Royal Lessons
Royal Conservatory Theory
The Royal Conservatory offers certification for those who pass their exams; you must pass a practical and a theoretical exam to get the certificates from Level 5 through 8, while Level 9 adds on History and Harmony, with Level 10 adding an exam about Harmony and Counterpoint. Our instructors will first assess what level of learning you’ve reached already. They’re well acquainted with the Royal Conservatory exams, so they can establish what your entry point should be; whether you know nothing about theory or you’re already a seasoned composer, we can help you develop. One of the most enjoyable elements of music is it’s accessibility. Humans seem to intuit music; parts of it are inborn, parts of it are culturally learned, but almost anyone can participate in it’s creation. Delve past the surface, though, and you’ll find music theory. The theoretical underpinnings of music are incredibly complex, and involve mathematics, physics, aesthetics, history, anthropology, and more; after all, music has been created across cultural lines for millennia. The Royal Conservatory of Music is the gold standard for music education in Canada; its program is divided into theory and practice. Here at Academy Music, we can help students pass all elements of Royal Conservatory examinations, including music theory; let us tell you how.
There’s a few methods we can use to help you grow. The first, of course, is teaching you theory. It’s one thing to read books by accomplished composers and work through workbooks to refine your technique; it’s another thing entirely to have a teacher who has passed the exams guide you through the process. They’ll be able to notice errors you might be thinking, give you examples and new ways of thinking in order to elucidate complicated concepts, and give you a wealth of supplemental resources and readings in order to elevate your learning.
We can also help you by giving you practice exams to take. Our familiarity with the Conservatory’s theoretical exams translates to practice exams that are extraordinarily similar, if not in length, then in content. We can break down the components of each exam, so you’ll be able to practice more on the parts you struggle the most with.
The third element of our teaching strategy is the cornerstone of all of our teaching methods; you learn from home. Rather than having to travel all the way to a music school, we come to you. That’s great for parents; you can revel in knowing that your kids are learning something important, even life-changing, while you do the chores, cook supper, relax, or do whatever else you want to do at home. The system is great for adults too; there’s a common misconception that you can’t take Royal Conservatory courses as an adult (you can), and both children and adults can benefit from the comfort of learning in their own homes.
Now that you know how we can help you take Royal Conservatory Theory exams, the next obvious question is: why take them? There’s actually a number of reasons, but we’ll start with the most concrete one: for high school students, Royal Conservatory certificates can count as credits. For your reference, here is how Royal Conservatory courses translate to credits in Manitoba; you can get credits for every year from grade 9 to grade 12. The second practical reason to take these courses is that they are the gold standard for music accreditation in Canada; whether you want to be a performer, a composer, or a teacher, having Royal Conservatory certificates under your belt looks fantastic on a resume. We can even help you on your journey to getting the ARCT or LRCM diplomas, the highest level of success available through the Royal Conservatory program.
Then there are the more intangible reasons to learn music theory. You learn about culture; your own, and other peoples. Learning music is kind of like learning a language; you start by learning the words, then you can turn the words into phrases, and eventually, the phrases into poetry. You’ll learn how to better harness the power of music to express yourself. You’ll open up whole new worlds of thinking and understanding. We can’t wait to see your progress on this journey; let us guide you.
