Juilliard Theory

PLACEMENT EXAMINATIONS
MUSIC DIVISION
August 26-28, 2013

Students must be present for all days of testing
in preparation for registration which is held August 28-30.
Placement Exams are REQUIRED for all new Music students.

(*Artist Diploma students, see below)
Placement Examinations will be administered on August 26, 27 and 28 to new students in all
programs in Music. All new students MUST take these exams. The tests are intended to reveal your
accomplishments and potential in the various facets of study so that you will be placed in the
proper classes. Some undergraduate students may receive advanced standing credit; graduate
students may be required to take undergraduate classes to remedy deficiencies.
NOTE: No transfer credit is given for music classes. Credit is by placement examination only.
Students who require testing accommodations must contact the Office of Academic Support
Services at
(212) 799-5000, ext. 213 or via email at [email protected] no later than 8 weeks before
Orientation to make arrangements.
*Students in the Artist Diploma programs are not required to take placement exams.
However, if you wish to take classes in History, Theory, Ear Training or Piano, you must take those
exams.
WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO PREPARE AND REVIEW SO THAT YOU MAY DEMONSTRATE THE
FULL EXTENT OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
To assist in your preparation, please read the following information carefully.

EAR TRAINING
To be taken by all Music majors
Among the materials covered in Ear Training I:
Major and minor key signatures

Identify and sing intervals through the perfect octave
Intone and conduct rhythms at sight
Sing and conduct melodies at sight in treble and bass clefs
Basic one-voice melodic dictations in treble and bass clefs
Identify rudimentary chord progressions
Among the materials covered in Ear Training II:
Among
Sing triads and dominant 7th chords in all inversions up and down from a given note
Identify chord progressions using triads, dominant 7ths, Italian and Neapolitan 6ths
Intone and conduct rhythms with rapid changes of meter and subdivision
From open score of Bach chorales using soprano, alto and tenor clefs: voice and orchestral
instruments sing one line and play on the piano a second line; keyboard instruments sing one
line and play 2 other lines
Basic two-voice melodic dictations in soprano, alto, and tenor clefs
Acquire proficiency in fixed "do" solfege
the materials covered in Ear Training III & IV:
Study of mezzo and baritone clefs
Identify and Sing 7th chords in all positions
Transposition using seven clefs
Advanced three-voice melodic dictations in soprano, alto, and tenor clefs
For voice majors: continuation of Ear Training II materials with concentration on rhythm, atonal
singing, and basic harmonic and melodic dictations with modulation
UNDERGRADUATE MUSIC HISTORY

To be taken by all undergraduate Music majors: no preparation needed.
GRADUATE MUSIC HISTORY

To be taken by all graduate Music students (except those in the Jazz Program) and optional for
transfer undergraduates who have studied Music History at the college level and wish to receive
transfer credit.
This diagnostic examination covers the history of Western music from the Middle Ages to the present
day. Included are questions dealing with musical styles, forms and genres, terminology, and
historical issues relating to music. The examination is in multiple-choice format. The accompanying
syllabus for the graduate-review music history survey course is included as a guide for study.
Suggested Text for Study (this textbook will be used for the course next year):
Hanning, Barbara Russano. Concise History of Western Music. 4th edition. (This is based on the 8th
edition of A History of Western Music by J. Peter Burkholder, Donald Grout, and Claude Palisca.)
SECONDARY PIANO
To be taken by all non-keyboard majors except Guitar and Jazz
If you have had no formal training in piano, you will be asked some basic reading questions.
If you have had some formal piano training, please prepare two short works in contrasting
styles of your own choosing. Memorization is not necessary. You will also be asked to
demonstrate your proficiency in the following areas:
Scales and Arpeggios
Functional Chord Progressions
Sight-reading
KEYBOARD SKILLS
To be taken by all keyboard majors, except Jazz Piano
Includes the following:
Thorough knowledge of all major and minor scales and key signatures;
Major, minor, diminished and augmented triads and inversions;
All seventh chords and inversions.
Practical knowledge of soprano, alto and tenor clefs
Sight-reading a string quartet by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven
Reduction at the piano of a symphonic score by either Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert or
Schumann
Realization at the piano of a continuo part (figured bass)
Transposition of a Lied up and down by minor and major seconds and thirds
Suggested Texts for Study:
Morris, R.O., Preparatory Exercises in Score Reading
Morris, R.O., Figured Harmony at the Keyboard, Book I
Bach, J.S., 69 Chorales with Figured Bass
Brings, Allen, and Charles Burkhart, A New Approach to Keyboard Harmony
UNDERGRADUATE MUSIC THEORY AND ANALYSIS

To be taken by all undergraduates
Includes the following: (Writing and Analysis):

THEORY RUDIMENTS (Note: all students are expected to be fluent with theory rudiments in
order to place into the regular theory track. See below for information about how to learn
this material independently over the summer. Students who do not pass the rudiments
portion of the placement test will be assigned to a remedial theory course.)
Basic Notation (including fluency in at least treble and bass clefs)

Key Signatures, Scales, and Modes
Intervals
Triads and Seventh Chords (all qualities and inversions)
TONAL HARMONY
Diatonic Harmony and Voice Leading (including four-part writing and figured bass realization)
Cadences (PAC, IAC, HC, Deceptive, Plagal)
Modulation and Tonicization (secondary dominants and leading-tone chords)
Chromatic Harmony (including Neapolitan and augmented-sixths)
Sonata Form (analysis of a movement by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven)
COUNTERPOINT
Species Counterpoint in Two Voices, 16th Century Style

Invention in Two Voices, 18th Century Style (analysis of an invention by J. S. Bach)
Fugue
Suggested Resources and Texts for Study:
Theory Rudiments:
Upon matriculating at Juilliard, students are expected to possess fluent knowledge of theory rudiments
(key signatures, scales, intervals, chord qualities, etc.). If you do not have background in these topics,
you are strongly encouraged to learn them over the summer with eTheory, an online course available
through Eastman School of Music that will prepare you for the fall placement test and for your collegelevel theory studies.
To register for eTheory, click here and click Register Now. Then enter your email address and enter
the code juilliard2013s in the field labeled Eastman. You will receive a discounted registration of $67
(regularly $87). The course proceeds at your own pace and requires approximately 46 weeks to
complete. Have questions about eTheory? Email [email protected] or visit the eTheory
FAQ site.
We also recommend the free website MusicTheory.net for extra practice with theory fundamentals.
Tonal Harmony:
Laitz, Steven G., The Complete Musician (3rd Edition)
Kostka, Stefan and Dorothy Payne, Tonal Harmony (5th Edition)
Counterpoint:
Jeppesen, Knud. Counterpoint: The Polyphonic Vocal Style of the 16th Century (includes species
counterpoint)
Kennan, Kent. Counterpoint (covers invention and fugue in 18th century style)
Salzer, Felix and Carl Schachter. Counterpoint in Composition (includes species counterpoint)
GRADUATE THEORY
To be taken by all graduate students except Jazz
Theory Fundamentals (scales, intervals, chord qualities, etc.)

Diatonic Harmony and Voice Leading (including four-part writing and figured bass realization)
Cadences (PAC, IAC, HC, Deceptive, Plagal)
Modulation and Tonicization (secondary dominants and leading-tone chords)
Harmonic Sequences
Chromatic Harmony (including Neapolitan and augmented-sixths)
Sonata Form (analysis of a movement by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven)
Suggested Text for Study:

Laitz, Steven G. and Christopher Bartlette. Graduate Review of Tonal Theory
Or any undergraduate harmony textbook, such as those by Aldwell/Schachter or Kostka)
DICTION
To be taken by all graduate Voice majors
Transfer undergraduates may take the exams if they have previously studied diction.
Students are tested on their proficiency in the International Phonetic Alphabets and will be
expected to sing in English, French, German and Italian.
JAZZ STUDIES
Undergraduate Jazz majors will take the Ear Training, Music Theory, and Music History exams
as previously listed and the Piano exam described below. Master of Music Jazz majors will
take the Ear Training exam described above and the Piano and Composition and Arranging
exams listed below.
Piano Skills for Non-Pianists

Demonstrate your piano skills to the best of your ability including: scales, chords, jazz and classical pieces.
Composition and Arranging

The placement exam will include:
1) transposing a melody for the instruments of the jazz band

2) two styles of contrapuntal writing (quasi-Baroque and blues) based around provided melodic material
3) harmony/voicing techniques - add chords to a given melody and voice each note of the melody for
saxes using standard techniques
4) chorale-style voicing for brass and saxes
Students may also submit a portfolio of compositions and/or arrangements for small or large jazz groups
for further consideration.
Elements of Music
Scales, Intervals, Chords; Figured Bass; Harmonic Analysis; Score Analysis; Theoretical Discussion

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PLACEMENT EXAMINATIONS

August 26-28, 2013

Placement Exams are REQUIRED for all new Music students.

To assist in your preparation, please read the following information carefully.

Major and minor key signatures

Among the materials covered in Ear Training II:

UNDERGRADUATE MUSIC HISTORY

GRADUATE MUSIC HISTORY

UNDERGRADUATE MUSIC THEORY AND ANALYSIS

Includes the following: (Writing and Analysis):

Basic Notation (including fluency in at least treble and bass clefs)

Species Counterpoint in Two Voices, 16th Century Style

Suggested Resources and Texts for Study:

Theory Fundamentals (scales, intervals, chord qualities, etc.)

Suggested Text for Study:

Piano Skills for Non-Pianists

Composition and Arranging

1) transposing a melody for the instruments of the jazz band

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