Music preparatory school

Music preparatory course

The music preparatory course is a continuation of music playgroups and is aimed at children with a deeper interest in music. Participants are already familiar with basic musical concepts and wish to build on them and potentially prepare themselves to start playing a chosen instrument. The music preparatory course serves as preparation for enrolment at a music school, whether at Pionirski dom or elsewhere.

The first few lessons of the music preparatory course are dedicated to reviewing and reinforcing basic musical concepts. This is followed by in-depth work on playing various rhythms, such as long and short beats. Through the “musical echo” game, the children develop their rhythmic auditory memory as they repeat and create different rhythmic patterns. At the same time, they learn to notate rhythms, which leads to mastering basic rhythmic dictations that they play and write.

Since the children are already familiar with playing various rhythmic instruments, such as drums, rattles, sticks and triangles, they use these tools to create diverse rhythmic patterns. In this way they intuitively become familiar with different note durations (crotchet, minim, semibreve) and the basics of rhythmic notation.

Once the children have mastered rhythm, the course shifts to melodic patterns. They learn solmisation syllables and the basic pitches of notes (primarily C, E and G). They play melodic patterns on melodic instruments (xylophone, metallophone, piano etc.). They are also introduced to the musical stave and melodic dictation.

The course teaches them about different families of instruments (plucked and bowed stringed instruments, percussion, wind instruments). During the final lessons, the children play rhythmic and melodic patterns in a group, combining what they have learned to create little pieces of their own. At this stage they can build on the skills they have acquired by creating new melodies and rhythms.

Course structure

• Music theory 1: Learning the notes, the stave, the treble clef, natural major and minor, basics of rhythmic notation (from semibreve to quaver, with rests), simple solfeggio (reading and singing notes), solmisation, intervals (up to the perfect fifth), rhythmic dictations.
• Music theory 2: C–A major scales and parallel minors, natural, harmonic and melodic minors, special rhythmic figures (dotted notes, triplets), intervals (up to the octave), solfeggio, rhythmic and melodic dictations.

Children can continue to music preparatory course 2 (GP2 group) to build on what they have learned.

• Music theory 3: Major circle of fifths, parallel minors, special rhythmic figures (dotted notes, triplets, duplets, syncopation), dynamics, intervals (up to the octave and tritone), sight-singing solfeggio, rhythmic and melodic dictations, major triad.
• Music theory 4: Major circle of fifths, parallel minors (natural, harmonic, melodic), special rhythmic figures, dynamics, rhythmic basics with rests, major and minor triads with basic inversions (first inversion, second inversion), intervals (up to the tenth).

The music preparatory course is designed to allow children to get to know music theory in an unobtrusive and playful way and develop their rhythmic and melodic skills. It also stimulates their creativity and prepares them for further musical training.