The primary justification for including functional keyboard studies as part of the theory curriculum rests on the belief that they serve to reinforce the understanding of tertian chord vocabulary and the concepts of functional harmonic progression typical of the music of the 18th through mid 19th centuries. The usefulness of keyboard skills is, however, not confined to activities in our music theory classrooms. Also serving as a valuable tool in musical illustration and even improvisation, proficiency at the keyboard proves its usefulness on more practical occasions, such as accompanying for informal, community, school and church events.