The Schillinger School of Music

GENERAL INFORMATION

• For new students all courses include an initial consultation to establish your learner profile.
• Courses consist of a series of lessons.
• Before signing up for a particular course, there is an initial consultation to establish your learner profile and determine the right course for you.
• Lessons are sent to you in the post or through email, as a PDF file attachment.
• Each lesson consists of extensive notes covering key techniques accompanied by many diagrams and examples in music notation.
• Lessons come with audio examples on a CD or as an MP3 file attachment.
• The schedule for the course is determined by you. As you work through your course, you can arrange to have email tutorials with your tutor to deal with questions you may have about the course and assignments. To get the best out of a tutorial and to avoid excessive email correspondence, It is recommended that you read the course notes very thoroughly and prepare your questions carefully before the tutorial.
• Assignments are included with each lesson. An assignment might be a technical exercise or a short structured composition exercise for you to complete and return. My response will include analysis, advice and recommendations for further actions.
• At the end of your first course, you may want to remain focused on the techniques you have just covered or continue to study new material. In this case, you have several options: take the next course, book an individually tailored mini-course, or arrange a one-to-one session.

Basic Principles and foundations. (Course code A)

During the course the following topics are covered:

1. The four dimensions of music
2. Music and movement
3. Time measurement
4. Time notation
5. Pitch measurement
6. Pitch notation
7. Dynamics
8. Timbre
9. Terminology
10. A reading and study list.

Two lessons. Price on application.
Start date: any time.

The Theory of rhythm. (Course code B)

This course is based on SSMC, vol. 1, book 1.
During the course the following topics are covered:

1. Music and number.
2. Selection of the time range.
3. Pulse and sub-division.
4. Performing number patterns.
5. Number Patterns and Notation.
6. Meter and rhythm.
7. Pulse interference rhythms type I.
8. Making choices about meter and rhythm.
9. Symmetry.
10. Pulse interference rhythms type II.
11. Rhythmic development.
12. Expansion, contraction and balance.
13. Pulse interference rhythms type III.
14. Complimentary opposition, flow and polarity.
15. Balance Imbalance.
16. Rhythms of the bar.
17. Distributive powers and involution.
18. The square as a temporal organising principle.
19. Creating a score using the square.
20. Creative decision-making and application of involution technique.
21. Ornamentation of the background.
22. Tuplets.
23. Depth and fluidity of rhythm.
24. Variation techniques.
25. Attack groups.
26. Co-ordination of time structures.
27. Instrumental forms: patterns of accompaniment.
28. Organic rhythms.

6 lessons. Price on application.
Start date: any time.

To see some demonstration notes from this course and some examples of rhythmic composition, click here or click here (you must be registered and logged in to see these).

Pitch scales and melody. (Course code C)

This course is based on SSMC, vol. 1, book 2, 3 and 4, and vol. 2, book 10, and other sources.
During the course the following topics are covered:

1. Music and order: primary, secondary and tertiary selection.
2. Ratio.
3. Movement and pitch scale.
4. Pitch and frequency.
5. The harmonic series.
6. Octave and interval.
7. Major minor polarity.
8. Consonance and dissonance.
9. Measuring intervals: one music, two systems.
10. Making scales.
11. Embryonic scales.
12. Regular and irregular scales.
13. Symmetric scales.
14. Growth scales.
15. Expanded scales.
16. Mode.
17. Diatonic scales.
18. Diatonic Modes.
19. From scale to melody.
20. Musical geometry.
21. The Axes of melody.
22. Tonality.
23. Modulation
24. From scales to harmony.

6 lessons. Price on application.
Start date: any time

To see an example, click here (you must be registered and logged in to see this)

Composition project (Course code J)

This project requires the student to undertake three compositional challenges set by the tutor. You might think of this course as being like a professional engagement, requiring you to compose in different styles and to be executed within tight boundaries. Each assignment comprises support in the form of technical suggestions and examples, as well as specifications for the compositions, such as, thematic material, rhythm and duration, instrumentation and the character of the music.

Three lessons. Price on application.
Start date: by arrangement.

Individual sessions on any Schillinger related topic (Course code K)

For those who want to focus on a particular subject or revisit in detail a particular topic covered on one of the courses.

One session. Price on application.
Start date: by arrangement




Rights reserved
Site designed, built and hosted by oxfordmusic.net
The Schillinger School of Music is grateful for the support of Rosalie Coopman.