Level I
Course description and objectives: musical training program focused on the recognition and reproduction of pitch and rhythm and ear training.
Solfege: Singing
- Sight-reading melodies in the G and F clefs
- Sight-reading of chords (and their inversions) over a given bass,
- Singing a set of predetermined intervals and the melodies of standards.
Solfege: Rhythm
- Sight-reading rhythms: vocalizing rhythms while keeping the beat, and rhythm practice;
- Vocalizing, tapping out and reproducing rhythms on percussion instruments and then on the piano
- Transcribing: finding the beat, the measure, identifying rhythms and noting accents.
Ear Training
The long term goal is to prepare students to be able to transcribe, write and hear the music they read without access to an instrument.
The course includes:
- in-depth study, and aural recognition of ascending and descending intervals (within the range of up to an octave)
- in-depth study of three-note and four-note chords,
- sight reading in all keys (major and some minors, G and F clefs), including jazz themes (bebop and standards).
Level required: on audition
Level II
Course description and objectives: Expand upon the skills acquired in 1st level
Solfege: Singing
Same methodology as that used for Level 1:
- focus on polyphonic exercises applied to standards (singing the tonic, third, fifth and seventh) and singing the extensions (9ths, 11ths and 13ths) of patterns and modes of chords played on the piano.
- phonetic modification of sounds: simultaneously singing and naming notes using a variety of sounds and styles (jazz, classical, etc.)
Solfege: Rhythm
Continuation of Level 1 with adapted work plan
Ear Training
Advanced course. Its aim is to perfect the student’s ear.
This course includes:
- Transcribing jazz themes and solos
- Specific focus on chord quality and color,
- Singing and recognizing compound intervals: 13ths, 11ths, augmented 11ths, etc.
Level required: Level I minimum