Piano Pedagogy
The Piano Pedagogy program is designed to prepare you for a career in private studio teaching or teaching in a Christian school, as well as to do graduate work in pedagogy or performance. This program provides an excellent training ground for the pedagogy internship in which you will have guided teaching experience in class piano and private piano at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. In addition, you will be able to take appropriate courses as electives from the School of Business Administration. Music instruction is offered without cost above the regular tuition.
Curriculum Highlights
- Freshman
- Basic Harmony I & II
- Basic Aural Skills I & II
- Introduction to Music Literature
- Freshman Piano
- Sophomore
- Advanced Harmony I & II
- Advanced Aural Skills I & II
- Introduction to Music Technology
- Graded Piano Literature I & II
- Sophomore Piano
- Junior
- History of Music I & II
- Elements of Conducting
- Eighteenth Century Counterpoint
- Intern Instruction I & II
- Junior Piano
- Senior
- History of Music III
- Piano Literature Survey
- The Christian Musician
- Intern Instruction III & IV
- Senior Piano
For further details see complete major information:
Piano Pedagogy Personal Opportunity Profile
You may also contact Admissions (1.800.BJ.AND.ME) to receive a printed copy of this information.
Key Courses
Introduction to Music Technology This course will take you on a tour of digital equipment used in musical projects such as composition/arranging, sequencing (multi-track recording), and computer-assisted instruction. You will become familiar with the Alesis QS7 synthesizer with its patches and mixes, and you will use these sounds in your projects. You also will discover methods of inputting musical notes, recording music, assigning sounds to various tracks, and scanning a piece of music for further editing.
Notation in Music Technology In this elective course you will study the principles of musical typesetting, survey several prominent music notation software packages such as Sibelius, Encore and Overture, and learn Finale in some depth. You'll learn the basics: formatting a score, inputting music with or without a keyboard (including step time and real time), as well as transposing and printing a score, extracting parts, and playing back your music.
Graded Piano Literature I In this class you will survey piano method series, sight-read elementary level literature, and learn to use the basic tools necessary to succeed in teaching on the elementary level. You will observe and critique elementary, junior high, and high school lessons.
Piano Pedagogy I This course will teach you the skills needed to be successful in private piano teaching. In addition, you will learn the business aspect of teaching. Emphasis is placed on problem-solving techniques in teaching.
Intern Instruction From these courses you will, under faculty guidance, gain experience through the observation and actual teaching of piano students in the pre-piano, elementary, junior high, and high school levels.
Career Opportunities
Our piano pedagogy graduates have been very successful in setting up careers as private studio teachers all across the country. We also have graduates teaching in Christian schools. There are usually more requests for piano teachers in Christian schools than we have pedagogy graduates to fill.