Advanced Aural Skills

About

This one-week online music course at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, led by professor Shelagh Sutherland, will develop existing aural skills to the level required for ABRSM and Trinity Grade 8 and above.

Course leader

Taught by Shelagh Sutherland, a freelance pianist who has been teaching piano, violin, singing and Alexander Technique since 1972. She has been teaching the aural course at Guildhall School since 1990, which she was instrumental in designing.

Target group

- Ages 14+
- Singers, musicians and/or composers wanting to refine aural skills at a post-grade 5 level.

Course aim

You can expect to build on the skills covered in Essential Aural Skills (although you don't have to have completed that course to join this one!). You will be taught listening and memorising skills up to the level required for ABRSM and Trinity Grade 8 and above for the following topics:

Melody:
- copying longer melodic phrases vocally and instrumentally
- singing and playing upper/lower melodies of a two-part phrase
- interval recognition, including compound intervals
- advanced sight-singing

Harmony:
- revision of cadences
- detailed chord-naming
- tonality, including chromaticism, whole-tone, serialism
- modulation (including practical work)

Rhythm:
- recognising time-signatures, musical pulse
- advanced rhythm and sight clapping

- Practical working knowledge of advanced theory
- Mistake spotting: pitch, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, speed
- Style and historical period recognition
- Recognising character and form of music (dance, chorale, elegy, fugue etc.)
- Understanding of structure within form

Fee info