Roberts Wesleyan College Music Department
Theory Exam Description
On audition day, each student will take a written theory exam and an aural skills assessment. Students who have successfully passed the AP Theory Exam at the time of their audition are exempt from the written exam. Placement of transfer students, based on completed coursework elsewhere, will be determined on a case by case basis.
Written Theory Exam
The written theory exam does not affect acceptance into the music program or music scholarship opportunity. Rather, the purpose of the exam is to help the student and music faculty determine a student's readiness for Theory I. The exam covers the following material:
~ key signatures (major and minor)
~ scales (major and three forms of minor: natural, harmonic,
and melodic)
~ intervals (perfect, major, minor, diminished and augmented)
~ triads (major, minor, diminished and augmented) and their
inversions
Aural Skills Assessment
The Aural Skills assessment is used to determine a student's rhythmic and tonal skills through singing and chanting. The assessment is used to determine a student's readiness for Aural Skills I. The exam includes:
~ echo short melodic patterns
~ echo short rhythmic patterns
~ sing short melodies by ear and from notation