CORE CURRICULUM

The KMI composition Core Curriculum is unique in how it develops the student's ability to be creative in parallel with a keen understanding of the mechanics and techniques of composition. Students of any instrument may student composition at KMI, but the department encourages/requires students to study piano and other instruments as they reach certain advanced levels - as is necessary to become a truly proficient composer.

Instrumental Study: All composition students MUST be currently studying an instrument privately, either at KMI or with another private instructor. Piano study is strongly encouraged, especially if the student has been studying music for three or more years. If the student has studied piano for three or more years, and has never studied an orchestral instrument, either private or school study of an instrument is strongly encouraged. Once the student reaches Level Four of the Core Curriculum, some of these suggestions become requirements.

Ensemble and Chorus: Since composition is the most all-encompassing musical disciplines, students are strongly encouraged to participate in orchestras, bands and choruses as much as possible. School ensembles are usually the most accessible, and if the student qualifies for a more competitive regional ensemble, that is even more beneficial. The broad exposure to music, musical ideas, and issues of performance learned within an ensemble is invaluable and for the most part unavailable through any other venue.

Lesson: KMI director, Lee W. Kikuchi, has authored a series of very comprehensive composition workbooks, which are equivalent to a method system for composition. At each level the student's knowledge of music theory is expanded, notational skills refined and composition techniques taught and developed. The series is called Creating Music, and sample copies can be downloaded from the website. Private lessons throughout the Core Curriculum shall center around these workbooks, until the student has completed Level Four. The workbooks form the backbone of the curriculum, with special exercises designed to teach important concepts and skills, and the student is expected to explore composition beyond this foundation by writing pieces independently.

Supplemental Theory: Most students learn theory through their instrumental course of study which is adequate to their instrument, but not necessarily adequate to being a composer. Most composition students will be assigned supplemental theory materials as determined by the KMI faculty to ensure the student is acquiring the depth and breadth of theoretical knowledge required for composition lessons.

Regular Review: All musical ability is an accumulation of skills, as is mathematics, and composition is no exception. With each level of study, the student will review many of the skills and concepts taught at earlier levels to ensure adequate retention and ability to apply them to the current level of challenges.

Primer Level: The student will review the fundamentals of basic notation: clefs, notes, rhythms, bar lines, etc. and will learn some simple ways to write a melody. The concept of "question & answer" are introduced to help the student expand a short idea into a full melody. The student should have completed at least ONE FULL YEAR of private study on an instrument, and must be able to read and write music on the staff. Some older students with three or more years of private study may skip this level, especially if they have already demonstrated some compositional ability.

Level One: The primary goal at this level is to teach the student how to write a simple melody, to expand it using several compositional techniques and then finally to harmonize it with tonic & dominant chords. Review of theory & notation is included at the beginning to ensure retention of these important skills. Several techniques for creating melodies and harmonizing them are presented and drilled. The topics are sequenced as follows: 1) Sources of Inspiration; 2) Different Approaches to Notating a Melody; 3) Question and Answer Melodies; 4) Double Questions and Answers; 5) Germination; 6) Specific Techniques of Rhythmic and Pitch Variation; 7) Setting Text; 8) Writing Programmatic Music; 9) Improvising; 10) Harmonizing a Melody; and 11) Writing a Counter Melody.

Level Two: The primary goal at this level is to teach the student how to write a simple melody, to expand it using several compositional techniques, to combine two or more melodies into a sectional piece and finally to harmonize the melodies using primary chords. Several techniques for creating melodies and harmonizing them are presented and drilled. The topics are sequenced as follows: 1) Sources of Inspiration; 2) Different Approaches to Notating a Melody; 3) Question and Answer Melodies; 4) Double Questions and Answers; 5) "aab" Phrase Structures; 6) Germination; 7) Specific Techniques of Rhythmic and Pitch Variation; 8) Setting Text; 9) Writing Programmatic Music; 10) Combining Melodies into Larger Formal Sections; 11) Harmonizing a Melody with Primary Chords; 12) Writing Counter Melodies with Passing Tones; and 13) Improvising.

Level Three: The primary goal at this level is to teach the student how to combine two or more melodies into a sectional piece, using techniques of variation and modulation, and then finally to harmonize the piece using different chord basses or four-part harmony. Many different techniques for creating melodies and harmonizing them are presented and drilled. The topics are sequenced as follows: 1) Sources of Inspiration; 2) Phrase structures; 3) Specific Techniques of Rhythmic and Pitch Variation; 4) Germination; 5) Style Gallant; 6) Setting Text; 7) Scanning poetic meter; 8) Writing Programmatic Music; 9) Combining Melodies into Larger Formal Sections; 10) Harmonizing a Melody with Primary & Secondary Chords; 11) Using different styles of bass; 12) Writing Counter Melodies with Passing Tones; 13) Writing for a solo instrument; and 14) Four-Part Harmony.

Level Four: At this level the student is expected to have mastered many of the fundamentals regarding creating melodies and harmonizing them, so extensive instruction will be devoted to 1) Four-Part harmony; 2) Understanding & writing for the instruments of the orchestra; 3) Exploring tonalities beyond major & minor; 4) Understanding & writing harmonies beyond triads; 5) Writing in different meters and irregular meters; 6) Modulating keys; and 7) Understanding & writing in large formal structures. Students at Level Four must study piano if they have not studied piano before, and must study an orchestral instrument if they have not studied one before. Participation in instrumental and choral ensembles is required.

When the student has completed Level Four, the student is ready to advance to either the Music Appreciation or Young Artist Programs for intermediate study of composition.

(See TUTORIAL: Timelines, for more information about student progress through the Core Curriculum)