740-140 Aural Studies

Through a range of activities students will develop a balanced musical literacy linking hearing with reading notated music and the ability to notate what is heard. Students will be required to prepare solfege and rhythm examples, sight sing and transcribe diatonic and simple chromatic melodies featuring any interval, aurally identify all qualities of triad and seventh chords, and perform and transcribe rhythms featuring changing metre and polyrhythms. Students will also be introduced to the major philosophies of aural development.

On completion of this subject, students will be able to • demonstrate the capacity to sight sing and realise complex rhythms • aurally analyse harmony and counterpoint • transcribe melodies and rhythms in one and two parts · demonstrate aural skills that indicate a level of inner hearing appropriate to a musician at a pre-professional level.

Regular individual aural tests (20%); class assignments (30%); end-of-year written test (20%); end-of-year viva voce test (20%); attendance (10%). Students must attempt all components to pass the subject.