Lecture: 1.5 hours per week
and
Tutorial: 1.5 hours per week
Instruction will be by lecture, demonstration and supervised practice.
- Scales: major and minor, one octave, hands separately.
- Triads on all scale degrees in major and minor keys: one octave, hands separately.
- Triads and inversions: one octave, solid and broken, hands separately.
- Five types of seventh chords (MM, Mm, mm, half diminished, fully diminished); formation in root position.
- Chord progressions in keyboard or four-part style as follows:
- I-IV-V-I,
- I-IV-V-VI,
- I-IV-V7-VI I-II-V-I,
- I-II-V-VI,
- I-II-V7-I,
- I-II-V7-VI.
- Sight reading: treble and bass melodies, hands separately; simple melodies, hands together; chords at random, hands separately.
- Transposition: simple melodies – in keys up to three sharps and flats, hands separately.
- Harmonization: simple diatonic melodies using block chords. I-IV and V.
- Improvisation: using a prescribed harmonic structure.
- Repertoire: appropriate to the student's skills.
The successful student will be able to demonstrate the fundamentals of keyboard sight reading, accompaniment, transposition, improvisation, keyboard harmony, technique and piano repertoire.
The course evaluation is consistent with the Douglas College 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 Douglas College 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)
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 of Lancaster, E.L, and Renfrow, Kenon D. Alfred's Group Piano for Adults, Book 1. Alfred Publishing Co.