GRADUATE EXAM IN MUSIC LITERATURE

 

This exit exam is given to Master of Music students majoring in Performance (Instrumental, Keyboard, Opera, and Voice), Piano Accompanying (Chamber Music and Opera Coaching), Piano Pedagogy, and String Pedagogy.

All other Master of Music degree students as well as Master of Music Therapy, Master of Fine Arts in Dance, and Master of Education in Dance majors do not take this exam.

The exam is in three parts. The first is the listening portion which consists of 20 selections from the 100 Listening List. Each example is played for approximately 1 minute, and is played twice. You are required to name the composer and the piece (the list is provided).

The second portion is a mystery example which is not on the 100 listening list. It is played for approximately 2 minutes and is played twice. You are required to name the composer and the piece. If you do not know one or both, you are required to give an educated guess.

The third portion is the score analysis portion. You are given a single page from each of 3 scores, and asked to identify the composer and the piece of 2 of the 3 scores, based on your reading of the scores. If you do not know one or both, you are asked to give an educated guess based on your reading of the score; i.e. its melodies, harmonies, orchestration/ instrumentation, etc.

 

The total time for the exam is approximately 1.5 hours.

Included here is the Listening List of 100 works. This exam is an exit exam which is typically taken in the penultimate or final semester of a master's degree.