Introductory Class Piano I

Curriculum Guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course Code
MUSC 1106
Descriptive
Introductory Class Piano I
Department
Music
Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Credits
2.00
Start Date
End Term
Not Specified
PLAR
Yes
Semester Length
15 weeks
Max Class Size
16
Course Designation
None
Industry Designation
None
Contact Hours

Lecture: 1.5 hours per week

and

Tutorial: 1.5 hours per week

Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Tutorial
Learning Activities

The instruction will be by lecture, demonstration, and supervised practice.

Course Description
This course is a progressive introduction to piano playing for students with no previous experience. It includes technique, keyboard harmony, sight reading, transposition, and the playing of appropriate repertoire.
Course Content
  1. Sight Reading
    • To recognize and play notes on the staff
    • To recognize and play notes on ledger lines
    • To recognize and play intervals and triads at random
    • To play short melodies, hands separately and hands together
  2. Transposition
    • To transpose simple pieces, hands separately, up or down a major second,  minor second, major third or minor third, using the principles of vertical and horizontal transposition; recognition of intervals and melodic patterns
  3. Technique
    • Development of individual finger control by the use of exercises
    • Scales  – major, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor, using tetrachord fingering, one octave. The scales will be played with legato and staccato touch
    • Triads  – major and minor, root position and inversions, solid and broken form, one octave, hands separately, legato touch
  4. Keyboard Harmony
    • Simple improvisation
    • Triad construction: major and minor
  5. Repertoire: appropriate to the student's skills
Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the successful student will be able to demonstrate a knowledge of, and skills in, the fundamentals of keyboard sight reading, transposition, technique, phrasing and articulation, and repertoire.

Means of Assessment

The course evaluation is consistent with the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Evaluation Policy.

The grade will be calculated on the basis of progress made in the various aspects of the course as follows:

Weekly progress*   40%
Regularly scheduled quizzes (minimum of 4)    20%
Midterm Exam 15%
Final Exam 25%
Total 100%

*Frequent, short evaluations are designed to give feedback on newly learned material and skills, and will include demonstrations of tasks as outlined in the course content.

N.B. This course includes final testing worth more than 10% during the last fourteen days of classes. A standing variance to the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Evaluation Policy was granted by Education Council on September 14, 2020.

Attendance:

As this is a skill-oriented course, regular attendance is required in order to develop fluent keyboard skills. Therefore, 100% attendance is desired. The failure to attend regularly will result in reduction of a final grade as shown below:

  • 4 - 7 unexcused absences: minus 10%
  • 8 or more unexcused absences: minus 15%
  • students who miss 30% or more of scheduled class time will receive a final grade of UN (unofficial withdrawal)
Textbook Materials

A list of recommended textbooks and materials is provided on the Instructor’s Course Outline, which is available to students at the beginning of each semester. Example: current edition, Mach, Elyse. "Contemporary Class Piano" Oxford UP, New York.  

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites
Equivalencies
Which Prerequisite