Revised 10/99

MUS 142 - Class Piano I (2 CR.)

Course Description

Offers the beginning piano student activities in learning musical notation, in accomplishing sight reading skills, and in mastering techniques of keyboard playing. Presents appropriate literature. Open to all students and may be used to fulfill applied minor instrument requirement for music major.  Lecture 1 hour.  Laboratory 2 hours.  Total 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

This course is designed to teach the student fundamentals of good piano technique and to enable the student to read and play repertoire from a variety of styles and periods, to improvise simple accompaniment to single line melodies, and to play fluently, as an accompanist, simple arrangements of the type used in many community type vocal and instrumental ensembles.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

The student is not expected to have any previous musical experience.

Course Objectives

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:

• gain sufficient reading and technical knowledge of the keyboard to enable him/her
• to learn new repertoire with a minimum of outside help
• gain a working knowledge of all major and “white key” minor scales and will learn
• patterns which will be useful in accompanying or in improvisation
• learn concepts of keyboard playing which may be applied in a situation involving
• work in a community or religious vocal or instrumental ensemble

Major Topics to Be Included

• All major scales and “white key” minor scales, arpeggios, and chord progressions
• Reading of notes and rhythms
• Understanding of interpretive and expression markings
• Literature from a variety of styles and periods of composition
• Concepts of ensemble playing
• Concepts of accompanying
• Concepts of basic improvisation at the keyboard

Optional Topics

• History and development of keyboard instruments
• Biographical background of the composers of the works studied
• Understanding and appreciation of keyboard performance