Functional Skills for Pianists

Functional Skills for Pianists addresses the need for a comprehensive anthology of musical examples in a wide variety of styles (Baroque through Modern) for keyboard majors (performance, pedagogy, collaborative pianists), keyboard principals (music education, music therapy, music business, church music, liberal arts majors), and composition/theory students. Its Topical structure allows teachers the freedom to design lessons that meet varied abilities and needs of students. It is Comprehensive on two levels: 1) it includes introductory guidelines on fundamentals followed by numerous examples that are sequenced from beginning through advanced levels and 2) while it covers the development of skills found in beginning texts, it extends to more demanding sight reading material and substantive sections on figured bass realization and jazz/popular music harmonization. Currently, there is not a book on the market that covers such a wide variety and range of functional keyboard skills.

Dr. Valerie C. Cisler is Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication and Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Dr. Christopher C. Fisher is Professor of Piano and Director of the School of Music at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. Dr. Kenon D. Renfrow serves as
Professor of Keyboard Studies and Director of Piano Pedagogy at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina.

Introduction

Chapter I. FUNDAMENTALS
I. Section A. Fundamentals of Theory and Technique
I. Section B. Fundamentals of Sight Reading and Transposition
I. Section C. Fundamentals of Harmonization, Playing By Ear, Improvisation, Figured Bass, and Jazz/Popular Music

Chapter II. READING: VOCAL/CHORAL SCORES
II. Section A. Two-Part
II. Section B. Clefs (Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Alto, Tenor) | Two-Part
II. Section C. Three-Part
II. Section D. Four-Part
II. Section E. C-Clefs | Four-Part
II. Section F. Five-Part
II. Section G. Six-Part
II. Section H. Accompaniments

Chapter III. READING: INSTRUMENTAL SCORES
III. Section A. Single Line Transpositions | B-flat, F, E-flat, and A Instruments
III. Section B. Two-Part | B-flat, F, E-flat, and A Instruments
III. Section C. Single Line C-Clefs | Viola/Alto Clef and Bassoon/Tenor Clef
III. Section D. Two-Part C Clefs | Viola/Alto Clef
III. Section E. Three-Part String and Orchestral Scores
III. Section F. Four-Part Orchestral Scores
III. Section G. Four-Part String Quartet Scores
III. Section H. Five and Six-Part String Scores
III. Section I. Orchestral Scores
III. Section J. Choral/Orchestral Scores

Chapter IV. HARMONIZATION, TRANSPOSITION, AND IMPROVISATION-
PRIMARY CHORDS
IV. Section A. Tonic and Dominant (I/i and V or V7)
IV. Section B. Primary Chords in Major (I, IV, and V or V7)
IV. Section C. Primary Chords in Minor (i, iv, and V or V7)

Chapter V. HARMONIZATION, TRANSPOSITION, AND IMPROVISATION-SECONDARY CHORDS
V. Section A. Supertonic (ii and ii°)
V. Section B. Submediant (VI and vi)
V. Section C. Mediant (iii and III)
V. Section D. Two or more Secondary Chords (ii/ii°, iii/III, vi/VI, and/or vii°/VII)

Chapter VI. HARMONIZATION, TRANSPOSITION, AND IMPROVISATION-
ALTERED CHORDS
VI. Section A. Secondary Dominants (Dominant Seventh Chords)
VI. Section B. Secondary Dominants (Diminished Triads/Diminished Seventh Chords)
VI. Section C. Augmented Sixth Chords and Neapolitan Sixth Chords

Chapter VII. HARMONIZATION, TRANSPOSITION, AND IMPROVISATION-
FIGURED BASS REALIZATION
VII. Section A. Figured Bass Examples with Composer/Suggested Realizations
VII. Section B. Examples for Figured Bass Realization

Chapter VIII. HARMONIZATION, TRANSPOSITION, AND IMPROVISATION-
JAZZ/POPULAR MUSIC HARMONIZATION
VIII. Section A. Steps for Jazz and Popular Music Practice and Performance
VIII. Section B. Examples for Jazz/Popular Music Harmonization
VIII. Section C. Playing By Ear Using Jazz/Popular Music Chords