Elementary Strings

At the completion of Grade 5, the student will display competency in the requisite skills for proficient musical performance as follows:

I    Proper Position
     A.  Stance
          1.  Rest position
          2.  Playing position
     B.  Seated
          1.  Playing position for ensemble work
     C.  Body position/coordination
          1.  Head
          2.  Arms
          3.  Hands
          4.  Fingers
          5.  Shoulders
          6.  Torso
          7.  Legs

II    Proper instruction position
      A. Right hand
      B. Left hand
      C. Balance
      D. Comfort

III   Study of Sound Production (Vibration)
      A.  Pizzicato (plucking) technique
          1.  With bow in hand
          2.  Without bow in hand
          3.  Left hand pizzicato (plucking)
          4.  Strumming
      B.  Arco (bowing) technique
          1.  String level
          2.  Angle of the bow
          3.  Placement of the bow
          4.  Speed of the bow
          5.  Box pressure
          6.  Bow distribution

IV   Comprehension of the basic concepts of music
      A.  Rhythm
          1.  Whole note
          2.  Half note
          3.  Quarter note
          4.  Eighth note
          5.  Triplet
          6.  Corresponding rests to the above
      B.  Meter
          1.  2-4 time
          2.  3-4 time
          3.  4-4 time
      C.  Tempo
          1.  Slow - Lento
          2.  Medium - Andante, Moderato
          3.  Fast - Allegro
          4.  Ritardando
          5.  Accelerando
      D.  Intonation/Tuning
          1.  Importance and need
          2.  Ear Training - introductory Solfege
          3.  Identification of sharpness and flatness through proper finger placement
          4.  Appropriate corrections for proper intonation
          5.  Introduce self-tuning using fine tuners
      E.  Musical Form
          1.  Melody
          2.  Harmony - Introduction of 4 part harmony in the orchestra
          3.  Introduction to Phrasing
          4.  Structure
                a.  ABA (binary form)
                b.  Canon
                c.  Minuet and Trio
                d.  Rondo
      F. Tonality/Scales
          1.  Major - D Major, G Major, introduce C Major
          2.  Introduce minor mode
      G. Articulation   
          1.  Legato
          2.  Staccato
          3.  Slurred
          4.  Introduction to detached slurs
          5.  Accents
          6.  Reset bow
          7.  Introduction to tremolo
          8.  Symbolic Notation - Down Box Up Bow
      H. Dynamics/Expression marks
          1.  Loud, f, ff
          2.  Soft, p, pp   
          3.  Crescendo
          4.  Diminuendo

V    Comprehension of Musical Notation
      A. Staff - lines and spaces
      B. Clefs
          1.  Treble
          2.  Alto
          3.  Bass
      C.  Measures
      D.  Bar lines
      E.  Ledger lines
      F.  Note names
      G.  Time values
      H.  Rhythmic patterns
      I.  Time Signature
      J.  Key Signature
      K.  C (Common time)

VI   Interpretation of Musical Terms, Symbols and Abbreviations
      A.  Repeat sign
      B.  D.C. al Fine
      C.  Dal Segno
      D.  Coda
      E.  Measure repeat
      F.  Fermata
      G.  Pizzicato
      H.  Arco
      I. Tutti
      J.  Cut-off