Guildhall Young Artists Online Musical Awareness

About Musical Awareness

This class explores what music is made of, how it is put together and the fundamental skills and techniques music making requires. Everything you learn here will be put to practice through composition and improvisation as well as sight singing and taking aural dictations.

This class will accelerate the learning process on your instrument and make you a well-rounded musician.

What can I expect?

A typical class will begin with aural exercises to improve your perception of intervals, rhythm, harmony and tonality.

This will usually be followed by listening to music examples that demonstrate the lesson’s subject matter. These subjects would include how pieces are composed – from a short ideas and phrases to whole movements or songs; chord sequences in classical music or pop; how keys and modes are used in composition and improvisation.

The final part of the lesson will usually involve some practical work, such as composing, harmonising, analysing and improvising.

Classes will be tailored to the level of each group.

Do I need anything?

• An email address 
• A reliable internet connection 
• A computer/laptop with a microphone and a camera
• The most recent version of Zoom
• Music notation software and a basic command of it or a willingness to acquire these early on in the course
• We encourage keeping an instrument at hand during classes

Class tutors

Michael Spence
Michael studied the Kodály Approach with the British Kodály Academy in 2018, eventually taking up a position at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in the Junior Department as a Kodály specialist in 2020. Michael was then promoted to Classes Co-Ordinator in 2022 where he leads a team of Kodály and Dalcroze teachers delivering musicianship as a core part of the Kindergarten, and String/Brass Training Programmes.

Ehud Freedman
Ehud composes music for theatre, dance, media and the concert stage. His work has been performed at Southbank Centre, Wigmore Hall, St. David’s Hall, Beijing Modern Music Festival, The Place, Belfast Sonorities Festival, Rich Mix and Wilton Music Hall among others. His former commercial/TV clients include Warner Bros., Knowledge Network Canada, Europe's Best, Working Title, Sony Pictures, Universal, The Rick Hansen Foundation and the Bank of England.

Ehud founded Guildhall’s London Centre for Young Musician’s composition programme in 2017 and led it until 2022. He has taught and guest lectured at Royal Holloway University and the Architectural Association School of Architecture.