The second audition in music high schools

I didn't know that harmony was studied at music high school... from the programs displayed on various institutional websites, it doesn't appear, and neither does improvisation for this reason.

It seems like a good thing that it exists, right?

A couple of questions.

At what age (chronological age) is this test taken, and are there sites that publish the tests somewhat like how it happens for the ministerial exams for the high school graduation (maturità)?

Hey tuThallo, why do you have it?

it is maturity

it's on the MIUR website, they have published all the tracks for the second high school graduation exams :-)

since it is the graduation exam, we are talking about 18-19 year old kids. Today, if I'm not mistaken, they will have the instrument exam, which more or less should correspond to a fifth-year program from the old conservatory system.

As far as I know, they haven't published "solutions". Among other things, the bass part is highly debatable; it's a bit nonsensical. But perhaps that's also part of the game, given that they asked in the questions to provide different harmonization options

I am a bit perplexed by the fact that regarding the performance part, the required level is an inferior completion, which although it's a bit tight for someone just turning eighteen, it fits. Regarding the compositional part, we are practically at a second year. To be clear, complementary harmony.

Dlet's say that if they wanted to be a pianist, it might even be okay, but what if someone fresh out of high school wanted to do composition? (or jazz?!)

thallo wrote:

As far as I know, they haven't published "solutions". Moreover, the bass is highly questionable; it's a bit nonsensical.

They wanted to cram too much into too little... I would have drawn from the ancient repertoire. This aspect is further confirmation of the tendency to perform exercises... and the ugliest ones at that.

GianBurrasca wrote:

I didn't know that harmony was studied at the music high school... from the programs displayed on various institutional websites, it is not evident, and for that reason, neither is improvisation.

The National Guidelines for Music High Schools (Licei Musicali) can be read here:

http://www.indire.it/lucabas/lkmw_file/licei2010///indicazioni_nuovo_impaginato/_Liceo%20musicale%20e%20coreutico%20sezione%20Musicale.pdf

In particular, regarding the teaching of Theory, analysis and composition:

GENERAL GUIDELINES AND COMPETENCIES

Over the five-year course, the student acquires familiarity with the structures, codes, and organizational and expressive modes of musical language, both by mastering the main concepts related to the most commonly used systems of grammatical and syntactic rules (modes, tonality, folk and contemporary systems), and by developing the ability to produce simple compositions that utilize these rule systems.

At the end of the high school course, the student masters notation codes, demonstrating the ability to use them autonomously and consciously both in reading and writing. They are able to read monodic and polyphonic pieces with voice and instrument, including imitated counterpoint and in different keys, to represent their morphological and syntactic-formal aspects through correct body movement and use, and to transcribe, by dictation, simple pieces in their entirety, identifying their rhythmic-metric, harmonic, and intervallic scope, as well as dynamics and agogics.

Such mastery, based on the progressive refinement of the musical ear, leads the student to be able to analyze, through listening and score reading, works of various genres, styles, and eras, grasping their morphological characteristics (from a rhythmic, melodic, dynamic, and timbral point of view) and syntactic-formal relationships, representing them also through relevant summary schemes, using appropriate terminology and identifying the traits that determine their belonging to a particular musical style and genre.

On the compositional level, the student masters different harmonic procedures, including contemporary ones, tracing them in significant pieces through appropriate analysis techniques and using them to improvise, to harmonize melodies, and to produce arrangements and compositions that are autonomous or coordinated with other languages (visual, theatrical, choreographic), without excluding the use of tools offered by current technology. The ability to write and arrange for individual instruments and instrumental/vocal ensembles must be based on knowledge of instruments and instrumentation techniques, the development of musical forms, and the elements of musical rhetoric.

SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES

FIRST TWO YEARS

During the first two years, the student consolidates competencies related to ear development, mastery of notation codes, acquisition of the main concepts of musical language, and the development of analytical comprehension skills and the production of simple pieces through improvisation and composition. It is appropriate that this occurs in an integrated way through paths organized around conceptual themes (scales, modes, meters, timbres, forms, etc.) and multidisciplinary themes (music/word, music/images), which will provide the starting point for reading, listening, analysis, improvisation, and composition activities. In this school segment, it will be necessary to lead the student to read with voice and instrument and to transcribe monodic pieces of medium difficulty respecting agogic and dynamic indications, to transcribe by ear dyads and triads as well as simple two-part polyphonic fragments, to grasp through listening and score reading the fundamental elements and main syntactic-formal relationships present in a simple piece, to master the foundations of functional harmony producing simple arrangements and original pieces, to improvise and compose individually or in small groups, starting from musical or extra-musical prompts, also based on contemporary languages.

The student reproduces and improvises rhythmic sequences and musical phrases, as well as simple polyrhythms and canons, using voice, body, and movement, while also attending to phrasing.

SECOND TWO YEARS

During the second two years, the student deepens the concepts and themes addressed previously, assuming a historical-cultural perspective that highlights continuity and discontinuity in the evolution of rule systems and modes of music transmission, both on the level of notation and composition. It is appropriate that this translates into paths organized around themes with historical implications (modes, counterpoint, canon, evolution of functional harmony, history of musical forms, etc.) that allow for"}

refine in an integrated way the skills of reading and transcription, polyphonic and harmonic, applied to scores of increasing complexity; listening analysis and score analysis of pieces belonging to different repertoires, styles, genres, and eras; improvisation and composition using contrapuntal and harmonic techniques that are historically and stylistically characterized. Knowledge of the characteristics and possibilities of different musical instruments will be deepened, as well as the most important computer techniques; such knowledge will be tested in composition and arrangement activities, with or without a given text, also in support of other expressive languages.

The student reproduces complex rhythmic sequences, polyrhythms, and polymeters with pertinent use of the body and movement, as well as short musical pieces, both individually and in groups, highlighting the rhythmic aspect, phrasing, and form, also through the use of the body and movement. The student demonstrates the ability to harmonize and compose moderately complex and articulated melodies, with modulation to near and distant keys, progressions, appoggiaturas, and suspensions, also using sevenths and ninths.

FIFTH YEAR

The student further refines both the skills of reading and transcription by ear of pieces with different instrumental and vocal ensembles, as well as analytical tools, which will be primarily practiced on 20th-century pieces belonging to different genres and styles, including extra-European musical traditions. Deepens knowledge of late 19th-century and 20th-century harmony, in order to use it within improvisations, arrangements, and compositions. Consolidates compositional techniques functional to the creation of multimedia products and electroacoustic and electronic pieces.

As a consolidation of the previous path, the student must be able to harmonize and compose moderately complex and articulated melodies with modulation to near and distant keys, progressions, appoggiaturas, and suspensions, also using sevenths and ninths.

At the end of the course, the student must be able to develop and realize a compositional project, with a strong multidisciplinary vocation, intended to be performed as a final exam, presenting in writing the starting premises and the goals pursued.

Thanks Red for the extreme precision

RedScharlach wrote:

At the end of the course, the student must be able to develop and carry out a compositional project, with a strong multidisciplinary vocation, intended to be performed as a final exam, presenting in writing the starting premises and the goals pursued.

Great, but what is the corresponding exam?

I have read several people who have described this bass in the worst possible ways, but in my opinion, the weakest part actually lies in the text.

Aside from slips like: “Realize the Bass Given on two lines” (I would say staves), I can understand the need to avoid using terms perhaps considered obsolete such as counterpoint, imitation, figured bass, etc., but what sense is there in denying certain terminology at the high school level when a student might then face exams described like this during the admission test for the three-year composition degree?

realization of a florid chorale in the Baroque style;

realization of a polyphonic composition on one of the proposed subjects;
etc.

I won't comment on the fact that after music high school, a student can be confident about arriving, without gaps, for example, at the three-year composition degree.

Anyway, curious about the negative comments regarding the bass, I wanted to see how far the material could lead within the given time; I produced a sort of "neo-Baroque" parody entitled "A bass in fugue" which you can easily find on YouTube

Link it here...

TheSimon wrote:

Link it here...

I didn't understand

Frank wrote:

"A fugue bass" that you can easily find on YouTube

As they say, when the heat goes to your head. What a craving.

It seemed like such an innocuous bass... and instead...

Fits like a glove

http://www.raiscuola.rai.it/articoli/olivier-messiaen-lezioni-di-composizione/5839/default.aspx

Frank wrote:

I have read several people who have described this bassline in the worst possible ways, but in my opinion, the weakest part is actually in the lyrics.

I agree, the delivery could have been written better. I would instead be curious to read the comments about the bass: can you forward them? Thanks!

RedScharlach wrote:

Instead, I would be curious to read the comments on the bass: can you turn them around? Thanks!

The synthesis is: anti-musical and ridiculous. But I want to read between the lines.

For me, it simply isn't Baroque with a good dose of banality and redundancy (which can be resolved with orchestration); probably the rhythmic attitude misled colleagues who felt obliged to define it as anti-musical (in short, they had different expectations). If you observe, there are some rising sevenths, some imitations can lead to writing tritones that are "difficult" (in a Baroque sense) to resolve, I don't find possible countersubjects, and the progressions are truly "veiled."

In short, it appears Baroque and one feels obliged to despise it because it lacks many little things; I, on the other hand, treated it for what it is... and in fact my parody, written in 6 hours (I want to specify this), does not seem so anti-musical to me; note: the bass is not only part of it but has conditioned its entire development (or almost, let's say).

From a professional point of view, all in all, one often finds oneself arranging ridiculous melodies, but a good arranger knows how to bring out the best and the most from that material. Therefore, one can at least try to dignify the starting material. I don't understand why one must denigrate gratuitously without testing oneself against the task, and only because one is unable to "read" its contents.

Personally speaking, however, I would not ask a student to philosophize, but to bring a piece capable of verifying acquired skills and, at most, showing their "philosophies"; furthermore, I do not approve of the assignments as (in my opinion) they are incomplete and expressed in a way that is unseemly and not educational for younger people; in general, strong doubts remain in me regarding the didactic purposes, and I am concerned about those graduating students who will want to approach the world of composition at nearly twenty years old.

Frank wrote:

synthesis is: anti-musical and ridiculous.

Typical of Facebook, reading some posts it seems like they are all geniuses...

Frank wrote:

... my parody

Very pleasant, in effect it has a very baroque approach but the contents at times are much more advanced, see the tail

Does anyone know if the 2016 one is already available?

Dante wrote:

Does anyone know if the 2016 one is already available?

Will it be this one?

https://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwidyI_j37jNAhWI0RoKHfDYAN8QFggkMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.liceosebastianosattanuoro.gov.it%2Fsystem%2Ffiles%2Fcircolari%2F2016%2F2015-2016-allcirc272li13-musicale-e-coreutico-sezione-musicale-tipb.doc&usg=AFQjCNFl-ywCiHCYx9QYQNJ5Uj_jGiqDJQ&sig2=j0KBDAdfxxDpy7iqHCvlkg&bvm=bv.124817099,d.d2s

I don't know Ettore, the file is called "2015-2016-allcirc272li13-musicale-e-coreutico-sezione-musicale-tipb-2.doc"

There are no references to the year like in the official document proposed by Thallo.