Dept. Code: MKP
The Department of Keyboard Performance offers a bachelor of music performance degree and a performer's certificate in piano, It is a dynamic center for music scholarship. Regardless if a student is more versed in classical or contemporary repertoire, the performance and academic opportunities are exceptional and for all areas of keyboard study.
Bachelor of Music: Keyboard Performance (MKP)
The purpose of the Bachelor of Music in Keyboard Performance Degree: A degree from the Frost School of Music in Keyboard Performance will ensure a broad comprehensive training for a student in a performance-intensive environment. Degree programs incorporate performance, music research, pedagogy, and professional skills to cultivate students for a professional life in music. Graduates may seek careers as concert performers, collaborative pianists/accompanists, and/or as artist teachers.
Educational Objectives
Private lessons are taught with individual student goals in mind, and direction in academics and career pursuits are a priority for the entire faculty. We take pride in the reputation of our keyboard faculty for not only their distinguished concert careers, but also their dedication as inspiring teachers and mentors.
MKP 0R1. Organ. 2 Credit Hours.
1-hour lesson and 50 minute studio class for organ students. Technical Requirements: Gleason, Method of Organ Playing: selected exercises from Manual Technique and Pedal Technique. Repertoire: Gleason, Method of Organ Playing: Compositions for Manuals, Studies and Compositions for Manuals and Pedal; selected chorale preludes and smaller-scale preludes and fugues by Bach, Buxtehude, Brahms, and others; basics of hymn playing.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LSN.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.
MKP 0R3. Organ. 2 Credit Hours.
1-hour lesson and 50 minute studio class for organ students.
Technical Requirements: Gleason, Method of Organ Playing: selected exercises from Pedal Scales, Broken Chords, Advanced Exercises. Repertoire: Selected compositions by Bach and representative Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern composers. Hymn playing and organ accompanying techniques.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LSN.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.
MKP 111. Non-Major Class Piano I. 1 Credit Hour.
This course is designed for the adult beginner who has an interest in playing keyboard instruments for pleasure. Students with no previous musical or keyboard experience learn the fundamentals of music theory and apply them to playing the keyboard at the beginning level.
Components: LAB.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.
MKP 112. Non-Major Class Piano II. 1 Credit Hour.
Designed for the adult beginner who has an interest in playing keyboard instruments for pleasure, this course builds on the concepts introduced in MKP 111. Students continue to learn the fundamentals of music theory and apply them to playing the keyboard.
Components: LAB.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.
MKP 140. Keyboard Studies I. 1 Credit Hour.
Major and minor five finger patterns, beginning repertoire, major scales and arpeggios, basic chord progressions, for types of triads, dominant seventh chords, beginning sight reading, harmonization, transposition, and improvisation skills.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LAB.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.
MKP 141. Keyboard Studies II. 1 Credit Hour.
Minor scales and arpeggios, modal scales, five types of seventh chords and inve rsions, and more extensive chord progressions. Study of repertoire and the dev elopment of sight-reading, harmonization, transposition, and improvisation skil ls are continued.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LAB.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.
MKP 186. Vocal Accompanying I. 1 Credit Hour.
Pianists will attend seminars where the principles of accompanying classical and musical theatre singers are addressed. Students are assigned to accompany applied voice lessons and ensembles.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: ENS.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.
MKP 187. Vocal Accompanying II. 1 Credit Hour.
Pianists attend seminars where the principles of accompanying classical and musical theatre singers are addressed. Students are assigned to accompany applied voice lessons and ensembles.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: ENS.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.
MKP 189. Accompanying, Level I. 1 Credit Hour.
Development of sightreading skills and score preparation.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: ENS.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.
MKP 190. Accompanying, Level II. 1 Credit Hour.
Progressive development of individual vocal/instrumental and ensemble accompanying, sightreading, score reading, and improvising from a lead sheet.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: ENS.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.
MKP 191. Accompanying, Level III. 1 Credit Hour.
Progressive development of all types of accompaniment skills including; clef and score reading, transposition,; possible recital, opera theater, choral ensemble, and/or orchestral accompanying.
Prerequisite: MKP 190.
Components: ENS.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.
MKP 240. Keyboard Studies III. 2 Credit Hours.
Dominant seventh arpeggios, secondary dominates, and work more extensively with chord progressions. Students also learn Theme and Variation form, Sonata form, and characteristics of the musical style periods. Study of repertoire and the development of sight-reading, harmonization, and the improvisation skills are continued. Transposition of instrumental music to concert pitch, and beginning choral and instrumental score reading are introduced. Students will continue playing major and minor scales at an increased level of difficulty.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LAB.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.
MKP 241. Keyboard Studies IV. 2 Credit Hours.
Diminished seventh arpeggios, augmented, and Neapolitan sixth chords, Three-Par t Rondo forms, extended chord structures, and a variety of chord Progressions t hat modulate. Study of repertoire and the development of sight-reading, harmon ization, transposition, and improvisation skills are continued. Choral and ins trumental score reading, modal scales, and major and minor scales are performed at an increased level of difficulty.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LAB.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.
MKP 307. Essential Contemporary Keyboard Skills. 1 Credit Hour.
A keyboard lab presented in a group instructional format (lab setting) where each student has their own electronic keyboard/piano workstation for playing, practicing and skill demonstration.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LAB.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.
MKP 399. Junior Recital. 1 Credit Hour.
A public recital of one half-hour or more. Course is required of all performance majors.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: PRA.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.
MKP 407. Essential Jazz Keyboard Skills. 1 Credit Hour.
Group instruction of essential jazz keyboard skills: fundamental jazz piano, jazz piano voicing and basic accompanying skills, lead/chord sheet reading, interpreting traditional jazz chord spellings, and basic approaches to jazz improvisation.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LAB.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.
MKP 494. Special Topics in Keyboard Performance or Pedagogy. 1-3 Credit Hours.
Advanced group/classroom instruction pertaining to faculty member's expertise and
students' areas of interest.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.
MKP 499. Senior Recital. 1 Credit Hour.
A public recital of one hour or more. Course is required of all performance majors.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: PRA.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.
MKP 547. Keyboard Pedagogy. 3 Credit Hours.
Methods and materials for teaching keyboard instruments with a focus on private lesson instruction. Topics include teacher profile, general teaching considerations, the business of teaching, the beginning student, second- and third-year students, teaching materials, and an introduction to new technology in piano teaching.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.
MKP 549. Keyboard Pedagogy II:Keyboard Pedagogy Diagnostics. 3 Credit Hours.
1st class of each week: round-table discussion of private teaching strategies using video taped performance excerpts of students at various levels. 2nd class of each week: a focus on a wide range of teaching repertoire covering intermediate to advanced levels with an emphasis on problem prevention and solving.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.
MKP 550. Keyboard Pedagogy III: Pracice Strategies. 3 Credit Hours.
Focus on practice strategy at the keyboard using Philip Johnston's Practice Revolution as a springboard for discussion. Topics also include recent findings and leading researchers in cognitive neuroscience and "brain-based learning," as well as resources available for musician wellness and injury prevention.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.
MKP 594. Special Topics in Keyboard Performance or Pedagogy. 1-3 Credit Hours.
Advanced group/classroom instruction pertaining to faculty to faculty member’s expertise and students’ areas of interest.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.
MKP 6. Piano Forum. 1 Credit Hour.
A non-credit performance class for all piano majors and principals. Majors are required to perform once each semester with the approval of the applied teacher.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: FOR.
Grading: CNC.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.
MKP HCS. Secondary Harpsichord. 1 Credit Hour.
1/2-hour lesson for students enrolled for 1 credit.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LSN.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.
MKP ORS. Secondary Organ. 1-2 Credit Hours.
1-hour lesson for students enrolled for 2 credits. 1/2-hour lesson for students enrolled for 1 credit. Technical Requirements: Gleason, Method of Organ Playing: selected exercises from Manual Technique and Pedal Technique. Repertoire: Gleason, Method of Organ Playing: Compositions for Manuals, Studies and Compositions for Manuals and Pedal; selected chorale preludes and smaller-scale preludes and fugues by Bach, Buxtehude, Brahms, and others; basics of hymn playing.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LSN.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.
MKP PI1. Piano. 2 Credit Hours.
1-hour lesson and 50 minute studio class for piano students. Technical Requirements: To show a comprehensive foundation in basic/advanced keyboard skills. Repertoire: Appropriate repertoire as required.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LSN.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.
MKP PI3. Piano. 2 Credit Hours.
1-hour lesson and 50 minute studio class for piano students. Technical Requirements: Complete Junior Recital as required. Repertoire: Appropriate repertoire as required.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LSN.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.
MKP PIS. Secondary Piano. 1 Credit Hour.
1/2-hour lesson for students enrolled for 1 credit. Technical Requirements: To show a comprehensive foundation in basic/advanced keyboard skills. Repertoire: Appropriate repertoire as required.
Requisite: Frost School of Music only.
Components: LSN.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.
