Music Theory Teaching Philosophy

Music Theory and Ear Training are fundamental skills for anyone involved in music, whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned pro. While everyone teaches these foundational elements of music differently, it is my belief that all musicians should have a thorough grasp of at least the core concepts and principles to foster a deeper understanding of the music they perform and appreciate as a whole.

In my tutoring, I hope to meet the goals of each student, whether that is to learn the notes on the staff or to read and analyze complex analytical essays, and everything in between. I have some basic learning objectives for beginner students, and my experience in the field and with my bachelor’s degree in Music Theory allow me to read and understand more specific subjects. I have basic piano skills and believe that having a rudimentary grasp of the keyboard is important to gain a deeper knowledge of some theoretical concepts, in addition to training your ear. Every student learns differently, and I am versed in both movable and fixed-do, depending on your tutoring needs and desires.

Here are some of my basic learning objectives:

• Read the notes on the staff

• Hear and construct different scales, modes, triads, and seventh chords

• Be able to visually and aurally identify chords in music using Roman Numeral systems

• Identify cadential figures

• Recognize small and large forms

• Label embellishing tones and understanding their role 

Of course, all students, especially those with a strong background in music theory, will have different needs, and I am flexible in providing the mentorship to accommodate all levels and interests. 

One of my goals when teaching in any musical discipline is to further an individual’s knowledge of underrepresented composers and their works, and to hopefully incite curiosity for students to do further research to supplement the historically Westernized music we learn about in schools. I do this through including examples from composers whose works have traditionally been overlooked or marginalized due to their racial, gender, and cultural identities. There are many databases available that catalog the works of these composers, and these efforts are still ongoing as much of their histories remain undiscovered. 

I look forward to working with musicians of all levels to further their understanding of music theory and help develop their ear training skills.