The Piano Grading Test History And Piano Culture Industry In Shanghai

Piano grading test, began in Shanghai in 1980s and has already swept over the country in the short ten years, is an amateur grading test activity The piano grading test in Shanghai has represented different characteristics compared with that of other cities, for example, the earliest cradle of piano grading test is Shanghai; the test teaching material compiled by Shanghai Musicians Association upgrades every year; Shanghai boasts the largest number of the examinees in China; the rating items added to the piano grading test in Shanghai is also the most up-to-date ones all over the country. This activity has not only brought the spontaneous amateur piano education in the society, which lacks of guide onto the right course, but has also drove the development of the piano culture industry, including industries of piano manufacturing, distribution, artistic training, music publishing and piano tuning because of various taches promoted by the test-piano manufacturing, sales and teaching. "Piano in modern world is no longer just an instrument, it has become a culture, a commodity at the same time, or an industry more specifically."The paper is planned into two chapters besides introduction, foreword and conclusion, accompanied with two appendixes and reference. In the introduction part, the purpose and significance of the subject will be stated, including the research status and scope at home and abroad, major research ideas and methods, frame of writing and the content. The foreword part discusses the outset of piano grading test in Shanghai (1985-1987). Chapter one discusses the development history of piano grading test in Shanghai. The development history is described chronologically in this part, which could be divided into three phases: 1) initial development period (1988-1992); 2) steady development period (1993-2001); and 3) maturation and standardization (since the year 2002). In the chapter two, the piano grading test and piano culture industry in Shanghai are addressed. The influence of piano grading test in Shanghai to the piano culture industry.is also discussed here. The piano culture industry consists of industries of piano manufacturing, distribution, artistic training, music publishing, etc. The social and economic reasons for the formation of piano culture industry are also stated.