Music Literacy Assessment

Individuals who have not studied music theory at the college level are required to take the Music Literacy Assessment. This exam takes place near the beginning of the first semester of music study at EMU. No advance preparation is necessary, but you must be able to read treble and bass clef.

Practice materials for this exam can be downloaded as PDF files:

Assessment Outline

  • Melody pitch identification
  • Melody rhythm identification
  • Melody pitch error detection
  • Identification of written pitches (treble and bass clefs)
  • Pitch singing
  • Melodic fragment singing
  • Sight singing of a short melody
  • Sight reading of short rhythmic patterns

Music Theory Advanced Placement Exam

Individuals who have studied college-level music theory previously are encouraged to take the Music Theory Advanced Placement Examination. This exam takes near the beginning of the first semester of music study at EMU. Students are advised to review music theory and aural skills materials they have previously studied prior to taking the exam. The Music Theory Advanced Placement Examination may be taken only one time. Individuals electing to take the Music Theory Advanced Placement Exam who have never taken theory and aural skills at a college or university will be required to also take the Music Literacy Assessment (see above). Transfer students who elect not to take the Music Theory Advanced Placement Examination are required to take the Music Literacy Assessment (see above).

Advanced Placement Examination Outline

  • Part One: Aural skills assessment
  • Part Two: Sight singing with solfège syllables
  • Part Three: Written assessment
  • Semester 1

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    • Clef identification
    • Pitch writing
    • Notation
    • Scales
    • Intervals
    • Triads
    • Scale degree names
    • Key signatures
    • Phrases
    • Cadences
    • Periods
    • Sequences
    • Roman numeral analysis
    • Non-harmonic tones
    • Textures
    • Species counterpoint
  • Semester 2

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    • Seventh chords
    • Secondary dominants
    • Four-part voice leading
    • Modulation
    • Roman numeral analysis
    • Two- and three-part forms
  • Semester 3

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    • Sixteenth-century motets
    • Eighteenth-century fugues
    • Borrowed chords
    • Neapolitan sixth chord
    • Augmented sixth chords
    • Roman numeral analysis
    • Sonata form
    • Variation technique
  • Semester 4

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    • Rondo forms
    • Ninth, 11th and 13th chords
    • Altered dominants
    • Chromatic mediants
    • Common-tone diminished seventh chords
    • Roman numeral analysis
    • Non-tonal scales
    • Non-tertian chords
    • Set theory
    • Twelve-tone technique

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