'Frame-work of Checklists' to Evaluate a Piece of Music

As teachers, we are dealing with different kinds of students, each of whom would be on slightly different tracks of learning.

So it becomes imperative that we have as frame-work through which we decide what pieces to do with a student, and why to avoid certain pieces.

I am sure every teacher has their own 'Frame-work of Checklists', and as a teacher gains experience, the checklists become intuitive.

In India, as mentioned in an earlier post, we follow the UK Based Exam Systems. And each of the Boards have their own Syllabuses that they put out from Grades 1-8.

(There are Pre-Grade Levels, and Diplomas beyond Grade 8, but this topic is mainly to deal with the Grades)

When I first started Teaching the Middle and Higher Grades (Grades 3 and above), I figured that my Teaching Style would have to be different as compared to to the way I was teaching the Lower Grades and Levels. This was because, in the lower levels, even if I taught students Note by Note across different lessons, we had enough time in the year to finish the syllabus and move on to other Activities and Repertoire.

But, as students progressed to the Middle and Higher Grades, a greater sense of Collaboration was required between Teacher and Student. And as a Teacher, I needed to help students take responsibility for their work much earlier.

This helped me think about 'Frame-work of Checklists' to use when deciding if a piece is appropriate for a student.

This exercise helped clarify in my mind what 'vocabulary' to use with students, and how to let them take responsibility by delegating certain activities for them to work on.

So, here is my 'Frame-work of Checklists' through which I study each piece from

A - TECHNICAL SKILLS

- Does it use scale, arpeggio, chords/triad patterns that student already knows?

- Are there Leaps / Transitions that the student can Handle?

- Are the Hand Spans and Hand Shapes something that the student can execute in time without loss of technique?

- Are the Chords Inverted and does student know how to execute them?

- Are the Cadences and Chord Progressions familiar to the student?

- Are there lots of Accidentals in the Piece?

- Are there frequent Key Changes in the Piece?

- Is there frequent Register Changes in the Piece?

- What is the Pedaling Requirement of the Piece?

- Can student perform at specified Tempi?

- Does student have endurance of Focus and Technique for the Piece

B - HANDS TOGETHER REQUIREMENT

- How many Voices are being played together at a Time?

- Are there Hand Shifts happening constantly?

- Where is the Melody? LH or RH?

- How thick are the Chords? How many Notes are played together at the same time?

- What style of Accompaniment Pattern is used?

- Are the melodies Singable?

- Is the Piece in Percussive Style or Singing Style?

C - RHYTHMIC REQUIREMENTS

- Are there dotted Notes?

- Are there Triplets?

- Does the Piece Use Swing?

- Is there 2-against-3, or 3-against-4 Rhythm?

- Are there very Small Note Values (Semiquavers and below)

- Is the Syncopation in the Piece?

- Any Irregular Meter?

- Are there Changes of Meter?

- Is there Rubato used?

- Are there Tempo Variations?

D - MUSICAL REQUIREMENTS

- Are there variety of Articulations and Contrasting Articulations?

- Will the Student be able to shape the Dynamics of the Phrases?

- How is Voicing requirements? - Voicing Melody on Top of Chords

- How is the Balance between the Parts?

- Can the student perform the Ornamentation?

- Is student able to handle the Texture?

- Can the student demonstrate Changes in Character?

- Has the student dealt with this Style of Compositions?

- Has student played other music of Same Composer (or Era) at easier levels?

- Has student

NOTE : I haven't Explicitly enlisted 'THEORETICAL REQUIREMENTS', even though it might desirable for many Teachers is because

(i) I have observed that in the Graded Exams, right from Grade 1 onward there are Pieces from Styles such as Jazz, Modal Music, Irregular time, etc which are beyond the Theoretical Scope of students but within the Playing Scope

(ii) Just because a student knows the Theory, doesn't translate to them being able to execute a piece unless they've dealt with a similar style or arrangement at a lower degree of difficulty

(iii) I have included Theoretical Concepts under MUSICAL REQUIREMENTS, without necessarily labeling it as such

What are your 'Frame-work of Checklists', do share