NSU Piano Proficiency
Non-Keyboard Majors Keyboard Majors
1. Play cadence patterns hands together in all major and harmonic minor keys. (See Piano Pages, center column.) This item must be attempted before the end of the freshman year. 1. Play cadence patterns and inversions hands together in all major and harmonic minor keys. This item must be attempted before the end of the freshman year.
2. Play Happy Birthday by ear in F and G. This item must be attempted before the end of the freshman year. 2. Play Happy Birthday by ear in F and G with a more elaborate LH accompaniment than a simple cadence pattern. This item must be attempted before the end of the freshman year.
3. Play major and harmonic minor scales, hands together, two octaves up and down in the following keys: C G D A E B F (See Major Scales and Harmonic Minor Scales.) 3. Play all major and harmonic minor scales hands together, four octaves up and down.
Minimum tempo: Group of four 16th notes at 96.
4. Play and harmonize an unmarked melody in a major key at sight using a left hand cadence pattern. 4. Play and harmonize an unmarked melody at sight using a left hand cadence pattern. Be able to transpose it up or down a half-step or whole-step.
5. Play and harmonize a melody from a lead sheet. The left hand uses root position major triads, minor triads, diminished triads, augmented triads and dominant seventh chords. 5. Play and harmonize a melody from a lead sheet.
6. Improvise in the following major keys: C D E F G A 6. Improvise in the following major and harmonic minor keys: C G D A E B F
The melody must go beyond the 5-finger pattern.
7. Sight read a simple piano piece. 7. Sight read an intermediate piano piece.
8. Accompany a vocal or instrumental solo. Students are encouraged to fulfill this requirement in solo class or on a student recital. 8. Accompany a vocal or instrumental solo. Students are encouraged to fulfill this requirement in solo class or on a student recital.