Beginning Piano, Level I
MUS-X400.06
Have you always wanted to learn to play the piano? This exciting and rewarding beginning piano course is designed for students with little or no keyboard experience. Develop basic keyboard skills and technique through the use of popular songs and appropriate-level piano literature. Gain a strong understanding of the rudimentary elements of music—melody, rhythm, harmony, and timbre—through electronic keyboard practice. Simple unison and part-singing are encouraged in this interactive course.
Quarters Offered: Winter | Spring | Summer | Fall
Prerequisite: None
Course Materials: An electronic keyboard or piano for practice at home.
Course Information
Course sessions
Section ID:
Class type:
All class meetings held in-person according to published location, dates and times. Students may be expected to engage with course content online during the published course dates.
Textbooks:
All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.
Policies:
Drop Refund Deadline:
Schedule:
| Date | Day | Start | End | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/22/2026 | Tuesday | 05:30 p.m. | 07:30 p.m. | Room 166 - Department Space, Conrad Prebys Music Center |
| 9/29/2026 | Tuesday | 05:30 p.m. | 07:30 p.m. | Room 166 - Department Space, Conrad Prebys Music Center |
| 10/6/2026 | Tuesday | 05:30 p.m. | 07:30 p.m. | Room 166 - Department Space, Conrad Prebys Music Center |
| 10/13/2026 | Tuesday | 05:30 p.m. | 07:30 p.m. | Room 166 - Department Space, Conrad Prebys Music Center |
| 10/20/2026 | Tuesday | 05:30 p.m. | 07:30 p.m. | Room 166 - Department Space, Conrad Prebys Music Center |
| 10/27/2026 | Tuesday | 05:30 p.m. | 07:30 p.m. | Room 166 - Department Space, Conrad Prebys Music Center |
| 11/3/2026 | Tuesday | 05:30 p.m. | 07:30 p.m. | Room 166 - Department Space, Conrad Prebys Music Center |
| 11/10/2026 | Tuesday | 05:30 p.m. | 07:30 p.m. | Room 166 - Department Space, Conrad Prebys Music Center |
Instructor:
William Cratty, PhD in music (UCSD)
Two years at UC Riverside as a teaching associate and visiting lecturer and awarded The Most Outstanding Teacher
William Cratty teaches Piano I, Piano II, and Intermediate Piano. William spent two years at UC Riverside as a teaching associate and visiting lecturer, where he was awarded The Most Outstanding Teacher award. In addition to performing and teaching at local colleges, he is an active writer of theoretical works on diverse subjects. He also holds a Ph.D. in music from UC San Diego.
