FVA All State Choir Vocabulary Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• What does Dal Segno (D.S.) mean?
• What tempo marking indicates returning to the original tempo after a deviation?
• Which marking describes a lightly detached articulation between legato and staccato?
• Messa di voce is commonly used on what kind of phrase?
• What is a caesura?
• What is portato and how is it marked?
• What do mezzo-forte (mf) and mezzo-piano (mp) represent?
• Which term indicates a tempo slightly slower than fast, with a lighter texture?
• Which term means gradually dying away, softer and slower?
• In a canon, what is the basic organizing principle?
• What term refers to raising a pitch by one-half step?
• Explain an accent in choral notation.
• What is the symbol for a pause or hold in music notation?
• Which term is a 3-note major or minor chord made up of the root, a major or minor 3rd, and perfect 5th?
• Which term describes music that lacks a tonal center or key?
• Which term means 'beautiful singing' in Italian opera?
• Which term means to continue to perform in a similar manner?
• Which marking instructs the performer to go back to the beginning?
• Which term corresponds to the original tempo before any changes?
• Which term means strongly accented, forced?
• What is the primary effect of messa di voce in performance?
• Which term indicates a smooth, connected articulation?
• Which direction indicates gradually getting softer?
• Which term refers to a creative work that is numbered to designate the order of the composer’s works?
• What does tempo primo indicate?
• Which form is described as returning to the initial section after a contrasting middle section?
• To which artistic field is messa di voce most closely associated?
• What does unison mean?
• Which texture features a single melodic line with no harmony?
• Which statement best describes messa di voce?
• Which term is defined as a musical idea or motif presented as a phrase with repetition?
• Which term describes a song where the stanzas are all sung to the same music?
• Which term means "with fire"?
• Explain "poco a poco" in tempo or dynamics.
• Which term describes an improvised or written-out ornamental passage for a soloist near the final cadence?
• Which term means 'without'?
• Intonation is the
• Which term describes the curved line that indicates singing or playing legato, with no separation between notes?
• What term describes motion by half-steps or the use of semitones within an octave?
• Which term indicates a strongly accented or emphasized note?
• Which term is the minor scale form with a raised seventh that creates a leading tone?
• Which statement best differentiates a Perfect Authentic Cadence from a Plagal Cadence?
• To play or sing in a smooth, connected manner is called?
• Which sequence correctly lists mp and mf in order from softer to louder?
• What does sotto voce indicate?
• Which term refers to a pitch that has been lowered chromatically by a half-step?
• Which term indicates in a choral work for all voices, everyone sings?
• Which term indicates a strong emphasis or marked attack?
• Which term means gradually dying away, softer and slower?
• What does blend refer to in choral singing?
• Define ritardando.
• Diction in singing refers to:
• Which term describes a soft, sweet manner of singing or playing?
• Which description most accurately describes messa di voce?
• Relative major/minor refers to keys that share the same key signature; which pair illustrates this concept?
• Which description best captures the dynamic change of messa di voce on a sustained note?
• What is the term for the technique of making a swell on a single note?
• Which term indicates the organization of beats as indicated by a time signature, either simple or compound?
• What is text painting in vocal music?
• Which term denotes a lively, spirited tempo often used for exciting passages?
• Which term describes symbols that raise or lower a pitch by semitones?
• Which scale is a minor scale with a raised seventh?
• D.C. al Fine means?
• Define con fuoco.
• Which term indicates "expressively; with emotion"?
• Which term is used to indicate returning to the original tempo after a change?
• Which term describes a singing style that is smooth and singable?
• What defines balance in a choir?
• Define rallentando.
• Which term means fully sustained, occasionally even a bit longer than the note value requires?
• Define staccatissimo.
• What term describes a form of composition featuring a recurring A section?
• Which term denotes a large-scale musical composition on a sacred subject?
• What does Fine indicate in a score?
• What term refers to a passage that brings a piece of music to its conclusion?
• Which term indicates a gradual increase in volume?
• Which term indicates less motion in tempo?
• Which term means lively, briskly?
• Which scenario best illustrates messa di voce?
• Which dynamic marking is softer than piano (p)?
• Which term denotes a large-scale sacred-themed composition, often with orchestral and choral forces?
• Which term indicates a tempo slightly slower than allegro with a lighter texture?
• The seventh degree of the diatonic scale, when it is a half-step below the tonic, gives the feeling of wanting to move up to the tonic.
• In a round, singers enter at different times. What is a round?
• Which term means lightly?
• Which instruction tells singers in the same part to split into different lines?
• What is a Coda?
• Which term means a little more motion?
• Which term refers to a short musical idea or melodic motif?
• How would you describe the dynamic shape of messa di voce?
• What term refers to singing without instrumental accompaniment?
• Which tempo marking is described as slow and has a BPM around 66–76?
• Which term is another name for a gradual softening in dynamics?
• Which term is most appropriate to indicate a gentle, singing, lyrical line?
• Which term means very fast, faster than allegro?
• Which marking means to the end, typically used after repetition?
• Which term refers to a single musical idea or element defined by a repeated rhythmic pattern or melodic contour?
• Which term means smooth, connected playing but used as an articulation marking?
• What is the term for sharps or flats at the beginning of the staff indicating pitches to be raised or lowered?
• Binary form is characterized by two sections labeled A and B. What best describes these sections?
• Which vocal technique allows singing beyond the normal range?
• What term means a grand pause or interruption in the line?
• Which tempo marking is fast around 120–168 BPM?
• Which statement best differentiates legato and staccato?
• What is the term for the relationship between two pitches?
• Which term denotes a form with two sections that are contrasted or repeated?
• Define a cappella.
• Which term describes music that moves by semitone steps within an octave?
• Which term describes playing or singing in a mysterious manner?
• Which term describes a special manner of singing where the voice glides from one tone to the next through all intermediate pitches?
• Which term describes a major vocal work that involves theatrical elements?
• What marking indicates repeating from the beginning of a piece?
• Which marking describes a tempo slowing with broadening toward the end?
• What term refers to a system used for teaching sight singing (do-re-mi)?
• What best describes the nature of the swell produced by messa di voce?
• Which musical term means gradually slowing down?
• Which form features a recurring A section?
• Which term describes the distance between two pitches?
• What does con brio indicate in musical performance?
• What is sforzando (sfz) and how should it be used?
• Define accelerando.
• Which term describes slowing down gradually?
• Which tempo marking is moderately slow and around 108–120 BPM?
• Which term indicates a lively tempo or motion?
• Which term refers to a short recurring melodic idea?
• Which marking denotes a sudden, forceful accent on a note or chord?
• What is the purpose of Da Capo (D.C.)?
• Which term denotes the overall comfortable range of a singing voice throughout a piece?
• Define dolce.
• Which term denotes a form consisting of two distinct sections often labeled A and B?
• Which term means solemn, with dignity?
• Which term refers to the repetition of a phrase at different pitch levels using the same or similar intervals?
• Which term refers to the symbol at the beginning of the staff indicating any sharps or flats?
• Which term means heavy, ponderous?
• Which term refers to the first or upper part?
• Which marking indicates music sung with no instrumental accompaniment?
• Which term indicates dying away to nothing?
• Which term means sweet, lovable?
• Which statement correctly pairs fortissimo and piano?
• Which term means rather slow, at a moderate walking speed?
• Which term from the list indicates singing with expression?
• Define cantabile.
• Which term refers to the concluding section that wraps up the piece?
• Which term describes a composition for instruments featuring a solo instrument contrasted with an orchestral ensemble?
• Define giocoso.
• Which tempo marking is described as moderately slow and commonly around 76–108 BPM?
• Which term denotes medium loud?
• Which statement best describes messa di voce?
• Which term means soft and gentle in character?
• Which term refers to a large vocal work that involves theatrical elements?
• Define con moto.
• Which term refers to the most widely used range of pitches in a piece of music?
• Which term means to play or sing with expression?
• Which term describes singing smoothly with no separation between notes?
• On which musical element is messa di voce typically executed?
• What is the term for a semi-tone?
• What does a tempo marking "a tempo" mean?
• What does marcato indicate?
• Which tempo marking is very fast around 168–200 BPM?
• Which term indicates a strong, forced emphasis on a note?
• What is described when dolce and cantabile are used together?
• What is messa di voce?
• Which statement best defines tonic and dominant?
• Which term refers to a repeated pattern at different pitches?
• Which form is defined by a three-part structure where the first and last sections are the same?
• Which articulation denotes an extremely short and detached articulation?
• Which term is used to designate the order of a composer’s published works?
• Which tempo marking means very slow and broad?
• Which term means sweetly, usually softly?
• Which symbol indicates emphasis on a note?
• Which term means softly; with subdued sounds; performed in an undertone?
• Which term means fast tempo with spirit?
• Which term means to slow down slightly, implying less motion?
• Which term means detached, crisply played?
• Which term refers to a long pause determined by the performer?
• Define crescendo and decrescendo (diminuendo).
• Which tempo marking corresponds to a BPM range approximately 40–60?
• D.S. al Coda instructs to?
• Which term indicates making the established pulse flexible by accelerating and slowing down the tempo, as an expressive device?
• Which term means 'without'?
• In vocal performance, messa di voce is primarily a concern of which musical element?
• Which definition describes polyphony?
• Which term is used to denote a recurring musical idea shorter than a phrase?
• Which term indicates a dynamic marking at mezzo piano?
• Which term describes a gentle, lyrical mood?
• Which term means suddenly, quickly?
• Which term marks the highest volume among the given options?
• Which dynamic marking indicates very loud?
• Which term indicates "sweetly"?
• Which description matches strophic form?
• Identify the articulation sign described by a dot marking short notes.
• Which term is the original speed?
• Which term indicates in a sustained manner?
• Which term describes the harmonic type formed by the root, third, and fifth?
• Which term is used to indicate a mood or style in which mystery is conveyed?
• Define tenuto.
• Which scenario demonstrates messa di voce most clearly?
• Which term means graceful?
• What term describes notes played in sequence to form a broken chord?
• Which term indicates all voices sing together in a piece?
• Define espressivo.
• Which term describes a musical style that is light and delicate?
• What is a slur and how should it affect singing?
• What term denotes a form with two distinct sections?
• Which term indicates a gradual slowing in tempo?
• What is a breath mark used for in choral singing?
• Which term denotes medium soft?