Harmony, History & Style - Unit 2 (Classical)

Why does Mozart sound like Mozart? Why does Beethoven sound like Beethoven?

Harmony, History & Style looks at the answers to such questions through the lens of harmony. In this course, you will:

• learn how chords are put together to create a particular sense of style;
• cultivate skills of harmonic analysis to understand form and content in music;
• understand style in historical context.

One of the best things music theory does is to help you understand the specifics of musical style. When you understand style, you can play better, teach better and hear more when you listen to the music.

But to truly understand style, you have to locate it within a historical narrative. This unique course blends analysis and music history to produce deeper understanding and engagement with classical music.

How it works?

The course comprises online content comprising video lessons and activities which are followed-up with live online workshops. The video lessons introduce concepts which are then put into practice in analysis exercises. Each exercise is then reviewed in a live workshop which also provide an opportunity to ask questions arising from the course content. The workshops are recorded therefore you can send your questions in advance and also watch the recordings afterwards if you are unable to join us live.

Course structure

The second unit focusses on the development of sonata-allegro form by looking at the first movement from two classical sonatas – Mozart’s Sonata in G Major, K.283, and Beethoven’s Sonata in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1. We also examine expansion of the harmonic language to include chromatic harmony in Mozart’s Fantasy in D Minor as well as expansion of sonata form using mode mixture in Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. During the course of this unit, you will sharpen your understanding of the particulars of classical style as well as the architectural harmonic structures that paved the way for dramatic and formal expansion in the 19th century.

This unit is divided into four sections, the first two featuring Mozart with live sessions on 10th & 24th October and the last two featuring Beethoven on 7th & 21st November. Click here or on the "Buy" button below to sign-up for this unit!

If you missed the first unit, you can still purchase access to the video lessons, exercises and workshop recordings here.

Unit contents

• Section 1:
• Introduction to the Classical Style & The Sonata Principle
• Analysis exercise & live workshop: Mozart, Sonata in G Major, K.283, I
• Analysis exercise & live workshop: Mozart, Fantasy in D Minor
• Section 2:
• The Classical-Romantic Turnstile & Mode Mixture
• Analysis exercise & live workshop: Beethoven, Sonata in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, I
• Analysis exercise & live workshop: Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata

Who it's for?

This course is suitable for pianists of all levels and is ideal for anyone who has a basic working knowledge of chords but wants to gain a deeper understanding of how harmony works.

About Your Presenter – Lona Kozik

I have been teaching music theory and composition since I began my graduate education in 1999. While studying for my MA in Music Composition at the University of Pennsylvania, I started teaching music theory to Penn undergraduates. I have since taught music theory and composition at Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, Plymouth University (UK), Dartington College of Arts (UK), and in my own studio at home. I own and operate the Totnes School of Piano.

I entered my undergraduate studies completely focussed on studying piano performance, but I quickly found that studying music theory improved my sight-reading and my ability to memorise music; it heightened my musical expression and understanding at the piano; and it eventually led me to composing music.

I hold dual undergraduate degrees in piano performance and music theory, an MA and PhD in composition from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and two MFAs in performance (improvisation emphasis) and electronic music and recording media from Mills College in California, where I won the Flora Boyd Piano Performance Prize in 2011.

But most importantly, I have a passion for teaching music theory. I believe it is the key that unlocks all musical treasures. It can be engaging in its own right, but music theory, for me, is best viewed as a means toward greater musical expression and creativity!

Read what a past participant in this course has to say...

"Lona Kozik's course took us on a fascinating journey into diatonic chromatic harmony and its development through the centuries. The deep dive into the harmonic and structural analysis of each well known piece we studied not only opened up a fresh understanding of the piece itself, but also provided a window into the mind of the composer and the way he chose to use chords and harmonic progressions (both the ordinary and extraordinary). The theoretical understanding we gained provided us with tools to analyse our own repertoire more thoroughly and to be able to interpret it in ways that we may have otherwise missed.

This course would be hugely beneficial to so many different types of musicians - piano/instrumental teachers, theory teachers and performers.

Lona is a wonderful teacher, whose own enthusiasm for the material is evident in her clear and articulate presentations. I highly recommend this course to all musicians!"

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Workshop sessions & dates

Analysis Workshop 1 (10 Oct 2024 @ 18:30 BST (GMT +01:00))

Analysis Workshop 2 (24 Oct 2024 @ 18:30 BST (GMT +01:00))

Analysis Workshop 3 (07 Nov 2024 @ 18:30 GMT)

Analysis Workshop 4 (21 Nov 2024 @ 18:30 GMT)