Master Musician Requirements
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2023 - 2024 Master Musician Requirements
Master Musician candidates will be enrolled during the month of August only.
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FESTIVALS AND RECITALS - Each Master Musician candidate will perform in each of the planned festivals
and recitals. Each candidate must score a Superior (-, +) at the designated festivals. This requirement is
stringent and overridden only a personal health issue or a required school event. An alternative date will
be provided for a makeup as a result of the above conditions.
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THEORY - Each Master Musician candidate will complete during the Fall Semester a volume of ESSENTIAL
ELEMENTS PIANO THEORY corresponding to the currents student's level. They will take the exam provided in
the back of the volume and must pass it to receive credit in this area. THIS MUST BE COMPLETED AND THE
BOOK RETURNED COMPLETED NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 30.
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SPECIAL UNIQUE SOLO - During the Fall Semester, a major piece by a designated composer will be
assigned to each candidate. That plece will be performed from memory during the Spring Semester. Date
will be Sunday, February 19.
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SPECIAL PRODUCTION - During the winter, Master Musician candidates will learn selection(s) from the
Camille Saint-Sean's suite, "Carnival of the Animals". This will be great fun as each candidate assumes the
character from the musical. See the attached calendar.
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FAMILY HOLIDAY RECITAL - Each candidate will give a solo recital at home with at least 4 prepared pleces
along with a prepared program of the student's own construction. A video of the program must be
submilted to the teacher after the recital is played. Please attempt to perform in recital altire even though it
may be held at your house.
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COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT -Play a selection of pieces for church, school, home-bound person, or a
nursing home. We will attempt to find a location where all of us can perform at a single date. But you can
still do this on your own if you wish. Just provide evidence that you have performed.
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Any student is eligible to participate.
Performance QQQ Program
I am very happy and excited to announce the launch of the Performance QQQ Program. Heretofore to be called "The Q Club"
This program has been in the planning stage for several years. This will be the inaugural year and will be an alternative to the Master Musician Program for those who enroll. Ultimately, the program conclusion will result in an assessment of the abilities of the candidates by representatives from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). Ideally, this assessment would be made on a yearly basis.
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This year will be a trial year allowing each candidate to become familiar with all the topics to be studied. I believe it is important that each candidate has a well-maintained acoustic piano; a digital piano, provided it has a clearly recognizable piano tone; or a touch sensitive keyboard with full sized weighted keys and an action, and facilities that match those of a conventional acoustic piano, including a sustaining pedal. This year will provide an assessment of the abilities of those enrolled students and whether they wish to continue in successive years.
The Areas to be Covered in the Program are the Following:
1. Repertoire pieces based on the level of the student.
2. Duets (teams may be selected based on their comparative levels)
3. Scales and Arpeggios to build strong technical skills and to build strength.
4. Sight-reading to develop quick recognition of keys, tonality and common rhythm patterns.
5. Aural tests to help with gauging the sound and balances of playing, keeping in time, and playing with a sense of rhythm and pulse.
6. Music Theory to develop a knowledge of sign terminology, intervals, keys, score analysis, harmonic completion of musical extracts and melody writing.
7. Practical musicianship to encourage learners to develop their ability to think in sound and perform spontaneously.
Due to the number of areas to be covered, the student must have a lesson time no less than one hour per week. This may be conducted in two thirty-minute sessions per week or a single hour session.
Sign-ups will occur during August and will close August 31st. The program will launch in September and will likely run through May 2024.
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It is important to state up front that this program is for the serious student. It will require dedication and time to accomplish the assigned tasks during the practice week. The load will certainly be heavier than what has been normal. However, if elected, I believe the results will be greatly beneficial.