Theory Fundamentals 1
Prerequisite: None
Requirements: Students are required to be able to write neatly and correctly according to normal notational conventions, so that the intended communication is clear and unambiguous. They will understand the concepts listed below and be able to produce said concepts through writing.
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Notes – treble and bass clefs up to 3 ledger lines above and below the staff
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Circle of 5ths – 7 Major Keys
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Tones & Semitones
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Scales & Arpeggios – 7 Major keys
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Rhythm – semibreves/whole notes, dotted minims/dotted half notes, minims/half note, crotchets/quarter notes, quavers/eighth notes (beamed in 2s, 4s, or 6s)
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Time Signature – Simple meters in crotchet/quarter beats
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Grouping notes and rests for simple meters in crotchet/quarter beats
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Intervals – Major and Perfect intervals (unison – 8ve)
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Chords – Primary Chords in root position
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Identifying chords – Chord Symbols & Roman Numerals for all Major keys and chords
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Tied Notes
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Ostinato
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Syncopation
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Terms and signs – articulation, dynamics, common tempo (Italian)
Theory Fundamentals 2
Prerequisite: Fundamentals 1 (or test out)
Requirements: Students are required to be able to write neatly and correctly according to normal notational conventions, so that the intended communication is clear and unambiguous. They will understand the concepts listed below and be able to produce said concepts through writing and be able to apply their knowledge to music analysis.
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Notes – alto and tenor clefs up to 3 ledger lines above and below the staff
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Double sharps and flats
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Circle of 5ths – Minor keys
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3 types of relative minor keys
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Scales – all Minor keys
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Broken Chords – All Major
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Working out the key of a piece
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Rhythm – semiquavers/16th notes and triplets
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Time Signature – Compound meters
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Grouping notes and rests for compound meters in crotchet/quarter and quaver/eighth beats
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Intervals – Minor intervals (unison – 8ve)
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Similar and contrary motion
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Chords – Primary chords in 1st inversion and 2nd inversion
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Identifying chords – Chord symbols & Roman Numerals for secondary chords for all Major keys
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Sequences
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Ranges for SATB voices
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Transposing tunes up and down an octave in all clefs
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Terms and Signs – more tempo and expression terms, performance directions (Italian)
Theory Fundamentals 3
Prerequisite: Theory Fundamentals 2 (or test out)
Requirements: Students are required to be able to write neatly and correctly according to normal notational conventions, so that the intended communication is clear and unambiguous. They will understand the concepts listed below and be able to produce said concepts through writing and be able to apply their knowledge to music analysis.
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Double dotted notes and rests
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Broken chords – all minor keys
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Time signature – irregular time signatures
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Grouping notes and rests for irregular time signatures
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Intervals – Augmented and Diminished chords
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Chords – Augmented and Diminished chords
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Identifying chords – chord symbols and roman numerals for all major, minor. Diminished, and augmented chords
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Transposing tunes up or down a perfect 4th or 5th
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Family of Instruments and their members and their names in Italian
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Sequences – Real and tonal sequences
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Form – Binary, Ternary, Verse and refrain/chorus, strophic
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Cadences – Perfect and Imperfect
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Enharmonic equivalents
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Chromatic scales
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Terms & signs – more tempo and expression terms, performance directions (Italian)
Theory Fundamentals 4
Prerequisite: Theory Fundamentals 3 (or test out)
Requirements: Students are required to be able to write neatly and correctly according to normal notational conventions, so that the intended communication is clear and unambiguous. They will understand the concepts listed below and be able to produce said concepts through writing and be able to apply their knowledge to music analysis.
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Rhythm – demisemiquaver/32nd notes and breve
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Duplets
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Hemiola
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Swung quavers
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Understanding textures – homophonic, polyphonic, imitative, thick and dense, thin ortransparent
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Grouping demisemiquavers/32nd notes in simple and compound time
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Chords – Dominant triads in major and minor keys
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Chord Progression
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Harmonic Rhythm
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Intervals – Compound intervals
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Cadences – Perfect, Interrupted, Plagal and Interrupted
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Inversions – dominant and diminished 7ths
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Ornaments – acciaccatura, appoggiatura, upper and lower mordents and trills
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Transposing a tune up or down any major, minor, or perfect interval within an octave
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Concept of modulation and identifying key changes
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Ranges and transposing intervals where appropriate for the orchestral instruments
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Instrument specific words
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Terms & signs – German and French