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University of Texas at Austin
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Orchestra Sight-Reading Criteria

Sight-Reading Selection Levels and Conference Assignment

Level Conference Non-Varsity & Sub Non-Varsity
I 1C ALL MS NV/Sub NV & 1A/2A/3A NV/Sub NV
II 2C/1A/2A 4A NV/Sub NV
III 3C/3A 5A NV/Sub NV
IV 4A 6A NV/Sub NV
V 5A  
VI 6A   

Level I - Conference 1C 

Key

Concert D, G Major.

No key change.

Meter:

meter 2/4 meter 3/4 meter 4/4

Maximum of two meter changes.

Rhythm:

Basic Patterns:

quarter note half note dot half note whole note beamed eighth note dot 4 eighth notes

Length:

Maximum of two (2) minutes (single movement piece or one movement of a two movement piece).

Level II - Conference 2C - 1A/2A

Same criteria as Level I - Conference 1C EXCEPT:

Key

Concert D, G Major (and C Major for full orchestra).

No key change.

Length

Maximum of three (3) minutes (single movement piece or both movements of a two movement piece).

Level III - Conference 3C - 3A

Key

Concert D, G, C Major (and F Major for full orchestra) / b, a, e minor

Maximum of two (2) keys changes.

Meter

meter 2/4 meter 3/4 meter 4/4 meter C

Maximum of two (2) meter changes.

Rhythm

Basic Patterns

quarter note half note dot half note whole note two eighth notes dot 4 eighth notes 4 sixteenth notes

Length

Maximum of three (3) minutes (can be multi-movement).

Level IV - Conference 4A

Same criteria as Level III - Conference 3C EXCEPT:

Rhythm

Basic Patterns

quarter note half note dot half note whole note 2 eighth notes dot quarter note and eighth note eighth note and quarter note and eighth note triplet 4 sixteenth notes 4 eighth notes

Length

Maximum of four (4) minutes (can be multi-movement).

Level V - Conference 5A

Key

Concert D, G, F, C Major / b, e, d, a minor.

Maximum of three (3) key changes.

Meter

meter 2/4 meter 3/4 meter 4/4 meter C

Maximum of three (3) meter changes.

Rhythm

Basic Patterns

quarter note half note dot half note whole note 2 eighth notes dot quarter note to eighth note eighth note to quarter note to eighth note dot eighth note triplet 4 sixteenth notes sixteenth to sixteenth

Length

Maximum of five (5) minutes (can be multi-movement).

Level VI - Conference 6A

Key

Concert D, G, F, C, Bb Major / b, e, d, a, g minor.

Maximum of three (3) key changes.

Meter

meter 2/4 meter 3/4 meter 4/4 meter 6/8 meter C

Maximum of three (3) meter changes.

Rhythm

Basic Patterns

quarter note half note dot half note whole note 2 eighth notes quarter note to eighth note eighth note to quarter note to eighth note dot eighth note triplet 4 sixteenth notes sixteenth sixteenth

Length

Maximum of five (5) minutes (can be multi-movement).