All students in the Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Musical Arts degree programs at Blair are required to pass a piano proficiency exam before graduation. The Keyboard Harmony sequence of courses allows students to master skills tested on this exam.
Placement interviews for Blair majors for the Keyboard Harmony sequence are held during Blair orientation (on the Monday before the start of classes) to determine the appropriate course for your level of accomplishment.
No Piano Experience
If you have no piano experience, you should register for Introduction to Keyboard Harmony, MUKH 1130. No placement interview is necessary.
Some Piano Experience
If you have some piano experience (even as little as six months of lessons), you will need to complete a placement interview. The Keyboard Harmony faculty will evaluate your overall keyboard proficiency based on, but not limited to, the skills listed below. Students who demonstrate ability in the following areas will typically be placed in Level 1 (MUKH 1131):
• Identify keyboard note names and read fluently on the grand staff.
• Demonstrate basic technique and hand coordination through skills such as five-finger patterns and scales.
• Play I–IV–V chord progressions in a variety of keys.
• Demonstrate basic harmonization skills.
• Sight-read basic hands-together pieces in major and minor keys.
• Transpose simple sight-reading exercises.
If you have more advanced skills, you may be placed into a higher level of the sequence. That determination will be made by the Keyboard Harmony faculty following your placement interview.
Piano Major
If you are a piano major, you should register for Accelerated Keyboard Harmony, MUKH 2133. No placement interview is necessary.
At the end of the Keyboard Harmony sequence, the final piano proficiency exam will include the following skills:
- All major scales (two octaves), minor scales (two-octave harmonic and one-octave natural/melodic), and major/minor arpeggios (three octaves)
- Chord progressions and scale harmonization
- Modulation
- Harmonization/transposition of folk melodies
- Score reading
- Sight reading
- Star-Spangled Banner
- Improvisation on the 12-bar blues
- Tunes by ear
- Solo repertoire and/or accompanying repertoire