Phase 5 Final Assessment: Performance & Independence

After Sessions 21-25 — Graduation Assessment

Congratulations, Gaurav!

You have completed all 25 sessions of the intermediate course. Take a moment to absorb that. Twenty-five weeks ago, you walked in with 6 scales, 6 triads, and a handful of beginner songs. Today you command all major scales, 4 harmonic minor scales, all 24 triads in every inversion, 7th chords, arpeggios, three modes, and a repertoire spanning classical, pop, jazz, blues, and Indian music. You can read lead sheets, improvise over blues and pentatonic progressions, sight-read at Grade 2-3 level, and play raga-based melodies. You can shape music with dynamics from pp to ff, pedal technique, articulation, and genre-appropriate expression. You are an intermediate musician — and this assessment will confirm it.

This is your graduation exam. It is comprehensive, covering all 25 sessions and every skill domain. Take your time. Be honest. This assessment is for you — to celebrate how far you have come and to identify what to focus on as you continue your musical journey.

Part 1: Technical Skills Assessment

1A. Scales (Test at least 6)

Rate each: Mastered (target BPM, clean, even) / Needs Work (can play but below target BPM or with stumbles) / Not Yet (cannot play HT fluently)

Major Scales — 2 octaves, hands together:

C major at 80-100 BPM with smooth thumb-under and even tone
G major at 80-100 BPM
D major at 80-92 BPM with correct fingering (F#, C#)
A major at 80 BPM (F#, C#, G#)
E major at 72-80 BPM (F#, C#, G#, D#)
F major at 80-92 BPM
Bb major at 72-80 BPM with correct RH starting finger (4)
Eb major at 72-80 BPM with correct RH starting finger (3)
Ab major at 66-80 BPM

Harmonic Minor Scales — 2 octaves, hands together:

A harmonic minor at 60-80 BPM (raised 7th: G#)
D harmonic minor at 60-80 BPM (Bb + raised 7th: C#)
E harmonic minor at 60-72 BPM (raised 7th: D#)
G harmonic minor at 60-72 BPM (Eb + raised 7th: F#)

Contrary motion:

C major contrary motion scale from Middle C, 1 octave, at 60 BPM

1B. Arpeggios

C major arpeggio, 1 octave, HT, at 66-72 BPM
G major arpeggio, 1 octave, HT, at 66-72 BPM
D major arpeggio, 1 octave, HT, at 60-66 BPM
F major arpeggio, 1 octave, HT, at 60-66 BPM
Am arpeggio, 1 octave, HT, at 60-66 BPM
Em arpeggio, 1 octave, HT, at 60-66 BPM
C major arpeggio, 2 octaves, HT, at 60 BPM
G major arpeggio, 2 octaves, HT, at 60 BPM

1C. Chords

All 12 major triads in root position, 1st inversion, and 2nd inversion
All 12 minor triads in root position, 1st inversion, and 2nd inversion
Diminished triads: B dim, F# dim
Augmented triads: C aug, Ab aug
7th chords: Cmaj7, G7, C7, D7, Am7, Dm7, Em7 (at least these 7)
Shell voicings for at least 4 jazz chords (root + 3rd + 7th)
Pop voicings: sus2, sus4, add9 chords from at least 2 roots

1D. Pedaling

Legato pedaling: play a 4-chord progression with clean pedal changes (no gaps, no mud)
Syncopated pedaling: change pedal on a rhythmic pattern
Knowledge of when NOT to pedal (can articulate examples: Baroque, staccato, fast runs)

1E. Dynamics & Articulation

Play a scale with full pp-to-ff crescendo and ff-to-pp diminuendo
Demonstrate staccato, legato, accented, and tenuto playing on a scale or chord progression
Shape a melody phrase with rubato (slight tempo flexibility)

Part 2: Music Theory Assessment

Part 3: Ear Training & Creativity Assessment

Identify intervals up to an octave by ear (score ___/8: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, tritone, 5th, 6th, 7th, octave)
Distinguish major, minor, dominant 7th, and major 7th chords by ear
Identify a chord progression by ear (I-IV-V-I or I-V-vi-IV)
Transcribe a simple 8-bar melody by ear (find the key, then the notes, write letter names and rhythm)
Play a familiar song by ear — find the melody and basic chords without written music
Improvise a coherent 12-bar blues solo using the C blues scale with at least 3 chord tones on strong beats
Improvise an 8-bar melody over a I-IV-V-I progression in G using pentatonic and chord tones
Compose an 8-bar melody using one mode (Dorian, Mixolydian, or Lydian) with chord symbols
Record a composition on the CT-X9000IN MIDI recorder

Part 4: Sight-Reading Assessment

Sight-read a Grade 2 piece (both hands, key of C or G, no accidentals) at a steady tempo
Sight-read a Grade 2 piece (both hands, key with 1-2 sharps or flats) at a steady tempo
Sight-read a Grade 2-3 piece (both hands, key signature up to 3 sharps/flats, with basic accidentals)
Apply the rhythm-first approach: tap the rhythm before playing
Demonstrate reading ahead: eyes 1-2 beats ahead of hands
Recognise scale passages, chord shapes, and sequences at a glance

Part 5: Repertoire & Performance Assessment — Graduation Recital

Perform 5 polished pieces from memory. Each piece should demonstrate genre-appropriate expression, dynamics, pedaling, and tempo control.

1. Classical Piece (Bach “Minuet in G” or Beethoven “Fur Elise” or Chopin “Waltz in A minor” or Chopin “Prelude in E minor”):

Correct notes throughout
Appropriate tempo (within 10% of target)
Period-appropriate style (Baroque: clean, no pedal; Classical/Romantic: expressive, pedaled)
Dynamic shaping
Performance from memory

2. Pop/Contemporary Piece (“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran or “Clocks” by Coldplay or “All of Me” by John Legend or “Imagine” by John Lennon):

Correct notes and chords
Genre-appropriate voicings and feel
Pedaling that supports the style
Melody clearly above accompaniment
Performance from memory

3. Jazz/Blues Piece (12-bar blues in C or “Fly Me to the Moon” or “Autumn Leaves”):

Swing feel (if applicable)
Correct blues/jazz harmony
Shell voicings or jazz chord shapes
Musical expression (dynamics, phrasing)
Performance from memory

4. Indian Piece (“Ek Pyaar Ka Nagma Hai” or “Lag Ja Gale” or “Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai” or “Kabira” or “Kun Faya Kun”):

Correct raga notes (no wrong notes that break the raga)
Ornamental playing (grace notes, meend where appropriate)
CT-X9000IN Indian tone used idiomatically
Expression and phrasing appropriate to the song
Performance from memory

5. Student’s Choice (any genre, any piece from the course or a new piece at an equivalent level):

Correct notes throughout
Genre-appropriate expression
Personal interpretation evident
Performance from memory

Part 6: CT-X9000IN Mastery Assessment

Set up layer mode (two simultaneous tones, e.g., piano + strings) and play a passage
Set up split mode (different tones for LH and RH, e.g., bass LH, piano RH) and play a passage
Save a registration memory setup and recall it
Record a piece using the MIDI recorder
Export a recording to USB (if USB drive available)
Select and use appropriate Indian tones for an Indian piece
Select and use appropriate Indian rhythm patterns as a backing track
Demonstrate the pitch bend wheel for meend

Scoring Guide

Count your total “Mastered” items across all 6 parts:

Score	Rating	Recommendation
90%+ Mastered	Distinction	You have exceeded intermediate expectations. Move to advanced study with full confidence. Consider ABRSM Grade 3 examination.
80-89% Mastered	Merit	You have met the intermediate standard. Move to advanced study. Address remaining gaps through self-directed practice.
70-79% Mastered	Pass	You have met the core requirements. Move to advanced study but spend extra time on weaker areas.
60-69% Mastered	Near Pass	Spend 2-4 more weeks reviewing weak areas before moving to advanced study. Focus on the specific sessions referenced in remediation.
Below 60%	Not Yet Ready	Continue practicing intermediate material. Identify your weakest phase and revisit those sessions. You will get there — it is a question of practice time, not ability.

If You’re Not Ready

This is a comprehensive assessment, so it is normal to have a few “Needs Work” items. Here is how to address the most common gaps:

Scales below target BPM: Daily scale practice, 15 minutes, with metronome. Increase by 4 BPM per week. Review Sessions 2-4.

Arpeggios shaky at 2 octaves: Practice C and G arpeggios 2 octaves, hands-separate first, then hands-together at 40 BPM. Increase weekly. Review Session 7.

Sight-reading weak: Practice sight-reading 1 new short piece daily (4-8 measures). Use the rhythm-first approach from Session 21. Never go back to replay mistakes — keep going. This skill develops with volume, not repetition of the same piece.

Improvisation uncomfortable: Use the CT-X9000IN rhythm accompaniment as a backing track. Start with 2 notes (C and Eb for blues, A and C for pentatonic). Add one note per day. Review Session 18.

Performance pieces not memorised: Use the 3-method memorisation from Session 23: (1) muscle memory — play the piece 10 times daily, (2) harmonic analysis — know the chord progression by heart, (3) visualisation — close your eyes and imagine playing. Focus on 1 piece at a time.

Modes unfamiliar: Review Session 24. Start with D Dorian (D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D = white keys from D). Then G Mixolydian (G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G = white keys from G). Then C Lydian (C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C = C major with raised 4th). Play each as a scale, then improvise over a modal vamp.

Your Musical Journey

Whether you scored Distinction or Near Pass, recognise what you have accomplished. You started this course with the basics of piano playing. You are finishing it as a musician who can:

Play in multiple keys, major and minor
Build and use complex chords (7th chords, sus, add9)
Read lead sheets and create accompaniment on the fly
Improvise melodies over chord progressions
Sight-read unfamiliar music
Play across 4 genres with style-appropriate expression
Understand and play Indian ragas
Use your CT-X9000IN as a complete musical instrument

That is genuine musical independence. Take the Advanced Readiness Checklist to see if you are ready for advanced study, and then read “What Comes Next — Advanced” to plan your continuing journey.