Exam Breakdown

Part 1: Theory

• • • Key Signatures: ID and write key signatures for major and minor keys

    • Scale degrees: Identify scale degrees in major and minor melodies.

    • Intervals: Spell and ID simple and compound intervals above or below a given note. 

    • Transposition:  Transpose a melody into a given major or minor key. 

    • Chords: Spell and ID triads (major, minor, and diminished) and 7th chords (Mm7, M7, m7, o7, and ø7 chords). 

    • Roman Numeral ID: Identify chords on the grand staff using Roman numerals and correct inversion symbols. Includes triads (major, minor, diminished) and dominant 7th chords. 

    • Meter ID:  Add barlines to excerpts in simple or compound time (2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 2/2, 6/8, 9/8, or 12/8). ID the meter of excerpts from the literature. 

    • Stem Direction:  Determine the correct stem direction for a group of given notes in treble or bass clef.
      
      

Part 2: Aural Skills

• • • Tuning: State whether a given pitch is flat or sharp given a reference pitch. 

    • Major/Minor Mode ID: State whether a given melodic excerpt is in the major or minor mode. 

    • Intervals: Aurally identify an ascending or descending interval. Intervals include all simple intervals (P1–P8). 

    • Chords: Aurally identify a block chord as major, minor, diminished, or dominant 7th. All chords are played in root position. 

    • Melodic Dictation: Transcribe a stepwise melody in major or minor. Rhythmic values include whole, half, quarter, dotted half, dotted quarter, and 8th notes.  2 measures in length. 

    • Rhythmic Dictation: Transcribe a simple or compound rhythm. Rhythmic values include whole, half, quarter, dotted half, dotted quarter, and 8th notes.  2–4 measures in length.

    • Chord Dictation: Transcribe the chord progression for a 2-bar harmonic progression. Chords include only I and V in major or minor. All chords are in root position. 

    • Meter ID: Aurally identify the meter of a song excerpt. Options include 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, or 12/8. 

Part 1a: Fundamentals (Written Theory) 

You will have 45 minutes to complete this section of the exam. It includes each of the following sections: 

• • • Key Signatures: ID and write key signatures for major and minor keys

    • Scale Degrees: Given an example in major or minor, notate the scale degree for each note in the melody. 

    • Intervals:  ID and construct both simple and compound intervals above or below a given note. 

    • Transposition: Transpose a diatonic melody in major or minor into the key indicated,  or up or down by the interval stated (e.g. up a minor 3rd).

    • Chords: Construct and identify triads and seventh chords by type, including major, minor, augmented, diminished, M7, m7, Dom7, º7, ø7. Includes chord inversions. 

    • Roman Numerals: Given a 4-part example on the grand staff, identify each chord using Roman numerals. Includes both triads and 7th chords in inversion. 

    • Meter Recognition: Given an example in simple or compound time, draw in the appropriate barlines or identify the meter by type. Meters include 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8. Additional general multiple choice questions about reading time signatures. 

Part 1b: Fundamentals (Aural Skills)

You will have 45 minutes to complete this section of the exam. It includes each of the following sections: 

• • • Tuning: Listen to a pitch to determine if it is flat or sharp. 

    • Major/Minor Mode ID: Listen to an example from the repertoire to determine if it is in major or minor. 

    • Interval Recognition: Identify the size and quality (e.g. M3, m7, A4) of ascending, descending, and harmonic intervals. Includes simple intervals only (P1–P8)

    • Chord ID: Identify a blocked chord as Major, Minor, or Dom7 (Mm7).

    • Scale Degree ID: Listen to an excerpt from the repertoire and determine what scale degree occurs at the beginning and end. 

    • Melodic Dictation: A melodic dictation example in major and minor. Melodies are mostly stepwise. Rhythmic values include whole, half, and quarter notes. 

    • Rhythmic Dictation: Two-bar rhythmic dictation example in 6/8 with rhythmic values that include dotted half, dotted quarter, quarter, and 8th note divisions. 

    • Meter ID: Listen to an example from the repertoire to determine the meter. Examples include 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, or 12/8. 

Part 2: Written Theory

You will have 90 minutes to complete this section of the exam. It includes each of the following sections: 

• • • Transposition: Transpose a chromatic melody or chord progression into the key indicated,  or up or down by the interval stated (e.g. up a minor 3rd).  The chord progression is indicated using lead sheet symbols (jazz chord notation, e.g. F#, B7, Dmin, Gmaj7, C/G).

    • Analysis in Repertoire: You'll be given 2 different musical excerpts and asked to answer questions about selected chromatic harmonies, sequences, modulation, phrase structure, cadences, and overall form. Questions are in the form of multiple-choice questions. 

    • Pitch Collections: You will be given a short musical excerpt and be asked to identify the pitch collection used. Questions are multiple choice. Pitch collections include the diatonic modes (e.g. Dorian, Lydian), pentatonic, octatonic, and whole tone collections. 

    • Harmonic Analysis: You will be asked to identify Roman numerals in a short chromatic excerpt from the repertoire. Examples may include modulation, secondary dominants, mode mixture, and chromatic embellishing tones. 

    • 4-Part Writing: You'll be asked to partwrite a short chord progression (8–12 chords) in 4-voice SATB chorale style (2 voices on the treble staff and 2 in the bass). The chord progression will be provided using both Roman numerals and lead sheet notation. Voice leading should follow common-practice partwriting principles.

Part 3: Aural Skills

You will have 60 minutes to complete this section of the exam. Headphones are recommended. The final section includes sight-singing; please make sure you take this section of the exam in a space where you will be able to sing and with a computer that has a microphone. 

The exam includes each of the following sections: 

• • • Instrument ID: Listen to an example from the repertoire and state which instrument(s) you hear. Multiple choice. Includes instruments common in Western art music and popular music. 

    • Transcription: Transcribe the melody and bassline for an example from the repertoire. The example may include any of the following features: rhythmic subdivisions in simple or compound time, chromatic embellishments, skips/leaps to chromatic tones, and modulation. 

    • Aural Analysis: You'll be asked to answer multiple choice questions about the example you transcribed in the previous section, including identifying any chromatic harmonies by type, the key the example modulates to and where it modulates, as well as the overall phrase structure. 

    • Modulation ID: Given the starting key, identify the key that an excerpt modulates to. Keys are both closely and distantly related. 

    • Rhythm Dictation: Transcribe a short 2-4 bar rhythm in simple and compound time that includes subdivisions. 

    • Sight-Singing: Sight-sing one diatonic and one chromatic melody. You'll be given the melody, a tonic note, and a tempo. You will see a "record" button on the screen and a "play my answer" button that will allow you to hear your recording. You'll then either submit your recording or re-record your audio. 

Written Theory Exam

In the written theory exam, student demonstrate mastery of fundamentals as well as proficiency in part writing and directed analysis of tonal music. The exam includes 4 sections, presented in order of increasing difficulty: 2 sections of Fundamentals, Diatonic Harmony, and Chromatic Harmony. 

• Part 1: Fundamentals 

  • • Interval ID: Identify P1–P8 intervals

    • Triad Spelling: Spell Major, Minor, and Diminished triads

    • Key Signatures: ID and write key signatures for major and minor keys
      
      

• Part 2: Fundamentals 

  • • 7th Chords: Spell Mm7, M7, m7, o7, and ø7 chords

    • Roman Numeral ID: Identify diatonic Roman numerals in a 4-part texture

    • Cadences: ID perfect, imperfect, and half cadences in examples from the repertoire

    • Key ID: Identify the key in major and minor excerpts from the repertoire
      
      

• Part 3: Diatonic Harmony

  • • Dominant Chord Resolution: Resolve dominant and leading-tone chords to tonic

    • Partwriting: Error Detection and 4-Part Writing

    • Figured Bass Realization: Given a diatonic figured bass, notate the Roman numerals and partwrite in SATB or keyboard style. 

    • Roman Numeral ID: Identify diatonic Roman numerals in a 4-part example from the repertoire

    • Cadences: ID perfect, imperfect, half, plagal, and deceptive cadences in examples from the repertoire

    • Phrase Structure ID: Identify the phrase structure of an excerpt as a parallel or contrasting period, or sentence
      
      

• Part 4: Chromatic Harmony

  • • Roman Numeral ID: Identify chromatic Roman numerals in a 4-part example from the repertoire. Chromatic harmony includes secondary dominants, augmented 6th chords, bII, mode mixture, and modulation. 

    • Form ID: Identify the formal structure of a passage as Simple Binary, Rounded Binary, Ternary, Sonata, Rondo, or Strophic

    • Modulation: Identify the type of modulation used in a passage and the key that the passage has modulated to. 

    • Figured Bass Realization: Given a chromatic figured example, notate the Roman numerals and partwrite in SATB or keyboard style

Dictation Exam

The practice materials for this section of the exam are available by clicking on Auralia in the top navigation. See here for more info. 

In the dictation exam, student demonstrate mastery of aural fundamentals as well as proficiency in various types of dictation, including melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic dictation. The exam includes 3 sections, presented in order of increasing difficulty: Fundamentals, Diatonic Harmony, and Chromatic Harmony. We recommend headphones for this exam. 

• Part 1: Fundamentals

  • • Melodic Dictation: 4-note melodic dictation example. You'll be given the first note and the tonic chord. 

    • Triad ID: Identify a block chord as Major, Minor, or Diminished.
      
      

• Part 2: Diatonic Harmony

  • • Melodic Dictation: Transcribe a diatonic melody. You'll be given the first note and a tonic chord. 

    • Harmonic Dictation: Transcribe the soprano, bass, and Roman numerals for a 4-part harmonic example.  Only diatonic harmonies are included. The starting notes in the soprano and bass are provided.
      
      

• Part 3: Chromatic Harmony

  • • Harmonic Dictation: Transcribe the soprano, bass, and Roman numerals for a 4-part harmonic example. Includes chromatic harmony (see the notes for Part 4 of the Theory exam above). The starting notes in the soprano and bass are provided.

Music History Exam

In the music history exam, students demonstrate knowledge of the major historical periods, styles, composers and genres throughout the history of Western art music as well as a familiarity with the broad spectrum of music in the twentieth (and twenty-first) century. It consists of a written section (Parts 1–4) and a listening section (Part 5), lasting in total approximately two hours.

History Exam: Parts 1–4 

Multiple choice questions that focus on each of the following four periods of Western music history: 

• Part 1: Antiquity through the 16th century

• Part 2: Baroque and Classical Periods

• Part 3: Romantic Period

• Part 4: 20th Century to Present

History Exam: Part 5

Listening and Score ID: This section involves multiple choice identification of the periods and composers of prominent works from each of the periods above. Each question includes a short 1–2 minute audio and/or score excerpt. Examples include repertoire from Antiquity through to the present in western music history. We recommend headphones for this section of the exam.