This four-week 'crash course' introduces pianists to the practical elements of tonal harmony. You will explore the fundamentals of chords, harmonic progression and cadential patterns with the aim of building practical skills that make learning new repertoire more efficient, secure, and musically informed.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
This course offers an introduction to the essential elements of harmony. You will learn to recognise, construct, and play common chord progressions, including triads, 7th chords, cadences, and figured bass realisations. Through practical keyboard work, you will connect theoretical knowledge with physical experience at the piano. This course will use Harmony in Practice by Anna Butterworth as the core textbook.
What will we cover?
Across the four weeks, we will work through selected chapters and exercises from Harmony in Practice. Topics will include:
Identifying major and minor triads in all keys
Inversions of triads and their notation
Introduction to 7th chords and their uses
Reading and realising figured bass
Voice-leading fundamentals and common harmonic progressions
Cadences (perfect, imperfect, plagal, interrupted) and how to play/recognise them
Harmonic analysis of short passages
Applying harmonic awareness directly to repertoire
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Identify and play diatonic triads and their inversions in several keys
Recognise and construct basic 7th chords
Realise simple figured bass lines at the keyboard
Apply voice-leading guidelines to create smooth chord progressions
Analyse the harmonic structure of short passages
Use harmonic understanding to support sight reading, learning, and memorisation
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an upper-beginner to intermediate level course. You should be able to:
Read treble and bass clefs confidently
Play scales and broken chords in a few keys (not necessarily all)
Understand basic key signatures and intervals
You do not need prior knowledge of formal harmony or figured bass.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Teaching will take place in a digital piano lab through:
Short tasks will be given between sessions to reinforce the material. These may include completing short written exercises, practising chord progressions, or analysing brief excerpts.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
This course is designed to support your current learning and give you more confidence in all aspects of your playing. If you are interested in exploring keyboard harmony in more depth, you may wish to join our Keyboard Harmony 5 classes which run during term time.
City Lit offers a wide range of piano classes from beginner to advanced levels. If you are new to City Lit piano classes, please take a moment to read our Piano Department page, which lists our full sequence of piano classes.
Lewis Kesterton is a classical pianist, teacher and writer based in London. He studied at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with Mark Bebbington and Katharine Lam, at Trinity Laban Conservatoire under the tutelage of Penelope Roskell, at the Royal College of Music with Mengyang Pan and City, University of London with Laura Roberts. He has also studied the Taubman Approach with Robert Durso, student of Dorothy Taubman. Lewis often performs around the capital as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist, and is in high demand as a teacher. He is currently on the teaching faculty of Morley College and The City Literary Institute, London's two specialist adult colleges, and is also a solo and ensemble piano tutor in the Junior department at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Lewis has a particular interest in working with students overcoming injuries and has a passion for helping nurture innovative 21st-century musicians, and in 2023 was appointed as a Trustee of EPTA UK.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/practical-harmony-for-pianists3001555Practical harmony for pianistshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/piano-workshop-6-1024_1.jpg129129GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Performing arts/Courses/Performing arts/Music/Courses/Performing arts/Music/Piano/keyboards classes22851314135113601228513141351<p>This four-week 'crash course' introduces pianists to the practical elements of tonal harmony. You will explore the fundamentals of chords, harmonic progression and cadential patterns with the aim of building practical skills that make learning new repertoire more efficient, secure, and musically informed.</p>003001549Practical harmony for pianists129129https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/piano-workshop-6-1024_1.jpgInStockDaytimeTueKeeley StreetAvailable courses1 to 4 weeksWeekday2026-07-14T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceJul 2026Performing artsME919129129Practical harmony for pianists12990129Lewis Kestertonpractical-harmony-for-pianists/me919-2526<p>This four-week 'crash course' introduces pianists to the practical elements of tonal harmony. You will explore the fundamentals of chords, harmonic progression and cadential patterns with the aim of building practical skills that make learning new repertoire more efficient, secure, and musically informed.</p>0000-Available|2026-07-14 00:00:00<p>This course offers an introduction to the essential elements of harmony. You will learn to recognise, construct, and play common chord progressions, including triads, 7th chords, cadences, and figured bass realisations. Through practical keyboard work, you will connect theoretical knowledge with physical experience at the piano. This course will use <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-Practice-Anna-Butterworth/dp/1854728334/ref=asc_df_1854728334?mcid=644be15e515d3c999cff26344bf84835&th=1&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697321129874&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9140568220842789457&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9198104&hvtargid=pla-518295886037&psc=1&hvocijid=9140568220842789457-1854728334-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Harmony in Practice</em></a> by Anna Butterworth as the core textbook.</p><p>This four-week 'crash course' introduces pianists to the practical elements of tonal harmony. You will explore the fundamentals of chords, harmonic progression and cadential patterns with the aim of building practical skills that make learning new repertoire more efficient, secure, and musically informed.</p><p>Across the four weeks, we will work through selected chapters and exercises from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-Practice-Anna-Butterworth/dp/1854728334/ref=asc_df_1854728334?mcid=644be15e515d3c999cff26344bf84835&th=1&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697321129874&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9140568220842789457&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9198104&hvtargid=pla-518295886037&psc=1&hvocijid=9140568220842789457-1854728334-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Harmony in Practice</em></a>. Topics will include:</p><ul><li>Identifying major and minor triads in all keys</li><li>Inversions of triads and their notation</li><li>Introduction to 7th chords and their uses</li><li>Reading and realising figured bass</li><li>Voice-leading fundamentals and common harmonic progressions</li><li>Cadences (perfect, imperfect, plagal, interrupted) and how to play/recognise them</li><li>Harmonic analysis of short passages</li><li>Applying harmonic awareness directly to repertoire</li></ul><ul><li>Identify and play diatonic triads and their inversions in several keys</li><li>Recognise and construct basic 7th chords</li><li>Realise simple figured bass lines at the keyboard</li><li>Apply voice-leading guidelines to create smooth chord progressions</li><li>Analyse the harmonic structure of short passages </li><li>Use harmonic understanding to support sight reading, learning, and memorisation</li></ul><p>This is an <strong>upper-beginner to intermediate</strong> level course. You should be able to:</p><ul><li>Read treble and bass clefs confidently</li><li>Play scales and broken chords in a few keys (not necessarily all)</li><li>Understand basic key signatures and intervals</li><li>You do <strong>not</strong> need prior knowledge of formal harmony or figured bass.</li></ul><p>Teaching will take place in a digital piano lab through:</p><ul><li>Tutor demonstrations</li><li>Group practical exercises</li><li>Individual and paired keyboard tasks</li><li>Analysis activities</li><li>Guided work through <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-Practice-Anna-Butterworth/dp/1854728334/ref=asc_df_1854728334?mcid=644be15e515d3c999cff26344bf84835&th=1&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697321129874&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9140568220842789457&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9198104&hvtargid=pla-518295886037&psc=1&hvocijid=9140568220842789457-1854728334-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Harmony in Practice</em></a></li></ul><p>Short tasks will be given between sessions to reinforce the material. These may include completing short written exercises, practising chord progressions, or analysing brief excerpts.</p><p>You will need a personal copy of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-Practice-Anna-Butterworth/dp/1854728334/ref=asc_df_1854728334?mcid=644be15e515d3c999cff26344bf84835&th=1&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697321129874&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9140568220842789457&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9198104&hvtargid=pla-518295886037&psc=1&hvocijid=9140568220842789457-1854728334-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Anna Butterworth’s Harmony in Practice</a>.</em> Please also bring:</p><ul><li>A notebook and/or manuscript paper</li><li>Pencils and eraser</li></ul><p>This course is designed to support your current learning and give you more confidence in all aspects of your playing. If you are interested in exploring keyboard harmony in more depth, you may wish to join our Keyboard Harmony 5 classes which run during term time.</p><p>City Lit offers a wide range of piano classes from beginner to advanced levels. If you are new to City Lit piano classes, please take a moment to read our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/choosing-piano-class-city-lit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Piano Department page</a>, which lists our full sequence of piano classes.</p>MusicPiano/keyboards classesvirtual12912990ME919NONETue14/07/26 - 04/08/2614:30 - 16:3014:3016:304 sessions (over 4 weeks)41 to 4 weeksDaytimeWeekdayKSKeeley StreetLewis KestertonSome experienceAvailable courses2026-07-14T00:00:00+00:00Jul 2026Performing arts129129Practical harmony for pianistspractical-harmony-for-pianists/me919-2526<p>This four-week 'crash course' introduces pianists to the practical elements of tonal harmony. You will explore the fundamentals of chords, harmonic progression and cadential patterns with the aim of building practical skills that make learning new repertoire more efficient, secure, and musically informed.</p>0000-Available|2026-07-14 00:00:00<p>This course offers an introduction to the essential elements of harmony. You will learn to recognise, construct, and play common chord progressions, including triads, 7th chords, cadences, and figured bass realisations. Through practical keyboard work, you will connect theoretical knowledge with physical experience at the piano. This course will use <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-Practice-Anna-Butterworth/dp/1854728334/ref=asc_df_1854728334?mcid=644be15e515d3c999cff26344bf84835&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1&amp;tag=googshopuk-21&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=697321129874&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=9140568220842789457&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9198104&amp;hvtargid=pla-518295886037&amp;psc=1&amp;hvocijid=9140568220842789457-1854728334-&amp;hvexpln=0&amp;gad_source=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Harmony in Practice</em></a> by Anna Butterworth as the core textbook.</p><p>This four-week 'crash course' introduces pianists to the practical elements of tonal harmony. You will explore the fundamentals of chords, harmonic progression and cadential patterns with the aim of building practical skills that make learning new repertoire more efficient, secure, and musically informed.</p><p>Across the four weeks, we will work through selected chapters and exercises from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-Practice-Anna-Butterworth/dp/1854728334/ref=asc_df_1854728334?mcid=644be15e515d3c999cff26344bf84835&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1&amp;tag=googshopuk-21&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=697321129874&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=9140568220842789457&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9198104&amp;hvtargid=pla-518295886037&amp;psc=1&amp;hvocijid=9140568220842789457-1854728334-&amp;hvexpln=0&amp;gad_source=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Harmony in Practice</em></a>. Topics will include:</p><ul><li>Identifying major and minor triads in all keys</li><li>Inversions of triads and their notation</li><li>Introduction to 7th chords and their uses</li><li>Reading and realising figured bass</li><li>Voice-leading fundamentals and common harmonic progressions</li><li>Cadences (perfect, imperfect, plagal, interrupted) and how to play/recognise them</li><li>Harmonic analysis of short passages</li><li>Applying harmonic awareness directly to repertoire</li></ul><ul><li>Identify and play diatonic triads and their inversions in several keys</li><li>Recognise and construct basic 7th chords</li><li>Realise simple figured bass lines at the keyboard</li><li>Apply voice-leading guidelines to create smooth chord progressions</li><li>Analyse the harmonic structure of short passages </li><li>Use harmonic understanding to support sight reading, learning, and memorisation</li></ul><p>This is an <strong>upper-beginner to intermediate</strong> level course. You should be able to:</p><ul><li>Read treble and bass clefs confidently</li><li>Play scales and broken chords in a few keys (not necessarily all)</li><li>Understand basic key signatures and intervals</li><li>You do <strong>not</strong> need prior knowledge of formal harmony or figured bass.</li></ul><p>Teaching will take place in a digital piano lab through:</p><ul><li>Tutor demonstrations</li><li>Group practical exercises</li><li>Individual and paired keyboard tasks</li><li>Analysis activities</li><li>Guided work through <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-Practice-Anna-Butterworth/dp/1854728334/ref=asc_df_1854728334?mcid=644be15e515d3c999cff26344bf84835&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1&amp;tag=googshopuk-21&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=697321129874&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=9140568220842789457&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9198104&amp;hvtargid=pla-518295886037&amp;psc=1&amp;hvocijid=9140568220842789457-1854728334-&amp;hvexpln=0&amp;gad_source=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Harmony in Practice</em></a></li></ul><p>Short tasks will be given between sessions to reinforce the material. These may include completing short written exercises, practising chord progressions, or analysing brief excerpts.</p><p>You will need a personal copy of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harmony-Practice-Anna-Butterworth/dp/1854728334/ref=asc_df_1854728334?mcid=644be15e515d3c999cff26344bf84835&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1&amp;tag=googshopuk-21&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=697321129874&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=9140568220842789457&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9198104&amp;hvtargid=pla-518295886037&amp;psc=1&amp;hvocijid=9140568220842789457-1854728334-&amp;hvexpln=0&amp;gad_source=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Anna Butterworth’s Harmony in Practice</a>.</em> Please also bring:</p><ul><li>A notebook and/or manuscript paper</li><li>Pencils and eraser</li></ul><p>This course is designed to support your current learning and give you more confidence in all aspects of your playing. If you are interested in exploring keyboard harmony in more depth, you may wish to join our Keyboard Harmony 5 classes which run during term time.</p><p>City Lit offers a wide range of piano classes from beginner to advanced levels. If you are new to City Lit piano classes, please take a moment to read our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/choosing-piano-class-city-lit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Piano Department page</a>, which lists our full sequence of piano classes.</p>MusicPiano/keyboards classesconfigurable
