Studio Proficiency Levels

LEVEL A

Ability to meet Level A standards by the end of first year (for BA), upon entrance (for BM). 

• Tone
  • Mostly clear and resonant tone, playing with control
  • Presence of vibrato  
• Intonation
  • In tune in most keys with few issues in all but extreme registers
    • 1st and 3rd position for upper strings
    • 3rd and 4th positions for lower strings
• Technique
  • Command of 1st and 3rd position
  • Scales/arpeggios in one octave, some in 2 octaves
  • Stable bow hold
  • Straight wrists, relaxed hands
  • Fundamental bowings (e.g., detaché, martelé, slurs)
• Rhythm/Time
  • Steady pulse in all but extreme tempos
  • Command of basic rhythms and common meters
• Interpretation
  • Some expression in dynamics/volume, tempo and timing
  • Musical phrasing is developing
• Repertoire
  • Two contrasting styles/genres from traditional repertoire
  • Mix of technical and pedagogical approaches
  • Mostly shorter works 
• Sight Reading in simple meters utilizing simple rhythmic subdivisions in keys of Bb, F, C, G, or D major, with some shifting out of first position required  

Level B

Current upper division; pass this level and do a Junior (half) Recital.    

• Tone
  • Clear and resonant tone in all registers
  • Few struggles
  • Control of vibrato.  
• Intonation
  • In tune in all keys and registers.  
• Technique
  • Command of half, 2nd, 4th, and 6th positions (thumb position for cello and bass)
  • All scales/arpeggios in two octaves, some in 3 octaves
  • Relaxed technique that aids expression
  • Control of on- and off-string bowings
    • louré, spiccato, ricochet, etc.
    • “special effects” as appropriate to repertoire
• Rhythm/Time
  • Steady pulse in all tempos
  • Command of some odd meters
  • Ability in extreme tempos
• Interpretation
  • Expressive dynamics/volume
  • Command of tempos changes and rubato
  • Growing sense of phrasing
• Repertoire
  • At least three contrasting time periods or styles appropriate to student’s emphasis and track
    • Commercial/jazz, classical, mariachi, etc.
  • Full movements of works.
• Sight reading in compound or complex meters in major and minor keys involving  change of meter, tempo, key, and/or modality
• Independent preparation and performance of an A-level work of 2-3 minutes in two weeks or less.  

Level C

Pass level and ready to move on to Senior (full) Recital  

• Tone
  • In tune in all registers and positions
  • Command of tone production in all registers
  • Expression using vibrato  
• Intonation
  • Fully in tune in all registers and keys, including extreme ranges
• Technique
  • All scales and arpeggios in major and minor and in 3 octaves when appropriate
    • All 3 octaves for upper strings
  • Expressive playing uninhibited by technique
  • Development and facility of double-stops and extended techniques
• Rhythm/Time
  • Strong sense of pulse
  • Ability to navigate changing and varied meters
  • Can perform complicated rhythms including polymetric rhythms
    • e.g., 3:2, 5:4, etc.
• Interpretation
  • Strong contrasts and stylistically appropriate expressions consistent in performance
• Repertoire
  • A wide variety of time periods and styles studied within the curriculum, including contemporary music and global styles
  • Ability to perform works of substantial length
• Sight reading in complex rhythms or changing meters with extended chromatic and/or atonal passages

Brass General

LEVEL A  

• One (1) representative solo 
• Two (2) contrasting etudes 
• Technical requirements 

LEVEL B  

• One (1) representative solo 
• Two (2) contrasting etudes 
• Orchestral excerpts 
• Technical requirements 

LEVEL C  

• Three (3) solo works in contrasting styles 
• Orchestral excerpts 

For more details, please go to the individual instrument links, or consult your studio teacher. 

Trombone

LEVEL A

Ability to meet level A standards by the end of first year (for BA), upon entrance (for BM).  

• Tone
  • Mostly clear and resonant tone, playing with control and good pitch.
  • Fluid major scales from lowest note E to high F above the staff.
  • Basic knowledge of air control and dynamics.
• Intonation
  • In tune in most keys
• Technique
  • Command of being able to play any note on any partial
  • Scales/arpeggios in one octave, some in 2 octaves
  • Knowledge of right-hand placement and tricks as to where to place slide
  • Right wrist faces body, only left hand holds the horn, curved fingers, good posture, basic firm corners of embouchure
• Rhythm/Time
  • Steady pulse in all but extreme tempos
  • Command of basic rhythms and common meters
• Interpretation
  • Some expression in dynamics/volume, tempo and timing
  • Musical phrasing is developing
• Repertoire
  • Two contrasting styles/genres from traditional repertoire
  • Mix of technical and pedagogical approaches
• Sight Reading in simple meters utilizing simple rhythmic subdivisions in keys of Bb, F, C, G, or D major.

LEVEL B

Current upper division, pass this level and do a Junior (half) Recital.  

• Tone
  • Clear and resonant tone in all registers
  • Few struggles
  • All 12 major scales and all 12 minor scales in eighth notes at 120
• Intonation
  • In tune in all keys (major and minor) and registers. 
• Technique
  • Knowledge and practice in mouthpiece buzzing with clear tone
  • Concise and clear embouchure to promote the best tone production
  • Command of scales in thirds, arpeggios and scales over the complete range of the instrument.
  • Relaxed technique that aids expression
  • Control of “special effects” as appropriate to repertoire
  • Fast articulation and flutter tonguing, controlled glissing
• Rhythm/Time
  • Steady pulse in all tempos, command of some odd meters
  • Ability in extreme tempos
• Interpretation
  • Expressive dynamics/volume
  • Command of tempos changes and rubato
  • Growing sense of phrasing
• Repertoire
  • At least three contrasting time periods or styles appropriate to student’s emphasis and track full movements of works (with piano accompaniment)
• Sight reading in compound or complex meters in major and minor keys involving change of tempo and articulation
• Independent preparation and performance of an A-level work of 2-3 minutes in two weeks or less. 

LEVEL C

Pass level and ready to move on to Senior (full) Recital  

• Tone
  • In tune in all registers and positions
  • Command of tone production in all registers
  • Expression
• Intonation
  • Fully in tune in all registers and keys, including extreme ranges 
• Technique
  • Knowledge and advanced practice in mouthpiece buzzing and pitch control
  • Bass trombone or Euphonium work should be completed by this time.
  • Consistent (unmoving) embouchure that promotes excellent tone and good voicing for both articulated and legato passages.
  • All scales and arpeggios in major and minor over the complete range of the instrument
  • Expressive playing uninhibited by technique, excellent voicing of the instrument
  • Development and facility of some modern techniques that include reading non-traditional music
• Rhythm/Time
  • Strong sense of pulse
  • Ability to navigate changing and varied meters
  • Can perform complicated rhythms including polymetric rhythms
    • e.g., 3:2, 5:4, etc.
• Interpretation
  • Strong contrasts and stylistically appropriate expressions consistent in performance
• Repertoire
  • A wide variety of time periods and styles studied within the curriculum, including contemporary music and global styles
  • Ability to perform works of substantial length
• Sight reading in complex rhythms or changing meters

Guitar-Classical

Sight-Reading

• Level A
  • 1 position, keys of C, G, F
  • Quarter notes, half notes, dotted-half & whole notes, same for rests
  • Dotted quarter-eighth combination, expression marks, pick-up notes.
  • 3/4, 4/4, 6/8 time
• LEVEL B
  • Sixteenth notes and combinations
  • Notes through 7 position
    • with extensions on the 1 string
  • All keys
  • Diads, triads, more time signatures
• LEVEL C
  • Rhythms and time signatures of greater complexity
  • Melody and bass in counterpoint
  • Notes through 12 position 

Theory and Fretboard Knowledge 

• Level A
  • Major and minor scales
  • Minor and major pentatonic scales
  • 32-bar song form, 12-bar blues form
  • Major and minor arpeggios
  • Memorization of notes in the first position and all the notes on strings one and six
  • Major/minor/7 bar chords
• Level B
  • Modes of the major scale
  • Major/minor triad shapes
  • All 7 chord arpeggios
  • Altered scale
  • All 5 forms of the pentatonic scale
  • Memorization of all of the notes on the fret board
  • Quartal and quintal harmonies
  • Beginning chord substitution
• Level C
  • Modes of the melodic minor scale, bebop scales
  • Arpeggio extensions
  • Advanced harmonic substitution 

Technique

• Level A
  • Alternate picking, vibrato
  • Legato/staccato control
  • Scales in 8 notes
• Level B
  • Scales in 16 notes
  • Beginning chord/melody playing
  • Walking bass lines, bass/comping, octave playing
• Level C
  • Advanced chord/melody and bass/comping
  • Advanced chord/melody playing. 

Improvisation 

• Level A
  • Improving using major/minor scales and major/minor pentatonic
  • Infrequent modulations
• Level B
  • Introduction of altered scale, arpeggios and chromatic passing tones
  • More frequent modulations
• Advanced
  • Use all of scalar and arpeggios materials and chord scales
  • Frequent modulations. 

Selected Repertoire

• Standard guitar repertoire by: J.S. Bach, H. Villa-Lobos, M. Carcassi, F. Tarrega, among others
• In addition to selected 20 & 21 century repertoire
• Music transcribed for classical guitar, including music by W.A. Mozart, D. Scarlatti, A. Scriabin, among others
• Student transcriptions/arrangements.

Guitar-Commercial and Jazz

LEVEL A

Ability to meet level A standards by end of first year (for BA), upon entrance (for BM).

• Sight Reading
  • Up to 5th position in all keys, eight notes with syncopations
  • Be able to play assigned excerpts from the books:
    • Reading Studies For Guitar (William Leavitt)
    • Sight Reading For The Contemporary Guitarist (Tom Dempsey) 
• Scales, Arpeggios
  • Be able to play C, G, D, A, E major in all positions and single strings
  • 2 octave arpeggios in the same keys 
• Chords
  • Triads in C, G, D, A, E major, 7th chords (major 7th, minor 7th, Dominant 7th, Half Diminished 7th) in root positions on 6th and 5th strings
• Exercise
  • Be able to play Bach Invention No.4 or No. 8 (upper part) with assigned tempo 
• Transcription
  • Play the assigned transcribed solo by Grant Green or Wes Montgomery  
• Repertoire
  • Memorize and improvise over the assigned tunes from the list

Level B

Current upper division, pass this level and do a Junior  (half) Recital.    

• Sight Reading
  • Up to 12th position in all keys
  • Be able to play any excerpts from the books:
    • Advanced Reading Studies For Guitar (William Leavitt)
    • Melodic Rhythms For Guitar (William Leavitt)  
• Scales, Arpeggios
  • Be able to all keys in all positions and single strings
  • 7th chords arpeggios in all keys 
• Chords
  • Triads and 7th chord inversions in all 12 keys 
• Exercise
  • Be able to Etude No. 1 by Kreutzer with assigned tempo 
• Transcription
  • Memorize and be able to play the assigned transcription 
• Repertoire
  • Memorize and improvise over the assigned tunes from the list  

LEVEL C

Pass level and ready to move on to Senior (full) Recital  

• Sight Reading
  • Be able to demonstrate advanced reading ability by playing any excerpts from the books:
    • Reading Contemporary Guitar Rhythms (M.T. Szymczak)
    • Various given exercises (rhythm charts, big band charts, movie score charts) 
• Scales, Arpeggios
  • Be able to play Altered, Diminished, Whole Tone Scales in all keys
  • Be able to play 7th chord arpeggios across the fingerboard
    • Up to 3 octaves 
• Chords
  • Be able to play all the extensions and altered chords
  • Be able to play the slash chords 
• Exercise
  • Be able to play Bach Violin Partita in B minor 
• Transcription
  • Memorize and be able to play the assigned transcription 
• Repertoire
  • Memorize and improvise over the assigned tunes from the list 

REPERTOIRE LIST

Level A

• Jazz Tunes
  • Take The A Train
  • Blue Bossa
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Satin Doll
  • Bag’s Groove
  • Blue Monk
  • Someday My Prince Will Come
  • So What
  • Equinox
  • Song For My Father
  • Summertime
  • There Will Never Be Another You
• Pop Tunes
  • Choose from songs by:
    • Beatles
    • Jimi Hendrix
    • James Brown
    • Stevie Wonder
    • Blues
      • B.B. King
      • Freddie King
      • Albert King
      • Stevie Ray Vaughan
    • Motown
      • Aretha Franklin
      • Al Green
      • Temptations
      • Marvin Gaye  

LEVEL B  

• Jazz Tunes
  • All The Things You Are
  • Tenor Madness
  • Alone Together
  • Days Of Wine And Roses
  • Stella By Starlight
  • Billie’s Bounce
  • Black Orpheus
  • Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
  • What Is This Thing Called Love
  • Wave
  • Green Dolphin Street
  • Body And Soul
  • There Is No Greater Love
  • Mr. P.C 
• Pop/Fusion Tunes
  • Songs by:
    • Tower Of Power
    • Earth Wind And Fire
    • Jeff Beck
    • John Scofield
    • Steely Dan
    • Herbie Hancock
    • Pat Metheny
    • Keith Jarrett  

LEVEL C

• Jazz Tunes
  • Oleo
  • Nica’s Dream
  • Confirmation
  • Joy Spring
  • It Could Happen To You
  • Speak Low
  • Cherokee
  • Moment’s Notice
  • Giant Steps
  • Invitation
  • Rhythm A Ning
  • Donna Lee
  • Up Jumped Spring
  • Airegin
  • Stablemates
  • Triste 
• Pop/Fusion Tunes
  • Songs by:
    • Chick Corea
    • Weather Report
    • Josef Zawinul
    • Brecker Brothers
    • Yellowjackets

PRE-LEVEL

Comparable to ABRSM Level 2  

• Musicianship
  • Ability to sing ascending and descending major scale on solfege syllables or scale degrees at a medium tempo unaccompanied
  • Ability to sing ascending and descending major arpeggios at a medium tempo unaccompanied
  • Ability to sight sing unaccompanied stepwise ascending and descending lines in the key of C major
    • Ex. Page 1-2   
• Repertoire
  • To be chosen from sources of similar difficulty to ABRSM Level 1-2
  • Repertoire may include both classical and contemporary styles such as folk, spirituals, musical theater, pop and jazz
  • One 17th or 18th-century aria in Italian is required during the 1st and 2nd semesters of study  
  • Examples include but are not limited to:  
    • A Selection of Collected Folk Songs, Vols 1 & 2, arr. Sharp & Vaughan Williams  
    • Best of Folk Songs: 40 British, Irish and American Songs  
    • Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales  
    • Folk Songs for Solo Singers, vol. 1 and 2., compiled and edited by Jay Althouse, Alfred  
    • The Singing Book by Dayme & Vaughn (folk pieces)  
    • 24 Italian Songs and Arias, Schirmer

LEVEL A

Comparable to ABRSM Level 4.

• Musicianship
  • Ability to sing ascending and descending major and minor scales (natural, harmonic, and melodic) on solfege syllables unaccompanied at a medium tempo
  • Ability to sing ascending and descending major and minor arpeggios on solfege syllables unaccompanied at a medium tempo
  • Ability to sight sing unaccompanied stepwise ascending and descending lines in major and minor keys
  • Ability to sight sing unaccompanied arpeggiated exercises including the tonic and the dominant in major keys
    • Ex. Page 2-5 Boytim or Level 1 ABRSM  
• Repertoire
  • To be chosen from sources of similar difficulty to ABRSM Level 3-4
  • Repertoire may include both classical and contemporary styles such as folk, classical, spirituals, musical theater, or pop
  • Examples include but are not limited to:  
    • Purcell: 40 Songs  
    • The Art of Song (revised and expanded edition)  
  • The Singing Book by Dayme & Vaughn (classical songs)  
  • International Songs for Solo Singers, arr. Jay Althouse  
  • Roger Quilter Selected Songs, Boosey & Hawkes  
  • 20th Century Easy Song Selection, Boosey & Hawkes  
  • The Singers’ Musical Theatre Anthology, Hal Leonard  
  • The Definitive Jazz Collection, Hal Leonard  

LEVEL B

Comparable to ABRSM Levels 5-6  

• Musicianship
  • Ability to sing ascending and descending chromatic scale on solfege syllables unaccompanied at a medium tempo
  • Ability to sing ascending and descending whole tone scales beginning on any pitch unaccompanied at a medium tempo
  • Ability to sight sing unaccompanied melodic 4 bar exercises incorporating all diatonic intervals in any key
    • Ex. Page 5 Boytim, Levels 2-3 of ABRSM, or Vaccai  
• Repertoire
  • To be chosen from sources of similar difficulty to ABRSM Levels 5-6
  • Repertoire may include both classical and contemporary styles such as folk, opera, oratorio, spirituals, musical theater, pop and jazz
  • The repertoire grid pertinent to commercial or classical/pedagogy voice must be complete to advance to Level C.  
  • Examples include but are not limited to:  
    • 26 Italian Songs and Arias, arr. John Glenn Paton  
    • Arias for Soprano *all voice types, Schirmer  
    • All Sondheim, Vol 1,2,3, Alfred  
    • American Opera Anthology, Alfred  
    • Cole Porter 100th Anniversary, Alfred 

LEVEL C

Comparable to ABRSM Levels 7-10  

• Musicianship
  • Proven retention of the ability to sing all previous scales and arpeggios
  • Ability to audiate and reproduce 5 note atonal melodic pattern
    • Ex. Modus ATONAL Examples.
  • Adjudicators may choose to play five random notes within a student’s singable range to access audiation and reproduction of pitches
  • Ability to sight sing unaccompanied 4 measure exercises utilizing any interval in any key
    • Ex. Levels 4-7 of ABRSM sight singing, or Nicola Vaccai practical method.  
• Repertoire
  • To be chosen from sources of similar difficulty to ABRSM Levels 7-8
  • Repertoire may include both classical and contemporary styles such as opera, oratorio, spirituals, musical theater, and jazz  
  • Examples include, but are not limited to:  
    • Arias for Tenor, *all voice types, Schirmer  
    • The Singers’ Musical Theatre Anthology, Hal Leonard  
    • The Oratorio Anthology, Hal Leonard