Alma High School AP Music Theory Syllabus Mr. Kent Myers-Instructor (479) 632-2128 kmyers@almasd.net Primary Text Theory: Clendinning, Jane Piper, and Elizabeth West Marvin. 2005 The Musician's Guide to Theory and Analysis, with Workbook and Anthology. New York: W.W. Norton : Ottman, Robert. 2007. Music for Sight-Singing, 7 th edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Supplemental Text: Kostka, Stefan and Dorothy Payne. 2004 Tonal Harmony with an Introduction to Twentieth-Century Music, 5 th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Teacher generated materials as deemed necessary to supplement the curriculum. Written theory and Ear training will be incorporated on a daily basis to assist the student in developing the necessary skills to become musically literate. Course Outline: Quarter 1 In order to be fluent in music literacy, students must have a knowledge and understanding of the terms, idioms and expressions particular to music. The first portion of this course is dedicated to developing that ability. Music Theory Speaking the Language Week 1 Cha. 1 Pitch and Pitch Class Week 2 Cha. 2 Beat, Meter and Rhythm; Simple Meters Week 3 Cha. 3 Pitch Collections, Scales and Major Keys Week 4 Cha. 4 Minor Keys and Diatonic Modes Week 5 Cha. 5 Beat, Meter, and Rhythm; Compound Meters Week 6 Cha. 6 Pitch Intervals Week 7 Cha. 7 Triads Week 8 Cha. 7 Seventh Chords Cha. 7 Seventh Chords continued End of Quarter Exam.
Hearing What You See Week 1-3 Cha. 1 Introduction to Solfege Simple Meter Week 3-5 Cha. 2 Scale Line Melodies Simple Meter Week 6-7 Cha. 3 Tonic Triad Intervals, Major Keys Simple Meter Week 8-9 Cha. 4 Tonic Triad Intervals, Major Keys Compound Meter End of Quarter Exam. Quarter 2 Having established a common language and foundation, the students will begin to learn how to combine those elements in various forms of harmonic structure and rhythmic composition. Music Theory Musical Conversations Week 1 Cha. 8 Intervals in Action Week 2 Cha. 8 Continued Week 2 Cha. 9 Melodic and Rhythmic Embellishment in Two-Voice Composition Week 3 Cha. 10 Notation and Scoring Week 4 Cha. 11 Voicing Chords in Multiple Parts: Instrumentation Week 5 Cha. 11 Continued Week 5 Cha. 12 The Basic Phrase Model: Tonic and Dominant Voice Leading Week 6 Cha. 13 Embellishing Tones Week 7 Cha. 14 Chorale Harmonization and Figured Bass Week 8 Cha. 14 Continued Review End of Quarter Exam Interval Studies Week 1 Cha. 5 Minor Keys: Intervals form the Tonic Triad/Simple and Compound Meter Week 2 Cha. 5 Continued Week 3 Cha. 6 Intervals from the Dominant Triad: Major and Minor Keys Week 4 Cha. 6 Continued Week 4 Cha. 7 The C Clefs: Alto and Tenor Clefs Week 5 Cha. 8 Melody: Further Use of Diatonic Intervals Rhythm: Simple and Compound Time Week 6 Cha. 9 Intervals from the Dominant Seventh Chord Week 7 Cha. 10 Rhythmic Dictation Week 8 Cha. 11 Melody: Intervals from the Tonic and Dominant Triads Cha. 12 Further Use of Diatonic Intervals Semester Exam
Quarter 3 The third quarter will continue the students' development in the areas of harmonization, phrasing, voice leading and analysis, etc. Theory Week 1 Cha. 14 Chorale Harmonization and Figured Bass Week 2 Cha. 15 Expanding the Basic Phrase: Leading Tone, Predominant, and 6/4 Chords Week 2 Cha. 16 Further Expansions of the Basic Phrase: Tonic Expansions, Root Progressions, and the Mediant Triad Week 3 Cha. 17 The Interaction of Melody and Harmony: More on Cadence, Phrase and Melody Week 4 Cha. 18 Diatonic Sequences Week 5 Cha. 19 Intensifying the Dominant: Secondary Dominants and Secondary Leading Tone Chords; New Voice Leading Chords Week 5 Cha. 20 Phrase Rhythm and Motivic Analysis Week 6 Cha. 21 Tonicizing Scale Degrees Other Than V Week 7 Cha. 22 Modulation to Closely Related Keys Week 8 Cha. 23 Binary and Ternary Forms Cha. 24 Color and Drama in Composition Week 1 Cha. 16 Rhythm and Melody: Triplet division of undotted notes Week 2 Cha. 15 Syncopation Week 3 Cha. 15 Continued Week 4 Cha. 18 Rhythm and Melody: Further Subdivision of the beat; Subdivision in slow tempi Week 5 Excerpts from band, choral and solo literature. Week 6 Teacher created excerpts Week 7 Teacher created excerpts Week 8 Student created excerpts Student created excerpts End of Quarter Exam Quarter 4 The final quarter will have two focal points. The first is to continue to develop an understanding of harmony and form, and second to make final preparations composition and arranging projects. Week 1 Cha. 26 Popular Song and Art Song Week 2 Cha. 27 Variation and Rondo Week 3 Cha 28 Sonata-Form Movements Week 4 Cha 29 Chromaticism Week 5 Cha 30 Modes, Scales, and Sets
Beginning in Week 6 the class will focus its energy and attention on direct preparation of composition and arranging projects. Seniors will need to complete composition and arranging projects in advance of graduation. Week 6-7 Week 8 Student composition projects Student arranging projects Student performances of arranging and composition projects Semester Exam Student Evaluation and Grading Grading will be cumulative and is comprised of notes, homework, quizzes, tests, projects and group participation. The semester test is worth 20% of the final grade for the semester. Students may turn in missing assignments one day late for a 10% reduction in grade. Per the AHS Student Handbook, Students returning to school with an excused absence will be permitted one day plus the number of days missed to complete make-up work for credit. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the teacher to make-up work or a test. Students choosing not to make arrangements with the teacher for missed work or who do not complete their work in the time allotted, may not receive credit for their work. Accountability for Material Accountability for understanding of materials from the text will be in the form of objective and free response questions, notes taken during class, demonstration of concepts in individual exercises as well as on the board for the class, etc. All notes for the course will be kept in a binder which will be checked for completeness on a regular basis. Exams will be given at the end of each chapter and unit to insure mastery of the skills contained therein. Students who have not mastered a skill will be remediated using supplementary materials as listed in the syllabus. Accountability for workbook materials used for homework will be in the form of daily checking of workbook exercises for completeness and accuracy on a regular basis. Accountability for aural skills will be in-class assignments, quizzes and tests. In addition to the regular in-class procedures, private recorded exercises will also be used for assessment. Exams will vary in format from free response questions, to objective answer portions and recorded sight singing exams. Sight singing exams will consist of both in class performances and private recorded performances.
Technology Our school employs the use of Chalk and Blackboard in order to facilitate timely release of information regarding student performance to the students and parents. Finale Notepad will be used by students in composition exercises: www.makemusic.com Notedpad is a free download for both PC and Mac. Students without internet access can request a CD. All assignments may be completed by hand for students without computer access. Ricci Addam's www.musictheory.net will be used in tutoring and remediation of students, as well as for home practice of necessary skills. Materials can be accessed online or on a provided CD. Musician's Guide online supplementary materials are available at www.wwnorton.com MusicTheory.net Teoria.com Teaching Strategies/Student Activities The following two examples of lessons for Music Theory demonstrate the types of work required of the students in the class. Example 1 1 Using the provided material the student will, in table form, demonstrate knowledge of the scale degrees used in the construction of the chords of the diatonic scale. This demonstrates an understanding of the construction of triads and their quality as determined by the intervals contained therein. 2 Students will use Roman Numerals to list the chords in order from most stable to most active. This further demonstrates understanding of chord quality, activity and structure. 3 Part 3 begins the implementation of several rules of harmonic progression typical of the common practice period, thus giving an otherwise abstract rule much greater clarity and meaning. This is a First 9 weeks activity. Example 2 Example 2 is a multi-part activity that involves discovering rhythm, meter, melody, timber, and texture. Next, the student applies the knowledge of those items and demonstrates understanding in considering the various similarities and differences between the three settings of the hymn tune. Finally, the student will show understanding through the three Focus exercises included with the activity. This is a Fourth 9 weeks activity.