Music Craft AMEB’s Online Music Shop GENERAL REQUIREMENTS – WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS ‘middle c’ Introduction A The Music Craft syllabus is available for examination in the theo- W A YAA X A ! 1 1 2 2 2 3 retical and aural aspects of music. Music Craft provides a graded C B c g cA b# c c e c series of examinations from Preliminary to Grade 6. b # A A A A Written Examinations A The aural component of written examinations is administered by Great C small c means of a recording. Before the commencement of the written Great B small g Series 4 grade 2 examination candidates will be given a short listening time Preliminary The Australian Music Examinations Board’s publication catalogue contains Scale degrees Piano well over 250 titles. The titles cover most AMEB syllabus areas: in order to become familiar with the sounds to be used on the The method of writing scale degree numbers in Music Craft is as • MUSIC CRAFT, THEORY OF MUSIC, MUSICIANSHIP • AURAL TESTS AND SIGHT READING examination CD. When undertaking a written exam, candidates for Leisure • PIANO follows: • FOR LEISURE – PIANO, SINGING AND SAXOPHONE • STRINGS are encouraged to write neatly and clearly on examination papers. • WOODWIND • Scale degree numbers above the notes of the scale or melody • GUITAR Pianoseries16 • SINGING For the guidance of candidates, the maximum number of marks • BRASS • Carets (ˆ)to be written over scale degree numbers. • CONTEMPORARY POPULAR MUSIC (CPM) allotted to each question is shown on the examination paper. Example: AMEB’s catalogue of books and recordings covers the full range of repertoire from Classical to contemporary, Baroque to bossa nova. Teachers and candidates can rely on the high quality of all AMEB publications. Online Examinations AMEB publications are a valuable resource for all teachers and candidates: ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1(8) • Grade books are an attractive and economic way to provide candidates with a range of repertoire relevant for each grade level for presentation at examination. Candidates may complete written examinations online from www. • Technical Work books provide the full requirements for syllabus technical work. • Sight Reading and Aural Tests publications provide essential examples for practice prior to examination. amebexams.edu.au. Online examinations use the same syllabus as • Recordings provide inspirational examples of syllabus works performed by leading Australian musicians. • Handbooks provide all the information necessary to answer the questions in Section III (General Knowledge) the written examination papers. The aural component is admin- C of practical exams, as well as building a wider picture of all works in grade books. C C • AMEB seeks to foster Australian composers by endeavouring to feature at least one work by an Australian ! C C composer in every grade book. istered through the computer’s speakers within the exam and the C C The entire catalogue is being updated constantly and is printed annually on the back cover of the C AMEB Manual of syllabuses. aural and written components are combined. Harmonisation nomenclature AMEB Publications The nomenclature in Music Craft for describing tonal harmonic The following are available and may be used in conjunction with materials is a mixed notation consisting of figured bass and Roman numerals (upper case for major triads; lower case for minor). Issued under the authority of the this syllabus: Australian Music Examinations Board ISMN 979-0-720110-64-6 Example 1 shows a style which is not acceptable for use with the www.ameb.edu.au 1. Student Workbooks Music Craft Student Workbooks (Preliminary to Grade 4) Music Craft syllabus. Example 2 shows mixed notation consisting Item No. 1201 0856 39 of figured bass and Roman numerals, the notation forMusic Craft. outlined 2. Teacher’s Guides Music Craft Teacher’s Guides (Preliminary to Grade 4) Example 1 Not acceptable with the Music Craft syllabus. 3. Essential Exercises Grade 5 Essential Exercises Grade 6 [ 2 B B B C C B B B A Shop all AMEB Our Shop features: ! 2 B B B B C C B B C C A LEVEL 1 # B B B B C C B B BA publications and • Peek inside all AMEB books BEGINNING 2 B B B B C A PRELIMINARY TO GRADE 4 ] 2 B I V 7b IIbIV VIb IIb Ic VV7aI Terminology or 7 6 downloads and get • Order before 12pm, get your book the Note and rest values V 5 Music Craft will refer to note and rest values using both the tra- Example 2 Correct nomenclature with the Music Craft syllabus. next day* ditional British/Australian terms – semibreve, minim, crotchet, them delivered to quaver etc. and the corresponding American terms – whole note, half note, quarter note, eighth note etc. [ B B • Free shipping for book orders over $100 ! 2 B B B B C C B B B C A your door! Other terms 2 B B B C C B C A There is a similar flexibility in relation to other significant regional • Download individual syllabuses, differences, for example the use of the term ‘passing tone’ as C # B B B B C C B B BA opposed to ‘passing note’, ‘voice leading’ as opposed to ‘part writ- 2 B B B C B A instrument groups or the entire manual ing’, ‘neighbour tone’ as opposed to ‘auxiliary’, ‘leger line’ or ‘ledger ] 6 6 6 6 6 5 7 line’. I V 5 I I IV vi ii V 4 3 I Pitch – specific pitch naming The system of octave recognition used in Music Craft is based on the Visit our Online Music Shop at Helmholtz Pitch Notation System as follows: www.ameb.edu.au *If you choose Express Post shipping. 21 Theory ● Music Craft LEVEL 1 Cadences In addition, students will be able to: The nomenclature in Music Craft for describing cadences is the • notate simple rhythms and short melodies in dictation following: • recognise and differentiate register, texture, and timbre in V – I Authentic cadence music • recognise and notate standard articulation and dynamic Perfect authentic cadence (scale markings. degree 1ˆ is soprano of I) Imperfect authentic cadence 2. Rudiments of Music (scale degree 3ˆ or 5ˆ are the Students will have a strong foundation in music notation rudi- soprano of I) ments related to elements of: IV – I Plagal cadence • pitch and rhythm notation • metrical organisation V – VI Deceptive cadence • scales (including tonal and several modal scales) I – V, II – V, IV – V, VI – V Half cadence • the cycle of fifths in major and minor keys up to and including iv6 – V Phrygian cadence seven sharps and flats • tempo Set Works and Integrated Questions • expression Set Works will be assigned to each grade level from Grade 1 • articulation onwards. The Set Works will be included in each Student Workbook, • basic musical forms and structures covering a wide range of music including diatonic or modal folk • standard presentation of music manuscript conventions songs, contemporary popular music and melodic extracts from • concepts of diatonic, chromatic and enharmonic. late 18th and early 19th century concert works. These works will track with the scale types and the harmony content of the grade. 3. Melody, Harmony and Voice Leading They will provide the stimulus for a series of questions that will Students will be able to: integrate skill and knowledge areas as stipulated for the grade. • recognise (visually) modulations to the dominant and relative Students should familiarise themselves with these pieces by sing- major keys; ing and playing them and by seeking out the various musical fea- • realise figured basses and harmonise four-bar melodies using tures pertinent to the requirements of their grade level. For Grades diatonic root position and first inversion triads, the dominant 6 1 and 2, the pieces will be melodies only. Two-staff pieces and 7th and its first inversion V( 5); extracts will begin to appear in Grades 3 and 4 as harmonic mate- • demonstrate convincing linear relationships between each rials assume greater importance. Extended works in Grades 5 and chord in a progression or short piece; 6 are intended to help build an understanding of form and the • recognise standard non-chord tones in a four-voiced contrapuntal models enrich the candidate’s conception of usual progression. contrapuntal practice. 4. Musical Instruments AMEB Music Craft Study Packages Students will be able to recognise all standard orchestral instru- Study packages for each grade in Level 1, consisting of a Teacher’s ments and instruments familiar in contemporary music practice, Guide and Student Workbook and interactive aural materials have and the standard ensemble categories in which those instruments been developed by AMEB. Thorough preparation using these are used. materials will promote successful outcomes in the exam and help They will be able to: students to ‘own’ the knowledge and skills acquired. • use many of the music notation conventions for these instru- Grades 5 and 6 are supported through AMEB’s publications, ments (including clefs and transposition) Essential Exercises Grade 5 and Essential Exercises Grade 6. • classify them according to their usual registers and families Length of Examinations Lastly, students will be able to integrate and synthesise the elements of these four learning areas through their musical understanding of Grade Aural Written the Set Works. Preliminary 15 minutes 30 minutes List of Recommended References 1 20 minutes 30 minutes Adler, S. The Study of Orchestration, 3rd edition. New York: Norton, 2 20 minutes 40 minutes 2002. Aldwell, E. and Schachter, C. Harmony and Voice Leading, 3rd edi- 3 30 minutes 60 minutes tion. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2002. 4 30 minutes 90 minutes Gauldin, R. Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music, 2nd edition.