STEP

Hello parents,

Confused about which musicianship class your child should attend? The best thing to do is to speak to your teacher this week, however I am including a basic curriculum below to help you determine where their music reading skills lie. Cellists have their very own class and can disregard below. Please note this class is only required for those between Minuet 2 in Book 1 and the start of Book 6.

These classes are meant to introduce music reading and basic theory to our students. Music reading is a skill developed over many years. However, this is not meant to replace or undermine learning repertoire by ear but to supplement and prepare our students for opportunities in orchestras and chamber music groups. A good balance of ear and music reading is essential for any great musician!

A very quick guideline is

Musicianship 1
    - beginner music readers and those who need to work on A and E string reading and basic rhythm

Musicianship 2
    - those who have some proficiency on A and E strings but need to D and G strings

Musicianship 3
    - those who can read all notes on all strings and basic rhythms but need to work on basic sightreading with both pitch and rhythm together

Musicianship 4
    - for those violinists in book 5 or whom can already sight read very well. Alto clef may also be introduced here.

Below is a more detailed outline of what we hope each class will learn.
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For Violin  - required as of late book 1
For cello - required  cello approx. late book 1
For viola - required

Violin Musicianship 1 

Book:  I can Read music Vol. 1
Pitch Identification on and off instrument
Focus on A and E strings
Placing Note Heads on Staff
Basic Symbols - treble clef, sharp, flat, forte, piano,
Clapping of basic rhythm - Half notes and quarter notes and corresponding rests
Introduction of basic time signatures
keeping pitch and rhythm seprate for this class

Violin Musicianship 2 

Books - Start with I can Read Music Vol. 1 and move into Volume 2
Pitch identification on all strings
Introduction of  Key Signatures
Basic Scales
Symbols - sharp, flat, natural, crescendo, decrescendo
Rhythm - whole, half, quarter, eighth and rests
Terms from book 1 and 2

Violin Musicianship 3
Book - I can Read Music Vol. 2
Counting
Basic Sight reading skills
Keys and Meter
Rhythm - add sixteenth and thirty second notes
Terms
More symbols
Introduction to Intervals

Violin Musicianship 4 
Sight Reading Class for those in Book 5 and introduction of alto clef