Music is a many-faceted discipline. As a person – young or old – begins the study of music, their eventual development as a musician will never be complete if their learning is confined to the sole pursuit of acquiring skill on an instrument. Studies have shown unequivocally that learners engage in music more fully, and stay with it longer when they include theory as part of their music education. For this very reason, national certificate programs, such as the Royal Conservatory’s, make theory a major component of their curricula from the very beginning stages, and exams in several theoretical subjects are requirements at the intermediate and advanced levels.
All too often, learners expect music theory to be rather dry – certainly not as interesting as performing music – but necessary, like cod liver oil. On the contrary, if a theory teacher can instill a sense of discovery in the learner, then it becomes fascinating, rewarding and enjoyable. Over the years, I have seen many of my learners experience a“Eureka” moment as they solve an interval for the first time, or invent a simple melody, or work out a perfect chord progression. Then, as they return to the piece they are learning to perform, it all starts to make sense. Oddly enough, their piece begins to sound better!
When I arrived at the Conservatory in 2000, after a career that ranged from keyboard performance to musicology, I decided to set up as a theory and ear training specialist. I want to take my students on a journey away from their scores and help them unearth the riches that music offers in its raw state. In other words, to provide them with the ingredients of a complete musician. I truly love teaching theory – watching learners as they discover what makes music the magical thing that it is, as they study the lives of composers and their musical styles, and as they begin to understand what goes on in a composer’s head in creating a masterpiece. For example, why did Schubert modulate from B-flat major to G major in that passage, and how did he make it sound inevitable? Thus, they acquire the tools to be able to create on their own. Like all music sub-disciplines, it takes a while, but the returns last a lifetime.
I teach theory and ear training at the Conservatory in a number of ways. My approach is flexible enough to design the learning specifically to the learner’s needs. Are you a beginner (child or adult)? Have you studied music in your youth and, after a lengthy hiatus, are ready to return to it? Are you preparing to enter a university music program, or are already in it and in need of a bit of theory tutoring? Are you in the final stages of the Royal Conservatory Associateship (ARCT) and need that one more subject to complete it? We provide private one-on-one instruction – the best way to get where you need to go. But if you have a sibling or a friend, or your teacher has another student at the same level as you and want to come as a group of two or three to reduce tuition, we encourage that too. Learning alongside your peers is an especially fun way to learn theory!
Explore theory lessons on the Conservatory website.