TCL Grade 3 Timpani
General Info
1. Hand or pedal-tuned timpani may be used.
2. Timpanists may play standing or sitting. However, consideration should be given to the advantages of playing seated, as the seated position allows the feet to change intonation and re-tune the drums.
3. Rolls should not be bounced or buzzed at any level. A clean and even single stroke roll is expected.
4. At least one accompanied piece must be performed. Pieces that are published with an accompaniment may not be performed unaccompanied.
Pieces / Studies
Candidates can express their musical identity by choosing pieces and studies from our varied repertoire lists. Candidates can further personalize their program by including an own composition.
Song List
| Item | Works | Composer | Publication | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flight Past | Carol Barratt | Bravo! Percussion (Book 2) | Boosey & Hawkes |
| 2 | 6/8 Syncopate | Keith Bartlett | 50 Short Pieces for Timpani | United Music Publishing |
| 3 | Gimme Five! | Keith Bartlett | 50 Short Pieces for Timpani | United Music Publishing |
| 4 | Pocketful o' Paradiddles | Keith Bartlett | 50 Short Pieces for Timpani | United Music Publishing |
| 5 | Ronduet #2 | Gert Bomhof | Solo Pieces for Timpani | De Haske |
| 6 | Gopak | Jan Faulkner | Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Timpani: Grades 1-5 | Trinity College London Press |
| 7 | Hop-Scotch | Murray Houllif | Contest Solos for the Young Timpanist | Kendor Music |
| 8 | Nimble Stick | Jackie Kendle | Percussion World: Timpani | Trinity College London Press |
| 9 | Beat Four Hits the Floor | Brian Slawson | Dynamic Solos for Timpani | Alfred Music |
| 10 | Gut Buster | Brian Slawson | Dynamic Solos for Timpani | Alfred Music |
| 11 | Solo Study 1 | Garwood Whaley | Primary Handbook for Timpani | Meredith Music |
Study List
| Item | Works | Composer | Instrument | Publications | Publisher | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regal March | Lorne Pearcey | Timpani | Timpani Studies | Mark Aldous | |
| 2 | Grade 3 Study | Jan Faulkner & Jayne Obradovic | Timpani | Percussion Exam Pieces & Studies Timpani: Grades 1-5 | Trinity College London Press |
Technical Works
This section of the exam supports the development of technical skills by assessing candidates’ performance in a range of technical work requirements. A range of instrument-specific technical work features in our percussion exams, including exercises, scales & arpeggios, orchestral figures and orchestral extracts.
About the Test
Candidates prepare all three exercises. All are available at trinitycollege.com/percussion-tw
Candidates choose one exercise to play first. Examiners then select one of the remaining two exercises to be performed. Music may be used.
1. Sticking Patterns
2. Roll Development
3. Dynamics
Sight reading
This test assesses candidates’ ability to perform a previously unseen musical extract, at a level approximately two grades lower than the exam being taken.
About the Test
After 30 seconds’ preparation time, candidates perform a previously unseen musical extract at a level lower than the exam being taken.
Supporting Publications
For practice purposes, sample Sight-reading tests are published by Trinity College London Press in Graded Percussion Sight-Reading, Grades 1-8. Purchasing the book is not a requirement.
Aural
This test supports the development of candidates’ abilities in musical perception and understanding by requiring them to recognize musical features by ear (for example meter and pulse, pitch, performance characteristics). All questions are based on a single musical example played at the piano by the examiner. Candidates are asked to describe various features of the music such as dynamics, articulation, texture and style. Candidates are not required to sing.
1. Listen to the melody twice times, clap the pulse on the second playing and stressing the strong beat
2. Listen to the melody once, identify the tonality as major or minor
3. Listen to the first two notes of the melody once and identify the interval by number only (2nd / 3rd / 4th / 5th / 6th)
4. Study a copy of the melody and listen to it once as written and once with a change of rhythm or pitch.
Improvisation
This test assesses candidates’ ability to improvise fluently, coherently and creatively in response to a musical stimulus.
Rhythmic stimulus
Candidates are given a notated rhythmic stimulus, which the examiner plays twice. The examiner then invites the candidate to play it back to ensure that they have understood it. Candidates are then given time to study the test before they perform it, during which they may prepare their response aloud. 30 seconds' preparation time is given.
Musical Knowledge
This test encourages learners to understand the wider musical context of the pieces they play, as well as their knowledge of notation and their instrument. Examiners ask carefully graded questions based on candidates’ chosen pieces. Questions refer to the solo line only, and not the accompaniment. In the exam, candidates choose which piece they would like to be asked about first. Examiners then choose a second piece for the remaining questions. Candidates’ musical scores should be free of annotations which might aid their responses. Examiners usually point to the relevant part of the score when asking questions. Candidates can use American terms (eighth note, half note, etc) as an alternative to English terms (quaver, minim, etc).