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Beginning Class Piano, MUSC 140, Section I: 1 Credit Hour

Fall 2016

Instructor: Dr. Amy Stanley

Classroom: 201, piano lab (upstairs)

Mailbox: Music Office

E-Mail: stanley@geneseo.edu

Office/Studio: Room 127

Office Hours: See schedule posted on my office door, room 127, or make an appointment after class

Class Days/Times: M/W, 10:30am-11:20am. Students are required to remain in their designated sections and are not permitted to attend others as make-ups unless approved by the instructor.

General procedures for communications via e-mail: I will make every attempt to answer within 24 hours, but during the weekdays only. If you e-mail me on a weekend or holiday, I still may not be able to read it until the following Monday morning. Know that questions pertaining to materials missed through an absence can be addressed more appropriately in person as the materials often need direct demonstrations on the piano. The beginning of each class or 5 minutes prior to the start of class is a good time to pose such questions. If you miss a class, then just follow the syllabus for the next class session.

Required Textbook: Alfred’s Group Piano for Adults, Book One, 2nd Edition, by E. L. Lancaster/Kenon D. Renfrow. ISBN-13: 978-0-7390-5301-0 (v. 1)

Required Materials for EVERY class session:

Pencils, NOT pens, for notes in your scores

staff paper

notebook to write in assignments and practice procedures

class syllabus

Class Setting: All students enrolled in Musc 140 are taught ONLY within group settings, not in individual lessons. Individualized instruction it is not part of the class design and cannot be expected. It is imperative that all students enrolled in Musc 140 understand the importance of attending class on a regular basis for consistency in learning.

Student Learning Outcomes: By the end of the semester, the successful student should be able to:

sight-read pieces built on a five finger pattern that have hands alternating AND playing together

harmonize a simple diatonic melody with primary chords

improvise an 8-bar melody with accompaniment

transpose sight-reading and harmonization exercises in all keys covered throughout the semester

perform standard beginning repertoire from memory

play all major and minor pentachord patterns hands together, by memory

play all major scales in tetrachords, up and down one octave, by memory

play all major and minor triads, hands alone, by memory

play the I-V6/5-I progression in all major keys, hands alone, by memory

Course Objectives and Content: The purpose of this course is to begin building a strong foundation of keyboard skills. We will cover and continually reinforce theoretical concepts necessary for harmonization,

improvisation, transposition, and sight-reading. Material from Units 1 through 12 will be covered. Intervals, major & minor pentachords, triads based on scale degrees, major scales, key signatures, the circle of fifths, and harmonization using primary chords will be introduced. Standard beginning repertoire will be included to develop a command of basic articulations, phrasing, and fingering. The cumulative skills acquired in this class are imperative for later piano classes as well as theory classes, so we will continue throughout the semester to reinforce and build upon skills learned.

Grading Procedure:

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Class Performance Assignments = 30%

Individualized Roland Sight Reading Assignments = 20%

Quizzes = 30%

Final Exam = 20%

Grading Rubric: Class performance assignments, quizzes and final exam are evaluated on accuracy of:

notes rhythms (includes steadiness and tempo) dynamics and articulations (includes evenness of touch) phrasing, balance of sound between the hands, and pedal use (if required) fingerings, hand positions and overall posture memory, if required

Grade Scale: A = 96-100; A- = 91-95; B+ = 87-90; B = 84-86; B- = 81-83; C+ = 77-80; C = 74-76; C- = 68 -73; D = 60 – 67; E = 59 and below.

Class Performance Assignments and Make-Up Policy: Many assignments are already laid out in the syllabus. Others will be verbally communicated to you in each class session. Your progress on these is documented at the end of each class period. You are expected to keep a notebook in which you write down

what is expected for each session. You are also expected to practice a minimum of thirty minutes a

day. No missed class assignment will be made up. However, two of your lowest class assignment grades

will be dropped, so you can have two unexplained absences without penalty.

Individualized Roland Sight Reading Assignments and Their Make-Up Policy: Starting in week 6,

there will be computer assisted sight-reading assignments, which start relatively easy and progress with

more challenges as you continue. From the eight completed in class, only six of your highest sight-

reading grades will be counted into your overall assessment of this area and into your final course grade. Therefore, if you miss no more than two, you can choose to forgo the missed assignments without penalizing your course grade. If you need to make any of them up to fulfill your required six, you must do so WITHIN the class period and at no other time. No one is allowed into the lab at alternate times.

Quizzes: There will be three of these. They are scheduled for the following days:

• Sept. 28th (Weds.)

• Oct. 26th (Weds.)

• Nov. 16th (Weds.) You will be given the exact details of the test material at least two weeks prior to each quiz. Most of the work will have already been drilled substantially in class so that you will have a solid understanding of how you should practice to maintain what you have learned

Final Exam:

Section I–Tuesday, December 20th, 3:30pm to 6:30pm. Each person will be assigned a 10 -15 minute examination time.

Make Up Policy on Quizzes and Final Exam: These are normally not given. Such make-ups are allowed only with prior approval from the instructor or in cases of extreme emergency. Verifiable documentation is required before any make-up will be considered. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain documentation and submit it to the professor. It is NOT the responsibility of the professor to track such information down. Students are required to be free for all quiz and exam times and are not excused for vacation travel. Observances of official religious holidays are exempt from this policy, but notification is required prior to a quiz/exam.

Semester Schedule: (Changes to the pacing of materials are subject to the instructor’s discretion) Weeks 2 through 5: Units 1 through 4; Weeks 6 through 9: Units 5 through 7; Weeks 10 through 12: Units 8 & 9, parts of 19; Weeks 13 through 14: Units 10 & 11;

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Weeks 14 through 16: Unit 12 Week 1 (08/29-09/02): Auditions and explanations of the course. Week 2 (09/07):

Units One and Two: Keyboard basics/Basics in Reading Explanation of major hand positions (also referred to as major

pentachords). Ensemble reading from supplementary book, Unit 1

Assignment for the next class session on Monday, 09/12: 1) Complete p. 23 note names. Be able to play each example. Play treble notes in RH and bass notes in LH. 2) Sight-Reading: Be able to play all examples on pp. 25 through 26. 3) Complete p. 27 Review Worksheet, and complete p. 30 worksheet on intervals and be able to play each example. 4) Carefully read pp. 31-32 and be able explain. 5) Begin solo, “Minuet” on p. 34. Learn RH alone. Learn LH alone. Then, Learn mm. 1-8 hands together.

Week 3 (09/12-09/14):

Units Two and Three: Continuation of Basics; Use of Five Finger Patterns More ensemble reading from supplementary text, Unit 2

Assignment for Wednesday, 09/14: 1) Review and secure note reading of pp. 25-26 2) Finish learning all of the solo on p. 34 - Minuet.” 3) Begin new solo, p. 47, “Bright Lights Boogie.” Learn all. 4) Sight-Reading: Practice pp. 36-37. 5) Harmonization p. 38: Practice examples 1 and 2 6) Technique p. 38: Practice example No 1 7) Complete Review Worksheet for Unit 2, pp. 39-40.

Assignment for Monday, 09/19: 1) Complete written exercises on top of pp. 42 & 44 on hand positions. 2) Practice Major Five-Finger Positions: p. 43 exercise 2-2 and p. 44

exercise 2-4. Use the charts you completed to help you. Be sure you play major each time you go up a note on the piano.

3) Sight-Reading: Learn and transpose pp. 50-51, nos. 2, 3, 4. 4) Harmonization: Learn and transpose pp. 52-53, nos. 1 through 4 5) Begin new solo, p.64, “Little Scherzo,” if other two are already

comfortable. Week 4 (09/19-09/21):

Units Four and Five: Major and Minor Five-Finger Patterns (a.k.a. pentachords)

More ensemble reading from supplementary text, Unit 3

Assignment for Wednesday, 09/21: 1) Review Solo of choice for 1st Quiz. 2) Review all Sight-Reading/transposing for 1st Quiz:

pp. 25-26, 36-37, 50-51 nos. 2-4 3) Review Harmonizations and Transpositions: p. 38 no. 1, pp. 52-53 nos.

1-4, for 1st Quiz. 4) Practice p. 59: (C, G, F) (D, A, E) (Db, Ab, Eb) (Bb, B, Gb/F#) hands

alone or together, for 1st Quiz. Be able to play the each key group as written out on the page.

Assignment for the following Monday, 09/26: Same as 09/21.

Week 5 (09/26-09/28): Monday, 9/26:

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Ensemble reading from supplementary text, Unit 4. Review for Quiz No. 1.

Wednesday, 09/28: Quiz No. 1.

Materials for Quiz No. 1: Units 1 - 4 1. Solo of your choice. Choose only from pp. 34, 47 or 64. 2. Harmonizations with Transpositions: p. 38, no. 1, pp. 52-53 nos. 1-4 3. Sight-Reading with Transpositions: pp. 25-26, 36-37, 50-51 nos. 2-4 4. Technique: from p. 59, all Major Five-Finger positions, as written,

hands alone or together.

Assignment for next Mondays’ Class, 10/03: 1) Complete the written exercises on pp. 72 & 74 and 95-96. 2) Practice Minor Five-Finger Patterns on p. 73 exercise 3-1 and p. 75 exercise 3-3. 3) Sight-Reading: Practice pp. 76-78 and transpose to keys requested. 4) Harmonization: Practice p. 82, all examples. Transpose to keys requested. 5) Begin new solo, p. 88, “Toccatina.” Learn mm. 1-12.

Week 6 (10/03-10/05):

Units Five and Six: Five-Finger Patterns in Minor Ensemble Reading from supplementary text, Units 4 & 5.

Begin Roland Piano Library Reading Assignment #1- Beyer No. 12. Spend no more than 15 minutes on it. Once completed, do not delete score until I have seen your screen shot of the assessment. Otherwise, you will not receive credit. Once I retrieve your score, you can spend time warming up on the class assignment or reading through the supplementary text.

Sight-reading from Units 5 and 6 of supplementary text New: Introduction to improvisation – see handout

Assignment for Wednesday, 10/05: 1) Technique: Continue Minor Five-finger Patterns, pp. 73 & 75. 2) Learn more of new solo, p.88, “Toccatina,” mm. 13-24. 3) Harmonization: Practice p. 87, all examples and transpose. 4) Sight-Reading and transposing: practice pp. 90-91.

Assignment for next Wednesday’s class, 10/12, after Fall break: 1) Finish new solo, pp. 88-89 2) Review Sight-reading and transposing, pp. 76-78, 90-91. 3) Review Harmonization and transposing, pp. 82, 87. 4) Review improvisation exercise from handout(s)

Week 7: Fall Break = Monday 10/10 and Tuesday 10/11 Wednesday 10/12:

Begin Roland Piano Library Reading Assignment #2 - Beyer No. 21

Unit Seven: Chord Qualities More ensemble reading from supplementary text, Units 5 & 6.

Assignment for Monday, 10/17: 1) Review solo, pp. 88-89 2) Begin new solo, “Topsy-Turvy,”pp. 100-101. Begin mm. 1-16. 3) Sight-Reading and transposing: practice pp. 102-103. 4) Review improvisation handout(s)

Week 8: (10/17-10/19)

Roland Piano Library Reading Assignment #3 – Beyer No. 29

Continuation of Unit Seven. Ensemble reading from supplementary text, Unit 6 & 7.

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Assignment for Wednesday, 10/19: 1) Review solo, pp. 88-89. 2) Continue new solo, pp. 100-101. Learn mm. 17 to end. 3) Review improvisation handout(s) 4) Review Sight-Reading and transposing, pp. 102-103.

Assignment for Monday, 10/24: 1) Choose solo for Quiz No. 2 and review it. 2) Review improvisations and choose one for Quiz No. 2 3) Review All Sight-Reading and transposing from Units 5-7: pp. 76-78, 90-91,

102-103. 4) Review Harmonizations and transpositions: pp. 82 and 87. 5) New harmonization: practice p. 105, example 4-19. Create accompaniment with

two hands. (I will play the melody as you harmonize.) Week 9 (10/24-10/26):

Roland Piano Library Reading Assignment #4 – Beyer No. 32 Ensemble reading from supplementary text, Unit 7. Review of all quiz material on Monday

Materials for Quiz #2 on Weds, 10/26: Units 5-7 1) Harmonizations and transposing, Units 5-7: two examples of choice

from pp. 82, 87, or 105. 2) All Sight-reading exercises and transposition, Units 5-8: prepare all

examples from pp. 76-78, 90-91, 102-103. 3) Improvisations-one of choice, from handouts 4) Solo-one of choice, from Units 4-8 5) Technique: Be able to play Minor Five-Finger Pattern exercises on p. 73 ex. 3-1 and p. 75 ex. 3-3.

Assignment for Monday, 10/31: from Unit Eight 1) Complete written work on p. 107. 2) Practice the following scales with tetrachord fingering: C, G, D, A, E, B, F#,

C# on pp. 108-109. (This requires hands playing hands together.) 3) Practice I- V6/5 – I pattern, hands alone, in the above keys, using p. 150 for

reference, from Unit 10 4) Start new solo: “Dream Echoes,” pp. 116-117. Learn mm. 1-16. 5) Sight-Reading: Practice pp. 118-119, Nos. 2 & 3, ex. 4-31 & 4-32.

Week 10 (10/31-11/02):

Roland Piano Library Reading Assignment #5 - Beyer No. 34

Unit Eight: Major Scales in Tetrachord Positions Ensemble reading from supplementary text, Unit 8

Assignment for Wednesday, 11/02: 1) Practice the following scales with tetrachord fingering: F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db,

Gb, pp. 110-111. 2) Practice I- V6/5 – I pattern, hands alone, in the above keys, using p. 150 for

reference, from Unit 10. 3) Continue learning solo, “Dream Echoes,” p. 116-117, mm 17 to end. 4) Review Sight-reading: pp. 118-119, nos. 2 & 3. 5) Practice improvisation exercise, from handout

Assignment for Monday, 11/07: 1) Review solo, Dream Echoes, in full, pp. 116-117. 2) Review Sight-reading 118-119, nos. 2 & 3.

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3) Review all sharp & flat key major scales in tetrachords 4) Review all I- V6/5 – I patterns in all major keys, hands alone:

C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, C#, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb 5) Review improvisation exercise from handout Week 11 (11/07-11/09):

Roland Piano Library Reading Assignment #6 – Beyer No. 38

Portions From Unit Nine: works based on scale fingering Ensemble reading from supplementary text, Unit 9

Assignment for Wednesday, 11/09: 1) Review all major scales in tetrachords and their corresponding I- V6/5 –I

patterns 2) Review improvisation 3) New Sight-reading: practice pp. 126-127, ex. 5-17, 5-18 & 5-19. 4) Either continue “Dream Echoes” p. 116-117, or explore new solo, from

either p. 128 or 129: “Morning Salute” or “German Dance” 5) Harmonizations: Practice pp. 130 131, all examples and their transpositions.

Assignment for Monday, 11/14: Same as above

Week 12 (11/14-11/16):

Roland Piano Library Reading Assignment #7 – Beyer No. 42 Monday = Review for Quiz No. 3. Wednesday = Quiz No. 3

Materials for Quiz #3 on Weds. 11/16: Units 8 – 9 1) All major scales in tetrachords, from Unit 8, pp. 108-111. 2) One solo of choice from either: pp. 116-117 (Dream Echoes), p. 128

(Morning Salute) or p. 129 (German Dance by Beethoven). 3) Sight-reading, Units 8-9: pp. 118-119, nos. 2 & 3; pp. 126-127, ex. 5-17,

5-18 & 5-19. 4) One improvisation. 5) Two harmonizations of choice, with the transpositions, from pp. 130- 131,

from Unit 9.

Assignment for two Mondays, 11/ 21 and 11/28: 1) NEW sight-reading: practice pp. 146-147, 152-153 -all examples. 2) Harmonization: learn p. 145, exercise 5-51. 3) Technique: practice triads in root and 1st, 2nd inversions, pp. 138-139,

examples 5-35 and 5-37. 4) Review two solos for final exam. Begin memorizing one. 5) Review all major scales in tetrachords, pp. 108-111. 6) Review I-V6/5-I patterns in all major keys 7) Choose one improvisation for final exam, from handouts. 8) Review sight-reading from all quizzes: pp. 25-26, pp. 36-37;

pp. 50-51 nos. 2-4; pp. 76-78 nos. 1-5; pp. 90-91 and 102-103; pp. 118-119, nos. 2 & 3; pp. 126-127.

Week 13 (11/21): Class on Monday only. Thanksgiving Break = November 23rd-27th.

Portions from Unit Ten: works based on scale fingerings from F, Bb, Db, Gb/F# Ensemble reading from supplementary text, Unit 10

Week 14 (11/28-11/30):

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Roland Piano Library Reading Assignment #8 – Beyer No. 46

Unit Eleven: The Dominant and Dominant Seventh Chords Ensemble reading from supplementary text, Unit 11

Assignment for 12/05 and 12/07: 1) Explore new harmonizations using the IV chord: pp. 164-166. 2) Select two harmonizations, each in a different key, for final exam. Write

your choices &provide both original and transposed keys here: ____________________________________________________________ (You must have 4 different keys represented)

3) Select your two solos for final and write out choices here: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4) Select improvisation choice and write out here: _______________ 5) Review all sight-reading: pp. 25-26, pp. 36-37; pp. 50-51 nos. 2-4;

pp. 76-78 nos. 1-5; pp. 90-91 and 102-103; pp. 118-119, nos. 2 & 3; pp. 126-127; pp. 146-147, 152-153

6) Review All major scales (in tetrachords), ascending and descending in one octave, and play by memory: C, G, D, A, E, B, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb/F#

7) Review the I-V6/5-I progression in all major keys, hands alone, by memory. Week 15 (12/05-12/07):

Unit 12: the Subdominant Chord. Ensemble reading from supplementary text, Unit 12. Review week of final exam materials.

Week 16 (12/12): Last day of class. Last review session. (Final Exam Week: 12/14 through 12/20)

Final Exam Day and Time:

Section I –Tuesday, December 20th, 3:30pm-6:30pm. Each person will be assigned a 10 -15 minute examination time.

Final Exam Material:

Repertoire:

Two solos of choice, from any previously covered Unit, that demonstrate a command of articulations juxtaposed between the hands, such as slurs and staccato/legato touch. At least one MUST be memorized.

Technique:

All major scales (in tetrachords), ascending and descending in one octave, by memory: C, G, D, A, E, B, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb/F#

I-V6/5-I progression in all major keys, hands alone, by memory.

Musicianship Skills:

Two prepared harmonizations of choice using primary chords. Examples and their transpositions must be in different keys. Four different keys must be represented.

One improvisation of choice. Choose only from handouts.

Sight-reading examples, based on and expanding from five-finger positions, from Units 1-12. Students are required to prepare all examples. The instructor chooses, during the exam, which examples are to be

played. Examples to prepare: pp. 25-26, pp. 36-37; pp. 50-51 nos. 2-4; pp. 76-78 nos. 1-5; pp. 90-91 and 102-103; pp. 118-119, nos. 2 & 3; pp. 126-127; pp. 146-147 and 152-153

Statement on Disabilities: SUNY Geneseo will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented physical, emotional, or learning disabilities. Students should consult with the Director in the Office of Disability Services (Tabitha Buggie-Hunt, 105D Erwin, e-mail: tbuggieh@geneseo.edu) and their individual faculty regarding any needed accommodations as early as possible in the semester. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the professor with the necessary documentation in a timely manner. No accommodations will be provided until such documentation is given. Accommodations will not be retroactive.