CYT MUSIC THEORY Class Benchmarks

Embark on a journey into the land of reading music! This class will outline the fundamentals of music by identifying and teaching note values, pitches, the difference between melody and harmony and how to read music symbols. Learn how to identify Italian music terms and to accurately read and write rhythm patterns.

Benchmarks:
Identify time signatures and key signs
Identify and describe treble clef, bass clef, and a staff of music
Identify, describe and demonstrate note values (whole note, half note, eighth note)
Describe melodic movement – upward, downward, steps, skips
Identify and describe tempo and dynamic levels
Identify melody and harmony in a given piece
Translate common (basic) Italian tempos, dynamics, and articulation into English (forte, cresendo, allegro)
Echo, read and write accurately rhythm patterns
Sing and/or play melodies accurately and expressively from a written score in at least one clef.
Identify melody and harmony in a given piece
Distinguish between major and minor keys
Identify notes on a piano by referring to a piece of music

Music Theory 2

Pre-requisite: 1 Music Theory Class
Jump into the next level of Theory! Adding to your already strong foundation will enable you to advance farther into the music and add to your performance. Build upon skills learned in Music Theory I and in this class dive into reading and analyzing music, chord progression, and basic piano skills. In knowing what the music is doing, you as a performer have the power to convey those ideas and melodies to an audience.

Benchmarks:
Translate the majority of Italian tempos, dynamics, and articulation into English (forte, cresendo, allegro)
Echo, read and write accurately rhythm patterns
Sing and/or play melodies accurately and expressively from a written score in at least one clef.
Build basic chords within key signiture
Distinguish between major and minor keys
Identify notes on a piano by referring to a piece of music
Identify and describe the circle of fifths
Identify the meter in an example of music
Label intervals in a written melody
Replicate the beat and rhythms of a given musical compostion
Define large musical forms (symphony, cantata, sonata)
Identify simple music forms (imitation, theme, variation)
Identify and describe the circle of fifths
Analyze a piece of music for changes in mood, form, ideas
Create simple pieces of music incorporating tempo, time, key and melody.