Examinations in Italy

[Riccardo]

Peter_G_Moll asked me for the programs of the examinations of the italian conservatories. There are 3 piano exams: 5th, 8th and 10th year. There are also a theory and solfeggio exam (4th year), music history (7th year) and harmony (7th).
We can take these examinations even as "privatists" ( students of private teachers or music schools).

5th year:

1. Performance of 1 study drawn from 10 studies having different technics and 3 studies taken from the programs of the 4th and 5th year. (Czerny,Cramer, etc...)
2. Performance of 3 Bach pieces drawn from
    -English suites in A- and in G- (divided into 2 parts)
    -3 sinfonie
    Performance of 1 piece dawn from 3 by italian harpsicord-composers
3. A Mozart or Clementi sonata , or a Beethoven sonata (nn. 5, 6, 10, 14, 24.)

4. 1 of this compositions:
Chopin: Bolero.
             Improvviso n. 1 op.29
             Valse op. 34 n. 1; Valse op. 42; Valse op. 64 n. 3.
             Valse op.64 n.2
             Polonese op.26n.1
             6 preludes
Weber: Rondò brillante in E flat +.
            «Invitation à la valse».
Schubert: Improvviso in E flat +..
                Improvviso in G+ (G flat +)
Schumann: «Carnaval de Vienne» ,«Papillons» ,
                  From «Waldszenen» and «Albumblätter» 6 pieces or more.
Liszt: «Rossignol»
          1 Consolation.
Debussy: «Children's Corner»
Sgambati: Martucci: M. E. Bossi: a medium-difficult piece.

5. Sight reading of an easy composition. Major and minor (harmonic and melodic) scales, also in 3ths ad 6ths and "moto contrario"(sorry, but I don't know the translation).


8th year:

-Performance of a Scarlatti's sonata having "brilliant character" drawn from 3.
-Performance of a study drawn 24 hours before the exam from nn. 2, 5, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 26, 30, 32, 36, 44, 47, 58, 63, 65, 78, 86, 87, 88, 95, 96 from «Gradus ad Parnassum» ( Clementi).
-Performance of a prelude & fugue drawn  24 hours before the exam from 24 of the Well Tempered Clavier (12 from the 1st and 12 from the 2nd book)
-Performance of a study drawn from 2 of these(by different composers):
Moscheles: 1 of the studies n. 1, 3, 23 Op. 70.
Czerny: Toccata in c+.
Kessler: 1 of the studies in f-,c-,c+.
Mendelssohn: Study in b flat-, prelude in b min. Op. 104.
Thalberg: 1st study fromOp. 26.
Rubinstein: A study from Op. 23.
-A Beethoven sonata chosen from
: nn. 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 26.
-One of these:
Weber: Finale from 1st Sonata (moto perpetuo).
             Polonaise in e+
Schubert: Improvviso in b+ (142)
Mendelssohn: Variations serieuses.
                      Scherzo capriccio in f#min.
                      Rondò capriccioso.
Schumann: Romanza in d min.
                  In der Nacht, Traumeswirren , Aufschwung ( Phantasiestücke Op. 12).
                   Novelletta in d maj. (n. 2 from 4th edit. Peters).
Chopin: studies Op. 10: nn. 3, 5, 8. Op. 25: nn. 1, 2, 9.
              Improvviso  n. 3.
              Ballata 1, Ballata 3
              Berceuse
              Scherzo in b min
              Scherzo in c# min.
              Andante spianato e Polacca brillante Op. 22.
-1 of these:
Brahms: 2 Rapsodie Op. 79.
             Capriccio in b min.
             Intermezzi Op. 117
Gluck - Saint-Saëns: Capriccio su «Alceste».
Sgambati: Studio melodico.
Martucci: Studio Op. 47.
Debussy: «Jardins sous la pluie»,Danseuses de Delphe.
Ravel: Minuetto e Rigaudon from Tombeau de Couperin.
-Performance of a piece given 3 hours before ( closed in a room with piano)
-Sight reading of a medium piece.
-Discussion over technic. Scales in double 3ths and 6ths. Fingering of a piece. Interpreting ornaments. Lesson to a student from 1st to 6th year. Knowing piano origins, evolution, literature, quoting the most important themes and the most particular characters of the most important compositions, expecially concerts.


10th year(diploma):
 
Performance of pieces chosen from all these 4 groups. The musics must go on for at least 1 hour and not over 1 h 15.

Group N. 1

Bach:All the compositions.
             All the Liszt, Tausig, Busoni,D'Albert transcriptions.
Beethoven: sonatas from Op. 57 to Op. 111.
                   33 Variations over a Diabelli's theme
                   Rondò  Op. 129.
                  32 Variazione in c-

Group N. 2


M. Weber: Sonata in a flat+. (n. 2).
F. Schubert: Fantasia in c+
Schumann: Fantasia in c+
                  Carnaval Op. 9
                 Symphonics studies
F. Chopin: sonatas in b- and b flat-
                 3 of these:
                               Ballata n. 2
                               Ballata n. 4
                               Polonese op.44                               
                               Polonese op.53
                               Nocturns
                               Mazurkas
Liszt: Sonata in b-
          Scherzo e marcia
          Mephisto - Valtzer n. 1.
          Studi trascendentali: Mazeppa, or Feux Follets or in f min.
          1 of the 3 concert studies.

GROUP3:

Brahms: Paganini variations (1° and 2° book).
              Haendel variations;
             Rapsodia in e flat
C. Saint-Saëns:6studi Op. 100.
Franck: Preludio corale and Fuga;  Preludio, Aria and Finale.
Chabrier: Bourrée Fantasque;
Sgambati: Preludio e Fuga.
                 2 concert studies
Martucci: Theme and variations.
               Fantasia Op. 51.
E. Bossi: concert study in b flat -
               Moto perpetuo.


GROUP N. 4.


Balakirew: Islamey.
Liapunow: Studi trascendentali.
Mussorgsky: Tableau d'une exposition.
Scriabine: Studies
                 Sonatas
Debussy: Preludes
                Estampes.
                Studies
                Preludio, Sarabanda e Toccata.
Ravel: Alborada del Gracioso.
          Sonatina
          Gaspard de la Nuit.
          Jeux d'eau.
Albeniz: Iberia (tutta la serie).
Strawinsky: Sonata.
Bartok: Suite.
            Allegro Barbaro.
Compositions from famous italian contemporary composers
 -Knowing 2 piano concertos.(1 before Beethoven, 1 from Beethoven) Illustration of their characteristics with played examples .

[Daniel_piano]

Peter_G_Moll asked me for the programs of the examinations of the italian conservatories. There are 3 piano exams: 5th, 8th and 10th year. There are also a theory and solfeggio exam (4th year), music history (7th year) and harmony (7th).
We can take these examinations even as "privatists" ( students of private teachers or music schools).

This is not possible anymore now with the accademical reform
To take the examination one must regularly attend the conservatory lessons
Also, you forgot to mention that if you attend the conservatory instead of being a privatist you must take an examination each year
So they're not actually 3 piano examinations but 10 piano examination, one for each grade

Daniel

[Riccardo]

This is not possible anymore now with the accademical reform
To take the examination one must regularly attend the conservatory lessons
Also, you forgot to mention that if you attend the conservatory instead of being a privatist you must take an examination each year
So they're not actually 3 piano examinations but 10 piano examination, one for each grade

Daniel

I know that I ( I am a privatist) can still take the examinations. Perhaps it depends on the conservatory? Are you sure that I cannot finish with the old examinations?

[Daniel_piano]

I know that I ( I am a privatist) can still take the examinations. Perhaps it depends on the conservatory? Are you sure that I cannot finish with the old examinations?

The law is quite a mess so I think they have not yet established how to proceed with the new directives
I think that no new privatists examinations will be allowed but that for old privatists trying to complete their exams there might be a exception
It would be a good thing if id would depend on conservatory as this law is absurd and someone needs to protest against it

Anyway, don't panic, there should be no problems to you
As a matter of fact, if the law permits you to  take your examination as a privatist then go on and take it (but quickly) if the law doesn't permit you to take your examination as a privatist then you have the right of being admitted to attend the conservatory class without any age restriction or any audition
In fact the law says that the right of taking your examination as a privatis is denied AS LONG AS you're secured the right to attend the coservatory lessons and taking your examination as a conservatory student instead of privatist

Ask your school more information about the changes they had since the convalidation of the new Conservatory reform

Daniel

[Riccardo]

Thank you for the warning, Daniel. Perhaps I'm going to prepare a useless examination program...
I have discovered that, PERHAPS, privatists cannot take diploma examination any more; and, PERHAPS, I cannot take the 8th ( who knows what will happen in 2-3 years?). The situation is very confused, I must find out more information... thank you again.

[peter_g_moll]

Dear Riccardo,

Thanks very much for taking the trouble to write all of this out for us.  I am sure many members will find this informative and useful.

Two points you didn't mention are:

(a) memorization.  Is this required at level 5, 8, 10, and if so for all pieces or only a selection?

(b) pace of scales & arpeggios at levels 5, 8.  What is the m.m. marking required, assuming sixteenth notes/semiquavers?

Regards,


Peter

[Daniel_piano]

Dear Riccardo,

Thanks very much for taking the trouble to write all of this out for us.  I am sure many members will find this informative and useful.

Two points you didn't mention are:

(a) memorization.  Is this required at level 5, 8, 10, and if so for all pieces or only a selection?

Memorization is never required
In fact they rarely want you to memorize, they prefer you to always follow the score, even for scales

(b) pace of scales & arpeggios at levels 5, 8.  What is the m.m. marking required, assuming sixteenth notes/semiquavers?

Yes semiquavers
4 octaves extension



Daniel