Music Grading Scale

Something which I find useful....oh, so I am doing Grade 3 Practical now? Must improve my dynamics & tempo!!!

Original Link: http://www.fairlakesmusic.com/?p=36
(Sorry! Don't mean to copy, I just want to keep this useful info in my diary)

Pre-reading (BEGINNER):
Music for a beginning student with little or no musical training. Pre-reading material helps to strengthen the student’s familiarity with basic rhythm patterns and the keys on the piano. Basic rhythm patterns make use of whole, half, quarter notes and rests. Dynamics are introduced. Time signatures may or may not be introduced. The music may or may not be notated on a staff, but the notes are always labeled. Students are restricted to playing in easy to memorize 5-finger hand positions. C-position and Middle C-position are the two most popular hand positions reviewed in Pre-Reading material.

Grade 1 (EARLY ELEMENTARY)
Students are still using very basic rhythm patterns, dynamics, and set hand positions. Music is written on a staff and students are expected to do some note-reading. Grade 1 repertoire consists of simple melodies and folk tunes with mostly stepwise motion and maybe some small skips. The intervals of a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th are introduced. The student might have to play simple harmonies or perform some pieces with the hands together. The time signatures of 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 are used.

Grade 2 (ELEMENTARY)
Building on what they have learned in the previous two levels of study, students are introduced to the concept of keys and tonality. The keys of C Major and C Minor, G Major and G Minor, F Major, and A minor are popular keys of study. Music is still based in 5-finger positions, but students are expected to be able to quickly jump from one position to another, and there may be an extension of one or two notes outside a set position. Eighth notes, rests, and dotted rhythms are introduced. Jazz students are introduced to “swing” rhythms. Articulation marks (legato/slur, staccato, accents) are integrated. Accidentals are being used (sharps, flats, and natural signs).

Grade 3 (LATE ELEMENTARY/EARLY INTERMEDIATE)
Students work with the time signatures of 3/8 and 6/8. Cut time is utilized. Students are introduced to sixteenth notes and rests. There are large skips between notes, the intervals of 6ths, 7ths, and octaves are being regularly incorporated into music. The music may use some major and minor scale patterns, and students learn to cross fingers over and under one another in rapid passages. The repertoire is no longer set in simple five-finger positions. At this stage, the entire grand staff is being used, as well as some ledger line notes. Dynamics become more varied in nuance with the incorporation of pianissmo, mezzo piano, mezzo forte, fortissimo, crescendo and diminuendo markings.

Grade 4 (INTERMEDIATE)
The time signatures of 9/8 or 12/8 may be used. Common keys of study include C Major, G Major, D Major, A Major, E Major, F Major, B flat Major, E flat Major, A flat Major, and their relative minor keys. Some students may begin to incorporate modal playing. Jazz students are expected to know the 12 bar blues pattern and basic blues scale by heart. Students may see the dynamics of forte piano, ppp, fff, and sforzando appear for the first time in their music. Tuplet rhythms and short 16th note runs appear in music of this level. Some students may study simple Bach preludes, classical sonatinas, or two-part inventions at this level. The concept of subject and voice parts are introduced.

Grade 5 (LATE INTERMEDIATE)
5/4, 7/4 and 3/2 time appear. There are changes in the time signature. Students will be using all of the major keys, most of the minor, and some modes. There are longer 16th note runs, some 32nd note runs, and grace notes. Other ornamentation may occur in the music, such as mordants and trills. Students are using the full range of their instrument.