Course

Ear Training & Sight Singing I

Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Department
Music
Course Code
MUSC 1115
Credits
3.00
Semester Length
15 weeks
Max Class Size
20
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Typically Offered
To be determined

Overview

Course Description
This course develops aural and sight singing skills with a focus on the basic melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic elements of diatonic tonal music.
Course Content
  1. Aural Recognition
    • Melodic intervals within an octave, ascending and descending
    • Scale degrees in major and minor modes, plus raised 4th scale degree
    • Harmonic intervals and simple two-part textures
    • Triads in root position, first and second inversions
    • Simple diatonic melodies in major and minor modes
    • Basic rhythmic patterns in both simple and compound meters
    • Meter, mode, cadence types
    • Crusic vs. anacrusic phrases
    • Harmonic rhythm mapping
    • Error detection and correction exercises
  2. Sight Performance
    • Diatonic melodies with simple rhythms
    • Simple rhythmic exercises
  3. Musicianship Skills Performance
    • Intervals, triads and broken chord progressions
    • Use of a relative pitch labelling system (movable-doh solfège or scale degree numbers)
    • Use of Curwen hand signs and basic conducting patterns
Learning Activities

Presentation of concepts, demonstration of learning strategies and modelling of skills by the instructor, integrated with drills and practice exercises by the students. Skill reinforcement through assigned use of auxiliary resources.

Means of Assessment

Sight and Musicianship Skills Tests (minimum 4, with no test weighing more than 15%)  

 40%

Melodic, Rhythmic and Harmonic Dictation Tests (minimum 4, with no test weighing more than 20%) 

 50%

Weekly homework assignments

  10%
TOTAL 100%

N.B.: This course includes final testing worth more than 10% during the last 14 days of classes. A standing variance to the Evaluation Policy was granted by Education Council on Mar. 21, 2011.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the successful student will demonstrate satisfactory skill and musicianship in aural recognition and performance of tonal melodies, harmonies and rhythms, as outlined in Course Content.

Students will be expected to:

  1. Sing prepared and unprepared (or "sight") drills, exercises and compositions;
  2. Interpret and respond to visual cues (e.g., Curwen hand signs, conducting patterns, notated rhythms and melodies);
  3. Use Curwen hand signs while singing; 
  4. Demonstrate conducting patterns while articulating rhythmic exercises;
  5. Hear musical material and retain it in working memory; 
  6. Provide written answers to demonstrate aural recognition; 
  7. Manage performance anxiety in order to execute required listening, singing and rhythmic tasks in both group and one-on-one settings within established time limits.
Textbook Materials

The latest editions of required texts such as the following:

  1. Ear Training Textbook
    • Karpinski, Gary S. Manual for Ear Training and Sight Singing (with recordings). New York: W. W. Norton.

  2. Sight Singing Textbook
    • Berkowitz, Sol, Gabriel Fontrier, Leo Kraft, Perry Goldstein and Edward Smaldone. A New Approach to Sight Singing. New York: W. W. Norton.

Requisites

Prerequisites

Meets or exceeds entrance criteria during the aural skills assessment                            

Corequisites

MUSC 1110

Equivalencies

MUSC 1111

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer Details for MUSC 1115
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU MUS 112 (1.5)
Coast Mountain College (CMTN) No credit
College of the Rockies (COTR) No credit
Coquitlam College (COQU) No credit
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU MUSI 1151 (2)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU GE 1XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO MUSC_O 1st (1)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV MUSC_V 105 (1)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) No credit
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC MUS 170A (0.5)
Vancouver Community College (VCC) VCC MUSC 1301 (3)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) Individual audition required

Course Offerings

Winter 2025