LICENSURE EXAMINATION FOR TEACHERS (LET)

Refresher Course

WHAT TO EXPECT

Conducting, Instrumental and Vocal Groups

Focus: Fundamentals of conducting group performance

Competencies:

1. Distinguish the elements of vocal and instrumental ensemble performance

2. Identify the essentials of conducting

PART I – CONTENT UPDATE

The character of the tone produced by an instrument is called timbre, the fourth element of music.
Each instrument and each type of human voice has its own quality of tone or color.

1. Chamber Music Groups – music intended for performance in an intimate setting, involving
between one and approximate eight players, each playing an independent part.

 Solo – one player

 Duo or duet – two players
 Trio – three players
 Quartet – four players
 Quintet – five players
 Sextet – six players
 Septets, octets, nonettes, etc., can be made up of various combinations of instruments.

2. Larger Ensembles – instrumental groups with more than eight to ten players usually perform
with a conductor.

 String orchestra – consist of first violins, second violins, violas, cellos and basses.

 Woodwind choir – made up of flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons.

 Brass choir – has French horns, trumpets, cornets, trombones and tuba.

 Percussion Ensemble – has from two to ten players playing various combinations of
percussion instruments.

 Symphonic wind ensemble – combination of a woodwind choir, a brass choir and a

percussion ensemble.

 Concert band – usually has more than one player on each part.

 Jazz ensembles – vary from small ensemble such as piano, vibraphone, bass, and drums
to large stage or concert jazz bands with five saxophones, (players may play also double
flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon) five trumpets, five trombones, piano, guitar, string bass
and drums.

 Chamber orchestra – consist basically of the string orchestra plus a small number of
additional keyboard, woodwind, brass or percussion instruments.

 Symphony Orchestra – composed of instruments from the string, woodwind, brass and
percussion sections, occasionally with special instruments added.

Vocal Ensembles
 1. Chamber Ensembles – may range from one to eight or more voices, with or without
accompaniment.

2. Large Vocal Ensembles

 Women’s choruses – Soprano 1, Soprano 2, Alto 1 and Alto 2.

 Men’s choruses – Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bass 1 and Bass 2.

 Mixed Chorus – four grouping of soprano, alto, tenor and bass.

 A Capella Choir – performs music without instrumental accompaniment.

CONDUCTING – this has been often defined as the art of leading a group through the use of bodily
movements and facial expressions in the interpretation of vocal as well as instrumental compositions.

CONDUCTING ESSENTIALS

1. Preparatory Beat – prepares the singers to attack on the beat; this is usually the beat which
comes before the attack beat; its purpose is also to allow the singers to breathe at the same time.

2. Attack Beat – start of the phrase.

3. Release Beat – end of the phrase or section – should be clearly seen by the choir members so
that the cessation of the sound will be done altogether.

4. Cueing – usually done with the left hand – used for entrances of voice parts and dynamic or
tempo changes, as well as in rhythm.

PART II – ANALYZING TEST ITEMS

1. What is the vocal composition of a mixed choir?

a. SSA c. SATB
b. TTBB d. SATC

2. Which does not belong to the group?

a. Oboe c. Tuba
b. Trumpet d. Trombone

3. Which is not true about the Rondalla?

a. Rondalla is also called comparsa

b. The higher sounding instrument and normally plays the melody is the LAUD
c. The drum set is an optional instrument in the Rondalla
d. The Spaniards introduced Rondalla in the Philippines

4. Which of the following is a tuned percussion instrument?

a. Maracas c. Tubular bells

b. Castanets d. Triangle

5. A smaller banduria is called ___________

a. Bandoneon c. Piccolo
b. Laud d. Bandola
6. The viol family produces sound by means of a _____________

a. Pua c. Beater
b. Bow d. Mallet

7. Instruments which are made to sound by striking them with special sticks, or by striking or
shaking parts together

a. Stringed c. Wood wind

b. Brass Wind d. Percussion

8. The counterpart of the double bass in the woodwind family is the _________.

a. Sousaphone c. Bassoon
b. Tuba d. All of the Above

9. What would be the preparatory beat when the music starts on the 2 nd half of the first beat?

a. Upbeat
b. Downbeat
c. 3rd beat
d. 2nd half of second beat

10. A list of songs/ music that a vocal group or instrumental group perform

a. Repertoire c. Catalogue
b. Program d. Concert

11. The highest voice in an all-female choir.

a. coloratura c. mezzo soprano

b. soprano d. contralto

12. A vocal problem wherein the singer sings on spilled air and not on controlled air.

a. pinched voice c. harm voice

b. hooty music d. breathy voice

13. Correct breathing in singing is conducted by an involuntary muscle called________.

a. clavicle c. intercostals
b. diaphragm d. rectus abdominus

14. To obtain more stability with the choir intonation, position the sopranos next to ________.

a. basses c. altos
b. tenors d. conductor

15. The art of leading a group in the interpretation of music using hands, facial expressions and
bodily movements.

a. beating c. conducting
b. interpretation d. cueing

16. Which does not belong to the group?

a. gandingan c. babandil
b. sageypo d. agung
17. What is true about Palabunyibunyan?

a. The Palabunyibunyan Ensemble can be found at the Southern part of the

Philippines, mainly at Maguindanao.
b. The instruments of Palabunyibunyan are tagitak, busog, gandingan and
agong.
c. The ensemble is composed of gangsa, topaya and gansa palook.
d. The traditional ensemble features both male and female kulintang players.

18. The distinctive quality of tone color of each instrument/ voice that makes one different from
another.

a. timbre c. texture
b. sonority d. harmony

19. The rapid back and forth movement of the right hand using pua or pick when playing plectrum
instruments of the Rondalla is called ______.

a. vibrato c. portato
b. legato d. tremolo

20. If Bahay Kubo is to be sung in legato and allegro with correct phrasing, the ideal beat pattern
would be _____.

a. one-beat pattern c. three-beat pattern

b. two-beat pattern d. four-beat pattern

PART III – ENHANCING TEST TAKING SKILLS

1. To what classification does the human voice belong?

a. chordophone c. idiophone
b. aerophone d. membranophone

2. What is true about a coloratura soprano?

a. It is capable of performing rapid scales, arpeggios, trills and other passages in

the high register
b. It has a light tone quality and has a lyrical color
c. Has a powerful quality and the voice is suitable for music that demands
emotional intensity
d. It has the qualities of the dramatic and lyric sopranos

3. An instrumental group composed of stringed, woodwind, brasswind and percussion

instruments?

a. a. band c. symphony
b. b. orchestra d. gamelan

4. When does a conductor give cues?

a. when a section makes its initial entrance

b. a voice-line enters after being mute for a long period of time
c. when ending a phrase
d. when a melody moves from section to section

5. The Pangkat Kawayan is composed of the following instruments:

a. patatag, bungkaka, tulali c. palendag, kudlong, kudyapi

 b. kubing, litgit, bungbong d. bungbong, angklung, marimba

6. When conducting music that demands grandeur and majesty, the movements is initiated
from the __________.

a. a. forearm c. fingers
b. b. wrist d. arm

7. The source of sound of the human vocal instrument.

a. a. pharynx c. uvula
b. b. glottis d. vocal folds

8. The source of vibration of instruments classified as idiophone is ___________

a. Stretched membrane c. The instrument itself

b. Electronic generator d. Column of air

9. What is a characteristic of a chamber orchestra?

a. It is basically a combination of a woodwind choir, a brass choir and a percussion

ensemble
b. It is composed of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, piano, guitar, string bass
and drums
c. It consists basically of the string orchestra plus a small member of additional
keyboard, woodwind, brass or percussion instruments
d. It is composed by instruments from the string, woodwind, brass and percussion
sections, occasionally with special instruments added

10. The movement for the release of sound is called ______________.

a. Cut-off c. Preparatory
b. Caesura d. Cue

11. Proper breathing while singing means

a. Raising the shoulders and sounding the breath especially during entrance
b. Contracting the stomach and chest muscles while inhaling.
c. Controlling the breath output gradually
d. Filling in the lungs and chest cavities with air and putting out all of the air together
with the attack

12. Testing will always be part of the audition as this

a. Will allow the singers to discover their strong and weak points
b. Will enable the conductor to choose the prospective musically equipped
members
c. Will enable applicants to become self-conscious and afraid to join
d. Will allow the conductor to make the applicants fee that the audition is not going
to be easy

13. While conducting,

a. Extend your arms for everybody to see

b. Tap your foot for the rhythm
c. Listen to the blend and balance and assist only when necessary
d. Sing with the members from the beginning to the end
14. The voice comes put beautifully when,

a. There is too much air

b. The back of the tongue is arched
c. There is correct throat and mouth opening.
d. The chest is positioned relatively high
15. By asking the child being tested for possible membership in a choir, to imitate tonal interval

a. The choir director can readily check his expressiveness

b. The choir director can readily check his rhythmic accuracy
c. The choir director can readily check his ear keenness to sound relationships
d. The choir director can readily check his ability to blend

16. These are notes which allow the singers to sing comfortably and beautifully

a. Voice classification c. Range

b. Tessitura d. Voice lift

17. Voice classification applied to a male choir member whose voice is still changing and has a
more limited range.

a. Tenor c. Bass
b. Baritone d. Cambiata

18. A point in which the voice changes its color, the voice shifts to another voice placement so
that the singer will be able to sing the upper notes which might be beyond his range.

a. Tessitura c. Range
b. Voice lift d. Cambiata

19. Good tone quality in singing is characterized by:

a. Brilliance c. Resonance
b. Correct placement d. All of the above

20. The vocal mechanism that amplifies the tones and provides its characteristics timbre.

a. Resonator c. Actuator
b. Vibrator d. Articulator
ANSWER KEY:

PART II – ANALYZING TEST ITEMS

1. C 11. B
2. A 12. D
3. B 13. B
4. C 14. A
5. C 15. C
6. B 16. B
7. D 17. C
8. C 18. A
9. B 19. D
10. A 20. D

PART III – ENHANCING TEST TAKING SKILLS

1. B 11. C
2. A 12. B
3. B 13. C
4. C 14. C
5. D 15. C
6. D 16. B
7. D 17. D
8. C 18. B
9. C 19. D
10. A 20. A