This course is designed to help students of any age or musical background understand and
enjoy Western classical music through practical listening skills. This course will teach how to
listen to a classical concert as musicians in terms of phrasing, timing, tone, dynamics. These
are subtle details that make a performance extraordinary and often go unnoticed without careful
attention.
Day 1: Selective listening
Developing listening skills and introducing essential musical terminology
Listening exercises:
- identifying instruments within an ensemble
- identifying different voicings and textures
Day 2: Structure and form
Introducing small and large scale genres and discussing how a piece is constructed
(symphony, sonata, character pieces, etc)
Listening exercises:
- identifying melody and accompaniment
- recognizing rhythmic/melodic motifs
- structural sections within a piece
Day 3-6: Characterization across periods
Learning how to distinguish characteristics of western music eras (Baroque, Classical,
Romantic, XX century)
Listening exercises:
- learning “what to listen for”
- identifying stylistic characteristics of each period
Day 7-8: Listen like a pro
Develop the ability to compare interpretation (Case study on two instrumental pieces)
Listening exercises:
- comparing different performers interpreting the same piece
- discussing artistic decisions
Day 9: Beyond the musical canon
Introducing lesser known composers or pieces that are often overlooked.
Analyzing works by realized composers (Handel, Bach, Mozart)
Day 10: Recapitulation
Open discussion on western music
Concert etiquette - Pre-concert context
Shivangi is a classically trained pianist and educator with an international career spanning Europe and the United States. Born in Romania, she studied at the Colegiul de Muzică Sigismund Toduță in Cluj before receiving a Fulbright scholarship in 2017. She continued her studies at Sam Houston State University (B.A.) and the University of California, Irvine (M.F.A.), working with renowned musicians including Kei Akagi, Josu de Solaun, and Kojiro Umezaki.
She has performed at major festivals and venues such as the George Enescu Festival, UNESCO events, and international conferences, and has collaborated with ensembles including the Hour of Power Choir. As a contemporary musician, she has premiered new works and worked extensively as an accompanist across diverse repertoires.
A dedicated educator, Shivangi integrates approaches such as the Alexander Technique and Body Mapping into her teaching. Alongside her classical work, she also performs Indian devotional music with the International Qawwali Sisters Ensemble.
Payment of the membership and Academy participation fee gives access to all courses.