Music Theory/Literature Curriculum

Youth Conservatory for Music presents a balanced curriculum of performance training, theoretical study, ear training, and music literature. This thorough approach to musical development gives students a firm grounding in the materials and techniques they will need as mature artists, as well as a solid introduction to the Western classical music.

YCM offers five different levels of music theory/literature classes without an additional fee for students who are taking applied lessons (students are responsible for purchasing their own textbook). All classes are scheduled on Saturdays and students are encouraged to take one of classes based on their individual ability and background in music theory. All classes are one-year long and start in the fall semester and continue through the spring semester (30 weeks).

• Music Theory I
  Level I is designed for students who have not studied music theory before. It covers basic musical notation through major scales. Students are recommended to repeat second semester of the Level I if their final grade is 80% or lower.
• Music Theory II
  Level II is devoted to enhance intensive drill in recognizing and constructing key signatures, scales, intervals, and chords. Sightsinging and ear training are added. Students may repeat second semester of the Level II if their final grade is 80% or lower.
  *Prerequisite: should pass Level I or may be required as a result of placement exam.
• Music Theory III
  Level III is devoted to developing and perfecting basic music theory skills necessary to the analysis, performance, and memorization of music. The goal is for the student to become adept in recognizing scales, keys, and intervals, as well as diatonic harmony through secondary dominants. It covers dicta­tion and some ability to play chord progressions, to harmonize simple melo­dies and to realize figured bass at the keyboard.
  *Prerequisite: should pass Level II or may be required as a result of placement exam.
• Advanced Solfège
  Students learn to recognize and react to harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic structures through recitation and dictation.

1. Sing treble and bass clef diatonic melodies in major and minor keys.
2. Demonstrate fluency in both fixed do and movable do solfège syllables.
3. Aurally recognize all harmonic vocabulary taught in Level III.
4. Aurally recognize musical forms (sentence, period, rondo, and sonata).

*Prerequisite: should pass Music Theory Level III.

• Introduction to History of Western Music
  This class aims to provide a general survey of the major composers, as well as the development of tonality to its dissolution at the beginning of the 20th century. The history of Western music from its origins in ancient Greece to the beginning of the 20th century. Reading and listening assignments. It is open to the students who are older than 6th grade.

*Prerequisite: should pass Music Theory Level III.

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