Music EC-12 Mulitiple Choice Q&A Flashcards

Question

What style of music traditionally is played by a sextet—a group consisting of two violins, a piano, a double bass, and two bandoneóns? a. Tango b. Salsa c. Flamenco d. Tejano

Answer 1

A: Tango, traditionally played to accompany its distinctive style of dance. Salsa, Flamenco, and Tejano music have varying influences and, as such, use a wide variety of instruments in their performance. Only Tango music is strongly associated with the specific combination of two violins, a piano, double bass, and two bandoneóns.

Answer 2

D: Bebop’s use of asymmetrical phrasing and an expanded role for the rhythm section. Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller typified traditional jazz of the “Swing” era. While traditional jazz was easy to follow for the casual listener and often danceable, bebop was instead characterized by quicker tempos, intricate if not chaotic melodies, and rhythm sections that were called upon to do more than keep the beat for the ensemble’s other musicians. Many jazz bands—even traditional jazz bands—were integrated by the 1940s, when Bebop had its genesis, so answer A is incorrect. Also, answer C is incorrect, since bebop produced many famous horn players. The complicated and unexpected rhythms associated with this style of jazz make answer B—strict adherence to a 4/4 time signature—obviously incorrect.

Answer 3

D: Ewe. The Ewe culture is West African and has a folk musical form based primarily on drums played with complex rhythms and meter. All of the other answers, A, B, and C, are incorrect, since they use many musical instruments in addition to percussion instruments. Finnish music, for example, uses instruments such as the harmonium, flute, and fiddle. Peruvian music predominantly features its iconic flutes and the charango, a type of mandolin. Mongolian folk music is famous for its use of the morin khuur, or horse-head fiddle. Therefore, of forms listed above, only Ewe is an appropriate answer.

Answer 4

C: Flutes. The earliest flutes are thought to have been made from hollowed bones with drilled finger holes. Archaeologists have found many examples, many of which are still playable. While the age of the oldest flutes is a topic of debate, the oldest flute upon which historians can agree may be as much as 37,000 years old. By contrast, trumpets, answer A, require the ability to smith metal such as bronze or brass; the oldest specimens date to about 1500 Bc. Therefore, answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer B; violins’ ancient, plucked ancestors (such as the lyre) go back at most a few thousand years, and did not emerge in their modern form until the 16th century in Italy. Answer D, xylophones, is also incorrect, since the earliest documented instruments resembling their modern form did not appear in China until about 2000 Bc.

Answer 5

A: U.S. churches in the 1930s. Laurens Hammond developed this instrument in 1934 and marketed it to churches as a low-cost alternative to the large and expensive pipe organs then used for religious services. The Hammond organ emerged after the Baroque period; therefore, answer C is incorrect. Answer D is incorrect for the same reason. Finally, while the Hammond did in fact see widespread use with popular musicians starting in the 1960s, jazz, blues, and other performers were not the instrument’s original market. Widespread Hammond use among jazz, blues, and other performers did not emerge until the instrument had been on the market for almost thirty years.

Answer 6

C: A Bach fugue, which would not be described as monophonic, or using one and only one melodic voice at a time. Gregorian chants, therapeutic songs of Indian classical music, and most of the songs sung by troubadours in the Middle Ages, were all constructed monophonically. Because a fugue necessarily has two or more “voices” being performed at once, it is described as polyphonic, and thus the only correct answer from this list.

Answer 7

B: Harpsichord. The harpsichord is a piano-like instrument, which, unlike a piano, produces sound when the keys activate a plectrum, which, in turn, plucks a string. The clavichord produces sound when a similar mechanism strikes iron or brass strings with a small metal blade, so answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer C, the piano. A piano produces sounds when its strings are struck by a hammer. The final answer, D, hurdy gurdy, would be incorrect because a hurdy gurdy produces its sounds through a complex combination of wheel, strings, and keyboard.

Answer 8

C: Joaquin Rodrigo. Unusual in its placement of the guitar as a stand-alone against the full force of an orchestra, Concerto de Aranjuez is one of the most recognizable pieces written for the instrument. Although Fernando Sor is known in Spain as “the Beethoven of the classical guitar” for his important contribution to the instrument, he died in 1839, one hundred years before Rodrigo wrote Concerto de Aranjuez. That would make answer A incorrect. While master guitarist Manuel Barrueco has performed arguably the most celebrated recording of the concerto, he did not write it. Therefore, answer B is incorrect. Finally, answer D, famed composer and guitarist Francisco Tárrega, is incorrect as well, since he died in 1909.

Answer 9

A: Call and response. Indeed, the phrase kan ha diskan can be translated from the Breton language as “call and response,” and is performed unaccompanied by a lead singer (a kaner) and a secondary singer (a diskaner). The correct answer to this question is necessarily very specific, so an instrumental, non vocal form such as chamber music, answer C, is incorrect. Kan ha diskan generally is not considered microtonal, or moving freely between Western music’s established notes, so answer C is incorrect. Again, because kan ha diskan is unaccompanied by any instrument outside the human voice, answer D, percussion only, is incorrect.

Answer 10

A: Fiddler on the Roof, a musical that follows the struggles of a Jewish father trying to keep his faith and traditions alive. Klezmer, a Jewish musical tradition and form often performed with instruments such as the clarinet, accordion, and piano, is featured predominantly in the musical. As none of the other answers—B, The Sound of Music, C, Oklahoma!, or D, A Chorus Line—is necessarily a celebration of Jewish culture, heritage, or music, none of these are correct.

Answer 11

C: Sir Arthur Sullivan. While both operas and operettas involve actors on a stage singing their lines to a musical score, operetta generally is lighter in tone and substance than its weightier cousin. One of the most well-known composers of operettas is Sir Arthur Sullivan, who, with his collaborator, Sir William Gilbert, wrote fourteen operettas, including The Pirates of Penzance and H.M.S. Pinafore. Answer A, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; B, Giacomo Puccini; and D, Giuseppe Verdi; were all composers of opera rather than operetta and therefore incorrect answers.

Answer 12

B: "Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang. While not the first rap single, “Rapper’s Delight” was the first hip hop song to enjoy widespread airplay across the United States. Rap went on to become one of the most important—if not the most important—urban and youth musical genres starting in the 1980s and continuing to the present day. “Rapper’s Delight” was released in 1979, predating all of the other examples in this list. “Walk This Way,” recorded jointly by Run-d.M.c. and Aerosmith in 1986, was immensely popular and vaulted Run-d.M.c. into rap music’s pantheon, but is incorrect because of its later release date. Also debuting after 1979—“Hit ’Em Up” in 1996 and “Don’t Believe the Hype” in 1988—answers C and D, respectively, are incorrect.

Answer 13

B: Women. Castrati were male singers castrated before the onset of puberty could deepen their voices. A few castrati went on to fame and fortune as soloists, but most sang the higher parts in religious ensembles, as women had been forbidden from performing by papal edict. Protestants obviously were not banned from performing religious music, so answer A is incorrect, as is answer C, commoners, as they filled many musical performing roles throughout the history of Western classical music, both religious and secular. Finally, as boys were also valued for their high voices and often sang in church choirs, answer D is incorrect.

Answer 14

D: German music. The word Tejano refers to someone from Texas of Latino and/or Hispanic descent. While Tejano music has strong cultural ties to neighboring Mexico, it also draws a heavy influence from the music of German and Czech settlers in the region. Europeans brought with them musical elements such as the polka, accordion, and waltz. Fusing these with styles such as mariachi gradually resulted in Tejano music. While it might be tempting to choose Peruvian music, answer A, for this question, Peru’s distinctive Incan roots have nothing to do with influencing Tejano music, nor does African or Celtic music. For this reason, answers A, B, and C are incorrect.

Answer 15

C: MP3 removes selected information, including frequencies from the original file too low or too high for humans to hear. This process results in a lower-quality recording small enough for storage en masse on computers and/or MP3 players. Shrinking the file size is key to converting a file to MP3, but this shrinking cannot be achieved by recording at a lower volume, so answer A is incorrect. Copying a file with selected vocal or instrumental tracks removed is not the idea of MP3, so converting the digital information to analog, would be incorrect.

Answer 16

B: The use of the third. Prior to the Renaissance, the use of the third was regarded as dissonant, but with increased vocal range gradually began to be used as consonance. The use of the second always has been considered dissonant in Western music, so answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer C, the fifth, which was used as consonance more toward the end of the Renaissance and the beginning of the Baroque. Finally, because intervals had been used long before the Renaissance, answer D is incorrect.

Answer 17

C: Gong. The gong is integral to Indonesian gamelan ensemble music, integral to Indonesian life and culture. Indeed, the word gamelan means “to hit” or “to hammer,” and while gamelan can include instruments as flutes and bowed or plucked strings, the gong is central to the form. All of the other choices are stringed instruments from around the Eastern Hemisphere. Answer A, the bulbul tarang, is an Indian stringed instrument similar to a banjo, and therefore is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer B, the qinqin, another stringed instrument from China. Finally, the kora, a 12-string harp lute from West Africa, is incorrect.

Answer 18

C: The course of a river as it winds through Central Europe. The Vltava is the longest river running through the area now classified as the Czech Republic, and the suite by the same name about his native land is part of a larger work titled Má Vlast by Czech composer Bedřich Smetana . The defeat of invading French armies, answer A, is the subject of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. Answer B, concerning the king and his trolls, concerns Edvard Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King. Answer D, the audio tour of a symphony, is The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten.

Answer 19

D: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Edvard Grieg. Grieg and Tchaikovsky lived and composed during the same time period, the mid- to late 19th century, and, in the case of Grieg, into the early 20th. Indeed, they met in 1888. The rest of the composers that form the answers to this question did not live during the same eras and therefore never could have met. In the case of answer incorrect answer A, Vivaldi died in 1741, while Chopin was not born until 1810. Answer B is incorrect, since Holst was not born until 1874, 124 years after the death of Bach. Finally, Pachelbel died in 1706, 105 years before the birth of Liszt.

Answer 20

C: The Romantic period. Partly as a response to the widely perceived dominance of German music and composers during the Classical period that preceded it, the Romantic period is most strongly associated with musical nationalism; that is, composers from a given nation wrote music meant to invoke their native lands, peoples, and cultures. Noted examples include the music of Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, and Jean Sibelius. While the other periods—Baroque, Classical, and Contemporary—would have seen selected composers and pieces which could be argued as nationalistic, the Romantic period most strongly is associated with musical nationalism and is therefore the correct answer.

Answer 21

D: Choosing a violin that allows the student’s fingers to curl comfortably around the scroll, with the elbow slightly bent. While taller children and teens tend to have longer arms, arm lengths vary even among students of the same height, so the method described by answer A is ineffective. Answer B is also incorrect, since student musicians are still learning proper technique and may not yet have a feel for the best instrument. A violin that extends to the base of a student’s hand (Answer C) would be too small. This process of elimination leaves answer D, which would yield an instrument that allows the student to hold and play the violin comfortably.

Answer 22

C: Concerts B ♭ and F, with the exception of saxophones. Concert B ♭ is a good tuning note for the majority of instruments, as it is well within their range. Concert F is excellent for horns, and in fact is better than B ♭, and also is excellent for clarinets. Nonetheless, these concert pitches are not suitable for tuning saxophones.

Answer 23

D: Criminal fines up to $250,000 and/or a five-year sentence. The penalties are extremely severe for educators who photocopy music or commit other copyright infringement for personal monetary gain. Copyright law is strict, even in an age music content and sheet music often appears free for the taking. While companies are given the discretion to warn teachers in writing, answer A, they do have the option of pursuing more severe penalties. So, answer A is incorrect for a maximum penalty. Both two years’ probation, answer B, and the unspecified statutory damages of $750 to $30,000 are incorrect, because they do not refer to the maximum penalty a teacher can face if he or she chooses to violate copyright protection for personal gain.

Answer 24

B: One copy. Voluntary guidelines allow for one and exactly one recording of student work, as long as it is used for educational or archival purposes. Beyond that, a license is required. Obviously, answer A, which would permit anyone to make as many copies of performances as they wished, would be in violation of copyright law. For this reason, answers C and D would be incorrect as well, since one and only one copy is permitted without paying a licensing fee.

Answer 25

A: A choir director may rearrange, edit, or simplify copyrighted material, so long as he or she retains the fundamental character of the piece and neither adds nor changes lyrics. Copyright law is clear on this matter, spelling out exactly what educators’ rights are in this area, so answers C and D are incorrect. Licensing fees permit a choral or band director only limited arranging rather than fundamental changes, so answer B is incorrect.

Answer 26

C: Do nothing since his role as a teacher allows this type of presentation. Under Section 110 of the copyright code, a teacher is granted a “face-to-face” exemption from having to seek or pay for performance rights, provided the music is intended for an educational setting in the physical presence of students. Since this right is stated explicitly in the code, answer A is incorrect, since the teacher is not required to seek or pay for permission from a licensing group. He or she also is allowed to present the music to students without paying for the rights, which makes answer B incorrect. Since copyright code explicitly permits such use, answer D is incorrect in all cases like this one.

Answer 27

A: Require the student to play in the low register and then activate the register key. Doing so should allow the student automatically to cross into the higher register, divided from the beginning, lower registers by “the break,” which can intimidate beginning clarinetists. Blowing with more force, answer B, merely will result in a louder, incorrect tone, and is an incorrect answer to this question. Answer C, requiring the student to play through “the break” scale wise, is an overly difficult and intimidating method, so answer C is incorrect. Answer D, relying less on the throat registers, is incorrect, since mastery of the throat registers is an important fundamental skill for any clarinetist before upper registers can be attained.

Answer 28

C: It should only be used for keeping the horn steady while turning pages or inserting a mute. Trumpet players may be tempted to hook their little fingers in the ring while playing, but often the little finger is needed to support the weak ring finger in pressing valves. Therefore, answer A is incorrect. Because the ring finger is the primary finger used for depressing the third valve, answer B is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer D, since modern trumpets in fact are manufactured with a finger ring.

Answer 29

C: A timpani has a normal compass of a perfect fifth. Although a timpani can be stretched to a minor sixth, this would require the use of plastic heads. As such, all of the other answers would be incorrect. Answers A and B, a minor third and a perfect fourth, require a smaller compass than that permitted by a timpani; a major seventh is too large, even with an instrument fitted with plastic heads.

Answer 30

A: Brass valves should be oiled once a day. Doing so keeps the valves in good working order, and prevents sticking and damage to the valve mechanism. Once per week is incorrect, as the valves will need lubrication before a week has elapsed, so B is incorrect. Also incorrect is C, once a month; it is doubtful that a brass instrument played with any regularity, could go a full month without some oiling. Waiting until the valves begin to stick, answer D, is incorrect, since sticking valves can disrupt a rehearsal, practice, or, worse, a performance, and should be oiled regularly to prevent this from occurring.

Answer 31

B: Hitting notes on a xylophone with the correct rhythm. The word kinesthetic pertains to physical activity or movement, and this kind of activity is especially valuable within the context of learning. Learning to read musical notation by listening to music might be valuable, but it would not involve the child moving around or connecting his or her body movements to rhythm. So, answer A is incorrect, as are answers C or D, which would, again, satisfy musical or interpersonal learning goals, but not kinesthetic learning goals.

Answer 32

C: The viola uses the alto or “viola” clef, which is rarely used for other instruments or compositions. To the untrained eye, the viola is easily mistaken for its smaller cousin, the violin, but many differences exist between the instruments. The viola is tuned a perfect fifth below the violin, and whereas the violin’s four strings are tuned to GDAE, the viola’s tuning is CGDa. Therefore, answer A is incorrect. While the viola is indeed a mainstay of most symphony orchestras, it is also an integral part of most chamber pieces, rendering answer B incorrect. In addition, the viola is larger than the violin and it uses a correspondingly larger bow, which is also wider than that of the violin. Therefore, answer D is incorrect.

Answer 33

B: 415 Hz. The frequency is a half step lower than 440A, the almost universally accepted pitch for modern performance. Baroque musicians are thought to have performed tuned to an A somewhere in the vicinity of 415, which is now called “Baroque pitch.” Answer A, 220 Hz, would correspond to an A3 tone, and would be almost an octave below Baroque pitch. Therefore, answer A is incorrect. Answer C is, of course, the modern 440A pitch, or A4. It is incorrect, as is 880 Hz, answer D, which corresponds to an A5.

Answer 34

D: It indicates the fingering position, note for note, of pieces for stringed instruments. Tablatures are popular with beginning musicians, particularly those attempting to learn their favorite songs on the guitar. With a numbering system that bears some resemblance to a traditional staff, tablature indicates by number where the player should place his or her fingers on a fret and string, note for note. Because many online sharing networks of tabs offer them free of charge, music publishers have declared them illegal, and the courts are still undecided regarding whether tab providers are violating copyright laws. Therefore, answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer b. While tab does show a beginning musician where to play his or her fingers to produce a given note or chord, using tab does not allow him or her to learn key signature, tempo, or other skills necessary to learn mastery of an instrument. For this reason, answer C also is incorrect.

Answer 35

``` A: At the beginning of class. While all of a vocal performance class should be considered voice training, all classes should start with warm-ups. During this time, teachers should reinforce the fundamentals of singing, such as breath and posture, range, and intonation. Because the quality of student singing is likely to be poor without adequate preparation, answer B is incorrect, as is answer C, as an entire class period of poorly performed pieces would make the vocal training at the end of class largely moot. Since most students in a general classroom setting do not receive private voice training and are in classes, ostensibly, to obtain such training, answer D is incorrect. Indeed, all young singers can benefit from the fundamentals of voice training, regardless of whether or not they are taking private lessons. ```

Answer 36

D: Girls’ singing voices change just as boys’ do. While the change may begin earlier—as is the case with most of a girl’s adolescent development—and is subtler, it does indeed take place. Girls who wish to sing through early adolescence and beyond will need the coaching of a good, patient instructor. Because girls’ voices change, answers A and B are incorrect. Also incorrect is answer c. Boys, like girls, can make good music in elementary and middle school, regardless of the changes taking place in their voices.

Answer 37

C: The oboe uses a double reed. The oboe, along with the bassoon, uses a double reed system to produce its distinctive sound. While playing the instrument can present a challenge to younger, more inexperienced players, it is possible for a student in even in the elementary grades to begin playing the oboe with a little extra help from his or her teacher. Only if extra time is impossible should an aspiring oboist be guided toward the clarinet or saxophone first. Therefore, answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer B, because an oboe properly played should be held between 30 and 45 degrees from the body. Finally, since the oboe is assembled in four parts, not three, answer D is incorrect.

Answer 38

D: Program notes should include the names of the arrangers of instrumental and vocal pieces, not just the names of composers. In addition, more complete program notes could provide brief information about the music contained in the program in order to give the audience a greater understanding and appreciation for the musical selections they are about to hear. As such, answer A, that notes are optional, is incorrect. Answer B is also incorrect, since notes showing only the names and composers of the pieces are incomplete in almost all performances. While program notes certainly should engage the audience, excessively long notes containing pages of information or song lyrics would be too much for most audiences and not add anything to the performance.

Answer 39

A: Sitting toward the back of the seat with the back touching the backrest. Proper sitting posture dictates that the student’s back should be straight and away from the chair’s backrest. All of the rest of the answers, answers B, C, and D, respectively, with feet apart, body in line, and chest lifted, all constitute correct posture, and therefore are incorrect answers for this question.

Answer 40

C: Feet together. When standing for a choir rehearsal or performance, the feet should be shoulder width apart. Keeping the feet together as stated in the question will lead to improper balance. All of the rest of the elements, answers A, B, and D, respectively, with knees relaxed, body in line, and chest lifted, etc., all constitute correct standing posture, and therefore are incorrect answers for this question.

Answer 41

C: Teachers should have at least a passing familiarity with all of the instruments in the bands they are teaching. While teachers cannot be expected to play every instrument with skill, finesse, and grace, they should have enough familiarity with each instrument at least to engage beginning students and help them through the early stages of playing. Fortunately, quality undergraduate music programs offer methods and or pedagogy courses in order to familiarize their students with a wide range of instruments, which will serve to help future music teachers. To fill in the gaps of their knowledge, band teachers should enlist the help of guest musicians or local music students whenever possible. Answer A is incorrect, since all band teachers obviously need to be proficient in at least one instrument and acquainted with the other instruments in order to be successful in the classroom. Answer B is for this reason, as successful band teachers need to be familiar with all instruments. While answer D would be ideal, this level of proficiency and skill simply is not realistic for all band directors.

Answer 42

C: The flute player should be encouraged to tap her toe inside her shoe, because a little motion is fine. Indeed, some professional symphony players are known to tap their feet during performances, so some visible motion certainly acceptable. Still, overt motion, especially if such motion is excessive, can be distracting during a performance, so answer A, doing nothing, is incorrect. Obviously, having the entire section tap its feet to help the flute player blend in would be ineffective, so answer D is incorrect. At the same time, answer B, ordering the flue player to stop entirely, is unnecessary. Not all musicians have the ability to keep their feet still during their performances and practices, and asking one who needs some motion to keep time would be unnecessary and effective.

Answer 43

B: A conductor should practice his or her conducting style in front of a mirror along with taped or recorded music in order to make sure his or her conducting style is rhythmic and appropriate. As awkward as this practice may seem, conductors should practice their batons in much the same way their students practice their instruments: regularly, so their performance adds to the work of the group. Additionally, a conductor does add to the quality of the ensemble’s musical performance. A good conductor can signal information to musicians regarding a wide variety of musical output including the tempo, rhythm, and style, which means that answer D is incorrect. For the same reasons, answer A is incorrect, because conductors’ performances are not for show and help the ensemble to perform. Still, the conductor’s style is not the audience’s primary focus; therefore, answer D is incorrect.

Answer 44

D: Practice rooms are rarely used, except for before and after school and, as such, run the risk of being used for storage or becoming eyesores. They have value, however, and should be used, despite their considerable cost to build and maintain. Answer B is incorrect, because practice rooms should use indirect lighting, or lighting projected from the rear, to aid the reading of music without eyestrain. Answer C is incorrect because practice rooms should always include an electronic tuner.

Answer 45

C: The piccolo uses less air, but the musician must blow that air more rapidly. The piccolo is smaller than its lower-pitch cousin, the flute; therefore, the piccolo requires less air to work. Nonetheless, since that air is going to be generating notes that are higher in pitch, the air must move with greater speed. Although the piccolo is different from the flute in many ways both subtle and overt, it is similar enough that a flutist with sufficient skill should be able to play it. Therefore, answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer B, because the instrument widely in use today is the C piccolo; the D-flat instrument was used long ago. Finally, the piccolo is known for having less pitch flexibility than its larger cousin, so answer D is incorrect.

Answer 46

B: Both instruments are pitched to B-flat. While the euphonium and baritone have many features in common, they are different instruments, making the other three possible answers to this question incorrect. First, answer A is incorrect on its face, as both the euphonium and baritone use bass clef, not treble. Secondly, most euphoniums come with four valves, and while four-valve baritone models are made, most baritones in this country come with three valves. Therefore, answer C is incorrect, as is answer D, because the euphonium requires a larger mouthpiece than the baritone.

Answer 47

A: The number of tuba players in a band is entirely up to the number of players who want to play it and the desires of the band director. While there are disagreements, as always, regarding the “ideal” number of tubas in an ensemble, the number should depend entirely on the type of sound for which the band director is looking, plus the number of students willing to play this instrument. Anyone who is interested can play the tuba, regardless of size, so answer C is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer B, because while size is unimportant in deciding which students should play the tuba, its sound demands a player who can discern the differences between the lower tones. Finally, modern tubas are made in several keys including F, E-flat, CC, and BB-flat. So, answer D is incorrect.

Answer 48

C: A middle school percussion ensemble needs about half the instruments of a high school section. A middle school is probably smaller than the high school into which it feeds, and has fewer band musicians, so a smaller section with fewer instruments is probably fine. Nonetheless, at the same time younger percussionists need experience on the more “tonal” instruments such as marimbas and xylophones, so answer B is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer A, as the needs of the middle school section are smaller in size and scope. Finally, answer D is incorrect, since a middle school section should include instruments such as timpani and bass drums.

Answer 49

D: Violins come in full, 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, ¼, ½, and 3/4 sizes, in order to accommodate the wide range of hand and student sizes. As such, all other answers, A, B, and C, are incorrect.

Answer 50

``` B: Extrinsic rewards (such as prizes and certificates) should be awarded only to routine tasks, such as cleaning a rehearsal space or learning more scales than were assigned. Rewards for accomplishing more complex, musically related tasks should be more intrinsic, which is to say, from within. Praise, especially in front of a student’s peers, would count as intrinsic motivation, as would the sense of satisfaction a student should feel upon solving a complex task. Yet, extrinsic motivation does have a place in most classrooms, so answer A is incorrect. Answer C also is incorrect, as previously stated. Finally, answer D is incorrect, since systems of rewards generally are left to the teacher’s discernment and are rarely banned if they do not detract from the learning environment. ```

Answer 51

C: Because a march should not feature slowed down tempos when playing softer dynamics. The rest of the answers—up beat accompaniment, 2/4 time, independent bass line—are all characteristics of a march that band directors should know.

Answer 52

C: Students should practice a half-hour a so a day, then ideally work up to more than an hour every day. All students, regardless of age and experience, should learn the value and importance of daily practice; a shorter time period, such as a half hour, can start good habits without being overwhelming. By the time the student has gotten older and gained more experience, an hour or more a day of practice would be ideal. Nonetheless, because an hour a day from the beginning will seem overwhelming to a beginner, answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer B, because practice from the beginning of a musical career will help ensure that the career in question will continue to grow, regardless of age or experience. Finally, answer D is incorrect, as inconsistent amounts and qualities of practice will quickly break down. The amount of practice every day should be roughly the same, regardless of the student’s mood or repertoire.

Answer 53

A: Record the work. Once a piece is recorded, it is considered copyright protected. This is automatic without any of the other steps listed as possible answers. While having a piece of music published, answer B, or registered with the Copyright Office, answer C, gives the composer the advantage of having his or her work registered, these steps are not necessary for the work to be considered protected. Answer D, performing the work, is not a guarantee of copyright, so answer D is incorrect.

Answer 54

A: Upper voices and percussion should decrescendo more quickly than lower voices. This allows the lower voices to retain some sense of balance during the decrescendo. Lower voices should crescendo more quickly than upper voices, so answer D is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer B, since percussion should start a crescendo more slowly, then rapidly get louder about a third of the way from the end. Answer C is incorrect, because ensembles should actually drop their volume slightly before the beginning of the crescendo to capture its full power.

Answer 55

C: Tenor saxophones should sit near the euphoniums since they often play the same tenor line. The guiding principle in setting up an ensemble’s seating is that various instruments should be able to hear what their fellow musicians are playing. As such, first chairs should be seated close to each other or at least on the same side of an orchestra to hear what they are doing with their portion of the piece, in order to better play off of each other. Therefore, answer A is incorrect, as is answer B, because Cornet I and Trumpet I should hear each other above the music of the other horns. Finally, three students per music stand is too many; the number of students per stand should be two or one. As a result, answer D is incorrect.

Answer 56

A: No exceptions should be made, even to parents. No student should ever ride home from a school-sponsored event in a car driven by any teen-ager, even if the driver is a relative. While parents theoretically could be considered safe transport even in this litigious era, a consistent policy is best. Parents should know ahead of time that because the student is at a school-sponsored event, the school is responsible for that student’s safety from the time the bus leaves the school to the time it returns home. An unbreakable, bus-only policy is not only the easiest to apply in all cases, it is the safest for all persons involved.

Answer 57

C: To test concepts such as time and key signatures, music symbols, and musical history. While many music teachers no doubt would prefer to devote their limited time and energy resources to student rehearsal and performance, some assessment of basic student knowledge is necessary. This is especially true if that knowledge can be placed in the context of rehearsal, practice, and performance. The goal of any educational experience should be greater understanding, and written exams provide one more tool a music instructor can use to that end. Since there is a place for written exams in musical education, answer A is incorrect. More advanced students also need to have their more advanced music put into context, so they also can benefit from written work. Therefore, answer B is incorrect, as well, as is answer d. Letter grades and other rubrics should be based on a number of factors such as performance, improvement, and participation, not just written work.

Answer 58

D: Competitions for chair placement should be held both with advance notice and at unannounced times. Periodic competitions for first chair and so on keep more advanced students playing at their best level; many students further down the row will strive to improve their play in order to catch up. The result is a better orchestra. Therefore, answer B is incorrect; while a student’s self-esteem is important, all musicians should be able to withstand the pressure of demonstrating their skills to their peers and their instructor. Accordingly, both announced and unannounced competitions have their place in this process. Daily competitions, answer A, would obviously be excessive in a student orchestra’s busy schedule. Answer C, conversely, would not put enough motivation or pressure on the students to improve.

Answer 59

B: Hand vibrato. Beginning trumpet players can be taught easily to add vibrato to the tone their instruments make. All they need to do is move their thumb back and forth as they use their hand to brace their fingers on the valves. Answer A, voice vibrato, is incorrect, as one does not use the vocal cords when playing the trumpet. Answer C, jaw vibrato also is incorrect, because moving the jaw is not used commonly as a technique for achieving vibrato with the trumpet. Moving the lips, or embouchure, is an accepted technique for achieving vibrato, but it takes more practice and skill than using the hand. As a result, answer D is not the best method for a beginning trumpet player to use in order to achieve vibrato in his or her tone.

Answer 60

C: Two-thirds woodwinds and one-third brass. It is generally accepted that clarinets form the backbone of any concert band’s sound. Therefore, they should provide most of that sound; a two-thirds-to-one-thirds ratio of clarinets and their woodwind cousins should therefore outnumber the brass instruments by this amount. Therefore, answers A, B, and C—which alter the balance to an unacceptable degree—are all incorrect.

Answer 61

D: Make changes to the music, moving some instruments to other instruments’ parts, as long as the central integrity of the music is preserved. Enough excess instruments can play the parts of their missing fellows while retaining the essential sound of a piece. Parents should not be coerced into pressuring their children to change something so personal as a musical instrument choice, as this act could turn the students off to music for good. As a result, answer A is incorrect. Student orchestras should welcome all participants, especially when so many students lose interest in music and the arts as they get older, so a “cut” list, answer B, should be regarded as an absolute last resort. As for answer C, a band director will encounter much peer pressure among his or her students already, so avoiding any unnecessary or added peer pressure is preferred.

Answer 62

C: Independent projects. Students who have a high innate ability for music should be tasked with independent study and other challenges outside of the regular curriculum, including composition and improvisation. Such instruction offers the best way for such students to develop their skills and possibly become lifelong musicians. Ear training is important, but all musicians also should learn at least the basics of reading music, so answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer B, separating gifted musicians from their more average peers. Keeping gifted musicians involved in regular ensembles challenges their classmates to perform better and develops vital leadership and cooperative qualities in the more adept performers. Finally, answer D is incorrect, as all learners situated far from “the norm” are required by law to have adaptations in all classroom environments.

Answer 63

D: A music teacher is permitted to make other accommodations beyond those outlined in a student’s IEP. Possible accommodations for hearing impaired student musicians might include allowing them to play instruments that permit the feeling of vibrations, or demonstrating music through performance rather than recorded samples. These excellent strategies for engaging hearing impaired students may not be listed on the students’ IEPs. While aides sometimes are provided to students with profound disabilities, such a provision is not a guarantee. Therefore, answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect—and unethical—is answer B, which implies that hearing impaired students can neither perform nor appreciate music. Many fine hearing-impaired musicians, up to and including Ludwig van Beethoven, have proved this theory false. Finally, answer C, limiting hearing impaired students to kinesthetic instruments such as percussion, would be limiting, discriminatory—and incorrect as an answer to this question.

Answer 64

D: The Suzuki method deliberately avoids auditions as a means for judging suitability for instruction. The method’s founder, Shin'ichi Suzuki, believed that all children had the ability to learn music the way they learn languages. As such, he felt it would be limiting both to students and to prospective teachers to allow only more capable students to learn music. The method introduces students to music and concepts by ear, introducing notation later. As a result, answer A is incorrect. Since the method has spread from violin and piano to instruments such as the guitar, answer B is incorrect also. Answer C is incorrect, since Suzuki was born in Japan and lived there for most of his life.

Answer 65

B: The Kodály Method. Zoltán Kodály, who believed that singing was the most effective way to teach music outside the confines offered by an instrument, founded the Kodály Method. While the other three methods listed might place different amounts of value in singing, only in the Kodály Method does it have such a high initial importance. The Dalcroze method emphasizes teaching music primarily through movement, and the Orff Schulwerk is devoted to a child-centered approach, building the teaching of music by connecting it to a child’s world and rituals of play. For this reason, answers A, C, and D, are incorrect.

Answer 66

B: Within 48 hours. Texas law is clear: Licensed professionals whose duties bring them into direct contact with children are required to report suspected abuse to any local or state law enforcement agency, the Department of Family and Protective Services, or through https://www.txabusehotline.org, the state agency that operates, licenses, certifies or registers the facility in which the alleged abuse or neglect occurred, or the agency designated by the court to be responsible for the protection of children. Because Texas does have a mandatory reporting law, answer D is incorrect. There is no room for interpretation regarding when abuse should be reported, as stated by the law. While it would be preferable to report abuse as soon as possible, the law is clear in requiring a 48 hour window, so answers A and C are incorrect.

Answer 67

A: Shared mouthpieces should be sterilized before being shared. Some mouthpieces can be sterilized, which is important to prevent the spread of disease between students. Because sterilization in some cases is possible, answer B would be incorrect. Answer C is incorrect because these guidelines do state clearly that mouthpieces should be sterilized. Answer D is incorrect because mouthpieces are not self-sterilizing, and sharing mouthpieces can transmit infection.

Answer 68

C: Composition. The Orff-Schulwerk process, which grew out of the observations of German composer Carl Orff (1895-1982), attempts to teach music by capitalizing on children’s innate abilities to speak, play, dance, and move. Since answer A, imitation, is the cornerstone of the method, it is incorrect. Answer B, a stage in the process, is also incorrect. Answer D, improvisation, is the final stage of the process by which students spontaneously arrange and perform melodies based on what they are hearing. The third stage, literacy, was not listed, and instead was replaced by answer C, composition. Because composition is not featured in the Orff-Schulwerk process per se, C is the correct answer.

Answer 69

A: As long as songs that avoid outright Biblical passages and themes are avoided or minimized, gospel music emphasizing broader themes can be included as part of a public school’s music curriculum. Answer B asserts that the Supreme Court has issued a final ruling on the constitutionality of using music of a religious origin in the public schools. While cases of these kinds are commonplace in the court system, the Court has not issued a final, definitive ruling on this subject. Therefore, answer B is incorrect. Answer C states that teachers who specialize in gospel may teach classes on the subject in the public schools, which is false. Therefore, answer C is incorrect. Finally, answer D incorrectly asserts that gospel music is primarily a European-American genre. Generations of African-American gospel performers and composers would no doubt dispute this claim. Therefore, answer D is incorrect.

Answer 70

B: Would be an appropriate intervention for the horn player in question. High school students, even those in “elite” situations, sometimes will err in their responsibilities, especially those high achievers that may spread themselves too thin between academics and other activities such as music. Because they are young, they will benefit from discrete reminders about the importance of practice and preparation in music. It would be inappropriate to use the solution suggested by answer A; humiliating a student is never acceptable in any setting, especially not in front of his or her peers. Answer C, doing nothing, would not be appropriate, since practice is important and should be addressed. Finally, answer D, is an inappropriate consequence. Discipline should be applied to groups only when most if not all of the students in question have been involved in the infraction.

Answer 71

B: Grades K-4. The association states that a student meets the national singing standards if he or she can sing the song in question with proper tone, pitch, and rhythm. Furthermore, it cites “America the Beautiful” specifically as an appropriate song for assessment of general music students in grades K-4. When assessing pre-school students, the teacher asks the student to pick a favorite song. Therefore, answer A is incorrect. In answer C, 5-8, and answer D, 9-12, it is assumed that the teacher has a wide variety of more advanced songs from which to choose appropriate means of assessment. Accordingly, answers C and D are incorrect.

Answer 72

B: Music teachers should be able to sing or play a musical instrument. This is one of the areas in which teachers of music to younger children can be considered generalists, and therefore do not have to be able to sing and play an instrument at a mastered level. In addition, while teachers working with younger children are held to the same standards as teachers working in upper elementary school through high school, they are expected to have basic understanding of many of these standards. Neither Texas state standards nor the state law require teachers to have an advanced music degree from an accredited institution, nor do they put an age requirement of 25 years or older on teachers. Finally, they do not require that music teachers have a professional music background. Therefore, answers A, C, and D are incorrect.

Answer 73

A: Never. Under no circumstances should a teacher admit wrongdoing in significant cases, such as those involving misconduct or negligence. Doing so could place a teacher’s career, certification, and legal status in jeopardy. Because the school’s interest may run counter to that of a teacher, regardless of his or her innocence or culpability, a teacher never should admit wrongdoing until he or she has retained legal counsel, which usually will not be provided by the teacher’s school district or school board. Therefore, answers B, C, and D are incorrect.

Answer 74

A: Diagnostic assessment is performed at the beginning of a semester and includes auditions for select ensembles. While diagnostic assessment can be used to assess a student’s skill level and to judge whether he or she is prepared to enter a more advanced band or choir, it also can be used to determine one or more students’ skill levels before the teacher begins selecting the semester’s music and planning its lessons. Answer B, an assessment performed in the middle of the semester, would be better termed as a formative assessment. Answer B is incorrect. Answer C, a summative assessment, would be performed at the end of the semester in order to give a summary assessment of skills the student has been expected to know. Since diagnostic assessments are key to students of virtually every age, answer D, reserving them for college age students, is incorrect.

Answer 75

D: Suggesting that the student move his or her lower jaw forward, as long as such a shift is comfortable and does not affect the student’s embouchure. Severely altering the orientation of a musician’s wrists will not solve the problem and will affect adversely the way he or she uses his or her hands, so answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer B, as requiring all students to have proper bite or orthodontia would be unnecessarily impractical and exclusionary. Nonetheless, the incorrectness of answers A and B do not imply that an overbite or improper orientation of the horn should be acceptable in an ensemble, as it can affect tone and projection. Therefore, answer C is incorrect.

Answer 76

D: A simple system such as checks (for meeting the standard) and plusses (for exceeding them). A third symbol, such as an O for approaching the standard, also would be appropriate. Answer A, assigning letter grades, would be appropriate only for older students, and then only as an overall grade. Therefore, answer A is incorrect. Also incorrect is answer B, percentages, since they would be overly detailed and unnecessary to assess the basic process of students so young. Conversely, answer C, which asserts that second graders are too young for assessment, is incorrect, as state and national standards exist for students as young as those of pre-school age.

Answer 77

D: Japanese. The taiko is an important feature to Japanese music, from classical to folk to other pieces composed in the present day. It is often played alone or in taiko ensembles. While various styles of drum are important in the other musical styles listed, the taiko is key only to Japanese music; indeed, taiko means “drum” in Japanese. As a result, all other answers would be incorrect.