TRAINING DIVISION (GRADES 4-7)

Training Divisions Policies and Procedures

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance at each of the following events is mandatory. STEP students are expected to plan for designated STEP events to ensure participation and attendance. If a student can't attend a required activity due to illness or family emergency, the Artistic Director [(978) 475 - 6330] and the Project STEP office must be notified in advance.

Students are expected to plan ahead for required events to ensure participation and attendance. Please do not sign up for extracurricular school events that conflict with Project STEP activities.

Attendance at the following events is required:
(Please consult the calendar for dates)

• All private lessons, theory classes, workshops, and orchestra/chamber music classes
• Master classes
• The Spring Recital and Community Service (students will perform)
• Two enrichment concerts in the Boston area (1 per semester) with two concert reports
• Two required Clinics with the Artistic Director (fall and spring semesters)
• Year-end performance exam

Students must contact the Artistic Director [(978) 475 - 6330] concerning participation in any outside musicial activities.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
Project STEP was designed to give the most talented students of color the training and support needed to become professional musicians. In order for this to happen, both musical AND academic excellence is required. To succeed in college or conservatory, young musicians need to have a strong academic background, good grades and SAT scores. Analytical thought is the cornerstone of being able to be an expressive and literate musician. A student who has weak academics will have trouble completing the course requirements in a college or conservatory and will have a more difficult time succeeding both in musical and other professions.

Most serious music students also tend to succeed in school. Balancing the rigors of academic and musical life is a challenge for all students, and developing the organizational skills to find this balance is very important to Project STEP. If your child is having academic problems, please contact STEP as soon as possible and we will try to help. The Project STEP staff, teachers and Board of Directors are excellent resources for advice on academic issues. Please do not hesitate to call the STEP office with any questions or concerns.

ANNUAL PROGRAM FEES AND FINANCIAL AID

Training Divisions annual program fee
The Pre-Training and Training Division annual program fee is $400. Payments of $200 are due at the beginning of each semester or according to a schedule jointly agreed upon by the family and Project STEP.

Financial aid
Financial aid is available for the program fee. Families who wish to apply should complete the Application for Financial Aid. Financial aid awards may cover the full amount of the program fee or a portion thereof. Families must reapply for financial aid each year. All information relative to the financial aid application is confidential. Applications are reviewed only by members of the Financial Assistance Committee of the Board of Directors. The Executive Director is informed of the decision and applies the aid to the fee balance.

TRAINING DIVISION EXAM AND AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the exam repertoire, a passing year-end grade in the theory class is required for each student.

At the twice-yearly exams, and for auditions, students must perform the following:

grades 4, 5, 6

Violin

1. Three scales and arpeggios in first and third position
2. Two contrasting studies addressing techniques such as: slow and melodic playing; perpetual motion, Martele or staccato
3. One movement of a concerto such as Vivaldi, or a piece of similar difficulty
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales and piece should be memorized.

Viola

1. Three scales and arpeggios in first and third position
2. Two contrasting studies addressing techniques such as: slow and melodic playing; perpetual motion, Martele or staccato
3. One movement of a concerto such as Teleman, or a piece of similar difficulty
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales and piece should be memorized.

Cello

1. Three scales and arpeggios in first and third position
2. Two contrasting studies addressing techniques such as: slow and melodic playing; perpetual motion, Martele or staccato
3. One movement of a concerto such as Vivaldi, or a piece of similar difficulty
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales and piece should be memorized.

Bass

1. Three scales and arpeggios in first and third position
2. Two contrasting studies addressing techniques such as: slow and melodic playing; perpetual motion, Martele or staccato
3. One movement of a concerto such as Capuzzi in D, or a piece of similar difficulty
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales and piece should be memorized.

grade 7

Violin

1. One major and one minor scale and one major and minor arpeggio in three octaves in legato and detached sixteenth notes
2. Two studies from Kayser, Mazas, Kreutzer, etc. addressing different techniques, such as
1. Slow and melodious
2. Double-stops
3. Perpetual motion, spiccato
4. Staccato
3. One fast movement from a classical concerto or sonata such as Haydn or Mozart, as well as one short slow piece exhibiting tone production
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales, arpeggios and concerto should be played by memory.

Viola

1. One major and one minor scale and one major and minor arpeggio in three octaves in legato and detached sixteenth notes
2. Two studies from Kayser, Mazas, Kreutzer, etc. addressing different techniques, such as
1. Slow and melodious
2. Double-stops
3. Perpetual motion, spiccato
4. Staccato
3. One fast movement from a classical concerto or sonata such as Telemann, J.C. Bach or Handel, as well as one short slow piece exhibiting tone production
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales, arpeggios and concerto should be played by memory.

Cello

1. One major and one minor scale and one major and minor arpeggio in three octaves in legato and detached sixteenth notes
2. Two studies from Krane, Schroeder, Popper, etc. addressing different techniques, such as
1. Slow and melodious
2. Double-stops
3. Perpetual motion, spiccato
4. Staccato
3. One fast movement from a classical concerto or sonata such as Ludwig Mendelssohn or J.C. Bach, as well as one short slow piece exhibiting tone production
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales, arpeggios and concerto should be played by memory.

Bass

1. One major and one minor scale and one major and minor arpeggio in three octaves in legato and detached sixteenth notes
2. Two studies addressing different techniques, such as
1. Slow and melodious
2. Double-stops
3. Perpetual motion, spiccato
4. Staccato
3. One fast movement from a classical concerto or sonata such as Diettersdorf, as well as one short slow piece exhibiting tone production
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales, arpeggios and concerto should be played by memory.

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