Introduction and overview
An introduction to the pulse, metre and overall structure of the piece.
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Pieces - Grades 1-8
Mark
Pitch
Time
Tone
Shape
Performance
Distinction
27–30- Highly accurate notes and intonation
- Fluent, with flexibility where appropriate
- Rhythmic character well conveyed
- Well projected
- Sensitive use of tonal qualities
- Expressive, idiomatic musical shaping and detail
- Assured
- Fully committed
- Vivid communication of character and style
Merit
24–26- Largely accurate notes and intonation
- Sustained, effective tempo
- Good sense of rhythm
- Mainly controlled and consistent
- Good tonal awareness
- Clear musical shaping, well-realised detail
- Positive
- Carrying musical conviction
- Character and style communicated
Pass
20-23- Generally correct notes
- Sufficiently reliable intonation to maintain tonality
- Suitable tempo
- Generally stable pulse
- Overall rhythmic accuracy
- Generally reliable
- Adequate tonal awareness
- Some realisation of musical shape and/or detail
- Generally secure, prompt recovery from slips
- Some musical involvement
Below Pass
17-19- Frequent note errors
- Insufficiently reliable intonation to maintain tonality
- Unsuitable and/or uncontrolled tempo
- Irregular pulse
- Inaccurate rhythm
- Uneven and/or unreliable
- Inadequate tonal awareness
- Musical shape and detail insufficiently conveyed
- Insecure, inadequate recovery from slips
- Insufficient musical involvement
13-16
- Largely inaccurate notes and/or intonation
- Erratic tempo and/or pulse
- Serious lack of tonal control
- Musical shape and detail largely unrealised
- Lacking continuity
- No musical involvement
10-12
- Highly inaccurate notes and/or intonation
- Incoherent tempo and/or pulse
- No tonal control
- No shape or detail
- Unable to continue for more than a short section
0
- No work offered
- No work offered
- No work offered
- No work offered
- No work offered
Pitch
Accuracy, clarity and definition of notes and/or intonation
Time
Suitability of tempo, stability of pulse, sense of rhythm
Tone
Control and projection of the sound, sensitivity and awareness in use of tonal qualities
Shape
Effectiveness and clarity of musical shaping and detail
Performance
Overall command, involvement with the music, musical communication