2020
Certificate of Achievement
2020 CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT REQUIREMENTS
PURPOSE & OVERVIEW:
Purpose:
To provide a systematic and comprehensive plan to develop performance skills, technique, ear training, sight-reading, and understanding of music theory.
To develop practical goals to help students maintain steady and focused progression in their musical studies.
To encourage students to strive for musical excellence.
Overview:
Students who are enrolled in Certificate of Achievement participate in an annual evaluation. Experienced evaluators will hear students perform selected literature, technical elements, and sight-reading. Each student will receive a comprehensive assessment of progress that will be printed out by their teacher. Students will also complete a written theory exam that includes an ear-training component.
Each student will receive a certificate for successfully completing all four areas of the examination. Students can earn up to 4 points per year for successful completion of each area of the examination. When they have achieved 12 points, they will be awarded a trophy.
The fees for participation in 2020 range from $28 to $50, depending on the level of enrollment.
Repertoire Requirements (1 trophy point is earned if the average of combined repertoire scores is 6 or above)
2-4 pieces of repertoire is required based on the student's level. Teachers will select a repertoire program based on varying styles and techniques. Different composers must be selected. You may use the "Suggested Repertoire List" list on Musicians West as a guideline for leveling, but you DO NOT have to select a piece that is on this list. ALL songs selected for each student must be 'at or above' the respective levels represented in this list. Each level will still have a set time limit with the judges and students will be asked to stop playing if they go longer than the allotted time.
Young Beginner: 2 pieces by memory, 12 measures minimum, different composers, no arrangements, folk songs or hymns, varying styles & techniques, at or above level. TVMTA required Young Beginners to have 2 Repertoire pieces. This is different than the Musician’s West Website.
Preparatory through Level 2: 2 pieces by memory, different composers, no arrangements, folk songs or hymns, varying styles & techniques, at or above level.
Level 3 through Level 5: 3 pieces, at least 2 by memory, different composers, no arrangements, folk songs or hymns, varying styles & techniques, at or above level.
Level 6 through Level 10: 4 pieces, at least 2 by memory, different composers, no arrangements, folk songs or hymns, varying styles & techniques, encompassing multiple time periods, at or above level.
REPERTOIRE LENGTH:
Each level has a set number of minutes allotted for the judge. All repertoire selected must be at the registered level or above. Repertoire cannot exceed the time limit set for each level. Judges will end the evaluation after the allotted time.
Young Beginner-Level 2 Repertoire Max Length: 5 minutes
Level 3-Level 5 Repertoire Max Length: 10 minutes
Level 6-Level 7 Repertoire Max Length: 20 minutes
Level 8-Level 9 Repertoire Max Length: 25 minutes
Advanced/Level 10 Repertoire Max Length: 35 minutes including Etude
Technique Requirements (1 trophy point earned if technique score is 6 or above)
2019 Technique Requirement List
Level 10 (Advanced Level)—Student will be required to play an Etude instead of the technique listed for Level 10. The Etude must be approved by the COA 2020 Committee. Please send your Etude selection to the 2020 COA Chair Andrea Hansen, NCTM ahpianostudio@cableone.net to have it approved BEFORE your student begins working on the piece. A decision will be made by the COA Committee in less than 1 week.
Theory Requirements (1 trophy point earned if the combined theory & aural skills score is 70% or higher)
We are working with Musicians West to establish a list of guidelines for what the theory requirements for each level will be. In the past students have prepared for the theory tests using the Keith Snell Fundamentals of Theory books for each level (except for the Young Beginners). We will continue to use that as the guideline until we hear something different from Musicians West. Young Beginner Requirements will include: identifying line & space notes, identifying high notes and low notes on a staff, steps & skips, the music alphabet, drawing notes including quarter, half, whole, dotted half, matching music symbols such as dynamics, tempo, bass clef, treble clef, staff, etc.
You can purchase past tests to use as practice tests at the following link: http://musicianswestregister.com You will need to create a new account if you haven’t created one previously. Click on “Online Store” to purchase past tests.
The theory test will include an Aural Skills portion. Here is the link to the Aural Skills syllabus
Here is the link to examples of the Aural Skills Test
Sight Reading Requirements (1 trophy point earned if score is 6 or above)
Sight reading will be required on ALL levels including the Young Beginner level starting COA 2020.
TROPHIES
1st Level Trophy = 12 cumulative points
2nd Level Trophy = 24 cumulative points
3rd Level Trophy = 36 cumulative points
Advanced/Level 10 Medal = Any student who completes this level will receive a medal
2020 IMPORTANT EVENT DATES
January 6-18, 2020---COA Phase I--To Register/Edit Student
February 3-15, 2020---COA Phase II--To Enter Student Repertoire
March 6, 2020---Student Schedules Available
March 9-21, 2020---COA Phase III--To Enter Volunteers
April 18, 2020--Certificate of Achievement @ Morrison Center
April 25, 2020--Certificate of Achievement--Make up Day
April 30, 2020--Certificate of Achievement--Path B Completed
2020 PARTICIPATION FEES
Young Beginner---$28
Prep-Level 2---$32
Level 3-Level 5---$36
Level 6-Level 8---$42
Level 9-Advanced---$50
Certificate of Achievement will be exclusively online registration with payments through Paypal. Registration will be open from January 6-18, 2020. No late registrations will be accepted.
PLEASE NOTE: There is an additional charge if your student chooses to use Make-Up Day or Path B. Please see information below!!
If there are any comments, questions, or concerns please contact the 2020 Certificate of Achievement Chair, Andrea Hansen, NCTM at ahpianostudio@cableone.net or (208) 250-9885.
MAKE-UP DAY
The decision was made to keep Make Up Day at only ½ day. Those spots will be filled on a first-come first-serve basis. Any other students that cannot participate on the original day will need to schedule a Path B.
There will be an additional $20 fee charged to any student who chooses to use Make-Up Day or Path B. This fee will be payable to TVMTA via Paypal before the student’s evaluation form will be available for the judge.
For more information about Path B, see below.
PATH B
If you have a student that was registered for the original event that cannot play for the judge on the day of Certificate of Achievement or the Make-Up Day (due to health issues, injury, etc) you have the option of taking "Path B" after the event is over.
The student MUST still be registered for the original event and pay those fees plus an additional $20 fee. This fee will be payable to TVMTA via Paypal before the student’s evaluation form will be available for the judge.
The "Path B" option allows you to administer the theory test and ear training to your student. You will grade them yourself and send the scores to the COA Chair. You may borrow an ear training CD for this purpose after the main COA event is over.
You are responsible for hiring a judge on your own to listen to and score your student on their repertoire, technique, and sight reading.
Please contact Andrea Hansen, NCTM ahpianostudio@cableone.net or (208) 250-9885 to make arrangements for the online judging system to be set up and opened for the judge you have chosen.
Students who choose Path B are also responsible to pay the additional judging fee to compensate that judge for their time. This must be paid directly to the judge the day of their Path B evaluation. These fees are set based upon the time needed to judge each level. Please make sure your student understands and pays these fees:
Young Beginner-Level 2 = $6.00 (12 minutes)
Level 3-Level 5 = $10 (20 minutes)
Level 6-Level 7 = $15 (30 minutes)
Level 8-Level 9 = $17.50 (35 minutes)
Advanced = $20 (40 minutes)