THEORY/TECHNIQUE REQUIREMENTS
Theory and technique requirements are not repeated at the State Auditions.
| Grade 1 | Required Major Keys - C G |
| Scales | one octave, hands separately
or together, tetrachords permitted, minimum speed quarter note = 60. |
| Chords | Tonic (I), root position only in required keys, broken form permitted. |
| Diatonic Intervals | played from keynote of the required scales. |
| Grade 2 | Required Major Keys - C G D, Required Harmonic minor key - a |
| Scales | one octave, hands separately
or together, no tetrachords permitted, minimum speed quarter note = 60. |
| Chords | Tonic (I), Subdominant (IV), Dominant (V) root position only in required keys, broken form permitted. |
| Diatonic Intervals | played from keynote of the required scales |
| Grade 3 | Required Major Keys - C G D F, Required Harmonic minor keys - a e |
| Scales | one octave, hands separately
or together, no tetrachords permitted, minimum speed quarter note = 60. |
| Chords | Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant root position only in required keys, solid form |
| Diatonic Intervals | played from keynote of the required scales. |
| Grade 4 | Required Major Keys -
C G D A E F Required Harmonic minor keys - a e d |
| Scales | one octave, hands together, minimum speed quarter note = 60. |
| Chords | Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant root position only in required keys. |
| Diatonic Intervals | Isolated intervals named 6th, 3rd etc. tones sounded together, reckoned from bottom tone as keynote in required major and minor keys. |
| Grade 5 | Required Major Keys -
C G D A E B F Required Harmonic minor keys - a e d g c |
| Scales | two octaves, hands separately or together, minimum speed quarter note = 60. |
| Chords | Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant chords, root position and inversions, hands separately or together in required keys. |
| Diatonic Intervals | Isolated intervals named 6th, 3rd, 7th etc. reckoned from bottom tone as keynote in required major and minor keys. |
| Grade 6 | Required Major Keys -
C G D A E B F Bb Required Harmonic minor keys - a e d g c b f |
| Scales | two octaves, hands separately or together, minimum speed quarter note = 60. |
| Chords | Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant chords, root position and inversions, hands separately or together in required keys. Dominant seventh (V7) in root position only, hands separately or together in required keys. |
| Diatonic Intervals | played from keynote of required major and minor scales |
| NOTE: Judges will request chords for Division II in the following sequence: root position, 1st inversion, 2nd inversion. |
| Grade 7 | Required Major Keys -
C G D A E B F Bb Eb Ab Required Harmonic minor keys - a e d g c b f |
| Scales | two octaves, hands together, minimum speed quarter note = 72 |
| Chords | Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant chords, root position and inversions, hands separately or together in required keys. Dominant seventh in root position only, hands together in required keys. |
| Intervals | played from keynote of required major and minor scales, designated major, minor or perfect. |
| Cadences | Played in the following keys: C G D A E F |
| NOTE: Cadences may begin on any inversion of the tonic chord. | |
| Grade 8 | Required Major Keys -
C G D A E B F Bb Eb Ab Required Harmonic minor keys - a e d g c b f plus any one black key minor scale. |
| Scales | two octaves, hands together, minimum speed quarter note = 72 |
| Chords | Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant chords, root position and inversions, hands together in required keys. Dominant seventh in root position only, hands together in required keys. |
| Intervals | played from keynote of required major and minor scales, designated major, minor or perfect. |
| Cadences | Played in all required major keys. |
| NOTE: The student makes the choice of the black key minor scale. Cadences may begin on any inversion of the tonic chord. | |
| Grade 9 | Required -
All Major Keys; Required Harmonic minor keys - a e d
g c b f plus any two black key minor scales. |
| Scales | two octaves, hands together, minimum speed quarter note = 72 |
| Chords | Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant chords, root position and inversions, hands together in required keys. Dominant seventh in root position only, hands together in required keys. |
| Intervals | All intervals - change major intervals to minor and augmented; perfect to diminished and augmented. |
| Cadences | Played in all major keys and all white key minors. |
| NOTE: The student makes the choice of the black key minor scales. Cadences may begin on any inversion of the tonic chord. |
| Grade 10 | Required - All Major
Keys; Required Harmonic minor keys - a e d g c
b f plus any three black key minor scales. |
| Scales | four octaves, hands together, minimum speed quarter note = 72 (sixteenth note rhythm). |
| Chords | Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant chords, root position and inversions, hands together in required keys. Dominant seventh in root position only, hands together in required keys. |
| Intervals | All intervals - change major intervals to minor and augmented; perfect to diminished and augmented. |
| Cadences | Played in all required keys. |
| NOTE: The student makes the choice of the black key minor scales. Cadences may begin on any inversion of the tonic chord. | |
| Grade 11 | Required - All Major
Keys; Required Harmonic minor keys - a e d g
c b f plus any four black key minor scales. |
| Scales | four octaves, hands together, minimum speed quarter note = 72 (sixteenth note rhythm). |
| Chords | Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant chords, root position and inversions, hands together in required keys. Be able to change major triad to minor, diminished or augmented. Dominant seventh in root position and inversions, hands together in required keys. |
| Intervals | All intervals - change major intervals to minor and augmented; perfect to diminished and augmented. |
| Cadences | Played in all required keys. |
| NOTE: The student makes the choice of the black key minor scales. Cadences may begin on any inversion of the tonic chord. | |
| Grade 12 | Required - All Major Keys; All Harmonic minor keys. |
| Scales | four octaves, hands together, minimum speed quarter note = 72 (sixteenth note rhythm). |
| Chords | Tonic, Subdominant, Dominant chords, root position and inversions, hands together in required keys. Be able to change major triad to minor, diminished or augmented. Dominant seventh in root position and inversions, hands together in required keys. |
| Intervals | All intervals - change major intervals to minor and augmented; perfect to diminished and augmented. Be able to form and play a minor, diminished and augmented interval on any given note |
| Cadences | Played in all required keys. |