Foundations of Music Theory | Voice Teacher Training & Certification

About the Course

Taught by New York Vocal Coaching’s Senior Vocal Associate Andy King, "Foundations of Music Theory" will provide you with a strong foundation in the basics of music. Topics range from rhythm and pitch notation to understanding chord progressions, as well as sight-reading and ear-training. By the end of the course you will have a deeper understanding of how music theory works and be able to break down sheet music on your own. This course is designed for both voice teachers and singers alike.

Course Components

Lecture

In the LECTURE, you will receive instruction on 7 main topics including RHYTHM, TIME SIGNATURES, PITCH, INTERVALS, KEY SIGNATURES, SCALES, and CHORDS. You will gain a full understanding of the FOUNDATIONS of music theory.

Personal Practice

In the PERSONAL PRACTICE portion of class you will be learning about and practicing both rhythmic and melodic sight reading. The time spent on your practice of sight reading rhythm and melodies will be vital to your growth as a musician.

Practical Application

In the PRACTICAL APPLICATION portion of class there will be both written and recorded exercises. This will be an opportunity for you to practice what you learned in class, in written form, as well as sending in recordings of rhythmic and melodic sight reading.

Meet Your Instructor

Andy King is a Senior Voice Teacher Associate at New York Vocal Coaching. He specializes in voice technique for Musical Theatre, Pop/Rock/R&B, and Classical. Mr. King’s clients range from professional Music Theatre actors to Professional Pop/Rock/Singer-Songwriters and sacred singers singing professionally in NYC churches and synagogues. He also accompanies and coaches a Musical Theatre class at New York Vocal Coaching. His clients have been seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway, on National Tours, and Regional Theaters.

Mr. King holds a Master’s of Music in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory, where he studied voice and vocal pedagogy extensively with the award-winning Kevin Wilson. He also graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with his Bachelor’s of Music in Classical Voice Performance and Musical Theatre Performance.

Before joining the staff at New York Vocal Coaching, Andy has held positions at both colleges and leading vocal studios as a Voice Teacher, Vocal Coach, and professor of Audition Technique and Performance. Aside from his work as a Voice Technician, Mr. King has worked as a professional singer and Music Director in theaters in the US and internationally. Some of his credits as a Music Director include Urinetown, Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson and two productions of the new musical Kingdom Come. Performance credits include the National Tour of CAMELOT, Austin in I Love You Because, and Curly in Oklahoma. He also has a background in sacred music and gospel music and has performed and directed in churches and cathedrals internationally as well. He has also taught masterclasses on Vocal Technique, Audition Technique Acting The Song.

Andy is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, has participated in the NATS-NYC Mentorship Program with some of the leading voice pedagogues in NYC, and has also completed the NYVC Voice Teacher Training and Certification program in New York City under Justin Stoney. Andy’s passion is to share his gift of teaching voice to students all around the world, to inspire them to develop their music careers and to share their own unique gifts though music.

Andy's Music Theory class was a pleasure to take. Andy is positive, patient and thorough. In addition, he was always available and willing to answer questions and to help whenever needed, regardless of level. I definitely attained my personal goals in this class and would highly recommend it.

Lisa Capps

Voice & Acting Teacher, Broadway Veteran

I truly enjoyed the music theory class taught by Andy King; it was very informative. Andy provided numerous resources, was receptive to questions and allowed class to move with a flow that allowed everyone to feel heard. It was like learning from a good, knowledgeable friend. I would definitely recommend this course to beginners or anyone needing a refresher course on the fundamentals of western music theory.

Teonykkia Starr

Voice Teacher, Performer

I took the Foundations of Music Theory course in the summer of 2022. I am a professional singer and after so many attempts at trying to learn music theory, I thought I would give it one more shot. I always felt limited and intimidated by this stuff and just lacking in my knowledge, so of course I was nervous before the course started. But once I started, there was no reason to be! Andy is super nice, knowledgeable and patient and was willing to explain the concepts as many times as we needed him to. The learning environment was very welcoming and informative, and I learned so much more than I ever had in my previous attempts. This is truly a foundations course so if you are a beginner or if you have a little bit of knowledge it is perfect for you. You are able to go at your own pace and you learn a lot of practical, useful & relevant info that you can use for your career. Thank you Andy and NYVC for your help in my journey!

Alyssa Harris

Voice Teacher, Performer

FAQs

1. What is The Foundations of Music Theory Course?

The NYVC Foundations of Music Theory Course was created by Andy King to offer singers and teachers of all kinds the opportunity to gain a foundation in music theory to further their own musicianship. The class was created to be straight forward and thorough all while making sure students are learning what they actually need to know.

Many folks feel they have a gap missing in their music knowledge and in this course Andy is there to help you build that foundation so you can teach with more confidence, learn music quicker, and have the basics down so you can continue your study.

2. How will the class be structured?

The Foundations of Music Theory Course consists of 3 sections: Lecture, Personal Practice, and Application.

LECTURE

PERSONAL PRACTICE

In the PERSONAL PRACTICE portion of class you will be learning about and practicing both rhythmic and melodic sight reading. The time spent on your own practicing sight reading rhythm and melodies will be vital to your growth as a musician.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

3. Who usually takes the Foundations of Music Theory course?

The Music Theory course usually consists of a diverse group. This includes voice teachers, professional singers, novice singers, and hobbyists. This course starts from the building blocks of Music Theory and moves slowly to make sure everyone feels solid in their understanding.

*if you have questions about whether or not you (and your knowledge) is a good fit for the course please email us at: assistant@newyorkvocalcoaching.com

4. Is the NYVC Foundations of Music Theory course one-on-one or is it a group training?

The course is offered in a group setting (both virtually and in-person). The small setting allows time for questions and collaboration.

Along with the group class, participants receive personal correspondence with Mr. King to discuss their homework and any questions they might have.

5. Will the class be recorded?

The weekly class will be recorded via Zoom and then uploaded on YouTube. All participants will have access to all privately shared videos.

6. What happens if I need to miss a class?

We recommend doing everything you can to attend class live so that you don’t miss any learning opportunity that can’t be afforded through recordings. However, all classes will be recorded via Zoom and uploaded on YouTube. If you need to miss a class it is up to you to watch the recording before the next class and to complete the homework.