All incoming School of Music graduate students must take the Graduate Placement Exams scheduled on or about the first day of classes. The exams test knowledge of music theory & ear training and music history and literature. Also, composers will be tested on orchestration. Consult the School of Music for sample exams and the exam schedule.

Description of the exams:

• Music History and Literature
  • The content of the music history exam will be based on information contained in a standard text on music, such as Grout/Palisca A History of Western Music or Stolba The Development of Western Music.
• Theory & Ear Training
  • Ear training: identify intervals and chords, and detect errors in a dictated example; notate the following from dictation: melody, harmony, and rhythm.
  • Theory: harmonize a chorale melody in a common-practice style, SATB; analyze the thematic, formal, and harmonic structures of a short Classical or Romantic work and a brief 20th century work.
  • Sight Singing: sightread a melody containing chromaticism and modulation.
  • Keyboard Harmonization: harmonize at sight a melody using appropriate common practice chord progressions.
• Orchestration (for composition students)
  • Know the ranges and transpositions of orchestral instruments
  • Prepare a piano reduction of a short orchestral excerpt
  • Orchestrate a short passage from keyboard to large ensemble

EXIT REQUIREMENTS

All graduate students in music must take exit exams in music history and music theory. These exams will be graded pass / fail. Each exam may be taken no more than three times. Students unable to pass after three attempts must withdraw from the program. Other requirements are particular to specific programs; please consult the faculty in these programs for a list of requirements.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS and STANDARDS