Aural and theory classes take place at the Music Centre, Monday to Thursday. Attendance is for one half-hour session each week in a class with a maximum of six students. They are a valuable means of improving the musicianship skills of all pupils.
Aural training can be regarded as a way of improving ‘musical thinking’. By teaching aurally, we enable our students to see, hear, understand and rehearse music internally. They develop a ‘musical’ ear with improved intonation and accuracy.
If music is a language then musicians should be ‘literate’ in every sense. To be musically literate you need skills in music theory. These skills should be learnt alongside instrumental skills from the earliest stages of musical development.
The complex system of symbols dealing with pitch, rhythm, dynamics, meter, tempo and structure is a shorthand able to express the core elements of music. An understanding of how these symbols relate to sounds, and the skill to interpret and transform them into musical communication, is an important part of the learning process for a musician.
In addition, students intending to take instrumental or voice examinations of grade 6 and above must obtain a grade 5 theory pass as a condition of entry. Students taking higher grades will benefit from UCAS points recommendations when applying for university or college.
You can download the Aural and Theory class application form here (384Kb).