AMEB Percussion Grade 3

The following pieces and exercises are part of the AMEB Grade 3 Percussion Syllabus. The actually syllabus is so complicated and boring that it puts me to sleep so I've simplified it for students who need to know what is involved. It includes a lot more choices for pieces but I've narrowed it down to the resources I use.

Sections
Section I: Technical Work - presented from memory
Section II: Studies and Pieces 
Section III: Aural Tests, Sight Reading, General Knowledge

Instruments
In Grade 3, there are four instruments.  Snare Drum, Keyboard Percussion (Xylophone, Glockenspiel etc), and Multiple Percussion are compulsory, Timpani is optional.

Section I: Technical Work
2 sections:

• Candidates must present the compulsory etude (p17), AND
• Technical work for either Keyboard or Timpani.  We will use Keyboard for this section 

Snare Drum / Multi Percussion
Compulsory Etude - click here (page 17)

Keyboard
All played from memory!

See the following documents:

• AMEB Syllabus - Technical Work Sets (we're using Set 1 on Page 6)
• Scales used in Grade 3 Technical Work
• Full Technical Work for Grade 3

Section II: Studies and Pieces
The candidate must present a total of four pieces from the list.

1. Snare Drum (from "List A")
2. Multiple Percussion (from "List B")
3. Keyboard (from "List C")
4. Choice of Timpani (from "List D") OR another one of the above.  If Timpani is chosen here, the candidate has to play theTimpani technical work (above). Unless a student is keen to play Timpani, we will choose another piece on Snare Drum or Keyboard  
5. 2 "Extra List" Pieces. Candidates will submit (to the examiners) a list of two extra pieces, on top of the examination pieces.  The examiners can ask them to play all or part of these pieces.  

Snare Drum

• Primary Handbook for Snare Drum: 1 from each section counts as 1 item: 
1. 3/4 p8, 4/4 p8, 2/4 (bottom) p9, 3/8 p12, 6/8 p12
2. 2/4 p17, 3/4 p17; 4/4 (either) p18
3. 2/4 p32; 4/4 p34; 2/4 p37; Cut time p38 

• Syncopation Book: 1 of the following: 
• 40 bar ex p27
• 48 bar ex p28 or p31
• Syncopation ex: any 37-44
• Yamaha Band Student  bk 2
• Maple Leaf March
• Blues Rock Finale (nb w/ accomp)

Multi Percussion (2 drums):

• Primary Handbook for Snare Drum 
• Multi drum p11, p16, 21 or p47

Keyboard

• Yamaha Band Student Bk 2
• A Joyful Chorale (p9)
• Maple Leaf March (p9)
• Hallelujah Chorus (p16)

Timpani

• Primary Handbook for Timpani  3 pieces, one from each group
1. any from p17-21
2. any from 24-25
3. any from 27-28

Section III
Aural Tests (p6)

The candidate is required to demonstrate:

• The ability to clap a passage and state whether it is in duple or triple time
• The ability to sing a short phrase combining melody and time
• The ability to sing the higher or lower of two notes 
• The ability to sing and name a melodic interval

Sight Reading (p7)
The candidate is required to demonstrate:

• Accuracy in time and rhythm
• Accuracy in sticking
• Performance at the tempo indicated by the examiner
• Dynamics, articulation and style as indicated

General Knowledge (p7)

The candidate is required to demonstrate an understanding of the following aspects of the pieces performed, excluding the extra list pieces:

• Notes, rests, signs and terms
• Titles
• Keys or tonalities including modulations where applicable