Academic Curriculum
Rhythm. Metre. Metronome. Metronome marks. Time Signature. Simple and compound times. Duple, triple and quadruple times. Note durations: crotchet, minim, semibreve, quaver, semi-quaver. Dotted notes. Note-head, stem, tails and beams. Stem directions. Slur & tie. Rests. Repeat sign. Bar and bar lines.
Pitch. Layout of the keyboard. Octaves. White and black keys. Groups of 2 and 3 black keys. Finger numbers.
Lower and higher notes. Up and down on the keyboard. ABC key names. Line notes and space notes. Bass and Treble Clefs. Stave.
Numbering the lines. Ledger lines. Sharps and flats. Accidentals. Key signature. Natural. Dynamic shadings. Crescendo and diminuendo. Playing staccato and legato. Accent. Upbeat. Playing hands together.
Tonalities and scales. The order of sharps and flats. Circle of fifths.
Finding the key note of a scale with sharps/flats. Major and minor scales. Natural, harmonic and melodic minor. Relative scales. Intervals: unison, minor second, major second, minor third, major third, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, minor sixth, major sixth, minor seventh, major seventh, perfect eighth. Semitone.
Chords. Major and minor chords. Broken chords. Sixth, seventh and ninth chords. Harmonising a melody. Chord progressions. First and second inversions. Scale degrees. Tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading note. Syncopation. Note groupings. Ornaments.
Sight-reading. Octave sign. Tempo marks: largo, adagio, andante, moderato, allegro, vivace, presto. Fermata. Tenuto. Grace notes. Ritardando. Ritenuto. Segno. Dal Segno al Coda. Pedal marks.
Piano technique. Sitting at the piano. Hands position. Leading pianists techniques. Relaxation. The movements of fingers, wrist, forearm, arm and shoulder. Alignment of fingers and forearm. Memorising. Effective practice methods. Using modern technology and software.
Pitch. Layout of the keyboard. Octaves. White and black keys. Groups of 2 and 3 black keys. Finger numbers.
Lower and higher notes. Up and down on the keyboard. ABC key names. Line notes and space notes. Bass and Treble Clefs. Stave.
Numbering the lines. Ledger lines. Sharps and flats. Accidentals. Key signature. Natural. Dynamic shadings. Crescendo and diminuendo. Playing staccato and legato. Accent. Upbeat. Playing hands together.
Tonalities and scales. The order of sharps and flats. Circle of fifths.
Finding the key note of a scale with sharps/flats. Major and minor scales. Natural, harmonic and melodic minor. Relative scales. Intervals: unison, minor second, major second, minor third, major third, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, minor sixth, major sixth, minor seventh, major seventh, perfect eighth. Semitone.
Chords. Major and minor chords. Broken chords. Sixth, seventh and ninth chords. Harmonising a melody. Chord progressions. First and second inversions. Scale degrees. Tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading note. Syncopation. Note groupings. Ornaments.
Sight-reading. Octave sign. Tempo marks: largo, adagio, andante, moderato, allegro, vivace, presto. Fermata. Tenuto. Grace notes. Ritardando. Ritenuto. Segno. Dal Segno al Coda. Pedal marks.
Piano technique. Sitting at the piano. Hands position. Leading pianists techniques. Relaxation. The movements of fingers, wrist, forearm, arm and shoulder. Alignment of fingers and forearm. Memorising. Effective practice methods. Using modern technology and software.