Requirements for Examinations in the Cross-Discilplinary Vocal Department

General Instructions for Exam Conduct:

1. Upon arriving at the exam, you must fulfill all the detailed requirements.
2. All pieces will be performed by heart (memorized).
3. The songs must be diverse in character (not exclusively ballads or vice versa).
4. Songs that have not been approved by the vocal coach and the répétiteur will not be heard.
5. Amplification: Only the singer is amplified.
6. The singer may accompany themselves on only one song per exam, and this too requires the approval of the teacher and the répétiteur.
7. Any student who wishes to do so may record their exam on a personal recording device. We request to be notified of this in advance upon entering the exam, and that the device be placed on our table.
8. Recording by the staff is for documentation purposes only and will not be provided to students.

In the 1st Year - there will be a performance showcase at the end of Semester A and only one exam at the end of the year.

In the 4th Year - there is no Semester A exam, except only if there is a need for a Moed Bet (retake) for the half-recital from the 3rd year.

Exam Requirements by Academic Year:

Please read the requirements for each semester carefully.

1st Year

Semester A - Showcase Performance:

At the end of Semester A, a showcase performance will be held for 1st-year students. This is not an exam, and the purpose of the showcase is to provide constructive feedback for continued work. Each student will be asked to perform only one song in front of the faculty panel.

Semester B:

You must prepare three pieces:

1. Israeli Classic Rock / Pop - songs from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. For example: Shalom Hanoch, Chava Alberstein, Matti Caspi, Yehudit Ravitz, Boaz Sharabi, Zohar Argov, Nurit Galron, Corinne Allal, etc.
2. The student will choose one of the following two options: 12-bar blues transcription, or a song of personal choice.
3. Personal choice.

In the exam, you must present an original interpretation for the performed pieces, except for the blues, which must be performed as a transcription.

The blues can be of your choice – but ensure it is 12 bars (that repeat).

An accompanying musician who is not the department répétiteur must have the approval of the teacher and the répétiteur.

2nd Year

Semester A:

You must prepare three pieces:

1. The Beatles – A performance with an original interpretation of one of the Beatles' songs or songs by the band members after their breakup.
2. Up tempo – On time – You must choose a fast-paced pop/rock song from a given list and transcribe it in terms of exact vocal rhythm and the original groove feel. The song can be performed with a live band accompaniment or with a backing track – according to the individual teacher's decision.
   Link to a YouTube playlist with the given list. You may also choose other songs inspired by the playlist with the approval of your individual teacher.
   Theater songs and songs from movies from the years 1920-1969. A list of recommended songs is available on Moodle. You can use it or choose another song according to the requirement.
   Link to a YouTube playlist with many examples as options.

Semester B:

You must prepare three pieces:

1. Jazz Standard - Songs that appear in the Real Book. Either ballads or medium tempo.
2. Classic Hebrew Song - A song composed by one of the following composers: Sasha Argov, Moshe Wilensky, David Zehavi, Mordechai Zeira, Matityahu Shelem, Yedidia Admon, Daniel Sambursky, Emanuel Zamir, Nachum Nardi, Sara Levi-Tanai.
       * Additional options not by the aforementioned composers can be submitted with the approval of the Head of the Department.
       * The student must remain faithful to the song in terms of preserving the melodic line.
3. Personal Choice – The arrangement will include an electronic instrument (such as a synthesizer, looper, a computer playing loops and samples specially created in music software, etc.).

3rd Year

Semester A:

You must prepare three pieces:

1. English Pop-Rock Ballads from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Such as: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Simon & Garfunkel, Sting, Annie Lennox, Queen, Elton John, David Bowie, and the like.
2. Folk Song
3. Theatrical song from a musical/cabaret/cinema.

Semester B: Half-Recital

...

You must receive a grade above 90 to be eligible for the recital.

You must prepare five pieces. You must choose, in consultation with and approval of your teacher, a track from the following tracks on which the half-recital will focus (at least three out of the five pieces):

A.      Musical – Theater, stage, and cinematic media songs

B.      Jazz

C.      Singer-songwriter

D.      Ethnic-Folk

E.     Hebrew-Israeli song

F.      Multi-disciplinary (In this track, the genre classification of the pieces will be more open, but the overall selection of pieces will represent a cohesive concept).

Mandatory in every track:

• Original Song - One out of the five songs prepared for the half-recital must be an original song in a premiere performance. Not written/composed by the singer themselves.
• One of the songs must be A Cappella (without instrumental accompaniment).
• Accompaniment - An accompanying ensemble of a minimum of three musicians, in at least three songs.

4th Year

End-of-Degree Exam:

You must prepare 5 pieces according to the following requirements:

1. One song accompanied by a single harmonic instrument.
2. At least three songs in the exam must be accompanied by an ensemble of at least three musicians.
3. At least one song in Hebrew and one song in a foreign language.

Graduation Recital

You must prepare a recital that is 45 minutes long.

Students who are eligible to perform a graduation recital are required to participate in the department's public concerts or the Academy's public concerts in which the department takes part – according to the department's needs. A student who does not fulfill this obligation will not be allowed to hold the recital.

Recital Showcases (Hearings)

Students eligible for a recital will be asked to prepare 4-5 pieces from the planned recital and present them to the panel of examiners about two months before the recital during a special date to be set by the faculty secretariat. The pieces performed in the showcase must be at a high level of finish in terms of arrangement and performance. At the end of the showcase, notes and guidance will be given regarding the continuation of the work on the recital, as well as approval to hold the recital. Students who are not ready at the time scheduled for their showcase will not be able to hold the recital and will be tested in an end-of-degree exam as detailed above.

The choice of songs for the recital must reflect a rationale that you will be asked to explain to the examining committee at the time of the showcase performance.

1. In a recital consisting of original songs by the department student, there must be at least one cover (students whose recital will be a complete conceptual work standing on its own, such as an original musical, may request an exemption from this requirement).
2. One song must be accompanied by a single instrument.
3. At least one song must be in Hebrew.
4. Approval must be obtained from the private teacher and the répétiteur for the entire recital program.
5. The accompanying ensemble for the entire recital will consist of up to six musicians (not including the singer).
6. Three songs from the recital may be played by an ensemble of up to eight musicians (not including the singer).
7. The total number of musicians participating in the entire recital, besides the singer, shall not exceed 12 (a backing vocal section will be counted as one musician).
8. The examinee will prepare a program booklet or a list of pieces for the panel of examiners at the recital.
9. The examinee may prepare a poster (according to the rules published in the recital procedures) and must receive approval from the Head of the Department for it.
10. The examinee is required to strictly ensure not to exceed under any circumstances the time limit of a 45-minute recital, including speaking/hosting and acknowledgments.

Any request for a change in the exam/recital requirements must be directed to the Head of the Department.