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ZCHS Performing Arts Department 2015-2016
Final Exam Outlines – Spring Semester
Intermediate Level
Each performing arts ensemble will take a semester final exam that will consist of 2 parts: a departmental portion and an ensemblespecific portion. Part I of the exam (the departmental portion) will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions and will be given to all
student musicians of the same year/level. Part II of the exam (the ensemble-specific portion) will be equivalent to 50 additional
multiple- choice questions and may also include activities such as sight-singing, playing, singing or dancing tests, essay and/or
analysis questions. Each director will create his/her own Part II.
The following is a detailed outline of Part I of the spring semester final exam.
Intermediate Level Exams – Semester II (50 questions)
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Major Key Signatures and minor Key Signatures (8 questions)
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Up to all sharp keys (on treble and bass clef)
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Up to all flat keys (on treble and bass clef)
Major Scales (5 questions)
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Spelling the 7 notes of any of the major scales
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WWHWWWH pattern
minor Scales (3 questions)
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natural minor only
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Spelling the 7 notes of any of the natural minor scales
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WHWWHWW pattern
Chromatic Interval Identification (6 questions)
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Perfect unisons, fourths, fifths and octaves (on either clef)
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Major seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths (on either clef)
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minor seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths (on either clef)
Half step vs. whole step (3 questions)
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The distance between two adjacent pitches
Time Signatures (3 questions)
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Simple meters: 4/4, 3/4, 2/2, etc.
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Compound meters: 6/8, 9/8, 6/4, etc.
Counting (3 questions)
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Counting divisions of the beat: eighths notes and sixteenth notes
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Counting with ties and dotted rhythms
Vocabulary (8 questions)
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See vocabulary list provided
Ear-training – diatonic intervals (5 questions)
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Identification of intervals if played for the class
Ear-training – triads (3 questions)
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Identification of major or minor triads if played for the class
Ear-training – meter (3 questions)
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Identification of a likely meter if played for the class
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Workbook #1
Performing Arts Dept.
Vocabulary words
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Spring 2016
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Accelerando (accel.): gradually faster
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Accent: play the note louder with a special emphasis
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Accidental: a flat, sharp or natural sign that appears within a piece of music
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Adagio: slow
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Allegro: quickly, cheerfully
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Andante: moving along (walking speed)
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Articulation: the manner in which a note is performed
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Bar line: the lines which cross the staff and divide it into measures or bars
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Coda: an added ending
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Crescendo (cresc.): gradually louder:
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D.C. (Da Capo): repeat from the beginning and play to coda, then skip to the coda
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D.C. Al Fine: repeat from the beginning and play to the end
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Decrescendo (decresc.) : gradually softer
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Diminuendo (dim.) : gradually softer
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D.S. (Dal segno): repeat from the sign
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D.S. Al Coda: repeat from the sign and okay to coda sign, then skip to coda
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D.S. Al Fine: repeat from the sign and play to the end
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Dynamic signs: indicate the volume, or how soft/loud the music should be performed
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Enharmonic notes: two notes that sound the same but are written differently
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Fermata: hold the note for longer than it's normal value
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Fine: the end
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1st and 2nd endings: play or sing through the first ending to the repeat sign, then go back
to the beginning. When repeating, skip the first ending and play the second.
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Flat: owers pitch by one half step
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Forte: loud
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Fortissimo: very loud
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Grand staff: the bass staff and treble staff connected by a brace and a line
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Half step: the distance from any key on the keyboard to the very next key above or below,
whether black or white
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Largo: very slow
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Ledger line: short lines which are added to extend the range of the staff when the notes are
too low or too high to be written on the staff
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Legato: to play or sing 2 or more notes smoothly connected
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Mezzo: moderately
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Mezzo forte: moderately loud
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Mezzo piano: moderately soft
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Moderato: moderately
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Natural sign: he natural sign before a note cancels a previous flat or sharp
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Pianissimo: very soft
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Piano: soft
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Pitch: a musical sound
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Repeat sign: return to the beginning or previous repeat sign
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Ritardando (rit. Or ritard.): gradually slower
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Sforzando: a sudden, strong accent
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Slur: smoothly connects two or more notes of different pitches by a curved line over or
under the notes
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Staccato: play the note short and detached
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Tempo: "rate of speed" or how fast or slow to play the music
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Tie: two notes of the same pitch joined by a curved line over or under the note. Each note
joined by a tie is held for it's full value but only the first note is played or sing
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Time signature
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appears at beginning of music, too number tells how many beats per measure, lower
number indicates what type of more receives one beat
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Vivace : lively and fast
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Workbook #2 & #3
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Alla breve: cut time
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Augmented interval: when a perfect interval or major interval is made larger by one half
step
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Chord: three or more notes sounded together
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Chromatic Scale: a scale made up entirely of half step in consecutive order
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Common time: four four time
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Cut time: two two time, two beats per measure, half note gets one beat
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Diminished interval: when a perfect or minor interval is made smaller by one half step.
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Double flat: lowers a flat note by one half step
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Double sharp: raises a sharp note by one half step
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Enharmonic keys: keys and scales that sound the same but are written differently
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Harmonic interval: Two notes sounded together.
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Interval: the distance in pitch between two notes
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Key Signature: indicates the notes that will be sharped or flatted each time they appear.
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Syncopation: when the accent in a musical passage falls on the weak beat instead of the
strong beat
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Triad: a three note chord consisting of a root, 3rd and 5th