Classical Music:
- 2 pieces chosen from the partitas and suites from ‘Wohltemperies Klavier’ by J. S. Bach.
- 1 movement of a Viennese classical sonata
- 1 romantique style piano piece (preferably Chopin or Liszt).
- Either
3 pieces by Bartók: To be chosen from the 5th or 6th volume of “Mikrokozmosz”
or
Other 20th century (or contemporary) piano piece of the same level of difficulty
Jazz:
The solo performance of 3 contrasting, well known jazz standards of different tempi (slow, medium and fast) and character (introduction, theme, improvisation, theme, ending), alternatively with own harmonization.
The demonstration of the previously performed 3 standards in the following manner:
Chordal playing (2 handed, open harmonys),
Right hand: chords, left hand walking bass style accompaniment.
Playing blues in major and minor scales (improvisation with chordal accompaniment) in different keys.
Knowledge of about 10 well known jazz standards at repertoire level from memory - theme and improvisation - with original harmonization. The detailed documentation of the repertoire should be submitted to the exam committee.
Improvisation to the cadential chord lines of major and minor character at sight, given during the exam (such as: II-V-I-VI) in different keys.
Playing one two-hand piano piece presented at the exam and one theme marked with chords at sight.
B) COMPULSORY SUBJECTS
I. Piano Compulsory :
Knowledge of the basic chord sets of jazz and playing these on piano. Playing the four types of triads and their classical transposes (6, 4/6), the major and minor jazz 6th chord, the major seventh chord(in minor as well), the dominant seventh, the minor seventh, the major seventh with augmented fifth, the dominant seventh with augmented fifth, the diminished major seventh, the half diminished and diminished seventh chord, and the dominant 76, the major and minor 69, the major and minor 79, the dominant 7b10 jazz chords in root position in every key.
Playing the 8+1 chords of four notes (major seventh - in minor as well - , dominant seventh, minor seventh, dominant seventh with augmented fifth, major seventh with augmented fifth, major seventh with diminished fifth, half diminished and diminished seventh chord) in classical inversions (5/6, 4/3, 2) in every key.
Playing the major, the harmonic minor, and the melodic minor frames every modus (21 scales in total) and the 5 different pentatonic modes, the whole note, the half-whole, and the whole-half scales in every key.
Playing cadential chord lines (I-IV-V-I; I-V-IV-I; I-VI-II-V-I; I-III-VI-II-V-I) with two hands in four phrases, in three inversions, with classical chord-play rules up till the 6 sharp and 6 flat keys.
The ability to play the jazz cadence II-V-I with jazz chord modifications (II: m79; V: dom769; I: maj79 or major 69), up till the 6 sharp and 6 flat keys.
II. Ear test, and theory of music
Ear test written exam
Duration: 2 hours
No additional materials are allowed during the exam.
Topics:
- The recognition and notation of the four types of triads and their inversions by ear – repeated twice.
- The recognition and notation of the 8+1 chords of four notes in root position by ear (major seventh, dominant seventh, minor seventh, minor major seventh, dominant seventh with augmented fifth, major seventh with augmented fifth, major seventh with diminished fifth, half diminished and diminished seventh chord) – repeated twice.
- The recognition and the notation of the classical inversions of major seventh, dominant seventh, minor major seventh, minor seventh and the classical inversions of half diminished seventh chords by ear – repeated three times.
- The recognition and notation of pentatonic modes (altogether 5 scales) by ear – repeated twice.
- The recognition and notation of the major, the harmonic minor, and the melodic minor frames of every modus (21 scales in total) and the 5 different pentatonic modes, the whole note, the half-whole, the whole-half scales by ear– repeated three times.
- Notation of a jazz rhythm of medium difficulty by ear– repeated six times.
- Notation of a melody of 4-8 bars, of simple modulation, of medium difficulty by ear - repeated eight times.
- Notation of a two-part melody of simple modulation and of medium difficulty by ear – repeated eight times.
In-depth understanding of classical theory of harmony including the inversions of seventh chords.
