ORELA Music (NT504) study plan

Build a personal glossary of at least 60 music-theory terms (intervals, scale degrees, chord qualities, cadences) with a one-line definition and a sung or played example for each.

Notate all 15 major key signatures from memory on a blank staff and self-check against a reference, redoing any missed keys until 15/15.

Construct and label all four triad qualities and all four seventh-chord qualities on a given root in both treble and bass clef.

Identify by ear, with 80% accuracy on a 20-item self-made quiz, the difference between major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads.

Analyze the harmonic function (tonic, predominant, dominant) of every chord in four short chorales or hymn phrases, labeling each with Roman numerals including inversions.

Compose and notate an eight-measure period in a major key that uses a half cadence and an authentic cadence correctly.

Transpose two given eight-measure melodies to keys a major second and a minor third away, checking each accidental by hand.

Explain in writing how circle-of-fifths proximity relates to modulation targets, citing at least three example key relationships.

Dictate eight four-measure rhythmic patterns and eight four-measure melodic patterns from recorded or self-played sources, scoring at least 75% exact.

Perform eight prepared sight-singing examples in treble and bass clefs using movable-do or a consistent solfège system.

Map the formal structure (binary, ternary, rondo, sonata, theme and variations) of five short works and justify each label with measure numbers.

Identify non-chord tones (passing, neighbor, suspension, appoggiatura) in ten notated examples and label each type.

Build a chronological timeline of the major stylistic eras with at least five representative composers and two representative works per era.

Compare three recordings of the same work and write a 300-word listening guide describing differences in tempo, instrumentation, and interpretation using correct terminology.

Identify by ear, at 80% accuracy, the era of ten short listening excerpts drawn from your own playlist.

Summarize the development of at least four genres or forms (symphony, string quartet, opera, art song) across eras in outline form.

Describe the construction, playing technique, and historical use of at least twelve instruments from all four orchestra families and non-Western traditions.

Trace the evolution of notation and tuning systems from medieval through modern practice in a two-page written summary.

Explain the role of patronage, the church, and the public concert in shaping music production in at least three historical periods.

Listen to and annotate two complete multimovement works, marking form, texture, and instrumentation changes by timestamp.

Analyze how texture (monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic), dynamics, and timbre create expression in five contrasting works, citing specific passages.

Write program notes of 200 words for two works that place each in historical and stylistic context without outside text.

Compare the treatment of a single theme or form across two eras and defend the comparison with notated or timbral evidence.

Identify and correct five common misconceptions about period performance practice, documenting the evidence for each correction.

Take a full-length, timed practice test under exam conditions and log every missed item by domain and skill.

Re-teach the three weakest skills from the practice test by writing a one-page explanation and creating five new practice items for each.

Review and re-drill all previously missed flashcards until each is answered correctly twice in a row.

Refine your ear-training routine by completing 30 minutes of interval, chord, and scale identification with a logged accuracy rate.

Retake a second full-length timed practice test and compare domain scores against week 7 to confirm improvement.

Condense all notes into a single two-page review sheet covering theory, history, and analysis essentials.

Complete a final 60-minute mixed drill of dictation, sight-singing, and listening identification at target accuracy.

Write a one-paragraph test-day plan covering timing, item-flagging strategy, and rest breaks.