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Students entering any of the B.Mus. or L.Mus. programs should be prepared to demonstrate, in a Keyboard Proficiency Test, keyboard skills sufficient to enable them to use the piano as a tool in their studies at McGill.

Those who are unable to do so must register continuously for Keyboard Proficiency MUSP 170 until they successfully complete the course. Majors in Jazz Performance and Faculty Jazz must enrol in MUJZ 170. Students who have been admitted to a degree or diploma program with piano, organ, harpsichord, or fortepiano as their principal instrument are exempt from the MUSP 170 test (but not from MUSP 171). Students who have been admitted to a degree or diploma program with jazz piano or jazz guitar as their principal instrument are exempt from both MUJZ 170 and MUJZ 171 tests.

The requirements of the Keyboard Proficiency Test are as follows:

1. Sight-reading (simple two-part piece using treble, bass, and alto clefs).
2. Technique (scales, triads, and arpeggios). Two octaves, hands together.
3. Prepared piece (contrapuntal texture in two or three parts, or simple homophonic textures, level equivalent to McGill Conservatory Secondary III).
4. Keyboard rudiments (recognition/playing of intervals, chords, scalar patterns, etc.).

Students will not be allowed to proceed with higher-level Musicianship or Theory studies until these requirements are met. Exact test dates are determined by the Department of Music Research.