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Foundations of Musicianship
Unlock your musical potential through our comprehensive 8-module program designed for everyone—from curious beginners to neurodivergent learners seeking a supportive, structured path into music theory and performance.
Three Pillars of Musical Understanding
Our curriculum is built on the foundational elements that form the language of music. Through carefully designed modules, you'll develop fluency in rhythm, melody, and harmony—skills that unlock your ability to read, perform, and create music with confidence.
Rhythm
Master the pulse and patterns that drive all music, from simple meters to complex compound rhythms.
Melody
Develop your ability to read, sing, and create memorable musical lines using solfège and interval recognition.
Harmony
Understand how chords function together to create musical progression and emotional impact.
Program Overview
Flexible Learning Format
Choose the schedule that works for you: attend two 75-minute sessions per week for dynamic, interactive learning, or opt for one immersive 2.5-hour block that allows for deeper exploration and practice.
  • 8 comprehensive modules
  • 2 × 75-minute sessions weekly
  • OR 1 × 2.5-hour session weekly
  • Hands-on, performance-based learning
Designed For Everyone
We welcome learners of all backgrounds and abilities. Our inclusive approach creates a supportive environment where youth, adults, beginners, neurodivergent individuals, and community members can thrive together.
  • Youth and adult learners
  • Complete beginners welcome
  • Neurodivergent-friendly instruction
  • Community-based cohorts
What You'll Achieve
By completing Foundations of Musicianship, you'll gain practical skills that transform you from a curious listener into an active music maker. These learning outcomes form the building blocks for lifelong musical growth and creative expression.
1
Read & Perform Rhythm
Confidently read and perform basic rhythmic notation in various time signatures.
2
Build Scales & Keys
Construct major scales from any starting note and identify key signatures instantly.
3
Master Intervals
Identify and sing intervals and triads with accuracy and musical understanding.
4
Understand Harmony
Recognize harmonic function and chord progressions in real musical contexts.
5
Perform with Solfège
Sing melodies using solfège syllables, developing your inner ear and pitch accuracy.
6
Analyze Musical Form
Break down simple musical structures and understand how composers craft their pieces.
Our Proven Class Structure
Every 75-minute session follows our carefully designed flow, balancing skill-building with creative application. The Musicianship Accelerator Method (MAM) is our signature performance-based approach that transforms theory into lived musical experience.
1
Warm-Up
10 minutes
Rhythm exercises and active listening to prime your musical mind.
2
Concept Introduction
20 minutes
Learn new musical skills through clear, engaging instruction.
3
Guided Practice
25 minutes
Scaffolded drills that build confidence through structured repetition.
4
MAM Application
10 minutes
Performance-based activities that bring theory to life.
5
Reflection
10 minutes
Exit ticket to consolidate learning and track progress.
Your Learning Journey: Modules 1-4
The first half of our curriculum builds your foundational literacy in musical notation and rhythm. You'll develop the core skills needed to read music fluently and understand how pitch relationships create melodies and scales.
Musical Language
Topics: Staff notation, clefs, note values, rests, measures, barlines, simple time signatures
  • Learn to identify notes on treble and bass clef, and perform rhythms in 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 time.
  • MAM Activity: Rotate through stations clapping, stepping, and playing written rhythm patterns.
Assessment: Staff labeling quiz + rhythm performance check
Rhythm Expansion
Topics: Dotted rhythms, ties, compound meter (6/8), repeat signs
  • Distinguish between 6/8 and 3/4 time and perform dotted patterns with confidence.
  • MAM Activity: Compose 2-measure rhythm loops in groups and perform them together.
Assessment: Student-created rhythm sheet
Pitch Foundations
Topics: Accidentals, half steps, whole steps, enharmonic equivalents
  • Identify chromatic movement and build pitch ladders using the keyboard and staff.
  • MAM Activity: Build scales using floor staff or keyboard in hands-on format.
Assessment: Half-step / whole-step mapping challenge
Major Scales
Topics: Major scale formula, sharp key signatures
  • Construct major scales in any key using the whole-half step pattern.
  • MAM Activity: Perform major scales on keyboard or voice with proper technique.
Assessment: Write 3 major scales from memory
Your Learning Journey: Modules 5-8
The second half deepens your understanding of tonal relationships, harmonic function, and musical expression. You'll learn to hear intervals, build chords, and ultimately compose your own musical ideas with confidence and creativity.
Circle of Fifths
Topics: Flat key signatures, relative minor relationships
  • Master key relationships and navigate between major and minor tonalities.
  • MAM Activity: Match major and minor keys using the circle of fifths chart.
Assessment: Key identification worksheet
Intervals
Topics: Perfect, major, and minor intervals
  • Count and identify intervals both on the page and by ear.
  • MAM Activity: Interval singing games in pairs to develop aural skills.
Assessment: Interval recognition quiz
Triads & Function
Topics: Major, minor, and diminished triads; Roman numeral analysis; I–IV–V progressions
  • Learn to harmonize melodies using functional chord progressions.
  • MAM Activity: Small-group I-IV-V performances with rotating instrumental roles.
Assessment: Chord analysis worksheet
Musical Storytelling
Topics: Cadences, motives, phrases, solfège performance
  • Compose and perform short melodies that express musical ideas effectively.
  • MAM Activity: Compose and perform an original 4-bar solfège melody.
Assessment: Final musicianship performance
Final Performance Project
Your learning journey culminates in a comprehensive final project that showcases everything you've mastered throughout the program. This performance-based assessment celebrates your growth while demonstrating your new musical literacy to yourself and your community.
Rhythm Performance
Present an original or assigned rhythm piece that demonstrates your fluency with notation, time signatures, and complex rhythmic patterns.
Solfège Melody
Perform a melody using solfège syllables, showcasing your pitch accuracy, interval recognition, and expressive phrasing.
Harmonic Analysis
Analyze and present a harmonic progression, explaining chord function and identifying cadences in a real musical excerpt.
Written Reflection
Reflect on your musical growth, identifying key moments of learning and setting goals for continued development.
The Musicianship Accelerator Method
Theory Comes Alive Through Performance
Our signature Musicianship Accelerator Method (MAM) transforms every lesson from passive learning into active music-making. Rather than just reading about rhythm or harmony, you'll perform it, create it, and internalize it through carefully designed activities.
MAM activities include rotation stations, group compositions, collaborative performances, and creative challenges that engage your whole body and mind. This kinesthetic, social approach ensures that musical concepts stick—and that learning is joyful and memorable.
When you make music together, theory becomes intuition.
Begin Your Musical Journey Today
Whether you're picking up music for the first time, returning after years away, or seeking a structured approach that honors your unique learning style, Foundations of Musicianship offers a welcoming, inclusive pathway into the rich world of musical understanding.
Join a community of learners at Discovery Sound Garden where curiosity is celebrated, growth is supported, and music becomes a language you can speak fluently. Your musical story starts here.
Discovery Sound Garden welcomes learners of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Our accessible, neurodivergent-friendly instruction ensures everyone can discover the joy of musical literacy.