School of Music

Theory and Literature Department

1st Semester, School Year 2014-2015


Professor: Prof. Leonor Grace Q. Garcia

Course Title: Functional Keyboard 1

Course Code: Mus 1A (7)

Course Credit: One (1) unit

Course Description: Functional Keyboard I is a 1-credit hour course designed
for non-piano major students with emphasis on developing beginning keyboard
performance skills and functional skills at the piano such as sight-reading,
harmonization, and transposition.

Course Goals:
1. Improve sight reading in both Treble and Bass clefs.
2. Develop keyboard skills - technique/scales, sight-reading, chord
progressions, harmonization, and transposition.
3. To harmonize melody by use of chord symbols.
4. To play simple songs with improvised accompaniment pattern in various
keys.
5. Perform two pieces from memory.

Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Student will be able to play all scales and recognize them in pieces.
2. Student will be able to play root and inversion chords and recognize their
shapes in pieces.
3. Student will drill and learn to recognize melodic shapes to aid in sight-
reading of easy pieces.
4. Student will play I IV V V7 I in keys up to four sharps and flats and use these
chords to harmonize simple melodies.
5. Student will transpose simple songs up or down a m/M2nd.
6. Student will play and perform beginning piano literature.

Grading:
Your grade for the course will be determined as follows:
60% Performance Test (3x20%)
20% Class Performance
20% Attendance, Homework, Quizzes
___
100%

It is your responsibility to complete the assigned homework before the class
hour for which they are to be prepared. Students are expected to bring all class
materials to each class. Failure to do so will result in no score for that class
session.

Course Outline: (Tentative Schedule)

Week 1
Course objectives and general information
Keyboard basics: sitting at the piano, hand position, finger numbers, keyboard
topography.
Identify and play all while keys
Musical concepts: basic note values, measure, bar line, double bar, first and
second endings, octave, repeat signs, rests, dynamic signs (p, f, mp, mf)

Week 2
Musical concepts: treble and bass clefs, grand staff, skips and steps, dynamic
signs (cresc. and dim.), slur and legato playing
Exploring Positions on the Keyboard
Note-reading Introduction and Drills
Playing in the following positions: middle-C, C

Week 3
Musical Concepts: melodic and harmonic intervals (2nds 5ths), tied notes,
incomplete measure, tempo markings (allegro, moderato, andante, adagio)
Whole and Half Steps
Letter Names

Week 4
Musical concepts: sharp, flat, natural, staccato, 2/4 time-signature, rit.,
allegretto, D.C. al Fine
Introducing the Major Scale (up to 2 flats and 2 sharps)
Introducing the Major Triad (up to 2 flats and 2 sharps)

Week 5
Musical concepts: accent, pp
I-IV-V-I Progression
Keyboard Exam

Week 6
Musical concepts: chords in C - C, F, and G7, fermata, binary form
Repertoire building: Easy Baroque
Parallel Minor of C, G, D

Week 7
Review Baroque Piece
Parallel Minor of F, B

Week 8
Inversions
- Inversion shapes
- Inversion suggested fingerings

Week 9
Repertoire building: Easy Classical
Smooth transition between chords aided by inversions
Use of chord inversions to read music
Use of chord inversions and Lead Sheets

Week 10
Review Classical Piece
Introducing the Major Scale (up to 4 flats and 4 sharps)
Introducing the Major Triad (up to 4 flats and 4 sharps)

Week 11
I-IV-V-I Progression for scales up to 4 flats and 4 sharps

Week 12
Repertoire building: Easy Romantic or Contemporary
Keyboard Exams

Week 13
Harmonizing Scales of up to 4 flats and 4 sharps
Split Hand Chord Playing

Week 14
Review Romantic or Contemporary Piece
Non-Chord Tones
Harmonizing Melody in a Major Key up to 2 flats or 2 sharps

Week 15
Harmonizing Melody in a Major Key up to 4 flats or 4 sharps
V7 chords
Broken Chords and Arpeggios

Week 16
Simple Rhythmic Accompaniment Patterns for Left Hand
Fake book songs harmonization

Week 17
Semestral Keyboard Exams

Week 18
Repertoire Exam (2 pieces)

References:

Fundamentals of Piano Theory, Preparatory Level by Keith Snell and Martha
Ashleigh

Techniques and Materials of Tonal Music with and Introduction to 20
th
Century
Techniques 4
th
edition by Benjamin / Horvit / Nelson

Piano for Dummies 2
nd
Edition by Blake Neely, revised by David Pearl

Alfreds Adult All-in-One-Course, Lesson, Theory, Technique by Willard A.
Palmer, Morton Manus, Amanda Vick Lethco

Alfreds Premier Piano Course Lesson Book Level 1A and 1B

Piano Adventures, Lesson Book, A Basic Piano Method Level 1 by Nancy and
Randall Faber

Piano Adventures, Lesson Book, A Basic Piano Method Level 2 by Nancy and
Randall Faber

Preparatory Piano Literature, revised edition by Faber and Faber

Royal Conservatory of Music, Piano examination repertoire (1981)

Selected Fake books and Modern Repertoire