Music Theory

I won a scholarship to study flute and piano at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in the UK.

Whilst there I got baptised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and I left to start regular pioneering. I am still a regular pioneer 40 years later!  I have pioneered where the need is great in Italy, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic where I supported myself playing in a professional National Symphony Orchestra as 1st flute.

I am available to teach music theory.

Course description:

Grades 1-8 ABRSM Music Theory exams.

For pleasure, or these grades can be taken as online exams worldwide giving you access to the higher practical grades.

Grade 1

• Basics of notation in treble and bass clef
• Some simple time signatures
• Some major keys and scales
• Terms and signs

Grade 2

• More basics of notation including triplets and triplet notes groups
• Grouping of notes and rests
• More simple time signatures
• Extension of the stave up to two leger lines
• Some relative major and minor keys
• More terms and signs

Grades 3

• Compound time signatures and the grouping of notes and rests
• The demisemiquaver (32nd note) and its equivalent rest
• Extension of the stave up to three ledge lines
• Transposition at the octave between treble and bass clefs
• Scales and key signatures of all major and minor keys up to and including four sharps and flats, in both forms of minor scales
• Naming of intervals including type and number
• Further terms and signs

Grades 4

• All simple and compound time signatures and the grouping of rests and notes
• The breve and its equivalent rest, double dotted notes/rests and duplets
• The alto C clef and its transposition between clefs
• Enharmonic equivalents, double sharp and flat signs
• Scales and key signatures of all major and minor keys up to and including five sharps and flats, and the construction of the chromatic scale
• Technical names (tonic, supertonic etc,)
• Intervals between any two diatonic notes
• Triads and chords in root position
• More terms and signs including some French terms

Grades 5

• Irregular time signatures and the grouping of notes and rests
• The tenor C clef
• Transposition at the octave between clefs and transposition to concert pitch of instruments in Bb, A or F
• Scales and key signatures of all major and minor keys up to and including six sharps and flats
• All diatonic and chromatic intervals, and compound intervals
• Root position, 1st inversion and 2nd inversion forms of the tonic, supertonic, subdominant and dominant chords in any of the keys set for the grade
• Identification of perfect, imperfect and plagal cadences
• More terms and signs including Germans terms

Grade 6

• Increased harmonic vocabulary & modulation
• Four-part writing / keyboard style & figured bass
• Completion of a melody using a given opening
• Score reading and music in context

Grade 7

• Increased harmonic vocabulary & modulation
• Four-part writing / keyboard style & figured bass
• Writing melody above a piano accompaniment or completion of a melody using a given opening
• Score reading and music in context

Grade 8

• Increased harmonic vocabulary & modulation
• Completion of an outline from a trio sonata and a piano piece
• Completion of a melody using a given opening
• Score reading and music in context