Study Guide

Field 028: Fine Arts—Vocal Music
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

Expand All | Collapse All

General Directions

This test consists of two sections: (1) a listening section in which you will listen to audio excerpts and answer multiple-choice questions, and (2) a multiple-choice section in which you will respond to questions presented on the screen. The directions for each section appear immediately before that section.

Read each question and answer choice carefully and choose the ONE best answer. You should answer all questions. Even if you are unsure of an answer, it is better to guess than not to answer a question at all.

You may NOT use any type of reference materials during the testing session.

Objective 0009
Musicianship (Standards 1.1–1.2, 1.6–1.7)

1. Use the melody below to answer the question that follows.

According to the system of fixed do solfège, which of the following would be the correct syllables for the melody shown?

  1. sol-fa-mi-re-do-re-mi-re-re-do
  2. mi-re-do-ti-la-ti-do-ti-ti-la
  3. do-ti-la-sol-fa-sol-la-sol-sol-fa
  4. re-do-ti-la-sol-la-ti-la-la-sol
Answer
Correct Response: D. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate a broad and comprehensive understanding of essential listening, sight-singing, and keyboard skills, including techniques for sight-singing using various movable and fixed solmization systems, such as moveable and fixed do systems and scale degrees. In fixed-do solmization, the syllables do, re, mi, fa, so, la, and ti are attached (or fixed) to scale degrees 1–7 of the C major scale. Regardless of key, do always labels the pitch C, re always labels D, and so on. The excerpt begins on D, or re. The only response that begins with re is choice D.
Objective 0010
Composing, Arranging, and Improvising (Standards 3.1–3.2, 3.7)

2. A high school vocal music teacher is creating an arrangement for mixed chorus, harpsichord, and B-flat trumpet. The piece will be in E-flat major. The teacher should write the trumpet part in which of the following keys?

  1. D-flat major
  2. C major
  3. F major
  4. E-flat major
Answer
Correct Response: C. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate a broad and comprehensive understanding of techniques for composing, arranging, and improvising, including knowledge of instrumental transpositions, ranges, and idiomatic writing for various instruments and instrumental ensembles. Whenever an instrument plays a written C, the name of the instrument is produced at sounding pitch. For example, whenever a B-flat trumpet plays a written C, the name of the instrument, B-flat, is produced. Thus, music for B-flat trumpet must be written a whole-step above sounding pitch. Consequently, a piece in E-flat major requires the trumpet part to be written in F major.
Objective 0011
Conducting and Repertoire (Standard 5)

3. A vocal music teacher is evaluating several newly written pieces to determine their appropriateness for a middle school choir. Which of the following elements of the score should be the teacher's primary concern?

  1. rhythmic complexity and placement of word accents
  2. compatibility of text with melodic material
  3. tessitura and quality of vowels on upper-register notes
  4. harmonic support of expression and meaning of text
Answer
Correct Response: C. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate a broad and comprehensive understanding of conducting techniques, rehearsal techniques, and repertoire for school vocal ensembles, including identification of potential technical challenges presented in a score. Tessitura indicates the range in which most notes occur and is described as low, medium, or high. An age-appropriate piece would have a medium tessitura and would avoid lengthy passages at the ends of the vocal range. A high tessitura could damage the voice and produce poor choral blend, balance, and intonation, especially on diphthongs. Ideally, upper-register notes would occur on pure vowels (Latin A, E, I, O, U).
Objective 0012
Vocal Performance Techniques (Standards 6.2–6.10)

4. Which of the following techniques would be most effective for improving the blend within a section of a choir?

  1. having the singers use more vibrato when performing at a lower volume
  2. making sure that the singers produce uniform vowel sounds and rhythm
  3. placing singers with stronger voices behind singers with weaker voices
  4. choosing one singer's voice for the others in the section to try to imitate
Answer
Correct Response: B. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate a broad and comprehensive understanding of vocal performance techniques, including rhythmic accuracy and vowel purity. Following a determination of musical objectives based on analysis of the score, consideration of singers' needs, and the choral sound desired, the next step is to determine strategies and techniques that will communicate these objectives to the singers. Feedback to the choir should be based on the characteristics of good choral singing. Of paramount importance in this effort are working for consistently good diction (especially with vowel sounds) and attention to rhythmic integrity among all the sections of the choir. This will not only improve the overall choral balance and blend, it will also improve the intonation and add clarity to the text.
Objective 0012
Vocal Performance Techniques (Standards 6.2–6.10)

5. A high school vocal music teacher is working with a soloist who is having difficulty staying in tune while singing. Which of the following recommendations from the teacher would likely be most effective for addressing this problem?

  1. "Learn one phrase of the song at a time."
  2. "Listen to the song a few times before each rehearsal."
  3. "Practice performing the song a cappella."
  4. "Maintain proper singing posture and correct breathing."
Answer
Correct Response: D. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate a broad and comprehensive understanding of vocal performance techniques. When standing, singers should place their feet comfortably apart. They should stand erect but not rigidly, chest held high but without tension in the neck, shoulders, and chest. The body should be aligned in as straight a manner as possible from the head, through the shoulders, chest, waist, and legs. In addition to poor posture, a lack of breath support is often the reason for a sound which lacks focus, intensity and pitch, and for poor intonation in general.