STANDARDS
Part of NMEC Jury and Artistic Committee
Dan Riddle / Pianist and Conductor
Music Director of the School of Theatre
The Pennsylvania State University
Music Director of the School of Theatre. BM, MM, The Juilliard School (Piano Performance) Diplom, Hochshule fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Vienna, Piano and Conducting, (Fulbright recipient). Winner of numerous international piano competitions. Performed as concerto soloist with the orchestras of Cleveland, Dallas, Monte Carlo, Cairo (Egypt), among others. In New York conducted the Broadway productions of Les Miserables, Titanic, A Class Act, Oklahoma, Into the Woods, Mamma Mia, Bombay Dreams, and The Light in the Piazza. Since arriving at Penn State has been music director at Wolftrap, National Theatre of Taiwan, Kansas City Starlight and The MUNY, as well as guest conductor for the Youngstown and Hartford Symphonies. Recently music directed the collegiate premiere of The Light in the Piazza at Indiana University School of Opera in Bloomington.
Irina Piliposyan / Solo Pianist
Piano Soloist of former Soviet National Symphony Orchestra
Irina Piliposyan received her Bachelor Degree in Music from the College of Music in the former USSR , Armenia . She later went on to study at the Komitas Conservatory. After earning her Master's Degree in Piano Performance she went on to perform as a soloist throughout the former USSR and Romania . Shortly after, as a result of a national competition Ms. Piliposyan was invited to perform as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra.
Since 1993 Ms Piliposyan has lived in the United States where she continues a successful career as a piano teacher. Among her students many have won prestigious music competitions.
Johana Krejci / Violinist
The manager of the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony
Johana Krejci, B.A. in Music Performance, studied violin at the Prague.
Conservatoire with Nora Grumlikova, in Royal Academy of Music with Trevor Williams and at USC with Eudice Shapiro. Johana has traveled all over the world playing for the Prague Chamber Opera as well as various pop artists. She has made her home in Los Angeles where she has played violin for artists such as Neil Diamond, Barbara Streisand and Johnny Mathis. Johana regularly performs in TV shows (X-Factor, Voice, Family Guy) and motion pictures. Johana has been the manager of the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony for the past thirteen years and has collaborated with various chamber music groups.
Vahe Hayrikyan / Violoncello
The principal cellist of the National Symphony orchestra and National Chamber Orchestra
Vahe Hayrikyan is a graduate of the Tchaikovsky School of Music, a special school for talented students in the former USSR . He earned his Master's Degree at the Komitas Conservatory of Music, where he studied with the esteemed Professor Talalian and his Doctorate Degree at the Moscow Conservatory of Music. He is a winner of the First Prize in the Third Transcaucasian Music Competition and Third Prize at the Soviet National Cello Competition. Mr. Hayrikyan has served as principal cellist of the National Symphony orchestra and National Chamber Orchestra under the world-renowned conductors Khachaturyan, Barshay, Mravinsky and Gergiev. He has taught cello and chamber music at the Central College and the Komitas State Conservatory of Music.
Since his arrival in the United States in 1990 Mr. Hayrikyan, in addition to performing many solo recitals, has been performing with the Pasadena, Glendale , and Burbank Symphonies, the Mozart Camerata, the South Bay Chamber Orchestra and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. He is also a member of the Khachaturyan String Quartet, with which he has performed in famous venues in the country, including Carnegie Hall. Mr. Hayrikyan also maintains an active studio of private instruction.
Majors Overviews
Merit Certification Standards
Merit I to III
Notes and Accidentals
Time Signatures (include 2/4, 3/4, 4/4)
Key Signatures (include C Major, G Major, D Major, F Major)
Scale and Modes (include Main chords)
Signs and Terms (Dynamics, Tempo)
Merit IV
Notes and Accidentals
Time Signatures (include 2/2, 3/2, 4/2, 3/8)
Key Signatures (include D Major, A Major, B♭Major, G Major) and Relations Minor
Scale and Modes (include the above-tuning)
Intervals (include Major, Minor and etc.)
Signs and Terms (Dynamics, Tempo, Character)
Merit V
Notes and Accidentals
Time Signatures (include 6/8, 9/8, 12/8)
Intervals (include Major, Minor and etc.)
Key Signatures (include E Major, A♭Major, g minor and f# minor) and Relations Minor
Scale and Modes (include Analysis the above-tuning)
Signs and Terms (Dynamics, Tempo, Character)
Merit VI
Notes and Accidentals
Time Signatures (include 6/8, 9/8, 12/8)
Intervals (include Major, Minor, Augmented and Diminished)
Key Signatures (include B Major, D♭Major, g# minor and b♭minor) and Relations Minor
Scale and Modes (include Analysis the above-tuning)
Triads (include Major, Minor)
Signs and Terms (Character or Style, Articulation, and Ornaments).
Merit VII
Time Signatures (include 5/4, 8/5, 7/4, 7/8)
Intervals (include Harmonic and Melodic)
Key Signatures (include F# Major, G♭Major, d# minor and e♭minor)
Scale and Modes (include Analysis the above-tuning)
Diatonic and Chromatic Half Steps
Primary and Secondary Triads (include Major, Minor)
Signs and Terms (Articulation and Ornaments)
Transposition
Merit VIII
Intervals (include Harmonic and Melodic)
Triads (include Qualities, two Intervals), Figured Bass
Scale and Modes
Diatonic and Chromatic Half Steps
Primary and Secondary Triads (include Augmented , Diminished)
Cadences
Merit IX
Intervals (include Harmonic and Melodic)
Triads (include Qualities, two Intervals)
Seventh Chords (include Qualities, three Intervals, Diminished Seventh Chords)
Key Signatures (include G♭Major, C♭Major, a# minor and d# minor)
Scale and Modes (include Analysis the above-tuning)
Primary and Secondary Triads (include Augmented ,Diminished)
Cadences
Modulation with a Secondary Dominant
Contrapuntal Techniques
Merit X
Notes, Time Signatures, Intervals, Triads, Seventh Chords ,Key Signatures, Cadences, Modulation, Contrapuntal Techniques, Signs and Terms, Transposition, Polyphonic Texture and Homophonic Texture
Exam Scores: 100 points
Answers: 50 questions
Faculty Certification Standards
Standard I: Professional Certificate
A. Knowing and Performing Music
Competent music teachers possess a significant understanding of and facility on their performing instrument(s). They demonstrate a specialized knowledge in a performance area as they provide students with comprehensive, sequential instruction. They have substantial knowledge of music theory, music history/literature, and pedagogy/teacher education.
B. Knowing and Understanding Students
Competent music teachers have knowledge and understanding of students’ physical, social and cognitive growth and past musical experiences. They assimilate this knowledge to develop a course of study and to prepare instruction that meets the needs of each student while cultivating positive and productive relationships.
Standard II: Faculty Certificate
A. Planning Courses of Study
Competent music teachers plan courses of study for their students on a regular basis using a wide range of music, musical concepts and materials.
B. Facilitating Music Learning
Competent music teachers foster students’ interest and facilitate their musical learning by using a variety of resources, equipment, technology, materials, methods, music and teaching styles and strategies.
C. Fostering an Educational Environment
Competent music teachers provide and cultivate settings that are conducive to learning and performance, and that are inclusive of students and families from varied backgrounds, cultures and capabilities. They provide settings for a course of study that encourage student confidence, independence, teamwork and high achievement.
D. Assessing Musical Growth
Competent music teachers utilize multiple evaluation methods regularly to assess and convey the progress of students' musical growth and performance, and to gather data for planning subsequent courses of study.
Standard III: Advanced Certificate
A. Contributing to the Profession
Competent music teachers contribute to the professional growth of their colleagues, their studios and schools, their professional associations and to their profession at large.
B. Building Partnerships
Competent music teachers understand and appreciate the unique position that the family unit, colleagues, and the community play in the musical education of students. They actively seek opportunities to build and nurture partnerships with them.
C. Evaluating Professional Growth
Competent music teachers continually evaluate their personal teaching philosophy. They regularly assess their teaching and their professional growth to expand their knowledge and improve their teaching.
D. Continuing Education
Competent music teachers enhance their understanding of current pedagogical materials and methods, technology and business management through continuing education.