MusicQ&A by dot point

the aural recognition of chord qualities, chord progressions and cadences from heard examples, including hearing the bass line, distinguishing major from minor harmony, and identifying cadence types by ear

the construction and aural identification of triads and seventh chords, chord qualities and inversions, and common diatonic harmonic progressions and cadences

the identification, construction and aural recognition of intervals, major and minor scales, and the diatonic modes used in performed and studied repertoire

the identification and construction of major and minor key signatures, the order of sharps and flats, the circle of fifths, and the use of relative and parallel keys in performed and studied repertoire

the aural identification and notation of melodies, including pitch direction, intervals, scale degrees and contour, and the development of dictation and sight-singing skills

the reading and writing of standard notation, including the treble, bass and other clefs, the stave, accidentals, enharmonics, ledger lines and the conventions used when transcribing and presenting music

the aural recognition, counting and notation of rhythm, metre, time signatures, subdivision and syncopation, and their accurate transcription from heard examples

the aural and written recognition of tonality, including major, minor, modal and atonal sound, the identification of modulation, and the description of key relationships in performed and studied works

the aural recognition of tone colour and timbre, the identification of instruments, voices and sound sources, and the description of how sounds are produced and combined in performed and studied works

the analysis of performed and studied works through the elements and concepts of music, including pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tone colour, texture, structure and expressive devices, and how these create effect

the arrangement and re-orchestration of existing music, including reworking instrumentation, texture, harmony and style, writing idiomatically for the chosen forces, and reimagining a work while keeping it recognisable

the analysis and comparison of interpretation in performances, including the performance decisions made about tempo, dynamics, articulation, phrasing, tone colour and expressive devices, and how they shape the character of a performance

the use of compositional devices to create and develop musical material, including motif, repetition, sequence, variation, melody, harmony, texture and structure in original and arranged work

the identification and analysis of compositional devices in performed and studied works, including repetition, sequence, imitation, ostinato, pedal, augmentation, diminution, inversion, fragmentation and variation, and how they develop musical material

the development of ensemble performance skills, including maintaining a shared pulse, listening and balancing within a group, communicating non-verbally, and rehearsing effectively with other musicians and accompanists

the development of improvisation skills, including improvising melodically and rhythmically over a chord progression or structure, using scales, motifs and stylistic conventions, and shaping a coherent improvised line

the interpretation of notated and stylistic material through expressive devices, including phrasing, dynamics, articulation, rubato, ornamentation and stylistic conventions appropriate to the repertoire

the investigation of music in context, including researching a style, tradition or focus area, identifying its characteristic features and performance practices, and understanding the influences and context that shape music works

the organisation of sound to manipulate the elements of music, including the selection and treatment of acoustic, electric and electronic sound sources, and the use of production techniques to shape pitch, duration, dynamics, texture and tone colour

the preparation of a performance program, including technical exercises, practice strategies, control of tone and intonation, and managing performance under examination conditions

the analysis of structure and form in performed and studied works, including binary, ternary, theme and variations, rondo, verse-chorus, twelve-bar blues and through-composed forms, and how sections contrast, return and create coherence

the analysis of texture and tone colour in performed and studied works, including monophonic, homophonic and polyphonic textures, density and layering, instrumentation and orchestration, and how these create effect

the stages of the creative process, including generating, developing, shaping and refining musical ideas, documenting decisions and intentions, and presenting a folio of original work with appropriate notation or recording