Music in Focus guidebook to Alternative Music for Grades 1-3

Guide to abbreviations and codes used in this book
For the sake of brevity and ease of use, abbreviations are used throughout this
book which are explained in the table below.
Numbering:
Every exercise in Grades 1‐5 has been allocated a code that consists of two parts:
i) a letter from A‐E, which corresponds to the Grade (A=Grade 1, B=Grade 2,
C=Grade 3, D=Grade 4, E=Grade 5)
ii) a number from 01‐99
Example:
A1= the first exercise in Grade 1, E10=the 10 th exercise in Grade 5.
These code numbers are designed to minimise confusion when discussing or
referring to the music for a particular exercise. It is much simpler to say “B03”
than “the battements tendus à la seconde and devant from 1 st in Grade 2 –
presentation class only”. They will also help pianists who have little experience in
playing for classes or for the RAD syllabus to locate the correct music in the event
of a misunderstanding.
Songbook codes
Throughout this book and the music scores, folk song collections are referred to
by abbreviations such as ‘GRS’ for The Gateway Russian Song Book, or PFD for
Polish Folk Dance, which are explained in full in Appendix 3 ‘Song Collections
Referred to in this Book’
Intro: Introduction (the number of counts NOT bars).
In pieces that are in a slow triple metre, “2 (6)” indicates that the
introduction may feel like 6 rather than 2.
Title: Title of the music used for the exercise
[arr] before the title means that the music is an arrangement of the
original work, with cuts or additions
Composer: Composer of the piece used
Ballet: Ballet from which the music came (if applicable)
[SD] Stage Direction (in the printed score)
Chor.: Choreographer of the ballet from which the music comes
TS Time signature of the alternative music used. The figure in brackets
is the time signature of the first syllabus music.
R: Rhythmic pattern or dance rhythm of the music used
P Presentation class only
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