TCL Grade 8 Keyboard Percussion

General Info

1. Candidates must be played on the instrument stated in the printed music. Where no instrument is specified, candidates should choose the most suitable instrument for performance.
2. Technical Works requires a four-octave instrument.
3. The use of the vibraphone pedal is required.
4. Sticks must be appropriate to the instrument played, and should be in good condition.
5. 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. Drum kit candidates choose two pieces with backing tracks and one unaccompanied piece, from a wide range of authentic styles including jazz, funk, show tunes, film, TV, Latin, reggae and swing. Percussionists choose from a varied selection of tuned percussion, timpani and snare drum pieces with accompanied and unaccompanied options. Candidates can further personalize their program by including an own composition.

Song List

Item	Works	Composer	Instrument	Publications	Publisher	Video
1	Blue Memories	Daniel Berg	Marimba	-	Edition Svitzer
2	Valiseeh	Tim Brice	Marimba	-	Southern Percussion
3	Etude in A flat, Op. 6, No. 2	Clair Omar Musser	Marimba	-	Southern Percussion	-
4	Etude in C, Op. 6, No. 10	Clair Omar Musser	Marimba	-	Southern Percussion	-
5	Yellow After the Rain	Mitchell Peters	Marimba	-	PetersM
6	Allegro - Adagio - Piu mosso or Andante - Poco meno mosso - Prestissimo	Ney Rosauro	Marimba	Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra (Rosauro)	ProPercussao
7	Taps in Tempo	Jan Berenska	Xylophone	-	Southern Percussion
8	Jovial Jasper	George Hamilton Green	Xylophone	Xylophone Rags	Meredith Music
9	Robin Harry	Lawrence Inns	Xylophone	-	Boosey & Hawkes
10	1st Movement or 3rd Movememt	Toshiro Mayuzumi	Xylophone	Concertino for Xylophone and Orchestra (Piano Version)	-	Edition Peters
11	Any two Movement	Thomas Pitfield	Xylophone	Sonata for Xylophone	Edition Peters
12	Tranquility for Solo Vibraphone	Murray Houllif	Vibraphone	-	Ludwig
13	My Dear Friend	Ney Rosauro	Vibraphone	-	ProPercussao

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 candidate's abilities in musical perception and understanding by requiring them to recognize musical features by ear. All questions are based on a single musical example played at the piano by the examiner.

About the Test

1. Listen to the piece once and Identify the time signature
2. Listen to the piece once and comment on the dynamics
3. Listen to the piece once and comment on the articulation
4. Listen to the piece twice and comment on three other characteristics of the piece
5. Study a copy of the piece, listen to it twice with three changes, locate and describe the changes as pitch or rhythm.

Supporting Publications

For practice purposes, sample Sight-reading tests are published by Trinity College London Press in Aural Tests Book 2 from 2017 (Grade 6-8). Purchasing the book is not a requirement.

Improvisation

This test assesses candidates’ ability to improvise fluently, coherently and creatively in response to a musical stimulus. Candidates can choose between three types of improvisation stimulus: stylistic, harmonic or motivic.

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.