WHAT IS A PLAYING EXAM?
The playing exam is an individual assessment and evaluation of your solo
performance with just the teacher. It occurs at the end of each trimester.
WHEN IS MY PLAYING EXAM?
You will have a 7-minute scheduled time during the weeks of November
11-22. A schedule of each student will be posted the week before the
exams begin. You should arrive to the band room about 5 minutes ahead
of your time to warm-up and get ready. I will call you into my office for
the exam. After you are done, you will pack up and head back to class.
WHY DO I HAVE A PLAYING EXAM?
It is the best tool to assess how you are developing. The playing exam
identifies your specific strengths and areas in need of development.
Secondly, exams hold students accountable for the practicing you have
done over the trimester. And lastly, all the playing exam scores create
data that informs my teaching and direction of the program.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR THE PLAYING EXAM?
Use your “requirements sheet” (this is available on the web page as well).
It will contain all the specific performance requirements. You should also
review the “performance rubric” which gives you the specific criteria
from which you will be evaluated. It also gives you 4 performance levels
for each of the criteria with general descriptions. Use the rubrics to selfassess before the exam.
GENERAL TIPS
Exams can make some nervous – this is totally normal! I will make lots of
effort to make a comfortable environment when you play. Remember
these tips
1) Rely on your skills. You have logged lots of practice to get to this point. You are experienced.
2) Relax. Take your time. Think before you start playing! Take tempos slower and breathe deeper
than you think you should.
3) I know this is just a quick snapshot of what you can do. And everyone makes mistakes so you
should expect to make them sometimes. If you make one while playing, think ahead and don’t
worry about it.
4) Playing an instrument with others and ALONE are standards for a performance music class…we
have to play in front of others in order to learn how to perform!
SYMPHONIC BAND PLAYING EXAM REQUIREMENTS
1st Trimester 2013-2014
Winds and Mallet Percussion
1) You must ready to perform any one of the scale studies in the SOE blue book:
 Concert Bb major (Page 42 only)
 Concert Eb Major (Page 3 or 42)
 Concert F major (Page 4 or 42)
2) You must ready to perform the chromatic scale from the chromatic scale
sheet:
Level 
One octave
1
Level
2
LEVEL
1
LEVEL
2

Two octaves (brass: 1 ½ octaves)
3) You must select ahead of time, practice, and perform one of the following
exercises from the SOE blue book:
 Page 2, #3, Botany Bay
 Page 2, #5, Sheperd’s Hey
 Page 3, #9, Turkish March
3) You must select ahead of time, practice, and perform one of the following
exercises from the SOE blue book:
 Page 4, #13, Knucklebuster
 Page 5, #18, Riddle Song
 Page 7, #29, Go For Excellence
Percussion
1) You must perform the following rudiments. Reference your SOE blue book:
 17-stroke roll (half-note roll), Page 4 or Page 48
 9-stroke roll (quarter note roll), Page 2 or Page 48
 5-stroke roll (eighth note roll), Page 3 or Page 48
2) You must select and perform one of the following exercises from the SOE
blue book:
 Page 3, #9, Turkish March
 Page 4, #13, Knucklebuster
 Page 5, #18, Riddle Song
 Page 5, #21, Go For Excellence “Liza Jane”
WIND ENSEMBLE PLAYING EXAM REQUIREMENTS
1st Trimester 2013-2014
Winds and Mallet Percussion
1) You must ready to perform any one of the scale studies in the SOE Book 3
(Green book) from page 38-39:
 Concert G harmonic minor
 Concert Eb Major
 Concert C harmonic minor
 Concert F major
 Concert D harmonic minor
 Concert Ab major
 Concert F harmonic minor
2) You must perform the chromatic scale:
GRADE
7


Levels 1.5 and up (1 ½ or 2 octaves) – see chromatic scale sheets
tempo of 60 bpm or greater
GRADE


Level 2 and up (2 or more octaves) – see chromatic scale sheets
tempo of 120 bpm in 4/4 time (60bpm in cut time) or greater
8
3) You must select ahead of time, practice, and perform one of the following
exercises from the SOE green book. You may also use your district festival
audition piece or another piece that is pre-approved by me ahead of time.
GRADE
7
GRADE
8





Page 3, #6, Pat-a-Pan (top part only)
Page 4, #12, Technique Break
Page 6, #22, The British Grenadiers
Page 7, #26, Green Grow The Rashes O
Page 7, #28, Go For Excellence “Bonnie Glen Shee”





Page 21, #82, Go For Excellence “Sonatina”
Page 23, #87, Scottish Dance
Page 23, #89, Go For Excellence “Theme from Symphony No. 40”
Page 25, #94, Go For Excellence “Hungarian Dance No. 5”
Page 26, #95, Scheherazade
Percussion (Drums)
1) You must perform any two of the following rudiments. Reference your SOE
green book, pages 2-8, or page 48:




17-stroke roll, Page 2 or Page 48
9-stroke roll, Page 2 or Page 48
7-stroke roll, Page 4 or 48
5-stroke roll, Page 2 or Page 48
2) You must select and perform one of the following exercises from the SOE
green book:




Page 2, #2, Technique Break
Page 4, #13, My Partner and I
Page 6, #22, The British Grenadiers
District Festival Audition Piece: The Royal Drummer
BEGINNER BAND PLAYING EXAM REQUIREMENTS
1st Trimester 2012-2013
Woodwinds and Brass
1) You must perform any note as a quality long tone, about 5 seconds.
2) You must clap and count the following “Rhythm Time” examples from
your TOE book:


#8
#14
3) You must select ahead of time, practice, and perform one of the following
exercises from the TOE book.




Page 6, #5, Moving Around
Page 7, #9, Half Note Rock
Page 7, #12, Cuckoo
Page 8, #20, Go Tell Aunt Rhodie
Percussion (Drums)
1) You must perform the following rudiments or techniques:


Single Paradiddle. Page 6
Multiple Bounce Stroke, Page 8
2) You must select and perform one of the following exercises from the SOE
green book:



Page 6, #5, Moving Around
Page 7, #12, Cuckoo
Page 8, #20, Go Tell Aunt Rhodie