District Solo & Ensemble Festival
To thoroughly prepare your solo or ensemble, you should be able to answer the following questions. These are all based on the 7 elements of music and are terms and concepts discussed in class throughout the year.
Form
What is the structure of this piece?
How is it organized?
What compositional devices does it include?
Rhythm
What are the primary motives?
Is there syncopation or complexity?
Is the meter simple or compound?
Melody
What is the tonality-major, minor, modal or a combination?
Is there a melodic motive?
Harmony
Identify and modulations, dissonance and suspensions.
Timbre
How does the timbre reflect the text, title or mood?
Texture
Is this piece primarily homophonic, monophonic, or polyphonic?
How does the composer contrast textures and what effect does that create?
Expression
What are the dynamics, phrases articulations and tempi for this piece?
How and when is each element used and applied?
Form
What is the structure of this piece?
How is it organized?
What compositional devices does it include?
Rhythm
What are the primary motives?
Is there syncopation or complexity?
Is the meter simple or compound?
Melody
What is the tonality-major, minor, modal or a combination?
Is there a melodic motive?
Harmony
Identify and modulations, dissonance and suspensions.
Timbre
How does the timbre reflect the text, title or mood?
Texture
Is this piece primarily homophonic, monophonic, or polyphonic?
How does the composer contrast textures and what effect does that create?
Expression
What are the dynamics, phrases articulations and tempi for this piece?
How and when is each element used and applied?
