Piano Proficiency Testing

Piano Proficiency in the UW-Madison Mead Witter School of Music

All music majors are required to demonstrate a certain level of proficiency on the piano to graduate.

Learning how to play the piano is an important part of your education as a musician.  Especially for those of you whose instrument only plays one note at a time, it helps you understand chord structure, harmony, the larger context of a piece of music, and how everyone's parts work together.  It will also give you tools to better understand music theory, music history, and better understand your role in an ensemble. 

There is NO expectation that students who are not piano majors arrive on campus able to play the piano. If we had wanted you to be able to play the piano we would have asked you to do so at your audition.

How much piano do you need to graduate?

Proficiency requirements depend on your music major. Piano proficiency requirements for each music major can be found in Guide. Students should discuss their level of piano proficiency and course selection with the School of Music Undergraduate Advisor, Todd Reck.  It is highly recommended that students start their piano courses beginning in their first year of study as a music major.

What are the levels of piano proficiency?

There are six different levels of piano proficiency:

• MUS PERF 101 – Beginning Class Piano
• MUS PERF 102 – Beginning Class Piano
• MUS PERF 103 – Elementary Class Piano
• MUS PERF 104 – Intermediate Class Piano
• MUS PERF 200 – Elementary/Intermediate Piano for Non-Piano Majors
• MUS PERF 201 – Elementary/Intermediate Piano (for successfully auditioned piano majors)

The criteria for testing out of MUS PERF 101 to 104 can be found below.

How do you demonstrate piano proficiency?

There are three ways to demonstrate piano proficiency:

1. Start taking piano lessons beginning with MUS PERF 101 and continue taking class piano until you meet your proficiency requirement.
2. Pass a piano proficiency test where you demonstrate all of the piano skills needed for your degree.
3. A combination of 1 and 2. 

What happens if you test out of all or part of your piano requirement?

If you still need to take a higher level piano class, you should contact Todd Reck at ugradadvisor@music.wisc.edu to obtain permission to enroll in piano.

You may be able to substitute music elective credit for the piano classes you do not need to take. You should discuss this with Todd Reck.

What if you are a piano major?

If you successfully auditioned into the School of Music on the piano, then you are considered to have already met the piano proficiency requirements.

How do you sign up for a piano test?

Piano proficiency testing will take place at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. Music majors should watch their email for more information on now to sign up for a piano test.

Please email Todd Reck at ugradadvisor@music.wisc.edu for a link to the sign up sheet.

If you have specific questions about the piano test itself, please contact Professor Johnson: jgjohnson@wisc.edu

Criteria for Piano Placement

*NOTE: Although the criteria for 103 and 104 are the same, greater fluency is expected for passing out of piano 104 (scales faster, able to sight read and transpose to more complex keys, etc).