<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12pt"><div><span>Dear Anna and the List,</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>from my 18 years of experience in the USA and previous knowledge of the topic I can suggest something that may seem fantastic yet is feasible and, in a long run, ultimately productive.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style:
normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>The theory disciplines (rudiments, diatonic harmony, classical forms, basic strict and free counterpoint, and ear training) should be introduced at an earlier age. All the textbooks that I have seen and used (including a venerable Kostko and Payne) are better suited for the 14-17 year olds. For more detailed proof of this I refer to a wealth of information in professional child psychology (e.g. Boris Teplov, The Psychology of Musical Talent).</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>Of course, this was impossible to implement just some ten years ago. However, in 2014, nothing can keep you from establishing a
distant learning program in local magnet schools. Contemporary technology can compensate for some technical difficulties of such programs.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>So, the ideal plan will be:</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>1) To establish an early-age theory training network at the local magnet schools and/or at the preparatory school at your
conservatory (if there is one). The graduates from these schools will comprise the core of your incoming students. Their level of preparation will significantly exceed the average level. The rest of your incoming students will have to catch up. At least, they will see what is the benchmark level of skills, acceptable at your school.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>This pre-college program will include 4 to 6 semesters of ear training done by your junior faculty and/or GAs; 4 semesters of tonal harmony; 2 semesters of classical forms and analysis; 2 semesters of counterpoint; 6 semesters of musical literature. You could employ some of your graduate students here, as a form of teaching practicum.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style:
normal; background-color: transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>2) At the undergraduate level, for BM students, you can introduce more specialized and more in-depth courses that will benefit your students and will make you a top music school. For example, instead of a part-writing course, you could introduce a four-semester course in harmony by styles and periods, using the method of model composition, keyboard improvisation and heavy reading and writing component. Instead of going over the classical forms, at this level you can introduce a class in analysis, appropriate for the college level. And, of course, you can spend more time in the classes teaching atonal, pre-tonal, non-common-practice music and a smorgasbord of courses on performance, interpretation, period music, etc. You can also lighten
up the theory requirements for the majors that need more time for other aspects of training, without compromising their academic training in theoretical disciplines.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>So, here are my two cents. </span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>Best,</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>Ildar Khannanov</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>Peabody Institute, Johns Hopkins University</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; background-color: transparent;"><span>solfeggio7@yahoo.com</span></div><div class="yahoo_quoted" style="display: block;"> <div style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div dir="ltr"> <font face="Arial" size="2"> On
Wednesday, May 21, 2014 11:44 AM, David Froom <dfroom@smcm.edu> wrote:<br> </font> </div> <br><br> <div class="y_msg_container">From another non-conservatory:<br clear="none"><br clear="none">At St. Mary's College of Maryland, we require four semesters of Theory (meets four hours, earns three credits) and four semesters of Ear Training (meets two hours, earns 1 credit). They are separate classes (3 days/week theory, 2 days/week ear training), together adding up to six hours of meeting time for four credits.<br clear="none"><br clear="none">The first three semesters theory are <br clear="none"><br clear="none">review of fundamentals and introduction to diatonic harmony; <br clear="none">diatonic harmony into the beginnings of chromaticism; <br clear="none">19th century harmony. <br clear="none"><br clear="none">These classes include discussion of form, but necessarily not in a lot of depth.<br clear="none"><br clear="none">The fourth semester
alternates. One year it is a class in 20th century theory. The next year it is a class in Form. Most of the serious students take one for the requirement, one as an elective. Among our electives (offered as possible) there is also a counterpoint class -- though it is a scramble in that class to cover, in one semester, both 16th and 18th century.<br clear="none"><br clear="none">We've tried, over the years, a variety of scenarios, including one teacher for theory and ear training, starting with species counterpoint, bigger emphasis on form in the three semesters with 20th century for all in the fourth, or even having the third semester be ⅔ chromatic harmony, ⅓ counterpoint. For now, what I wrote above is what we've settled on. Changes to this have had to do with the combined pedagogical viewpoint of those of us teaching it (as people have come and gone). There are two of us for theory, plus an adjunct for ear training, and all of us have other
things we need to teach. We also face pressure to figure out a way to keep class sizes up, which, in a small liberal arts college setting, becomes increasingly difficult as one gets to the classes for juniors and seniors. Thus, the every-other year plan for some of the classes.<br clear="none"><br clear="none">David Froom<br clear="none">Professor of Music<br clear="none">St. Mary's College of Maryland<br clear="none"><br clear="none">> On Wed, May 21, 2014 at 8:44 AM, Anna Gawboy <<a href="mailto:gawboy.2@osu.edu" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:gawboy.2@osu.edu">gawboy.2@osu.edu</a>> wrote:<br clear="none">> Dear colleagues,<br clear="none">> <br clear="none">> My institution has recently begun to contemplate a revision of the entire undergraduate curriculum. I'm curious how much time other schools devote to core theory (i.e., those courses required of all undergraduate music majors) and the basic format for their delivery.<br
clear="none">> <br clear="none">> Are theory and aural skills integrated or taught in separate classes? Are keyboard skills included or taught separately? <br clear="none">> <br clear="none">> How many semesters/quarters of theory are required?<br clear="none">> <br clear="none">> How many credit hours are assigned to each class, and how much time does each class meet per week? <br clear="none">> <br clear="none">> Many thanks in advance,<br clear="none">> Anna Gawboy<br clear="none">> <br clear="none">> -- <br clear="none">> <br clear="none">> Dr. Anna Gawboy Assistant professor of music theory<br clear="none">> Ohio State University School of Music<br clear="none">> 304A Hughes Hall | 1899 College Road Columbus, OH 43210-1234<br clear="none">> 614-292-2044 Office<br clear="none">> <a href="mailto:gawboy.2@osu.edu" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:gawboy.2@osu.edu">gawboy.2@osu.edu</a> osu.edu<br
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