Piano for Trinity Grade 5 by Angel Nivetha Rajam C

This 36-hour intermediate online course offers one class per week, led by our highly experienced and skilled instructors. Enhance your skills with personalized guidance and take the next step in your certification journey with confidence!


1. Musical Words and Symbols

• Dynamic and articulation marks: Pedal signs for piano/keyboard, sotto voce, una corda, smorzando, rinforzando, and their abbreviations where applicable.
   
• Tempo and expression markings: Agitato, arpeggiando, con forza, energico, grave, larghetto, appassionato, fuoco, morendo, niente, quasi, risoluto, rubato, scherzando, secondo, stringendo, tempo giusto.


2. Music Theory and Harmony

• Time signatures of 4/2, 6/4, and 7/4.
• Understanding modulation between related keys and identifying modulations in a piece.
• Knowledge of diminished and dominant 7th chords.
• Intervals including major and minor 7ths.
• Understanding counterpoint and melodic phrasing.
• Identifying the key of a piece in Ab, Db, E, or B major, and F, Bb, or C# minor.
   

3. Scales and Arpeggios

(All scales two octaves, hands together)


Major scales: B and Db major.


Minor scales: Bb and G# minor (candidate’s choice of harmonic or melodic).


Chromatic scales: Similar motion starting on C# and Db, contrary motion (left hand starting on C, right hand starting on E).


Contrary motion scale: Bb major and G harmonic minor (two octaves, hands together).


Arpeggios: Major and minor arpeggios for all keys above, hands together, two octaves.


Diminished 7th arpeggios: Starting on B.


4. Repertoire

Perform three contrasting pieces from the Trinity Grade 5 syllabus, focusing on:

• Technical accuracy, articulation, and control.
• Expressive use of dynamics and phrasing.
• Interpretation of style and character appropriate to the piece.

 

5. Writing the tune

• Compose a 12-16 bar melody using major & minor scales demonstrating understanding of musical structure and phrasing.
• Apply expressive dynamics, articulation, and cadential points to enhance the overall musical character of the tune.

 

6. Aural Training

• Identify the tonality as major or minor.
• Recognize modulations from tonic to dominant, and tonic to relative minor.
• Identify cadences (perfect, imperfect, and plagal).
• Distinguish intervals up to an octave (minor, major, perfect).


7. Practice Tips

• Break down technical exercises into smaller sections and practice slowly before increasing speed.
• Use hands-separate practice for difficult passages before combining them.
• Listen to professional recordings to understand phrasing and stylistic nuances.
• Build dexterity and velocity using Hanon No. 1–10, focusing on evenness and smooth transitions.


8. Assessment Methods

• Regular teacher evaluations on technique, musicality, and rhythmic precision.
• Mock exams simulating Trinity’s examination environment to build confidence.