This course presents the intermediate concepts and skills to develop performing proficiency at the piano. Musical activities and projects will build growth in technical skills such as major and minor scale patterns, musical skills such as sight reading and improvisation, theoretical concepts such as notation, rhythm patterns, melodic shapes and forms, and creative skills such as completing melodic phrases and inventing melodic variations. Repertoire will reflect the development of increasingly advanced solo and ensemble pieces.
Quarters Offered
Fall,
Winter,
Spring
Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to demonstrate the following knowledge or skills:
- Read pieces of piano repertoire with note and rhythm accuracy respecting given dynamics, style markings, and required techniques through performance.
- Exhibit comprehension of music theory and piano terminology through application.
- Demonstrate proper piano playing technique through scales, arpeggios, triads, and seventh chords.
- Display knowledge of a breadth of musical types, styles, time periods, and cultures by creating liner notes for their personal performances.
- Utilize critical thinking skills through evaluation of student and professional performances.
Course Content Outline
- Review techniques presented in Group Piano II
- The Key of E Minor
- Scales and Warm-ups
- Primary Chords
- Repertoire
- The Key of D Major
- Scales and Warm-ups
- Primary Chords
- Repertoire
- The Chromatic Scale
- Scales and Warm-ups
- Proper Fingering
- Writing chromatics
- Repertoire
- Inversions of Triads
- 1st Inversion
- 2nd Inversion
- Triads in all Positions
- Major and Minor
- Review all techniques from Group Piano I, II, and III through solo repertoire
Department Guidelines
- This class is offered as a lecture/lab class.
Since this is a tiered course, additional examples with a higher difficulty level, higher level music theory, and advanced playing techniques should be included, while maintaining the pace of the rest of the class. - To satisfy the General Education Outcomes, classroom discussion on the origin of examples and music styles must be addressed.
- Student ability will need to be assessed before placement on the course content outline, if a student exceeds the course outline, materials will need to be presented by the instructor including; solos, duets, technique exercises, and other materials.
- All students must take part in a performance element and a teaching demonstration.
- Lab hours can be completed outside of normal class times at instructor’s discretion.
PO4 should be assessed: Students will be able to recognize or articulate personal/interpersonal aspects of, or connections between, diverse cultural, social, or political contexts.
PO5 should be assessed: Students will be able to solve problems by gathering, interpreting, combining and/or applying information from multiple sources.