Syllabus is reproduced by kind permission of NCCA via Curriculum Online, entire syllabus can be downloaded here.
Also see Performing, Aural and the entire Music category
It’s recommended that you know:
- Both treble and bass staves
- Common diatonic intervals to unison and octave
- Rhythmic values semibreve to quaver (dotted minims and crochets)
- Common time signatures, (2/4, 3/4 and 4/4) in major and minor keys up to two sharps and two flats
- Elementary chord progressions in root positions as follows
- Major keys: chords I, V, IV, ii and vi
- Minor keys: chords i, V, iv and VI
*Higher only*
- Compound duple time (6/8)
- Major and minor keys up to four sharps and four flats
- First inversion chord as follows
- Major: chords Ib, Vb, IVb and iib.
- Minor: chords ib, Vb, ivb and iiºb
- The V7 and the candential 6/4 chords in stock phrases
- Modulations to the dominant and non-chord notes in a melodic context
Composing Exercises
Required for both levels.
Pick one topic from Melody writing and Harmony exercises.
Melody Writing
- Continuation of a given opening
- Setting of a given text
- Using a given dance rhythm or metre and/or form
Requirements
Ordinary-compose eight bars
Higher-compose sixteen bars
Harmony Exercises
Submitted music should show evidence of:
- Knowledge and use of appropriate notation
- Acceptable understanding of the performing mediums
- Control of musical features, motific, structural, tonal and expressive features
- Sound musical judgment
For each level, pick one topic from the three listed.
Ordinary
- Providing candential melody and bass notes
- Adding suitable bass notes and chord indications at candence points
- Adding descant notes and chord indication at candence points
Higher
- Composing melody and bass notes from a given set of chords
- Composing supportive bass and backing chords to a given tune
- Adding a countermelody or descant and choral support to a given tune
Higher elective in composing
Choose (i) or (ii)
(i) Present two short pieces, composed, arranged and orchestrated by themselves.
(ii) Present compositions, arrangements and/or orchestrations only, combined performance five minutes.
