Introduction to Music I

The goal of this course is to introduce someone new to music how to read and understand musical notation. Also, the students will learn principles regarding meter, tempo, and rhythms to further increase their knowledge of music. Recordings of recognizable pieces will be used throughout the course to demonstrate the topics discussed and increase the student's knowledge of classical music.

Introduction to Music II

This course will begin by discussing the topics of melody, harmony, and how those are found in basic musical forms. Tonality will also be a major focus and will be practiced using the Circle of 5ths in order to give the student a better understanding of key signatures and tonal center. Major and minor modes will also be covered so that the student can reach a new level of musical knowledge.

Music Theory I

This course will discuss the fundamentals of music as well as introduce the student to the components of musical texture and harmonic principles used during the common-practice period. Musical examples will also be used in order to place the topics learned into a musical context with some practice in beginning score analysis. The student will learn to recognize intervals, meters, keys, as well as major and minor modes. Then in regards to musical texture, the course will focus on the various triadic forms, seventh chords, and melodic motion so the student can develop an understanding of how music is formed.

Music Theory II

The second level of music theory is designed for the student who already has an understanding of the founding materials of music theory such as intervals, meter, tonality, and chordal formation. This class works on chordal connection by studying and practicing with the standard harmonic progressions found in music as well as how to notate them through the principles of part writing. The course will also focus on the various cadences used in music and phrasing structures that make up the textural relationships in music.

Angela Massey