NES Music (513) Practice Tests

Competencies 0001–0003 make up about 30% of the test. They ask you to understand elements of Western and non-Western music presented in recorded examples; understand stylistic characteristics of Western and non-Western music presented in recorded examples; understand performance elements of music presented in recorded examples.

• Competency 0001: Understand elements of Western and non-Western music presented in recorded examples. Skills tested: Analyze melodic characteristics, including scales, tonality, intervals, phrase structures, embellishments, and contour; Analyze harmonic characteristics, including intervals, chord types, harmonic progressions, cadences, and nonchord tones; Analyze the elements of rhythm, meter, and tempo; Analyze the elements of form and texture.
• Competency 0002: Understand stylistic characteristics of Western and non-Western music presented in recorded examples. Skills tested: Identify genres and styles of music from a variety of cultures and time periods; Analyze instrumentation and characteristics of music from a variety of cultures and time periods.
• Competency 0003: Understand performance elements of music presented in recorded examples. Skills tested: Identify voice types and various types of choral and small vocal ensembles; Identify instruments and various types of instrumental ensembles; Analyze expressive elements including dynamics, articulation, tempo, and stylistic devices; Recognize performance errors related to pitch, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, phrasing, intonation, ensemble precision, and balance, with the assistance of a printed score.

Competencies 0004–0005 make up about 20% of the test. They ask you to understand melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic elements; understand musical notation, composition, arrangement, and improvisation.

• Competency 0004: Understand melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic elements. Skills tested: Identify scales, modes, tonality, and melodic intervals; Identify harmonic intervals and chord types; Demonstrate knowledge of note duration, rest duration, and time signatures; Analyze melodic characteristics, including phrase structures, contours, and other melodic devices; Analyze cadences, harmonic progressions, and nonchord tones; Analyze rhythmic characteristics, including meter, patterns, and other rhythmic devices.
• Competency 0005: Understand musical notation, composition, arrangement, and improvisation. Skills tested: Identify key signatures and pitches using a given clef; Demonstrate knowledge of musical symbols and terms, including tempo markings, articulation symbols, dynamic indications, and expression markings; Demonstrate knowledge of musical styles, forms, textures, and compositional techniques; Apply knowledge of arranging and composing for various instruments, voices, and ensembles; Demonstrate knowledge of improvisational techniques.

Competencies 0006–0006 make up about 20% of the test. They ask you to understand the history and characteristics of music from various cultures throughout history and in the present.

• Competency 0006: Understand the history and characteristics of music from various cultures throughout history and in the present. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of styles, genres, instrumentation, performance practices, cross-cultural influences, and other characteristics of Western classical music; Demonstrate knowledge of styles, genres, instrumentation, performance practices, cross-cultural influences, and other characteristics of music from the United States; Demonstrate knowledge of styles, genres, instrumentation, performance practices, cross-cultural influences, and other characteristics of music from a variety of diverse cultures; Demonstrate knowledge of major composers, musicians, and major works of music; Compare music from different genres, cultures, and stylistic periods; Analyze various purposes of music in society and ways in which music reflects and influences cultural factors, historical developments, technological changes, and aesthetic values.

Competencies 0007–0009 make up about 30% of the test. They ask you to understand principles of music education; understand vocal, choral, and instrumental performance techniques; understand conducting techniques, score reading, and repertoire selection.

• Competency 0007: Understand principles of music education. Skills tested: Demonstrate basic knowledge of various pedagogical approaches to music instruction; Sequence developmentally appropriate music activities for a given classroom scenario; Demonstrate knowledge of techniques for playing classroom and accompanying instruments; Demonstrate basic knowledge of various technologies for listening to, studying, creating, recording, and performing music; Demonstrate knowledge of various assessment tools for evaluating student progress toward learning goals to inform future instruction; Apply knowledge of strategies for planning and delivering instruction that ensures access, accommodation, adaptation, and equity for all music learners in a variety of music classrooms and school music programs; Demonstrate knowledge of interdisciplinary connections between music, the related arts, and other content areas; Demonstrate knowledge of connections between music and the diverse experiences and identities of all students.
• Competency 0008: Understand vocal, choral, and instrumental performance techniques. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of vocal ranges and classifications, stages of vocal maturation, and various types and characteristics of vocal and choral ensembles; Demonstrate knowledge of basic techniques for developing singing skills and maintaining vocal health; Apply knowledge of techniques for addressing typical problems encountered in vocal and choral performance; Demonstrate knowledge of types and characteristics of string, wind, brass, percussion, and keyboard instruments and types and characteristics of bands, orchestras, and other instrumental ensembles; Apply knowledge of basic techniques for playing string, wind, brass, percussion, and keyboard instruments and basic procedures related to instrument maintenance; Apply knowledge of techniques for addressing typical problems encountered in playing string, wind, brass, percussion, and keyboard instruments; Demonstrate knowledge of culturally authentic performance practices and decorum; Demonstrate knowledge of audience etiquette appropriate for various contexts, venues, genres, and purposes.
• Competency 0009: Understand conducting techniques, score reading, and repertoire selection. Skills tested: Demonstrate knowledge of basic conducting patterns, techniques for communicating expression markings, and cuing techniques; Analyze score excerpts in terms of potential performance issues; Apply criteria to analyze, evaluate, and interpret various scores; Demonstrate knowledge of selecting appropriate repertoire for various vocal and instrumental ensembles, including general music classes, and for performance programs for a variety of purposes and contexts; Demonstrate knowledge of copyright laws related to music education.