Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music
MUAP
1105‐001: Class Piano Level I Spring 2026 Syllabus
Course website: https://umclasspiano.com
Meets: MW 9:10 – 10:05 in MU 286
Instructor: Olga Dahl
Office Hours: Mondays 11:20 – 12:20 and by appointment
E-mail: odahl@memphis.edu Office:
MU 119B
COURSE DESCRIPTION
MUAP 1105 is a beginning keyboard skills course. Topics are based on
major and minor white-key scales, diatonic triads and dominant seventh
chords with some inversions. Styles include baroque through contemporary art
music, folk and popular tunes, and blues.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The design of the course
focuses on developing keyboard skills for students to function as competent and
confident musicians. Various activities provide the opportunity of discerning
style and genre and to approach the musical arts
creatively and with the highest of standards.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
Course
materials are available in the U of M Canvas portal.
CLASSROOM CONDUCT
This course requires your active participation at all times. Questions
and discussion are welcome and encouraged. Any classroom distractions or
disruptions are unacceptable. Please arrive on time with cell phones and any
other electronic devices turned off. There is absolutely no food or drink
allowed in the piano lab.
PRACTICE
You must commit 20-30
minutes a day at the keyboard. Satisfactory progress requires this commitment!
Each class meeting includes new skills and concepts based on the assumption
that the prior material has been prepared. This is a skill-development course
and will not suffice to understand the material
intellectually. You must train your hands, ears, and eyes by doing!
GRADING POLICY
Your final course grade is
the average of three juries (90%) and your attendance grade (10%). You can only
advance to MUAP 1106 with a final course grade of C- or better.
JURIES
Juries take place in the
piano lab. Each jury consists of seven components (harmonization,
improvisation, keyboard theory, repertoire, sight reading, technique and
transposition) and you receive a grade for each component. Each jury is a
12-minute individual appointment. If you arrive late or miss your scheduled
time, you will receive an F for each category missed. Juries I and II are held
during regular class time. Jury III is scheduled during the final examination
period for this course as published in the official course schedule! Plan
accordingly.
ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance in
class is expected. Meetings occur only two hours per week and include pertinent
information regarding skills and assignments. 10% of your grade is based on
attendance and calculated as follows:
|
Absences |
0/1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
>6 |
|
Grade |
A+ |
A |
A- |
B |
C |
D |
F |
ASSISTANCE
Please do not hesitate to schedule an
appointment if you have concerns or questions. Your questions are welcome and I am happy to help. Getting help
early can facilitate a successful semester. Please contact me soon than later.
IMPORTANT DATES
Jury I: February 16/18 (during
regular class time)
Jury II: March 30/April 1
(during regular class time)
Jury III: Friday, May 1; 10:30am – 12:30pm