• Certificate
  • Solfége
  • Improvisation
  • Eurhythmics
  • Plastique
  • Pedagogy

Certificate Jaques-Dalcroze

The teacher-training program at The Institute for Jaques-Dalcroze Education is structured to provide a comprehensive experience in the Methód Jaques-Dalcroze. It is based in the same traditional values handed down to us by its founder, and refined to train and educate the twenty-first century musician and educator.

The examinations are designed to reflect these values and thereby require genuine musicality and specific musicianship skills in fixed-doh solfége and ear training, keyboard harmony, improvisation for movement, and Jaques-Dalcroze body-movement technique. The Certificate pedagogy examinations require a demonstrated love of teaching using specific pedagogic techniques that are unique to Jaques-Dalcroze educators and designed to teach children and amateur musicians.

The Plastique Animé examinations are designed to allow candidates to demonstrate their creative skill at designing the physical structure (form and analysis) of a composition in space by using the human body as the instrument. Again, remaining true to our core values, the plastique realization (choreography) is to be performed only with live musicians in real time. Live realizations provide unique musical experiences each time the piece is performed. They also develop good ensemble habits among all the musicians (physical, vocal, and instrumental), strengthen one’s ear, and refine one’s quick reactions.

Even though there is no term paper required for the Certificate, specific reading assignments are assigned from the writings of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze and other recognized proponents of the Methód on a daily basis. There are several quizzes on the assigned reading.

Solfége

  • *To be performed:

    • Doh-to-Doh Scales:

      • The candidate will sing any given Doh-to-Doh major scale in both directions.

    • Sight-Singing:

      • The Candidate will sight-sing a given piece of vocal literature first without and then with accompaniment. (E.g., Beethoven’s “Ich liebe dich” or Schumann’s “Der Frohe Wandersmann”)

      • The piece should be in any major tonality containing at least one modulation to a closely related key, in compound or simple meter.

      • The candidate will sing the appropriate Doh-to-Doh scale to establish the tonality.

    • Rhythm Realization:

      • The Candidate will realize two sixteen-bar rhythms, one in simple and the other in compound meter.

      • For each piece the candidate will:

        • Articulate the rhythm on neutral syllables while conducting the meter.

        • Choose one piece on which to improvise a melody using the names of the notes in any tonality other than Doh Major.

        • Sing the appropriate Doh-to-Doh scale to establish the desired tonality.

    • les Espéce: (the species)

      • The candidate will sing and resolve chords in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd espéce in root position.

  • To be written:

    • Doh-to-Doh Scales:

      • After hearing each scale the candidate will first indicate the correct Doh (natural, sharp or flat) on the staff paper then identify the major scale by notating the correct key signature..

    • Rhythm Dictation:

      • The candidate will notate on staff paper a given eight-bar rhythm repeated five times.

      • The rhythm should be in simple or compound meter, using patterns at the beat and first division.

      • On each consecutive hearing the candidate will:

        • Listen

        • Conduct the meter

        • Clap the pattern

        • Clap the pattern again

        • Listen then write

    • Interval Dictation (quick reaction in canon):

      • Two examples are given at different tempi.

      • The candidate will notate each pitch, immediately after hearing it, in a series of pitches.

    • Interval Identification:

      • The bass line of a 2-part composition is given and played. An asterisk (*) is placed under selected notes. As both voices are performed, the candidate will notate the interval at each asterisk.

    *Candidates are given 20 minutes to review the exam without a piano.

Improvisation

  • Rhythm Pattern Improvisation:

    • The candidate will improvise freely using one or more of the following patterns chosen by the jury:

      • Anapest

      • Dactyl

      • Iamb

      • Trochée

      • Amphabrach

    • Improvise a music composition using two rhythm patterns chosen by the jury from the list above with one pattern in the soprano and the other in the bass.

    • Follow the Conductor:

      • The candidate will improvise music while following a conductor who directs in simple or compound changing meter.

    • Rhythm Realization:

      • The candidate will realize a given eight-bar rhythm in compound or simple meter at the piano using melody and harmony in any preferred major or minor tonality other than Doh major or La minor.

      • The candidate will repeat the same rhythm using a different style, tempo and tonality.

    • Bass-line Harmonization:

      • The candidate will harmonize a given 8-bar figured bass line written in tonalities having up to 2 flats or sharps.

    • Melodic Harmonization:

      • The candidate will harmonize a given 8-bar melody written in tonalities having up to 3 flats or sharps.

    • Follow the Music:

      • The candidate will improvise a music composition that would be suitable as a “follow the music.” (May be prepared in advance.)

    • Follow the Movement:

      • The candidate will improvise a music composition while following the movement of another individual.

    • Harmonic Progreession:

      • The candidate will perform an improvised compositions using a specific harmonic path, i.e.,
        Tonic Dom.    Super Tonic  Sub. Dom. Tonic
        | vi | V | I :| IV | V | i |  V | V | I  | ii V | I |
        The candidate chooses the original tonic.

    • Prepared Piece: (Preparation time: 6 days)

      • The candidate will prepare and perform a gavotte or minuet.

Eurhythmics

  • A eurhythmics class of candidates is formed specifically for the jury to observe and evaluate each individual.

  • The class will be designed to include, but is not limited to, the following solfege subjects:

    • Pattern canon

    • Arm-beat patterns in simple and compound meter

    • Augmentation - Diminution by 2 times as fast and slow

    • Changing simple and compound meter

    • The Phrase

    • Syncopation by retardation

    • Poly rhythmics using

      • Anapest

      • Dactyl

      • Iamb

      • Trochée

      • Amphabrach

  • The class will be designed to include, but is not limited to the following eurhythmic subjects:

    • Listening

    • Balanced ratios of time, space and energy

    • Coordination

      • Association

      • Disassociation

    • Quick Reactions

      • Inhibition

      • Excitation

    • Concentration

    • Memory

    • Body Technique

Plastique Animé

  • The candidate will chose a partner to create a plastique realization of a two-part composition given one week in advance.

  • The piece should be at least sixteen measures in length and have two clearly defined independent voices.

Pedagogy

  • In Module I there are six hours of pedagogical observation, discussion and analysis.

  • In Modules II, III, candidates are given three fifteen-minute periods to student teach for a total of forty-five minuets on a pass or fail basis. Detailed preparation precedes while constructive critical analysis follows each lesson. In Module IV, the candidates are given three half-hour periods for a total of one and one-half hours.

  • Students must achieve two passes (out of the three tries) to be awarded the Achievement Certificate for each module. The candidate fulfills the pedagogy requirement for the Jaques-Dalcroze certificate once all four modules are successfully completed.

  • The candidate is given a specific subject and specific goals in Modules II and III.

  • In Module IV the candidate is given a choice to teach the fifteen-minute classes on a given subject relating to their own teaching situation or on a subject chosen by the faculty.