NCBA Concert Festival Committee

Grade Level Descriptors

 

GRADE 1

RHYTHM:

á       Whole, half, quarter, eighth, and dotted half notes

á       Occasional dotted quarter eighth note Rhythms

á       Percussion rhythms may include sixteenth notes (4 per beat)

 

METER:

á       2/4, 3/4, 4/4

á       Possible occasional simple meter change after fermata

 

RANGES/TESSITURA:

á       See attached

 

KEYS: 

á       Bb, Eb, F

á       Possible occasional simple key change

 

MELODIC TREATMENT:

á       Limited bass melodic patterns

á       Scalar patterns for brass

á       Very limited use of accidentals

á       Four and eight measure phrases

 

SCORING/TEXITURE:

á       Scored as if oboe, bassoon, horn, euphonium, and tuba are absent. 

á       Clarinet and Trumpet can be two part with uniformity of rhythms throughout the parts

á       Ample doubling of parts

á       Melody may be found in all instruments

á       No solos

 

HARMONIC TREATMENT:

á       Unisons, thirds, fourths (limited), fifth, sixths, and octaves

á       Triads

 

MUSICAL MATURITY:

á       Selections with a strong rhythmic pulse

á       Limited use of ritardandos (ending in fermatas); no accelerandos

á       Tempo Changes only after fermatas

á       Limited dynamic variation

á       Predictable arranging and orchestration

á       Considerable repetition in percussion with limited use of rolls (no snare drum rolls on fermatas)

á       Predictable binary and ternary forms

 

 

 

 

 

GRADE 2

RHYTHM: 

á       Whole, half, quarter, eighth, dotted half notes

á        Dotted quarter eighth note patterns

á       Triplets, sixteenth notes patterns, and syncopated rhythms

á       Percussion rhythms include expanded sixteenth note patterns

 

METER:

á       2/4, 3/4, 4/4

á       Occasional, simple 2/2, 6/8

á       Occasional, isolated meter changes

 

RANGES/TESSITURA:

á       See attached

 

KEYS: 

á       Bb, Eb, Ab, F

á       Occasional, simple g and c minor passages. 

á       Key change

 

MELODIC:

á       Occasional bass line melodies patterns

á       Harmonic partial leaps for brass (e.g. trombone Bb-F)

á       Predictable accidentals

á       Simple modal melodies               

á       Four and eight measure phrases

 

SCORING/TEXTURE:

á       Melody usually found in all instruments

á       Doubling of parts across sections

á       Low brass and woodwind bass line; trombones may deviate occasionally

á       Occasional solos

 

HARMONIC TREATMENT:

á       Unisons, thirds, fourths (limited), fifth, sixths, and octaves

á       Triads

á       Primarily consonant intervals

á       Suspended triads and seventh chords

 

MUSICAL MATURITY:

á       Limited rubato

á       Limited use of ritardandos and accelerandos

á       Moderate dynamic variations

á       Moderate use of repetition in percussion; moderate use of rolls

á       Primarily binary and ternary forms; moderate use of variation techniques

 

GRADE 3:

RHYTHM: 

á       Whole, half, quarter, eighth, dotted half notes

á       Dotted quarter eighth note patterns

á       Triplets

á       Basic sixteenth notes pattern and dotted eighth sixteenth

á       Basic six-eight, and five eight rhythms

á       Syncopated rhythms

á       Percussion rhythms include expanded sixteenth note patterns

 

METER:

á       2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 2/2, 6/8, 5/8

á       Occasional meter changes

 

RANGES/TESSITURA:

á       See attached

 

KEYS: 

á       Bb, Eb, Ab, F, C

á       g,c, minor passages

á       Occasional key changes

 

MELODIC:

á       Steps, skips, occasional leaps within key, these are permissible in all instruments

á       Predictable accidentals

á       Occasional modal melodies

á       Extended phrase lengths

 

SCORING/TEXTURE:

á       All instruments receive melody during the piece

á       Occasionally parts doubled by at least one other instrument

á       Two parts for flute, alto saxophone, trombone, and horn acceptable

á       Three parts for clarinet and trumpet acceptable

á       Some solos acceptable

á       Generally up to three separate melodic lines

 

HARMONIC TREATMENT:

á       Unisons, thirds, fourths (limited), fifth, sixths, and octaves

á       Consonant and dissonant intervals

á       Suspended triads and seventh and ninth chords

á       Suspensions

 

 

MUSICAL MATURITY:

á       Use of ritardandos, accelerandos, and rubato

á       Frequent use of dynamic variations

á       Use of varied, less predictable arranging and orchestration

á       Frequent use of rolls in percussion

á       Multiple mallet parts

á       Any basic formal structure

 

 

 

GRADE 4:

RHYTHM: 

á       Whole, half, quarter, eighth, dotted half notes

á       Dotted quarter eighth note patterns

á       Triplets

á       Expanded sixteenth note patterns and dotted eighth sixteenth

á       Expanded six-eight, and five eight rhythms

á       Syncopated rhythms

á       Percussion rhythms include expanded sixteenth note patterns

 

METER:

á       2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 2/2, 5/4, 7/4, 6/4, 3/8, 6/8, 5/8, 7/8, 9/8

á       Meter changes

 

RANGES/TESSITURA:

á       See attached

 

KEYS: 

á       Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, G, F, C

á       g, c, a, d, f minor passages

á       Key changes

 

MELODIC:

á       Steps, skips, occasional leaps within key, these are permissible in all instruments

á       Moderate use of accidentals

á       Mild non-standard tonal procedures

á       Some modal melodies

á       Odd length phrases

á       Extended phrase lengths

 

SCORING/TEXTURE:

á       All instruments receive melody during the piece

á       Occasionally parts doubled by at least one other instrument

á       Two parts for flute, alto saxophone, oboe, bassoon acceptable

á       Three parts for clarinet, trumpet, trombone acceptable

á       Four horn parts acceptable

á       Occasional solos

á       Generally up to three separate melodic lines

 

HARMONIC TREATMENT:

á       Unisons, thirds, fourths (limited), fifth, sixths, and octaves

á       Consonant and dissonant intervals

á       Suspended triads and seventh, ninth chords, occasionally scored eleventh or thirteenth chords

á       Suspensions

 

MUSICAL MATURITY:

á       The demand for musical maturity corresponds with the increased grade level criteria.  This may include but is not limited to length, form, style, genre and intricacy.

 

 

 

GRADE 5:

 

RHYTHM:

In addition to Grade 4

á       Any sixteenth combinations

á       Frequent and shifting subdivision

á       Sixteenths in compound meters

 

 

METER:

In addition to Grade 4

á       More frequent meter changes and beat grouping changes

á       All simple duple and triple meters

á       All compound duple and triple meters

á       More frequent meter changes

á       5/8, 5/4, 7/8, 7/4 and shifts in beat grouping possible

 

RANGES/TESSITURA:

In addition to Grade 4

á       Extended playing in extreme registers often paired with dynamic extremes

 

KEYS: 

á       D, G, C, G, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db major and relative minors

á       More frequent key changes

 

MELODIC:

In additions to Grade 4

á       Frequent use of accidentals

á       Moderate use of non-standard tonal procedures

á       More frequent use of modal melodies

á       Use of odd-length phrases common

á       Motive-based melodic treatment.

 

SCORING/TEXTURE:

In addition to Grade 4

á       Unusual instrument grouping

á       Extended solo passages

á       Exposed individual instrument sections

á       Variety of textures and scoring are common resulting in increased listening responsibilities

á       Multiple melodic lines used frequently

 

HARMONIC TREATMENT:

á       Use of consonant and dissonant intervals

á       More complex or extended chord structure is common.

 

MUSICAL MATURITY:

á       The demand for musical maturity corresponds with the increased grade level criteria.  This may include but is not limited to length, form, style, genre and intricacy.

 

 

 

 

GRADE 6:

 

RHYTHM:

á       All 16th subdivisions in all meters

á       More frequent subdivision

á       Use of hemiola and other polyrhythms are common

 

METER:

á       All meters are possible.

á       Meter and beat grouping changes are common

 

RANGES/TESSITURA:

á       Extended playing in extreme registers is common, often paired with dynamic extremes

 

KEYS:

á       All keys are possible

 

MELODIC TREATMENT:

á       Extensive use of accidentals is possible

á       Extended use of non-standard tonal procedures is possible

á       More frequent use of modal melodies

á       Use of odd-length phrases and motive-based melodic treatment is common

 

SCORING/TEXTURE:

á       Solo passages can be expected/virtuosic

á       Most unusual instrument groupings are possible

á       Variety of textures and scoring are used extensively, resulting in increased listening responsibilities

á       Full instrumentation is expected

á       Multiple melodic lines occur more frequently.

 

HARMONIC TREATMENT: same as 5

 

MUSICAL MATURITY:

á       The demand for musical maturity corresponds with the increased grade level criteria.  This may include but is not limited to length, form, style, genre and intricacy.