For the student who wants a more theoretically-based approach to music training, we have teachers who specialize in theory. Whether you’re studying music theory for fun or need help with music theory for school or a larger goal, such as composition or songwriting, we have excellent teachers who are also professional composers and performers to guide you. Learning an instrument is the best way to understand basic music theory.

Students who would elect to study theory at Joe Ferrante Music Academy begin by learning music fundamentals like: music reading, rhythms, and musical expressions. Theory students study scales, the circle of fifths, intervals, harmonic function, tonic chord progressions, figured bass, numerical analysis, counterpoint, and ear training.

Students of music composition need a solid background in music theory and our teachers work with their students to develop short melodies and learn how to develop them and make them interesting with just one line. Depending on the students’ interests, our composition teachers make listening recommendations in order to better comprehend the variety of musical instruments and instrumentations including each one’s particular strengths and weaknesses. At a more advanced level, students work with dynamics, color, texture, tempo, and articulations.