Certificate of Merit

[williampiano]

Earlier today I got back from my Certificate of Merit piano exams and I was wondering... Does anyone else here do CM? If so, what level are you on and what are you playing?

[sigill]

I just did level 8 a few weeks ago. I played Bach's Prelude 21 in B-flat Major (BWV 866, from the WTC book 1), Mozart's Sonata in A minor (K. 310), Gershwin's Prelude no. 1, and the third movement of Khachaturian's sonatina.

[williampiano]

Nice! Last weekend, I did level 8 also. I played Schumann's Aufschwung, Bach's Fugue in d minor from book 1, Bartok's Rondo on a Folk Tune no. 2 and Haydn's Sonata hob xvi 23 mov. 1. I didn't do as well as I'd hoped, but I'm pretty sure I passed  .

[cjp_piano]

what is CM?

[cbreemer]

I didn't do as well as I'd hoped, but I'm pretty sure I passed  .

Of course. Always more chance of passing when you're pretty 

[cjp_piano]

Are you talking about the Carnegie Achievement Program's Certificate of Merit?

[williampiano]

Are you talking about the Carnegie Achievement Program's Certificate of Merit?

No. I'm talking about Music Teacher's Association of California Certificate of Merit. It's a yearly exam for piano students in California which consists of ten levels where students are tested on scale skills, sight reading, theory and playing repertoire.

[sigill]

I got my results back the day after I took it (theory and performance both), so yours shouldn't be long in coming. Also, aren't their 11 levels: prep, 1 to 9, and advanced? It always struck me as a weird and results in odd constructions like "Level Advanced".

[cjp_piano]

No. I'm talking about Music Teacher's Association of California Certificate of Merit. It's a yearly exam for piano students in California which consists of ten levels where students are tested on scale skills, sight reading, theory and playing repertoire.

Ok, so basically it's the same thing.

[williampiano]

Ok, so basically it's the same thing.

I wouldn't know. I've never heard of Carnegie Achievement Program's CM.

I got my results back the day after I took it (theory and performance both), so yours shouldn't be long in coming.

That's good to know, because I was expecting the wait to be about two weeks or so. My next lesson is coming up soon, so it'll be nice to know how I did.

Also, aren't their 11 levels: prep, 1 to 9, and advanced? It always struck me as a weird and results in odd constructions like "Level Advanced".

Sorry, I'd forgotten there was a preparatory level. And, I usually call the advanced level "level ten". I don't really know why, but it just seems a little more fitting.

[sigill]

I've done it twice, and both times gotten it back within a few days. I guess it all depends on how fast they grade the theory tests in your area. How hard did you find the level 8 test?

I don't really know why, but it just seems a little more fitting.

It's because adjectives are supposed to go before the noun, so unless its a well-known phrase like "time immemorial", it sounds weird.

[williampiano]

How hard did you find the level 8 test?

My teacher said that the level 8 test this year was very hard, and big jump from level 7. I honestly agreed with her, but mainly because I wasn't very prepared. I think if I'd prepared more and a bit earlier, it may have been easier. What did you think of it?

[sigill]

The last one I took was level 6, so it was definitely a big jump for me, although I think the only completely new topic in level 8 is modulation. The hardest part for me was actually the listening section, since I hadn't practiced that at all, but music theory in general has always been hard for me.

[cjp_piano]

I wouldn't know. I've never heard of Carnegie Achievement Program's CM.

https://www.theachievementprogram.org/

It was originally with the Royal Conservatory Canada, now it's partnered with Carnegie. Gaining popularity throughout the US