UMT Blog

"But I Teach Conservatory Canada Theory 1..."

I frequently receive emails from teachers who ask "Can I use the Ultimate Music Theory Workbooks if I am preparing students for the Conservatory Canada Theory 1 Examination?".

My answer - yes you can!

It is easy, and many teachers have also had students receive 100% on their Conservatory Canada Theory Examinations using the Ultimate Music Theory Series.

The Ultimate Music Theory 100% Club

Remember - when a student earns 100% on any nationally recognized Theory Examination using the Ultimate Music Theory Series, teachers can register their student in the 100% Club.

You will receive a Gold Pin and a 100% Club Certificate to print, sign and present to your student.

Pictured here is Ottawa Teacher Vic Norian (and student Monica T.). Vic has had students receive 100% on Examinations in Basic Rudiments, Intermediate Rudiments and Advanced Rudiments using the Ultimate Music Theory Series.

Conservatory Canada Theory 1 versus Royal Conservatory of Music Basic Rudiments

Conservatory Canada's Theory 1 Examination is comparable to the Royal Conservatory of Music's Basic Rudiments Theory Examination. Let's compare the requirement differences between Conservatory Canada's Theory 1 Exam and the Royal Conservatory of Music Basic Rudiments Exam using the current Theory Syllabus:

Both CC (Conservatory Canada) and RCM (Royal Conservatory of Music) require keys up to and including four sharps and four flats in both Major and minor Key Signatures.

CC - Notation; RCM - Pitch

• CC - names of notes (not more than TWO ledger lines above or below the staff). RCM - names of notes up to FIVE ledger lines above or below the Treble Clef and Bass Clef.
• CC - whole tones, semitones (chromatic and diatonic). RCM - enharmonic equivalents of notes, whole tones (whole steps), diatonic and chromatic semitones (half steps).

CC - Rhythm; RCM - Rhythm

• CC - triplet eighth notes. RCM - triplets (quarter, eighth and sixteenth).

CC - Scales; RCM - Scales

• CC - scales to be written within a given Time Signature (Simple Time only), in note values equivalent to the unit beat, and completing the final bar only with rests if necessary. RCM - the expectation is that scales will be written using whole notes as no Time Signature is ever given for completion of scales.
• CC - scales to have semitones marked with a slur. RCM - no requirement for semitones to be marked with a slur, however, this concept is taught in the UMT Workbooks.
• CC - identify Tonic and Dominant notes in the scale. RCM - scale degrees: Tonic, Subdominant and Dominant.

CC - Intervals; RCM - Intervals

• CC - no requirement for identifying an interval below a given note. RCM - identify Perfect, Major and minor intervals within the octave (no inversions), melodic form, below a given note.

CC - Triads; RCM - Triads

• all requirements are the same.

CC - Transposition; RCM - Transposition

• CC - identify the key of a given melody - Major keys only. RCM - identify the key (Major or minor) of a given passage with a Key Signature.
• CC - no requirement to rewrite a given melody at the same pitch in the alternate clef. RCM - rewrite a melody at the same pitch in the alternate clef.

CC - Simple Analysis; RCM - Analysis

• all requirements are the same.

CC - Melody Writing; RCM - No requirements

• CC - write a two-bar phrase to complete a given two-bar melody (no anacrusis). The added phrase must be musically designed and must end on the Tonic. The melody will be limited to a range of five notes. RCM - no requirements - this is a concept introduced in RCM Introductory Harmony.

CC - Terms; RCM - Terms

• CC - terms are not listed in the syllabus. RCM - terms are listed in the syllabus.

As you can see, it is very easy to successfully complete the Conservatory Canada Theory 1 Examination using the Ultimate Music Theory Basic Rudiments Workbook and UMT Basic Exam Series Set #1 and Set #2!

P.S. - Join the conversation! If you are a CC Teacher, we would love to hear of your experiences using the UMT Series.  Watch the video on the Ultimate Music Theory Workbooks and watch the video on the Ultimate Music Theory Exam Workbooks to prepare your students for their Conservatory Canada Theory Examinations.