Intermediate Exams


Pieces and studies		out of 12

Convincing performance Technically secure Good control of intonation, articulation and tone Good feeling for phrasing and dynamics Good feeling for musical style, character and colour Good sense of rhythm Good diction Convincing choice of tempo		11/12

Reasonably good sense of "musical whole" Reasonably secure technically Reasonably good control of intonation, articulation and tone Clear evidence of dynamics and phrasing Reasonably good feeling for musical style, character and colour Reasonably good sense of rhythm Reasonably good diction Appropriate and steady tempo		9/10

Appropriate performance as a whole Appropriate intonation, articulation and tone Dynamics and phrasing perceptible Acceptable diction Appropriate tempo, if cautious, even hesitant at times Insufficient accuracy		7/8

Lacks a sense of flow Inadequate intonation, articulation and tone Little sense of "musical whole" Diction lacking Lots of mistakes and pauses		5/6

Lots of wrong notes and rhythms Very poor intonation, articulation and tone Very poor diction		4

No performance		0

Exercises		out of 15

Convincing performance Good control of intonation, articulation, tone and vowel quality Even tone quality throughout vocal range Displays good dynamic range		14/15

Secure performance Minor problems with intonation, articulation, tone and vowel quality Reasonable eveness of tone quality over the vocal range Displays reasonably good dynamic range		12/13

Fairly secure performance Obvious problems with intonation, articulation, tone and vowel quality Some uneveness of tone quality Limited dynamic contrast Minior inaccuracies		9/10/11

Unsatisfactory performance Intonation, articulation, tone and/or vowel quality poor Obvious mistakes Little dynamic contrast or dynamic change impacts intonation, tone or vowel quality Several exercises appear indequately prepared		6/7/8

Several exercises not sung Very poor intonation, articulation, tone and vowel quality No effort at dynamic contrast or dynamic contrast has serious effects on intonation Preparation appears to be inadequate Lots of wrong notes and rhythms		5

Exercises not sung		0

Option/Elective - Pupils perform a piece of their own choise		out of 10

Convincing performance Technically secure Good control of intonation, articulation and tone Good feeling for phrasing and dynamics Good feeling for musical style, character and colour Good sense of rhythm Good diction Convinching choise of tempo		9/10

Reasonably good sense of "musical whole" Reasonably secure technically Reasonably good control of intonation, articulation and tone Clear evidence of phrasing and dynamics Reasonably good feeling for musical style, character and colour Reasonably good sense of rhythm Reasonably good diction Appropriate and steady tempo		7/8

Acceptable performance as a whole Appropriate intonation, articulation and tone Dynamics and phrasing perceptible Acceptable diction Acceptable tempo, if cautions, even hesitant at times Insufficient accurady		6

Lacks a sense of flow Inadequate intonation, articulation and tone Little sense of "musical whole" Diction lacking Lots of mistakes and pauses		4/5

Lots of wrong notes and rhythms Very poor intonation, articulation and tone Very poor diction		2/3

No performance		0

Option/Elective - Pupils improvise from a given opening phrase, simple harmonic progression or melody		out of 10

Pupils may choose whether they improvise with or without accompaniment and it is expected that pupils should prepare this option in advance of the examination and in conjunction with their teacher.

Convincing and inventive performance Technically secure A clear sense of continuity, form and balance Good awareness of tonality and harmonic progression Inventive and interesting melody/rhythm Some sense of originality or surprise Obvious feeling for musical interaction with other parts/phrases/players		9/10

Reasonably good sense of "musical whole" Reasonably secure technically Reasonably good sense of continuity, form and balance Reasonably good awareness of tonality and harmonic progression Some good and interesting melody/rhythm ideas Some awareness of musical interaction with other parts/phrases/players		7/8

Adequate sense of "musical whole" Cautious, even hesitant at times Acceptable feeling of tonality and harmonic progression Acceptable feeling for continuity, form and balance Some melodic/rhythmic interest		6

Little sense of flow, insecure Little sense of "musical whole" Lots of mistakes and pauses Little feeling for tonality and harmonic progression Few if any, interesting melodic or rhythmic ideas Little feeling for continuity, form and balance		4/5

Lacks any melodic or rhythmic interest Lacks any feeling for continuity, form and balance Lacks any feeling for tonality and harmonic progression		2/3

No performance		0

Option/Elective - Pupils perform an original composition or arrangement		out of 10

The work does not have to be notated. The work may be for more than one voice or instrument as long as the examination candidate himself performs a major role in the piece.

Convincing performance and piece Technically secure Inventive and interesting melody/rhythm/harmonic progression Some sense of originality or surprise A clear sense of continuity, form and balance Obvious feeling for musical interaction with other parts/phrases/players		9/10

Reasonably good sense of "musical whole" Reasonably secure technically Some good and interesting melodic/rhythmic ideas Reasonably good sense of continuity, form and balance Some awareness of musical interaction with other parts/phrases/players		7/8

Adequate sense of "musical whole" Some melodic/rhythmic/harmonic interest Acceptable feeling for continuity, form and balance		6

Lacks a sense of flow, insecure Little sense of "musical whole" Lots of mistakes and pauses Few if any, interesting melodic or rhytmic ideas Little feeling for continuity, form and balance		4/5

Lacks any melodic, rhythmic or harmonic interest Lacks any feeling for continuity or form		2/3

No performance		0

Sight-reading		out of 10

Convincing performance Appropriate tempo Appropriate dynamics and interpretation Rights notes and rhythms		9/10

Mostly correct notes and rhythm Steady pulse		7/8

Hesitant, though mostly right notes and rhythms Too cautious, though clear sense of pulse		6

Absence of feeling for tonality Poor phrasing Lots of wrong notes and rhythm Absence of pulse		4/5

Consistently wrong notes and rhythms Very poor intonation, articulation and tone		2/3

Sight-reading not performed		0

Overall impression		out of 5

Outstanding performances Confident and appropriate deportment Very well prepared		5

Good, purposeful performances Confident and mostly appropriate deportment Clearly well prepared		4

Adequate performances Adequately security and deportment Deserves a pass, but with one or two reservations (n.b.)		3

Insecure and unconvincing performances Inappropriate deportment Preparation appears to be inadequate		2

Very poor performances Performances in most parts of the exam do not satisfy requirements Preparation appears to be very poor		1