Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

1. Begin the formal study of music theory as it is applied in the music of the Western World.
2. Use learned applied keyboard, rhythm and singing skills in order to build the foundations of musicianship.
3. Listen critically using the building blocks of music in order to better understand the diverse musical styles of the world and what makes the music of each culture unique.

Methods used to evaluate student progress and the criteria for assigning a course letter grade should be made clear by the instructor at the beginning of the course. The individual instructor will determine the method of assessment. Assessment methods may include:

• Qualitative and/or quantitative examinations
• Homework assignments
• Listening assignments
• Concert reports
• Research project
• Class participation

The six elements of music
Notation of rhythm
Nature of sound
Notation of pitch
The piano keyboard
Simple meter
The recorder
Compound meter
Borrowed rhythms
Major scales and keys
Intervals
The circle of fifths
Minor scales and keys
Root position and inverted triads
Basic musical design (form)
Introduction to harmonic function
COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS:
The following skills are expected to successfully meet the minimum requirement of "C" of "Pass" for the course.

• Read and interpret basic melodies in treble and bass clef.
• Locate specific pitches on the piano keyboard.
• Label pitches by letter name and Hertz.
• Visually and aurally determine the meter of a musical composition.
• Visually identify and notate major and minor scales.
• Visually identify the key of a basic musical work.
• Visually identify and construct intervals.
• Visually identify and construct basic triads.
• Determine the form of a basic musical work.
• Provide an harmonic analysis of a basic diatonic composition.