Phone: (202) 686-8000

Get Started

Music Theory Classes

Music Theory for Youth Syllabus (Updated Winter 2022)

The goal of the new theory curriculum is to foster critical music literacy skills in students across all areas of instruction. This curriculum is designed to help all Levine students to develop a deep understanding of the music they are performing, and to provide them with a set of skills to pursue musical endeavors outside of performance.

Each theory level corresponds to a level in Levine’s keyboard-skills curriculum. The keys, scales, and concepts taught in each level of the theory sequence correspond to those of the keyboard-skills sequence.

Primer Level is a workbook designed specifically for beginning piano students. The classes for Levels 1 and above are designed for students of any instrument.

Beginning in the 2020-2021 academic year, Levels 1-4 will be available as online classes. Levels 5-10 will launch later in 2021-2022.

PRIMER LEVEL (AGES 6+)

Written workbook for piano students.

Rhythm

  • Note Values: Quarter, half, whole, dotted half
  • Rests: Quarter, half, whole
  • Time Signatures: 3/4, 4/4
  • Other: ties, barlines, double barline, repeat sign

Pitch on Keyboard

  • Identify white key pitches using black key groups
  • Steps and skips on keyboard

Pitch on Staff

  • Treble clef, bass clef, grand staff
  • Guide notes: F3, C4, G4
  • Treble and bass clef pitches between C3 and C5

Intervals

  • Steps on the staff
  • Skips on the staff
  • Half steps
  • Sharps and flats: F#, C#, G#, Bb, Eb
  • Whole Steps

Scales

  • Major pentascales: C, G, D, A, E
  • Minor pentascales: C, G, D, A, E
  • Functional scale degree names: 1, 5
  • Lower third step for minor pentascales

Chords

  • Major triads: C, G, D, A, E
  • Minor triads: Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em
  • Inversions: Root position
  • Functional chords: tonic triad (root position)

Composition

  • Compose melodies in given pentascale; quarter, half, and whole -note rhythms

Signs and Terms

  • Dynamics: f, p, mf, cresc., dim.
  • Tempo: rit.
  • Other: 8va
LEVEL 1 (WORKBOOKS AGES 6+, CLASSES AGES 8+)

Workbook and Classes (online)

Students 8+ and non-piano students may begin at this level.

Rhythm

  • Note Values: Quarter, half, whole, dotted half
  • Rests: Quarter, half, whole
  • Time Signatures: 3/4, 4/4
  • Other: ties
  • Unit 1 Project – Compose a rhythm set to words

Pitch

  • Treble and bass clef pitches between G2 and G5
  • The keyboard and grand staff
  • Generic steps and skips
  • Half steps
  • Sharps and flats: all pitches excluding B#/Cb, E#/Fb
  • Whole steps

Scales

  • Major tetrachord
  • Major scales: C, G, D, A, E
  • Minor scales: A
  • Functional scale degree names: 1, 5
  • Relative minor, natural and harmonic minor

Key Signatures

  • Order of sharps (up to four sharps)
  • Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, E
  • Minor Key signatures: A

Intervals

  • Interval sizes: Unison through 8va

Chords

  • Major triads: C, G, D, A, E
  • Minor triads: Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em
  • Inversions: Root position
  • Functional chords: tonic triad and dominant triads (root position)

Transposition and Composition

  • Transpose a melody to a new key
  • Compose a melody over tonic and dominant notes, rhythm and scale given.

Signs and Terms

  • Dynamics: f, p, mp, mf, cresc., dim.,
  • Articulation: legato, staccato, accent
  • Tempo: rit., fermata, metronome mark
  • Other: repeat sign, 8va, 15ma
LEVEL 2 (AGES 8+)

Classes (online and in-person)

Rhythm

  • Note Values: eighths, quarter, half, whole, dotted half, dotted quarters
  • Rests: Eighths, quarter, half, whole
  • Time Signatures: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4

Pitch

  • Treble and bass clef pitches, up to two ledger lines above/below
  • Half steps and whole steps
  • Sharps and flats: all pitches excluding B#/Cb, E#/Fb

Scales

  • Major scales: C, G, D, A, E, B / F
  • Minor scales: A, E / D, G, C, F
  • Relative and parallel minor, harmonic and natural
  • Functional scale degree names: 1, 4, 5, 7 (major only)

Key Signatures

  • Order of sharps (up to five sharps)
  • Order of flats (up to three flats)
  • Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B / F
  • Minor Key signatures: A, E / D, G, C

Intervals

  • Interval sizes: Unison through 8va
  • Interval qualities: Major and perfect (using major scales from this level)

Chords

  • Major triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F
  • Minor triads: Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em, Bm, Fm
  • Inversions: Root position, first inversion
  • Functional chords: tonic, subdominant, dominant

Transposition, Harmony, and Composition

  • Transpose a melody to a new key
  • Harmonize a melody with tonic, subdominant, and dominant triads
  • Compose a melody over tonic and dominant triads

Signs and Terms

  • Dynamics: pp, ff, sfz
  • Articulation: tenuto, pedal mark
  • Tempo: Allegro, Moderato, Andante, accel.
  • Other: D.C. al Fine, D.C. al Coda
LEVEL 3 (AGES 8+)

Classes (online and in-person)

Rhythm

  • Note Values: eighths, quarter, half, whole, dotted half, dotted quarters, triplet eighths
  • Rests: Eighths, quarter, half, whole, triplet eighth
  • Time Signatures: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, common/cut time, 6/8
  • Rhythm composition and music production project

Pitch

  • Treble and bass clef pitches, up to three ledger lines above/below
  • Sharps and flats, all pitches
  • Enharmonic notes

Scales

  • Major scales: C, G, D, A, E, B / F
  • Minor scales: A, E, B / D, G, C, F
  • Concepts: melodic minor
  • Functional scale degree names: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7

Key Signatures

  • Order of sharps (up to five sharps)
  • Order of flats (up to four flats)
  • Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B / F
  • Minor Key signatures: A, E, B / D, G, C, F

Intervals

  • Interval sizes: Unison through 8va
  • Interval qualities: Perfect, major, and minor

Chords

  • Major triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F
  • Minor triads: Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em, Bm, Fm
  • Inversions: Root position, first Inversion, second inversion
  • Functional chords: tonic, subdominant, dominant, dominant seventh

Transposition, Cadences, and Composition

  • Transpose a melody and chords to a new key
  • Cadences: authentic, half, and plagal (root position on single staff)
  • Parallel period
  • Compose a parallel period, antecedent phrase given

Signs and Terms, Music History

  • Tempo: Allegro, Moderato, Andante, Adagio, Largo, Presto, Rall.,
  • Other: Coda, D.S. al Fine, D.S. al Coda
  • Intro to Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern period
LEVEL 4 (AGES 8+)

Classes (online and in-person)

Rhythm

  • Note Values: Sixteenths, eighths, quarter, half, whole, dotted half, dotted quarters, dotted eighths, triplet eighths
  • Rests: Sixteenths, eighths, quarter, half, whole, triplet eighth
  • Time Signatures: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, common/cut time, 3/8, 6/8

Pitch

  • Treble and bass clef pitches, up to four ledger lines above/below

Scales

  • Major scales: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Eb
  • Minor scales: A, E, B / D, G, C, F

Key Signatures

  • Order of sharps (up to five sharps)
  • Order of flats (up to four flats)
  • Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Eb
  • Minor Key signatures: A, E, B / D, G, C, F

Intervals

  • Interval sizes: Unison through 10th
  • Interval qualities: perfect, major, minor

Chords

  • Major triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F, Bb, Eb
  • Minor triads: Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em, Bm, Fm
  • Inversions: Root position, first inversion, second inversion, third inversion for sevenths
  • Functional chords: tonic, subdominant, dominant, dominant seventh

Harmony and Composition

  • Parallel and contrasting periods
  • Cadences: authentic, half, plagal (with smooth voice leading on single staff)
  • Harmonize a melody with primary chords using smooth voice leading
  • Compose a contrasting period and harmonize with primary chords using smooth voice leading

Music History and Form

  • Modified tempo markings (eg. andantino), a tempo
  • Italian expression markings (eg.grazioso)
  • Ornaments: grace note, trill, mordent, appoggiatura, acciaccatura
  • The Baroque Era: composers and examples
  • Binary and ternary form
LEVEL 5 (AGES 8+)

Classes (online and in-person)

Rhythm

  • Note Values: Sixteenths, eighths, quarter, half, whole, dotted half, dotted quarters, dotted eighths, triplet eighths
  • Rests: thirty-seconds, sixteenths, eighths, quarter, half, whole, triplet sixteenths, triplet eighth
  • Swing rhythms and syncopation
  • Time Signatures: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, common/cut time, 3/8, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8

Scales

  • Major scales: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db
  • Minor scales: A, E, B / D, G, C, F, Bb
  • Pentatonic scales (major and minor)
  • Blues scale

Key Signatures

  • Order of sharps (up to five sharps)
  • Order of flats (up to five flats)
  • Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Ab, Db
  • Minor Key signatures: A, E, B / D, G, C, F, Bb

Intervals

  • Interval sizes: Unison through 13th
  • Interval qualities: perfect, major, minor, augmented, diminished

Chords

  • Major triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db
  • Minor triads: Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em, Bm, Fm, Bbm, Ebm, Abm, Dbm
  • Augmented and diminished triads
  • Inversions: Root position, first inversion, second inversion, third inversion for sevenths
  • Figured bass symbols
  • Functional chords: All diatonic triads, dominant seventh

Texture and Harmony

  • Monophonic, homophonic, and polyphonic texture
  • Open position chords
  • Keyboard-style texture
  • Cadences: authentic, half, plagal, and deceptive (in keyboard style texture)

Musical Form and Analysis

  • Motives, thematic development
  • Sonata form

Music History

  • The Classical Era: composers and examples
  • Blues, 12-bar blues
  • 12-bar blues composition harmonized with open-position chords
LEVEL 6 (AGES 8+)

Classes (online and in-person)

Rhythm

  • Review of previous note and rest values; time signatures
  • Compound time signatures: 6/4, 9/4, 12/4

Scales and Key Signatures

  • Major scales and keys: C, G, D, A, E, B / F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db
  • Minor scales and keys: A, E, B, F#, C# / D, G, C, F, Bb
  • Pentatonic, blues, whole-tone, and octatonic scales

Intervals

  • Interval sizes: Unison through 13th
  • Interval qualities: perfect, major, minor, augmented, diminished
  • Interval inversion
  • Consonance and dissonance

Counterpoint

  • Two-voice counterpoint: parallel and alternating 3rds/ 6ths
  • Adding passing tones and neighbor tones
  • Composition using two voices

Chords

  • Major triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F, F#, C#, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db
  • Minor triads: Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em, Bm, F#m, C#m, Fm, Bbm, Ebm, Abm, Dbm
  • Augmented and diminished triads
  • Inversions: Root position, first inversion, second inversion, third inversion; figured bass symbols
  • Functional chords: All diatonic triads and dominant seventh in all inversions

Harmony

  • Open position chords; keyboard style texture
  • Cadences in keyboard-style texture: perfect/imperfect authentic, half, plagal, and deceptive
  • Writing short chord progressions in keyboard-style texture

Musical Form and Analysis

  • Harmonic analysis of musical examples that include passing and neighbor tones
  • Compound ternary form, analysis of Chopin Mazurka

Music History

  • The Romantic Era: composers and examples
  • Late 19th and early 20th century styles: Ragtime, the Habanera/Tango, the Maxi
LEVEL 7 (AGES 8+)

Classes (online and in-person)

Rhythm

  • Review of previous note and rest values; time signatures
  • Cross rhythms and hemiola (3 against 2)

Scales and Key Signatures

  • Major scales and keys: C, G, D, A, E, B, F# / F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb
  • Minor scales and keys: A, E, B, F#, C# / D, G, C, F, Bb, Eb
  • The diatonic modes

Intervals

  • Review of previous interval concepts
  • Writing an interval below a given note

Counterpoint

  • Two-voice counterpoint: review of 3rds and 6ths, 7-6 and 2-3 suspensions
  • Variants of suspensions and embellished suspensions
  • Two-voice composition using suspensions

Chords

  • Major triads: C, G, D, A, E, B, F, F#, C#, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb
  • Minor triads: Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em, Bm, F#m, C#m, Fm, Bbm, Ebm, Abm, Dbm
  • Augmented and diminished triads
  • Inversions: Root position, first inversion, second inversion, third inversion; figured bass symbols
  • Functional chords: All diatonic triads; dominant seventh, minor seventh, fully and half-diminished seventh chords

Harmony

  • Cadences in keyboard-style texture: perfect/imperfect authentic, half, plagal, and deceptive
  • Compound cadences (cadences with suspensions)
  • Writing short chord progressions in keyboard-style texture; introducing ii7 and ii6/5; viio7

Musical Analysis

  • Harmonic analysis of musical examples that include suspensions and seventh chords
  • Analysis of Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1

Music History

  • The Modern Era: Impressionism, Primitivism, and Neo-classicism
  • Jazz: Swing and Bebop eras
  • Jazz or impressionist composition using seventh chords, suspensions, diatonic modes, and cross rhythms/hemiola

Visit Music Theory for more information and to register for an online placement test.

Please contact Dr. Evan Meier, Music Theory Chair, at emeier@levinemusic.org

Private Lessons

Experience customized one-on-one instruction with one of Levine’s talented faculty members.

Group Classes

Discover and explore music in an engaging collaborative setting.