely related keys; 4-part writing (harmonization of melody).
Theory C: analysis of Sonata Form (a section of a piece by Haydn or Mozart); analysis of chromatic harmony (through late 19th century); 4-part chromatic voice leading.
Theory D: 20th Century repertoire analysis and techniques; 20th Century tonality (e.g. Debussy, Bartok, Stravinsky), atonality and 12-tone techniques; familiarity with electronic and experimental music repertoire and other more recent styles
and techniques.
Musicianship Skills Placement Tests:
Skills A: basic modal and tonal sight-singing and dictation.
Skills B: modulating and easy chromatic tonal sight-singing and dictation; seventh chords.
Skills C: modal and tonal improvisation; advanced chromatic tonal sight singing and dictation; simple added chords [n.b. At this point students should be able to fluently read and take dictation of anything in Modus Vetus, Edlund/Beekman
Books].
Skills D: non-tonally functional sight reading and dictation; complex chord and cellular recognition and reproduction [n.b. At this point students should be able to fluently read and take dictation of anything in Modus Novus, Edlund/Beekman Books].
