Keyboard for Trinity Grade 2

This 24-hour beginner-friendly online course offers one class per week, taught by our most experienced and qualified teachers. Get personalized guidance and start your certification journey with assurance!

1. Music Notation & Theory

• Reading and interpreting musical notation with accidentals, key signatures, and rhythmic patterns.
• Understanding ties, slurs, and more complex articulation (staccato, legato, accents).
• Recognizing basic musical forms and phrasing.
• Identifying and applying dynamic markings (pp, ff) and expressive terms.

 

2. Keyboard Exercises

• Student should play one of the following scales in the right hand (RH), accompanied by chords I, IV, and V7 in the left hand (LH)
• F major
• E harmonic minor (candidate’s choice)

 

3. Scales & Chord Knowledge

 

Scales (hands separately)

• F major
• E minor (candidate’s choice of harmonic, melodic, or natural minor)
• Mixolydian scale on F
• Dorian scale on E
• Blues scale on E
•  E minor pentatonic
• F major pentatonic

 

Chromatic scale

• In similar motion starting on F
• Chord progressionI-IV-V7-I in the following keys
• F major
• E minor

 

4. Repertoire

Perform three contrasting pieces from the Trinity Grade 2 syllabus, focusing on:

• Rhythmic accuracy and correct articulation.
• Expressive dynamics, phrasing, and musical interpretation.
• Demonstrating style and character of the piece.

 

5. Sight Reading

• Candidates will be given 30 seconds of preparation time.
• Perform a previously unseen musical extract at a level approximately two grades lower than the exam being taken.

 

6. Aural Skills

• Answer questions based on a single musical example played by the examiner.
• Identify:
• Pitch and rhythm changes.
• Dynamics and articulation differences.
• Recognition of melodic and rhythmic patterns.

 

7. Hanon Exercises

• Hanon Exercise No. 3 or 4:
• Focus on strengthening finger independence and coordination.
• Practice with both legato and staccato articulation.

 

8. Practice Tips

• Divide larger pieces into smaller sections and practice hands separately before combining.
• Focus on accurate fingering and smooth transitions between chords.
• Pay attention to dynamic marks and articulation for expressive performance.
• Use a metronome to maintain steady tempo and rhythm.

 

9. Assessment Methods

• Performance evaluation based on repertoire, sight-reading, and aural skills. 
• Accuracy, musicality, and technical proficiency are key assessment criteria. 
• Graded on fluency, expression, and confidence during the exam.