The Nuts and Bolts of Music
Bring your music to the next level with a deeper understanding of how it all works
Score Analysis
Understand harmony and the voice leading principles that give music its shape and form.
Learn how studying your music away from your instrument can improve your playing.
Discover new surprises in pieces that you thought you knew inside out.
History of Music
Put the music you are playing in context and bring it to life
Recognise different styles of music and different composers. Know your Bach from your Bizet or Schumann from Schoenberg !
Explore new genres and you may discover new gems to play.
Exam Preparation
Junior and Leaving Cert Music
Grade Exams – All Boards
Gain a solid foundation in the written language of music.
Words like stretti, neapolitan 6th, auxilliary notes or meno mosso will no longer seem quite so mysterious.
Regular weekly theory exam preparation will cover all the specific theory needed for the exam paper along with plenty of practise. All other theory classes are tailored to the specific needs and goals of the individual musician.
Why study Theory ?
Many people think of Music Theory as a standalone exam subject.
You could be studying music as a subject in school or be studying theory to Grade 5 standard before doing a higher performance grade or diploma.
Theory studied for its own sake can be very interesting, but it is a good idea to think of it as part of the overall package of being a musician.
Having a knowledge of theory has many benefits.
Theory is essentially the grammar and vocabulary of the language of music. You can speak a language without having a deep understanding of it, but if you want to read works by the greats you need to expand your vocabulary. If you want to write you need to have a knowledge of grammar and punctuation. You might miss a joke or satirical comment because you don’t understand the nuance of the words or the context.
Understanding the nuance and context in music is what differentiates a great musician from a mediocre one.
It is easier to sightread music if you are looking at it in the context of patterns rather than a lot of individual notes. You can also learn pieces faster if you can spot repeating patterns within the music. Understanding the form and the composition tools makes it easier to follow and memorise music.
An understanding of harmony can help you to sight read more fluently and to improvise. It can also help to get you out of trouble when accompanying or performing.