Trinity exams offer a range of supporting tests, allowing candidates to play to their strengths. Candidates choosing the improvisation test can select between three types of improvisation: motivic, harmonic or stylistic. The examples on this page are all showing the stylistic stimulus, in which the candidate improvises over a piano accompaniment provided by the examiner.
Sample tests can be downloaded from our general resources page. The parameters for the test at each grade (e.g. length, keys, chords) and assessment criteria are given in the Strings Syllabus.
Amy is awarded a pass for her improvisation. Rhythmic ideas from the stimulus were put to good use here, but the musical structures were not fully grasped.
Elizabeth is awarded a pass for this test. This is a good attempt with strong rhythmic pulse but the notes of G chord were not correct.
Allison is awarded a Merit for this test. This was securely played with good understanding of the chords on the whole, however more use could have been made of material from the stimulus (rhythmically or melodically), and no opportunity was taken to develop the material during the repeat.
Jamie is awarded a Pass for his improvisation. This had good awareness of harmonies, but was repetitive, with no development, and somewhat basic use of instrumental resources.
Elizabeth's improvisation would be marked as Below Pass. Whilst there is fluent playing on the whole and some awareness of the chords, there is a very limited response to the stimulus with severely limited creative input.
Finlay is awarded a pass mark for his improvisation. There is some confident playing to start with good rhythmic ideas appearing. However the performance is not always fluent and there is some confusion over musical structure.
Filmed at Cheadle Hulme School, Cheshire, November 2016 and at CYM, London, June 2016.