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Undergrad Semester-5/6 and Graduate Semester-3

The Keyboard Essentials curriculum assists non-piano majors in honing vital keyboard skills and preparing for keyboard jury exams during undergraduate students’ 5th or 6th-semester or for 3rd-semester graduate students. Students must consult their private lesson instructors to prepare for keyboard jury evaluations.

Common Criteria For All Keyboard Evaluations

Refer to guides for Sem-5_Keyboard Jury Scales and Chords, and Sem-6_Keyboard Jury Scales and Chords.

Also refer to the Keyboard Syllabus page for further examples of the following:

  • Basic Cadences/Turnaround
    • V-I, II-V-I (Sem-5), I-VI-II-V, and III-VI-II-V (Sem-6)
  • Semester-level scales and outlines:
    • RH scale with associated LH block chord, ascending and descending, 1-octave minimum
  • Perform Blues and/or Rhythm changes
  • Performance of a memorized standard tune (no soloing)

Students are encouraged to perform these criteria using Rooted Split Voicings, or at minimum, any Rooted Shell voicings as demonstrated in the Keyboard syllabi.