Division of Music

Class Piano Requirements and Optional Testing

 

Contacts:         David Karp, Head of Class Piano, 214.768.3188, dkarp@smu.edu

Kevin T. Gunter, Coordinator of Class Piano, 214.768.2695, kgunter@smu.edu

 

Piano Requirements for Degrees in Music

 

All undergraduate music degrees include a piano requirement.

 

B.M. degrees in Performance, Composition, Music Education and Therapy require a total of four hours of piano credit.  For students with less than two years of formal piano study prior to college, this is normally satisfied with PERB 1131, 1132, 2131, and 2132 Ð four one-hour courses taken in each of the first four semesters at SMU.  Keyboard majors and students in other music majors that have extensive pre-college keyboard background normally enroll for PERB 1233 and 1234 Ð two two-hour courses taken in either the second or third year at SMU. 

 

The B.A. degree in Music requires two semesters of class piano Ð PERB 1131 and 1132 or PERB 2131 and 2132 according to proficiency or placement exam.  B.A. students with a piano concentration may satisfy this requirement by taking PERB 1233 or 1234.

 

The Minor in Music does not require class piano or a piano proficiency.

 

Music majors with two years or more of formal piano study may be individually tested for advanced placement in Class Piano, academic credit, and/or a waiver of the Class Piano requirement.

 

Students wishing to be tested for exemption from PERB 1131 should prepare the following items:

1) Piano solo at the level of a L. Mozart minuet (memory not required)

2) All major scales two octaves ascending and descending hands separately

3) Triads and inversions on any major or minor triad

4) Primary triad progression in keyboard voicing in any major key

 

In addition, students will be asked to sight-read material at appropriate level and to supply a harmonization for a given diatonic melody using primary triads.

 

Students wishing to be exempted from PERB 1132 should prepare the same items, plus:

1) All minor scales two octaves ascending and descending hands alone

2) All major scales two octaves ascending and descending hands together

3) Five qualities of seventh chords on any tonic

4) Progressions of diatonic triads that include primary and secondary harmonies 

(e.g.  I  vi  IV  V  I)

              

In addition, students will be asked to sight-read material at appropriate level and to supply a harmonization for a given diatonic melody using primary and secondary triads.

 

Students wishing to be exempted from PERB 2131 should prepare:

1) Piano solo of the level of a J.S. Bach minuet

2) Major and harmonic minor scales two octaves ascending and descending hands together

3) Chord progressions that include any primary or secondary harmony in minor

(e.g.  I  VI  IV  ii6  i6/4  V7  I)

4) Construct and play secondary dominants of any scale degree in any major key

 

In addition, students will be asked to sight-read material at the level of a L. Mozart minuet, transpose the same material at sight and supply a harmonization for a given diatonic melody that includes 7th chords and secondary harmonies indicated by Roman numerals.