Aural Success at the Higher Grades - ABRSM · PDF fileAural Success at the Higher Grades John...

Aural Success at the Higher Grades

John Holmes and Nigel Scaife

© ABRSM September 2012

Objectives

• Consider the purpose of aural at grades 6-8

• Share teaching ideas and strategies for exam success

• Address any queries


The general purpose of aural training

• To transform hearing into listening

• To inform and enhance all-round musicianship

• To develop the ‘musical ear’


The specific purpose of aural training at grades 6-8

• Increase musical awareness e.g. harmony, features, style etc.

• Develop ‘thinking in sound’: audiation

• Enhance all-round musicianship


• A: Melodic repetition

(and at Grade 8 – cadences and chords)

• B: Sight-singing

• C: Cadences

(Grade 6); + chords/modulations (Grade 7); modulations (Grade 8)

• D: Musical features

(including rhythm/metre at Grades 6-7)

The tests ‘at a glance’


A: Melodic repetition

• Grade 6: upper of 2-part

• Grade 7: lower of 2-part



B: Sight-singing

• Grade 6: accompanied with harmonic context

• Grade 7: upper of 2-part



C: Cadences, chords and modulation

• Grade 6: perfect and imperfect

• Grade 7: + interrupted; identify 2 chords; modulation in a major key

• Grade 8: + modulation in a minor key


Cadences


The circle of 5ths


Modulation


D: Musical features

• Grade 6: focus on texture and structure

• Grade 7: no new features – depth!

• Grade 8: holistic; independent response


Texture


Questions? [email protected]


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