In this foundational music theory course students will learn:
How to read music on bass and treble clef.
Musical notation reading and basic composition. 
How to identify key signatures and apply this information. 
Rhythm and timing.

Students will enjoy a variety of interactive games and discussions in class where group participation is part of building skills and teamwork.
This will be concurrent with lectures. 

My teaching philosophy is to engage the whole child, engaging each student to invest in their own learning. Using their interests and curiosity, we work collaboratively to learn and achieve goals in the classroom. 

Everything in the classroom will be applied mainly to a basic piano context. 

Class 1 - Introduction to system of notation: lines, spaces, staff, different kinds of staff
Introduction to pitch: high and low pitches, skips, steps, and jumps.
Introduction to clef: what clefs are these? And what does that mean?
Introduction to musical notation conventions: Why do we use key signature and time signature?
Note locations: Where and what kind of note? What are scales, intervals and arpeggios?
Introduction to the musical alphabet
Introduction to the keyboard. White key groups. Black key groups. 
Note values and time signature: whole notes and 4/4 time. 

Class 2- Note steps, skips and jumps. 
Placing notes on the staff
Bar lines and measures
Practice and review keyboard, scales, intervals and arpeggios on staff.
Note values and time signature: Half notes, quarter notes and 2/4 time.
Learning about middle C and how the grand staff works. Applying this to keyboard use. Note placement on grand staff. What is a repeat sign? What are codas and endings?
Note values and time signature: 3/4 time and 6/8 time. Eighth notes and sixteenth notes. 

Class 3 - Continuation of note values and time signature. Introduction to different rhythm patterns. 
Discussion on notation and tempo instructions such as rit., rall., espressivo, allegretto, etc. overview of tempo table and metronome use. 
Practicing rhythms with the metronome.
Applying learning in noteflight. 
Introduction to the Circle of Fifths: key signatures, and application of the circle of fifths.
Applying what we know: Name that tune!

Class 4 - 
Experimenting on noteflight with basic composition methods. 
Interactive review of course materials.