Placement
Exams
Auditions are
required for all Prospective Music Majors. Placement exams are usually taken
on the same day as auditions. To sign up for placement exams and to audition
for the School of Music and Dance, please visit the how
to apply page and fill out the supplemental music application.
UNDERGRADUATE EXAMS
Fall 2008 New Students
Friday, August 22, 2008
- Ear Training (Graduate and Undergraduate): 9:00 AM
- Theory: 10:00 AM
- Piano: by appointment only
GRADUATE EXAMS
History and Theory: Dates TBA, these
exams are usually held during the week before the first day of instruction.
Ear
Training: See undergrad exams.
All entering music majors must take
placement examinations in music theory,
ear training, and class piano. Also listed
below is an outline of the theory and
musicianship class sequence.
There are several levels of music theory classes
offered by the Music
Department. The
theory placement exam is used to determine which classes
are the most appropriate for each student. Students are
not eligible to take private instrumental or vocal lessons until
they either
pass
out
of MUS 130 (remedial theory and ear training) or successfully
complete that class.
TO PASS OUT OF MUS 130 (Rudiments
of Music Theory)
We encourage you to study the material available on musictheory.net to
prepare for the undergraduate theory exam.
Ear training
• Interval identification (within one octave)
• Rhythmic dictation in X-4 and X-8 meters
• Simple tonal dictation in one part
Theory
• Reading in treble and bass clefs
• Major and all forms of minor scales
• Modal scales (Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian)
• Major and minor key signatures
• Intervals including chromatic variations (dim 3, aug 2, etc.) and compound
• Triads of all qualities and inversions
• Transposing a chromatic melody into another key
Ear Training Placement Exam
Note: The placement exam varies from term to term and may not be exactly as described below. To pass out of Music Fundamentals (MUS130) see above.
To pass out of Musicianship I (MUS 221)
• Rhythm dictation, common time and compound time
• Interval recognition and dictation
• Simple melodic dictation in a major key
To pass out of Musicianship II (MUS222)
• Melodic dictation in a minor key
• Two-part melodic dictation
• Harmonic dictation (Bach chorale) using triads
To pass out of Musicianship III (MUS223)
• Melodic dictation with chromatic tones
• Harmonic dictation (Bach chorale) using seventh chords
Theory Placement Exam
TO
PASS OUT OF MUS 231 (Counterpoint)
Student's
choice from one of the following three techniques:
• Complete
an exposition of a Baroque three-part invention;
or
• Write
two lines of mixed-species counterpoint against
a modal cantus firmus
(16th Century style,
no text); or
• Write
a single line of fifth species counterpoint
against a tonal cantus firmus
(18th Century
Style, using species
rules)
TO PASS
OUT OF MUS 232 (Tonal Harmony)
• Harmonize
a non-chromatic melody in Baroque-style choral
writing, creating
a stylistically correct
chord progression
and writing
the lower three
voices, including a variety of
non-harmonic
tones; and
• Harmonize a Classical melody with a keyboard
accompaniment
(style of Mozart, Haydn, Clementi,
etc.), which modulates
to a closely
related key.
TO
PASS OUT OF MUS 233 (Chromatic Harmony)
• Realize and analyze a chromatic figured
bass in Baroque-style choral writing. The
figures
may imply
the following:
diminished seventh
chords,
all forms of augmented sixth chords, the
Neapolitan, chromatic and/or enharmonic modulation;
and
• Harmonize a Romantic melody with a keyboard
accompaniment (style of Brahms, Schumann,
Liszt, etc.) which
modulates to a distantly
related key and implies chromatic harmony.
Piano Placement Exam
The piano placement exam (approx. 5-10 minutes) is a
demonstration of your keyboard skills designed to place you into the
appropriate level of our class piano series. All music students, except
those who are performance majors in piano or music education students
with piano as their primary instrument, must take an examination for
placement in class piano.
In this placement exam, which will determine
your first piano class, you'll be asked to demonstrate
your abilities in the following areas:
• Scales: major and harmonic minor,
ascending and descending, two octaves hands together with the correct
fingering;
• Sight-reading
• Knowledge
of the Roman numeral chord symbols: A melody will be provided with the
chord symbols and students will be asked to play the melody with
the right hand and chords with the left hand. Based on how well students
do this, they may be asked to break the chords into accompaniment patterns
and transpose the melody and chords into other keys.
Theory
and Musicianship Class Sequence
The SFSU lower
division music program contains a four-semester sequence of written
and analytical theory (Music 231,
232, 233, 420) and a three-semester sequence of ear training and
musicianship (Music 221, 222, 223). Students are required to take, in
succession,
221
with 231, 222 with 232, and 223 with 233 (unless otherwise advised
after the placement exam). Successful completion of the courses detailed
below,
or the demonstrated equivalent, satisfies the lower-division requirements
in theory.
Music 231 - Contrapuntal Analysis and Synthesis (3)
Prerequisites: Knowledge of scales, key signatures, intervals, triads,
ability to read treble and bass clefs. Concurrent enrollment required
in MUS 221 and Class Piano. A study of contrapuntal form and procedures
through written exercises, analysis, and composition in two to
four parts
based upon representative examples from the literature.
Music 232
- Diatonic Analysis and Synthesis (3)
Prerequisites: MUS 231. Concurrent enrollment required in MUS 222
and Class Piano. A study of common practice harmonic and formal
procedures through written exercises, analysis, and composition,
including triads,
inversions, cadences, seventh chords, binary, ternary, and rondo
forms
based upon representative examples from the literature.
Music 233
- Chromatic Analysis and Synthesis (3)
Prerequisites: MUS 232. Concurrent enrollment required in MUS
223 and Class Piano. Continuation of harmonic/formal studies
of procedures
found
in chromatic music through written exercises, analysis, and composition,
including secondary dominants, modulation, altered chords, theme
and
variations,
and sonata forms based upon examples from the literature.
Music
420 - 20th Century Techniques (3)
Prerequisites: MUS 233. Analysis of compositional procedures
and musical structures through studies in aural perception,
historical perspective,
score reading, and composition. Emphasis on 20th-century western
concert music with parallel review of musical genres from nonwestern
styles
and
cultures.
Music 221 - Fundamentals of Ear Training and Musicianship
I (2)
Prerequisites: knowledge of written scales, key signatures,
rhythms, intervals, and triads; ability to sing scales. Concurrent
enrollment
advised in MUS
231 and Class Piano. Ear training and sight singing. Melodic,
rhythmic, and harmonic dictation. Laboratory, involving individual
and group
instruction
and participation.
Music 222 - Fundamentals of Ear Training
and Musicianship II (2)
Prerequisite: MUS 221 or equivalent. Concurrent enrollment
advised in MUS 232 and Class Piano. Continuation of MUS
221.
Music 223
- Fundamentals of Ear Training and Musicianship III (2)
Prerequisite: MUS 222 or equivalent. Concurrent enrollment
advised in MUS 233 and Class Piano. Continuation of MUS
222.
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