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Study Guide

Field 099: Music Education
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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Subarea 1—LISTENING SKILLS

Objective 001
Understand the elements of melody in a musical performance.

1. Which of the following melodic intervals is demonstrated in this example? (The example will be played twice.)

excerpt of musical notation

The diagram shows two measures of a bass clef stave. The first measure has a whole note, sharped, on the first ledger line below the stave. The second measure has a whole note, sharped, on the first space from the bottom.

  1. major third
  2. perfect fifth
  3. minor sixth
  4. perfect fourth
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

2. Which of the following scales is per­formed in this example? (The example will be played twice.)

excerpt of musical notation

The diagram shows 4 measures of a treble clef with three flats in 2 4 time. The tempo marking is Moderato, a quarter note = 100. The dynamic marking is mf. There are 14 eighth notes and a quarter note, all tied, in a simple ascending, descending scale, beginning and ending on C5. The sixth and seventh notes are natural, and the ninth and tenth notes are flat.

  1. blues
  2. melodic minor
  3. whole tone
  4. major
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Objective 004
Understand form, structure, texture, style, and the use of expressive elements in a musical performance.

3. Which of the following embellishments is featured in this excerpt?

[Excerpt: Romantic orchestral work. (NOTE TO THE EXAMINEE: A description of the excerpt will not appear in the test booklet. This description is presented here only as an aid for preparing for the test.)]

  1. mordent
  2. tremolo
  3. appoggiatura
  4. turn
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Subarea 2—MUSIC THEORY

Objective 007
Understand the elements of melody.

4. Which of the following melodic intervals is an inverted minor third?

Each response is a treble clef with two whole notes.

  1. D4 flat, B4 flat.
  2. A4, C5 sharp.
  3. B4 flat, G5 flat.
  4. E4, B4.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Objective 009
Understand the elements of rhythm and tempo.

5. When the term molto rallentando appears over two measures of score, it indicates that the music in those measures should be played:

  1. with a very gradual slowing of the tempo.
  2. at a somewhat moderate tempo.
  3. at a somewhat broader tempo.
  4. with a very sudden quickening of the tempo.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Objective 010
Understand form, texture, style, and the use of expressive elements in music.

6. Rounds like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" feature which of the following types of musical textures?

  1. polyphonic
  2. monophonic
  3. chordal
  4. homophonic
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

Subarea 3—MUSIC HISTORY

Objective 011
Understand the development of European music from the Middle Ages to 1750.

7. In the operas and instrumental works of the late Baroque period, which of the following gave performers an opportunity to make a substantial addition to the composer's written score?

  1. diminution
  2. cadenza
  3. arpeggio
  4. coda
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Objective 012
Understand the development of European music from 1750 to the present.

8. Composers writing instrumental program music in the Romantic period most typically sought to:

  1. produce forms with clarity and balance.
  2. portray emotions or suggest thematic material.
  3. create noise-like or percussive sounds.
  4. display instrumental virtuosity.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Objective 013
Understand the musics in the Americas, including the United States, within their cultural and historical contexts.

9. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein made their most significant contributions to the music of the United States in which of the following genres?

  1. Tin Pan Alley songs
  2. jazz
  3. opera
  4. the Broadway musical
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Objective 014
Understand the world musics, including Africa, Asia, and Oceania, within their cultural contexts.

10. Which of the following musical genres originated in Trinidad and features witty and satirical lyrics that address political and social topics?

  1. samba
  2. calypso
  3. reggae
  4. merengue
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.

Subarea 4—MUSIC CREATION AND PERFORMANCE

Objective 015
Understand techniques used in composition, improvisation, arrangement, and adaptation of music.

11. A music teacher is orchestrating an original piece for the high school full orchestra and working with a melody that requires both agility and fluidity. To which of the following instruments should the music teacher assign the melody to most effectively meet these performance requirements?

  1. French horn
  2. cello
  3. flute
  4. trombone
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Objective 016
Understand the elements of singing and vocal performance.

12. A middle school music teacher distributes copies of a new song to a mixed chorus. Before playing the song on the piano, the teacher reads the lyrics aloud, explains the meanings of unfamiliar words in the text, and describes the time period in which the song was written. By taking these steps, the teacher will best enhance which of the following elements of the choir's perfor­mance of the song?

  1. expressiveness
  2. articulation
  3. rhythm
  4. intonation
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.

13. Which of the following is a key element of proper posture for a singer?

  1. relaxed lower abdomen
  2. locked knees
  3. feet placed under the hips
  4. raised shoulders
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Objective 017
Understand instruments and instrumental performance.

14. Which of the following is the practical range for the trumpet in a high school marching band?

Each response is a treble clef with two whole notes.

  1. the fourth ledger line below the clef, flat, to the first ledger line above the clef.
  2. the first space below the clef to the first ledger line above the clef.
  3. the second space below the clef, flat, to the fourth ledger line above the clef.
  4. the third ledger line below the clef, sharp, to the second ledger line above the clef.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Objective 018
Understand rehearsal and conducting skills for musical ensembles.

15. A music teacher is evaluating the technical demands of choral literature for a middle school chorus with changing male voices. Which of the following elements of a choral piece would be most important for the teacher to look for?

  1. a melody with wide leaps
  2. a swift tempo
  3. sections of unison singing
  4. range of the voice parts
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.

Subarea 5—MUSIC EDUCATION

Objective 019
Understand the professional context of music education.

16. Which of the following factors provides the best foundation for music as a core academic subject?

  1. mandatory student participation
  2. a guaranteed budget
  3. a sequential curriculum
  4. broad community support
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Objective 020
Understand music pedagogy for general music and performance classes.

17. An elementary music teacher asks a group of fourth-grade students to map the layers of sound in a recording of a symphony orchestra. This type of lesson primarily focuses students' attention on which of the following elements of music?

  1. tempo
  2. dynamics
  3. form
  4. texture
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Objective 022
Understand the importance of an environment conducive to the learning and performance of music.

18. At the beginning of the school year, the vocal music and instrumental music teachers meet to discuss important events during the school year for their groups. After meeting, they each place dates for these events on the district-wide yearly school schedule as quickly as possible. Taking these steps will most likely benefit their program in which of the following ways?

  1. reminding administrators that music groups are important
  2. limiting scheduling conflicts with other programs
  3. increasing the number of students in music classes
  4. reducing the number of times music students miss classes
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Objective 023
Understand the use of technology in music and music education.

19. If students use sound effects such as reverb and phaser in electronic compositions, which of the following elements of their work will be most significantly affected?

  1. tempo
  2. form
  3. timbre
  4. harmony
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Objective 024
Understand careers in music and the profession of a music educator.

20. For which of the following music profes­sions would it be most important for a music student to have knowledge of the behavioral and physical sciences?

  1. sound editing
  2. music editing
  3. studio arranging
  4. music therapist
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.