Music Theory provides a language for talking about music and an understanding of how it works. Studying theory helps to develop rhythm, ear training, reading, composition and many other skills.
Group class tuition is reduced by 50% for those students currently taking private lessons at CMC.
Ear training teaches students how to hear and work with the elements of melody, rhythm and harmony. It assists instrumentalists and vocalists in mastering technique and musical style and supporting sight-reading and sight-singing. Ear training is essential for composers and arrangers, and it benefits anyone who simply wants to be a better listener.
In this class students will learn to understand the structure of an instrumental or vocal piece beyond its melody –recognizing and refining the ability to hear intervals, chords and chord progressions. We will analyze music and song forms in a variety of styles such as pop, jazz, gospel, classical, etc. and write simple charts directly from recordings.
Prerequisites: Key signatures, scales, basic chords, and circle of fifths; Music Theory I and/or instructor’s consent.
Ages: Adults, Older Teens
Class Size: 4-6 students
Location, Day and Time: Mission District Branch, Thursdays, 8:15-9:15pm
Instructor: Erick Peralta
Tuition: $256 Summer (8 weeks), $469 Fall (14 weeks), $402 Winter (12 weeks), $335 Spring (10 weeks)
This class is not meeting Spring Quarter.
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
Whether you are a complete beginner, or trying to remember what you studied years ago, this class will get you up to speed by covering the basics of notation and reading, including rhythms, time signatures, repeat symbols and other performance instructions. Classes will encourage participation and incorporate discussion, sight-reading exercises, weekly homework reviews and occasional composing. Materials designed specifically for this course are free and available for download online, including Jono’s book Music Theory and Notation for Intelligent Beginners.
Jono’s website
Ages: Teens, adults
Instruments: Any (none used in class)
Styles of music studied: Varied
Prerequisites: None
Class size: 2-10 students
Locations, Days and Times: Mission District Branch, Thursdays, 6:15-7:05pm
Instructor: Jono Kornfeld
Tuition: $469 Fall (14 weeks), $402 Winter (12 weeks),$335 Spring (10 weeks). Class does not meet during the Summer Quarter
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
This class is not meeting Spring Quarter.
If you have a basic knowledge of music notation, this class will further your understanding of musical components and structures. Topics will include scales, key signatures, the circle of 5ths, overtones, intervals and chords as they relate to all styles of music. Classes will be seminar-style and there will be weekly homework assignments. Materials designed specifically for this course are free and available for download online, including Jono’s book Music Theory and Notation for Intelligent Beginners.
Jono’s website
Ages: Teens, adults
Instrument: Any (none used in class)
Styles of music studied: Various
Prerequisites: Introduction to Music Notation and Reading and/or instructor’s consent
Class size: 2-10 students
Locations, Days and Times: Mission District Branch, Thursdays, 7:05-7:55pm
Instructor: Jono Kornfeld
Tuition: $469 Fall (14 weeks), $402 Winter (12 weeks), $335 Spring (10 weeks). Class does not meet during the Summer Quarter.
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
This class continues the work begun in Music Theory I and follows the same format. Topics will include chord inversions, 7th chords, melody construction, combining melody and harmony, simple structures and forms as they relate to all styles of music. Materials designed specifically for this course are free and available for download online, including Jono’s book Music Theory and Notation for Intelligent Beginners.
Jono’s website
Ages: Teens, adults
Instruments: Any (none used in class)
Styles of music studied: Various
Prerequisites: Familiarity with music notation and music theory at a level comparable with Music Theory I and/or instructor’s consent
Class size: 2-10 students
Locations, Days and Times:
Mission District Branch, Thursdays, 7:05-8:45pm
Alternates quarters with Music Theory: Variable Topics, depending on enrollment.
Instructor: Jono Kornfeld
Tuition: $469 Fall (14 weeks), $402 Winter (12 weeks), $335 Spring (10 weeks). Class does not meet during the Summer Quarter.
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
This class continues the course of study set out in Theory I and II, with more of an emphasis on compositional work (and homework) to achieve fluency within each topic. The first phase of the class will be a quick review of materials from earlier theory classes, adding new depth to these familiar topics. Then we will explore concepts that gradually take an ever-expanding view of music into account, discussing elements that relate to larger forms and structures, while trying to keep the smaller details in mind. All materials for the course will be made available by the instructor.
Jono’s website
Topics covered include:
Phrases & cadences
The sequence
The motive and motive development
Modulation/Key-Changes
Musical Forms
Modes
Counterpoint
Ages: Teens, adults
Instruments: Any (none used in class)
Styles of music studied: Various
Prerequisites: Students who did not take Theory I and or II are invited to join the class if they have previous experience. Communicating with the instructor before the first class meeting is recommended.
Class size: 2-10 students
Locations, Days and Times:
Mission District Branch, Thursdays, 7:55-8:45pm
Instructor: Jono Kornfeld
Tuition: $469 Fall (14 weeks), $402 Winter (12 weeks), $335 Spring (10 weeks). Class does not meet during the Summer Quarter.
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
This is an introduction to some of the basic elements of jazz theory and composition including: chords and chord symbols, lead sheet notation, typical chord progressions, melodic construction, forms, and a hint of improvisation using scales, modes and other devices. The class will culminate in the composition of a song in the jazz standard style.
Ages: Teens, adults
Instruments: Any (none used in class)
Prerequisites: Familiarity with an intermediate level of music theory and notation approximately equivalent to “Music Theory I.” Students are encouraged to communicate with Jono ahead of time about their prior experience.
Locations, Days and Times: Mission District Branch, Thursdays, 7:05 – 7:55 pm
Instructor: Jono Kornfeld
Tuition: Summer Quarter only (8 weeks) $256
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
The Summer of Love was 50 years ago! What makes British and American rock music spawned from that era so likeable and enduring? Listen to and identify the stylistic features from bands such as Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, The Grateful Dead and styles such as the blues, rock, pop and acid rock. This is not so much a history of the music, but an overview of its stylistic ingredients. Class activities include detailed listening sessions, lectures and participation-based discussion.
Ages: Teens, adults
Instruments: Any (none used in class)
Styles of music studied: Rock and roll
Prerequisites: Students should have some familiarity with the style and a basic idea of how chords and scales are constructed, but user-friendly handouts covering all vocabulary are provided in class. Students are welcome to communicate with Jono prior to enrolling.
Locations, Days and Times:
Mission District Branch, Thursdays, 7:55-8:45pm
Instructor: Jono Kornfeld
Tuition: Summer Quarter only (8 weeks) $256
Students enrolled in private lessons at CMC receive 50% discount.
Private Lessons in Music Theory and Musicianship are also available.
