TCL Grade 1 Orchestral Percussion

General Info

Candidates taking a Orchestral Percussion exam are required to:

• play one piece for each of Snare Drum, Timpani and Tuned Percussion, must not include the study pieces
• play at least one accompanied piece
• are encouraged to play their pieces on the instruments specified, although Glockenspiel / Xylophone / Vibraphone / Marimba will be acceptable.
• may use Hand or pedal-tuned timpani.
• are responsible for providing their own accompanists.

Snare Drum Song List

Item	Works	Composer	Publication	Publisher
1	Destination Reached	Mark Aldous & Peter Evans & Lorne Pearcey	Introducing Percussion	Trinity College London Press
2	Down to Earth	Mark Aldous & Peter Evans & Lorne Pearcey	Introducing Percussion	Trinity College London Press
3	Jamie's Two-Step	Carol Barratt	Bravo! Percussion (Book 1)	Boosey & Hawkes
4	Pamp's Rag	Carol Barratt	Bravo! Percussion (Book 1)	Boosey & Hawkes
5	Just a Minute March	Keith Bartlett	50 Short Pieces For Snare Drum	United Music Publishing
6	Three and Easy?!	Keith Bartlett	50 Short Pieces For Snare Drum	United Music Publishing
7	Accent Patrol	Michael Skinner	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Snare Drum Book 1: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press
8	Stepping Out	Michael Skinner & Jan Faulkner	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Snare Drum Book 1: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press

Timpani Song List

Item	Works	Composer	Publication	Publisher
1	Destination Reached	Mark Aldous & Peter Evans & Lorne Pearcey	Introducing Percussion	Trinity College London Press
2	Down to Earth	Mark Aldous & Peter Evans & Lorne Pearcey	Introducing Percussion	Trinity College London Press
3	Alpenstock	Carol Barratt	Bravo! Percussion (Book 1)	Boosey & Hawkes
4	Kettle Waltz	Carol Barratt	Bravo! Percussion (Book 1)	Boosey & Hawkes
5	Basically Beethoven	Jan Faulkner & Jayne Obradovic	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Timpani: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press
6	Landler	Jan Faulkner	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Timpani: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press
7	Lazy and Long	Jan Faulkner	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Timpani: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press
8	Spiky and Short	Jan Faulkner	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Timpani: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press
9	Sticking to the Point	Lorne Pearcey	Team Percussion	International Music Publications

Tuned Percussion Song List

Item	Works	Composer	Publications	Publisher	Video
1	Destination Reached	Mark Aldous & Peter Evans & Lorne Pearcey	Introducing Percussion	Trinity College London Press
2	Down to Earth	Mark Aldous & Peter Evans & Lorne Pearcey	Introducing Percussion	Trinity College London Press
3	Ballad	Mark Aldous	Tuned Percussion Solos	Mark Aldous
4	The Music Box	David Hext	Tuned In	Southern Music
5	The Windmill	David Hext	Tuned In	Southern Music
6	Sleigh Ride	Lorne Pearcey	Team Percussion	International Music Publications
7	Oranges and Lemons	Jan Faulkner	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Tuned Percussion: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press
8	This Old Man	Jan Faulkner	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Tuned Percussion: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press

Study List

Item	Works	Composer	Instrument	Publications	Publisher	Video
1	Backyard Beat	Lorne Pearcey	Snare Drum	Snare Drum Studies	Mark Aldous
2	Grade 1 Rudimental Study	Michael Skinner	Snare Drum	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Snare Drum Book 1: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press
3	Big and Bold	Lorne Pearcey	Timpani	Timpani Studies	Mark Aldous
4	Grade 1 Study	Jan Faulkner & Jayne Obradovic	Timpani	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Timpani: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press
5	Grade 1 Major Study	Jan Faulkner	Tuned Percussion	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Tuned Percussion: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press
6	Grade 1 Minor Study	Jan Faulkner	Tuned Percussion	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Tuned Percussion: Grades 1-5	Trinity College London Press

Technical Works

One of the following options, chosen by the candidate

Instrument	List	Publications	Memory	Video
Snare Drum	Orchestral Figures Multiple Bounce Roll Study	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Snare Drum Book 1: Grades 1-5	Nil
Timpani	Sticking Patterns Roll Development Dynamics	Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Timpani: Grades 1-5	Nil
Tuned Percussion	C / F / G Major Scales and Arpeggios (One Octave) Chromatic Scale starting on C A / D / E Minor Scales and Arpeggios (One Octave)	Tuned Percussion Scales & Arpeggios	All requirements should be played from memory.

Sight reading

After 30 seconds’ preparation time, candidates perform a previously unseen musical extract at a level lower than the exam being taken. Candidates choose whether to perform the test on tuned percussion, snare drum or timpani.

Aural

Candidates answer questions based on a single musical example played on the piano by the examiner.

Improvisation

Candidates perform an improvisation based on a stimulus chosen from the following options:

• Stylistic, motivic or harmonic for tuned percussion
• Rhythmic for snare drum or timpani

Stylistic stimulus

This option requires candidates to improvise on their instrument over a notated accompaniment played by the examiner at the piano.

• Candidates are given a stimulus which includes the notated piano part and chord symbols. The stimulus begins with a two-bar introduction played by the examiner alone, followed by a further section over which

candidates must improvise for a specified number of repeats.

• The examiner plays the stimulus twice for candidates’ reference, without repeats.
• Candidates are then given 30 seconds’ preparation time, during which they may prepare for their improvisation aloud.
• The test then follows. The examiner plays the stimulus again, and candidates join in after the introduction, improvising for the specified number of repeats. Candidates should aim to improvise in a way that complements the musical style of the stimulus.

Motivic stimulus

This option requires candidates to improvise solo in response to a short melodic fragment.

• Candidates are given a notated melodic fragment, which the examiner plays twice on the piano for candidates’ reference.
• Candidates are then given 30 seconds’ preparation time, during which they may prepare for their improvisation aloud.
• The test then follows. Candidates should aim to improvise within the specified duration range and may begin by quoting the stimulus directly, developing their improvisation from there. However, they are not required to quote the stimulus directly, and may instead develop their improvisation from ideas taken from the stimulus such as a small group of notes or an interval. Responses must use the given time signature.

Harmonic stimulus

This option requires candidates to improvise solo in response to a chord sequence.

• Candidates are given a notated chord sequence, including chord symbols, which the examiner plays twice on the piano for candidates’ reference.
• Candidates are then given 30 seconds’ preparation time, during which they may prepare for their improvisation aloud.
• The test then follows. Candidates should improvise for the specified number of repeats, following the chord sequence. Responses should contain melodic / rhythmic interest.

Musical knowledge

Candidates answer questions assessing their understanding of the pieces performed, as well as their knowledge of notation and their instruments. Questions are based on candidates’ chosen pieces.