The Music School of Delaware
Suzuki Academy
Graduation Process 2013-14
Dr. Suzuki had a graduation system in Japan for many years.
The Music School of Delaware’s Suzuki Academy instituted a formalize graduation
process in fall of 2007 which closely follows Dr. Suzuki’s philosophy. The purpose of graduation is:
• To continue to raise standards for students and teachers
• To provide incentive for polish and review of literature
• To provide a means of recognition for students who have
achieved certain goals
Graduation Participants
A student planning to graduate is currently studying at
least one entire book level beyond the graduation level at the time of
application (which is at least one month prior to the audition).
**New 2013-14 year: Students must have missed no more than 3 Musicianship classes during the year. More than 3 absences will require the student to sign up & pay for additional individual Musicianship classes with the assigned instructor, in order to graduate that year.
**New 2013-14 year: Students must have missed no more than 3 Musicianship classes during the year. More than 3 absences will require the student to sign up & pay for additional individual Musicianship classes with the assigned instructor, in order to graduate that year.
An invitation to participate in graduation is extended by
the private teacher when the teacher feels the student has reached the point of
graduation readiness. The graduation piece to be performed in the
graduation recital is one the student is ready to play with ease, accuracy, and
assurance. It has been thoroughly
learned and reviewed so the technical skills needed for musical expression have
matured and are instantly available under the fingers. As preparation for graduation, the recital piece has been performed for an
audience several times to develop the ability to have a successful performance.
Students must audition for the various levels in order and
may not skip levels.
Student Preparation - Graduation Auditions
Students will audition to graduate. The audition will be heard by a panel of
Suzuki Academy teachers. The audition
will take place during Achievement Week in April.
All graduation pieces must be performed from memory at both the audition
and the graduation recital.
To ensure performance consistency, each graduation or recital
piece should be prepared with these guidelines in mind:
• Appropriate tempo.
In some cases, this requirement is met by performing the required
audition piece with a piano accompaniment track (see requirements below). It is HIGHLY recommended that students
purchase the CD’s well in advance for home and lesson preparation. In some cases, scales and/or arpeggios will
need to be performed WITH a metronome at the audition. Please refer to the requirements below.
• Accurate intonation
• Clear and appropriate articulation
• Beautiful tone
• Dynamic contrast
• Sense of style and musicality appropriate to the piece
• Ease of performance
• Good balance between left and right hands
• Appropriate stage presence. Students should bow after their audition
performance and should come dressed in casual, concert attire (SA uniform shirt
is best).
**
SA NEW Graduation
Audition Procedures - 2013
-January 2014 - Graduation documents will be sent to
teachers. Teachers will pass them on to
students (will also be available on the blog).
Students should begin preparing for graduation auditions at this time.
-March 1 - Deadline for graduation applications.
-Graduation auditions take place the week of May 5, 2014.
-Each student should be scheduled 10min per graduation
level.
-Students graduating from multiple levels should sign up on
the day of the HIGHEST level. These
students can perform all graduation level auditions on that one day, but please
be sure to sign up for one 10min slot per graduation level.
-Students should sign up for the EARLIEST time slot
possible.
-An online graduation audition sign-up will be available
beginning April 1. Please refer to the
blog for more details. Parents are
responsible for signing up for audition times.
Times will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. The Dept Head or Assist Dept Head reserve the
right to adjust the schedule as needed.
-Please do no ask your teacher or the committee if you child
has passed the audition. You will be
notified shortly if there are any concerns.
We cannot give out that information until the faculty has had a chance
to discuss the results.
-There will be a 30-60 min faculty discussion immediately
following each day’s graduation levels.
Audition Schedule
Monday – no
auditions – David Kim masterclass from 7-8:30pm
Tuesday
ALL Milford Branch Auditions
2-7pm (30 total)
8-9pm = faculty meeting regarding audition
JM, JH will adjudicate; pt faculty as needed; ALL MB
auditions will be video taped
Graduation Day
All students who pass the graduation audition will be
invited to perform in the
Suzuki Academy Graduation Recital to be held in May. Trophies will be presented to all graduating
students at the recital. All graduation pieces will be performed
play-in style at the Graduation Recitals. Students are expected to polish their
previous pieces thoroughly for this concert.
The Music School of Delaware
Suzuki Academy
Graduation
Application
Forms are due to the Shelley Beard
Schleigh, Suzuki Academy Dept Head (Wilmingnton Branch) OR Julie Murphy, Suzuki
Academy Assistant Dept Head (Milford Branch)
NO LATER THAN March 1, 2013
STUDENT
INFORMATION
Student’s Name ________________________________________________________________
Instrument_____________________________________________________________________
Private
Instructor________________________________________________________________
Private Instructor’s Signature______________________________________________________
Private Lesson
Day/Time/Location__________________________________________________
Parent / Guardian Name
_________________________________________________________
Email Address__________________________________________________________________
Telephone_____________________________________________________________________
1) Check the
instrument from which you are graduating
Violin
Viola
Cello
2) Check the level
from which you are graduating
Twinkle
Level
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Level 7
Level 8
Level 9
Level 10
The Music School of Delaware
Suzuki Academy
Graduation Requirements
VIOLIN
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
In order to graduate from: You must have studied the
following: The graduation piece for this level is:
Twinkle Level F.J.
Gossec, Gavotte Twinkle
Theme and Variations
*Performed at the audition with track 37 from K. Wartberg’s
Step By Step 1A CD
Level 1 Early
Book 3 F.J.
Gossec, Gavotte
*Performed at the audition with Julie Murphy’s piano track
available from the Dept Head
Level 2 Late
Book 3/Early Book 4 A.
Thomas, Gavotte “Mignon”
*Performed at the audition with track 25 from K. Wartberg’s
Step By Step 2B CD
Level 3 Late
Book 4/Early Book 5 J.S.
Bach, Bourrée
*Performed at the audition with track 52 from K. Wartberg’s
Step By Step 3B CD
Level 4 Late
Book 5/Early Book 6 Vivaldi,
Concerto Am, 1st mvt.
*Performed at the audition with track 17 from the REVISED
Suzuki Bk 4 CD
Level 5 Late
Book 6/Early Book 7 Vivaldi,
Concerto Gm, 1st mvt.
*Performed at the audition with track 14 from the REVISED
Suzuki Bk 5 CD
Level 6 - Late Book 7 A.
Corelli, La Folia
(min. level to enter the SA Honors
Program) *Performed
at the audition with staff piano track available from the Dept Head
Level 7 Ten Have, Allegro
Brilliante Bach,
Concerto Am, 1st mvt.
*Performed
at the audition with the Dowani Downplay CD
Level 8 De
Beriot, Concerto No. 9 Ten
Have, Allegro Brilliante
*Performed with the Solos For Young Violinists, Vol. 4
piano-only track
Level 9 Kreisler,
Praeludiam and Allegro De
Beriot Concerto No. 9, mvmt I
(min. level to received SA Honors
Certificate) *Performed
with the Solos For Young Violinists, Vol. 4 piano-only track
Level 10 – Lalo,
Symphonie Espagnole Kreisler,
Pre aludian and Allegro
*Performed
at the audition with a staff
accompanist
Level 11 - Mendelssohn,
Con. in em (mvmt III) Lalo,
Symphonie Espagnole, mvmt. (min. level to received SA High Honors Certificate) *Performed at the audition
with a staff
accompanist
Level 12 – A
major Romantic concerto Mendelssohn,
Con. in em , mvmt. I or III
*Performed
at the audition with a staff
accompanist
CELLO
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
In order to graduate from: You must have studied the
following: The graduation piece for this level is:
Twinkle Level Rigadoon
(Bk 1) Twinkle
Theme and Variations
Level 1 Middle
to end of Book 2 Bach,
Minuet 2, (all repeats)
Level 2 Middle
to end of Book 3 G.F.
Handel,, Bourrée
Level 3 Middle
to end of Book 4 Marie,
La Cinquantaine.
Level 4 Middle
to end of Book 5 Breval,
Sonata C, 1st mvt.
Level 5 Middle
to end of Book 6 W.H.
Squire, Danse Rustique
Level 6 Middle
to end of Book 7 C.
Saint Saens, The Swan
Level 7 Middle
to end of Book 8 D.
Popper, Gavotte
Level 8 One
major concerto or equivalent G. Faure,
Elegie
Level 9 Two
major concertos or equivalent Haydn,
Concerto CM, 1st mvt.
Level 10 Teacher’s
discretion L.
Boccherini Concerto B-flatM
VIOLA
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
In order to graduate from: You must have studied the
following: The graduation piece for this level is:
Twinkle Level F.J.
Gossec, Gavotte (Bk. 1) Twinkle
Theme and Variations
*Performed at the audition with the piano only track from
the Suzuki Cello Bk 1 CD OR the MIDI Suzuki Viola Bk 1 CD piano only track
Level 1 Early Book 3 F.J.
Gossec, Gavotte
*Performed at the audition with the piano only track from
the Suzuki Cello Bk 2 CD OR the MIDI Suzuki Viola Bk 1 CD piano only track
Level 2 J.
S. Bach, Gavotte Thomas,
Gavotte from “Mignon”
*Performed at the audition with the piano track available
from the Dept Head
Level 3 Late
Book 4/Early Book 5 J.S.
Bach, Bourrée
*Performed at the audition with the piano track available
from the Dept Head
Level 4 Late
Book 5/Early Book 6 Telemann,
Con GM, 2nd. mvt.
*Performed at the audition with the Dowani Downplay CD
Level 5 Late
Book 6 Seitz
Concerot No. in cm, 1st mvmt
(min. level to enter SA Honors Program) *Performed
at the audition with a staff accompanist
Level 6 Handel
Concerto J.C.
Bach, Con Cm, 1st mvmt
*Performed at the audition with a staff accompanist
Level 7 Bruch,
Romanze Handel,
Concerto, 1st mvt.
*Performed
at the audition with a staff accompanist
Level 8 Hoffmeister
Concerto in DM Bruch,
Romanze
(min. level to receive SA Honors
Certificate) *Performed
at the audition with a staff accompanist
Level 9 Schubert,
“Arpeggione” I Hoffmeister
Concerto in DM, 1st mvmt
(min. level to received SA High Honors
Certificate) *Performed
at the audition with a staff accompanist
Level 10 Hindemith
Der Schwanendreher Schubert,
“Arpeggione” 1st mvmt.
*Performed at the audition with a staff accompanist
SCALES AND SIGHT READING REQUIREMENTS FOR VIOLIN
Twinkle Level
(Concert
Orch) AM & DM one octave
scales w/Var. A bowing
Sight-reading:
4/4; A string 1st position notes only (AM only); halves, quarters
and eighths; step-wise motion only
Level 1
(Festival
Orch) GM & AM two or
three octave scales w/half-note whole bows, 60=quarter
Sight-reading: 3/4 and 4/4; all first position notes; AM,
DM, GM;
wholes,
halves, quarters, and eighth, plus quarter, and half rests; step-wise and skips
of a third only
Level 2
(Festival Orch) BbM
& CM two or three octave scales w/half-note whole bows, 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
Add CM & FM; add dotted halves and quarter rests; leaps up to a fifth
Level 3 GM
& AM three octave scale w/two quarter notes slurred, 60=quarter
(DYO) Sight-reading:
Add Bbm; am, em, & dm (b/c of potentially raised 6th & 7th
deg); ties; leaps up to an octave; some E string 3rd position
Level 4 Level
4 BbM,
& CM three octave scales w/two quarter notes slurred, (DYS) 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
Add EM, EbM; 3rd position fluency; 6/8 time; wider range of tempos;
any interval
Level 5 D,
E, & FM three octave scales w/two quarter notes slurred, 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
Add 4th & 5th position; cut time
Level 6 Ab,
B, EbM three octave scales w/four eighth notes slurred,
60=quarter
Sight-reading;
slower tempos & subdivision (beat is 8th note), 32nds; changes
of time and key signature
Level 7 G,
A, Bb, C Major and minor Arpeggios in 3 octaves, w/three notes slurred, each
note is an eighth triplet, 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
double stops, 8va; 9/8, 2/2, 3/2, 4/2 time signatures
Level 8 g,
a, b, c melodic minor three octave scales w/ two quarter notes slurred,
60=quarter
Sight-reading:
wide variety of musical terms, tempi, tempo changes, etc
Level 9 d,e-flat,
e & f melodic minor three octave scales w/four eighth notes slurred, 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
atonality
Level 10 All three octave major and
melodic minor scales with 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 notes slurred per bow;
60=quarter
High Honors Level 1 Three octave triadic arpeggios
(5 sets found in Carl Flesch) w/three eight triplets slurred, 60=quarter starting
on any pitch
High Honors Level 2 All four octave major and
melodic minor scales with 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 notes slurred per bow;
60=quarter
SCALES AND SIGHT READING REQUIREMENTS FOR VIOLA
Twinkle Level
(Concert
Orch) DM & GM one octave
scales w/Var. A bowing
Sight-reading:
4/4; D string 1st position notes only (DM only); halves, quarters
and eighths; step-wise motion only
Level 1
(Festival
Orch) CM & DM two or
three octave scales w/half-note whole bows, 60=quarter
Sight-reading:3/4 and 4/4; all first position notes; DM, GM,
CM;
wholes,
halves, quarters, and eighths, plus quarter and half rests; step-wise and skips
of a third only
Level 2
(Festival Orch) EbM
& FM two or three octave scales w/half-note whole bows, 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
Add FM & BbM; add dotted halves and quarter rests; leaps up to a fifth
Level 3 CM
& DM three octave scale w/two quarter notes slurred, 60=quarter
(DYO) Sight-reading:
Add AM; am, em, dm (b/c of potentially raised 6th & 7th
deg); ties; leaps up to an octave; some A string 3rd position
Level 4 EbM
& FM three octave scales w/two quarter notes slurred,
(DYS) 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
Add AM, AbM; 3rd position fluency; some A string treble clef; 6/8
time; wider range of tempos; any interval
Level 5 G,
A, & BbM three octave scales w/two quarter notes slurred, 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
Add 4th & 5th position; cut time
Level 6 Db,
E, AbM three octave scales w/four eighth notes slurred, 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
slower tempos & subdivision (beat is 8th note), 32nds; changes
of time and key signature
Level 7 C,
D, Eb, & F Major and minor Arpeggios in 3 octaves, w/three notes slurred,
each note is an eighth triplet, 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
double stops, 8va; 9/8, 2/2, 3/2, 4/2 time signatures
Level 8 c,
d, e, and f melodic minor three octave scales w/ two quarter notes slurred,
60=quarter
Sight-reading: wide variety of musical terms, tempi, tempo
changes, etc
Level 9 g,
a-flat, a & Bb melodic minor three octave scales w/four eighth notes
slurred, 60=quarter
Sight-reading:
atonality
Level 10 All three octave major and
melodic minor scales with 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 notes slurred per bow;
60=quarter
High Honors Three octave triadic arpeggios (5 sets
found in Carl Flesch) w/three eight triplets slurred, 60=quarter starting on
any pitch
