MUSICIANSHIP PROGRAM
Jayne McDonald, Chair
Dalcroze Eurhythmics
The goals in a Eurhythmics class
are threefold: to become a better
listener, reader and performer
of music. Through listening and
movement activities, the student
learns to perceive and to discriminate
among the rhythmic
and structural elements of music:
tempo, dynamics, articulation,
pitch, pulse, meter, rhythmic and
melodic patterns, phrasing and
simple form. The student develops
a kinesthetic understanding
of those elements and works in
move ment to expand and to
elaborate his understanding of
those elements. Eurhythmics
classes include: movement, solfege
and improvisation.
Four levels of Dalcroze Eurhythmics are offered at City Music Center. Courses are designed in a two-year cycle. They include:
Preschool - Ages 3 and 4
This course introduces the preschool
child to the basic elements
of music through singing and
movement.
Kindergarten (Age 5 before
January 1 and current
Kindergarten)
Work at this level is designed to
bring the building blocks of music
to the student through rhythmic
movement, singing, listening and
creating.
Primary - Grades 1 and 2
Students will continue to explore
the elements of music through
rhythmic movement, ear training
with syllables, rhythmic and
melodic sight-reading, listening
and creating.
Elementary - Grades 3 and 4
Designed to challenge the student
to a more thorough understanding
of the elements of music: binary
rhythm patterns, conducting patterns,
syncopation, major scale
patterns and intervals, ostinato,
simple form, solfege and expressive
elements of music. This is a
partner-course with Musicianship I.
Intermediate - Grades 5 and 6
Students take a deeper look at
the elements of music. Music is
analyzed in detail through movement,
solfege and improvisation.
Advanced musical concepts are
presented and the students are
challenged to create rhythmic
movement which describes both
the musical concepts and analysis.
This is a partner-course with
Musicianship II.
Musicianship I - Grades 3 and 4
This is an integrated theory and
solfege course for third and fourth
grade students. Coursework
explores the elements of music
through a variety of activities
such as singing, playing, reading,
and listening over a period of
two years. Students will learn the
vocabulary of sound and notation;
develop music reading skills; how
to read dynamic, articulation, and
tempo markings; and how to recognize
and perform melodic and
rhythmic patterns using solfege
and rhythm syllables. Students will
also develop interval recognition
through listening and standard
pitch notation. Sol-Fa syllables will
be introduced, simple melodies
will be sung and analyzed and students
will take short rhythmic dictation.
This is a partner-course with
Elementary Eurhythmics.
Musicianship II - Grades 5 and 6
Musicianship II is also a two-year
integrated theory and solfege
course for fifth and sixth grade
music students in which the
students further develop the
skills gained in Eurhythmics and
Musicianship I. Concepts explored
include a variety of rhythmic
patterns in binary and ternary
meters; ties, dotted notes and
syncopation; solfege syllables and
chromatics; interval recognition
through singing and notation;
major and minor key signatures;
all symbols used in music notation;
and, reading music in treble
and bass clefs. This course will
also help students to further
develop aural and oral skills, sing
increasingly difficult melodies with
"moveable Do," larger melodic
intervals, and major and minor triads.
Finally, students will work with
both rhythmic and melodic dictation.
This is a partner-course with
Intermediate Eurhythmics.
Musicianship III - Grades 7 and 8
Musicianship III is the third course
in the integrated theory and
solfege sequence. It is designed
for seventh and eighth grade music
students. Increasingly difficult
theory and solfege concepts are
the foundation for this two-year
course. Concepts include: simple/compound meters; rhythms in
augmentation and diminution;
major and minor scales and modes;
major, minor, augmented and
diminished triads, alto clef reading/writing and basic form analysis within classical music. Students will
develop aural skills through rhythmic
and melodic dictation as well
as interval and triad dictation.
Pre-requisites: Eurhythmics,
Musicianship I and/or II or a
placement exam.
Musicianship IV - Grades 9-12
Musicianship IV is the fourth
level of the integrated theory
and solfege courses. This course
explores advanced concepts of
music theory, harmony and solfege
and uses these concepts through
composition and analysis. Students
will explore music history, harmonic
analysis, modes, and compositional
rules, techniques and styles.
Students will be required to take
increasingly difficult rhythmic and
melodic dictation, sing specific
musical examples using solfege
syllables in moveable Do, and
write down a chain of harmonic
intervals using all four types of
triads. A variety of musical styles
will be examined as part of the
process, of applying music theory
and solfege to the student's
musical development.
Pre-requisites: Musicianship or
General Musicianship, or placement
exam.
General Musicianship
A two-year course for new middle
school and high school students.
This course will introduce students
to eurhythmics, theory and solfege.
Concepts explored include a variety
of rhythmic patterns in binary and
ternary meters; ties, dots and
syncopation; solfege syllables and
chromatics; interval recognition
through singing and notation;
major and minor key signatures;
all symbols used in music notation;
triad recognition and notation, and,
reading music in treble, alto and
bass clefs. Students will also
develop interval recognition
through listening and standard
pitch notation. Students will also
be introduced to Sol-Fa syllables,
sing simple melodies and take
rhythmic and melodic dictation.
College Prep Theory for High School Students
Students preparing for auditions
for entrance to a university music
department or conservatory
may schedule private tutoring in
preparation for entrance exams.
Computer Laboratory
To supplement the work in the
studio and classes, students may
schedule a weekly half-hour to use
the software in the computer lab.
Opportunities include: ear training
drill, rhythm practice, and sight
reading skills. All students under
the age of nine must be accompanied
by a parent in the computer
lab.
Placement
Student placement in musicianship
courses is determined by age,
grade level, and faculty recommendation.
Placement exams
for older students will help to
determine the appropriate levels for
Musicianship and Solfege courses.
Attendance
Regular attendance is essential
to ensure the best possible musical
development for each student.
Numerous absences may necessitate
repeating the course and
missed work is always the respons
ibility of the student. Students or
parents should notify the teacher
in advance if it is known that they
will be absent. Older students, in
particular, should see the teacher
before the next class begins if they
have been absent.
At the successful completion of
each level of Musicianship, I, II, III
and IV, students will be awarded
level-end certificates.
Composition
Students who have completed
Musicianship IV may elect to study
composition in private tutorial.
Faculty
Jayne McDonald, Chair and Dalcroze Eurhythmics
Thomas Blobner, Composition
Israel Kremen, Composition
Emily Paladin, Musicianship/Solfege
Lara Seifarth, Dalcroze Eurhythmics/Musicianship
National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
In the United States there are 2,175 Community Schools for the Arts. 22 are certified by the National Association of Music. We are honored to be among them.
