MUS100: Introduction to Music Theory Hamilton High School 2016-2017 Instructor: Julie Trent Email: Trent.Julie@cusd80.com Website: http://mychandlerschools.org/domain/8212 Office: H124A (classroom: H124) Course description: Music theory is learning another language. This introduction to Music Theory would offer the basics of what is needed to be successful in a Music Theory class. The class will establish a necessary foundation of music theory concepts across the musical arts curriculum (Choir, Band, Orchestra, and Guitar). Course materials: A book will be provided for use in class at no charge. These books must remain in the classroom as assigned and be returned at the end of the course. The replacement cost for the book is approximately $96.38 plus applicable tax/shipping. Kostka, Stefan, and Dorothy Payne. Tonal Harmony with an Introduction to Twentieth Century Music. 6 th ed. New York: Knopf, 2009. Instruments and materials may be provided throughout the course. The student is expected to care for all equipment or pay the repair cost if an item is damaged during use. Additional supplies: pencil, one 3-ring binder to organize additional handouts provided in class, composition notebook (not spiral bound), notebook paper, staff paper, one pack of notecards. Course structure and assessments of student learning: Students who take Introduction to Music Theory may be introduced to basic concepts in the following areas: 1. Performance of each element as listed below. 2. Identify and notate pitch in four clefs: treble, bass, alto and tenor. 3. Notate, hear, and identify simple vs. compound meter, duple/quadruple vs. triple, asymmetrical, and mixed meter. 4. Notate, hear, and identify rhythms visually and aurally. 5. Notate and identify all major and minor key signatures. 6. Notate, hear, and identify the following scales: major, minor: natural, harmonic, and melodic, chromatic, modes, whole-tone, octatonic, and pentatonic. 7. Name and recognize scale degree terms, for example: tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, subtonic, and leading tone. 8. Notate, hear, and identify all major, minor, diminished, and augmented intervals. 9. Transpose a melodic line to or from concert pitch for any band or orchestral instrument. 10. Notate, hear, and identify triads (major, minor, augmented, and diminished). 11. Notate, hear, and identify seventh chords (major, minor, major-minor, half-diminished, and fully-diminished). 12. Notate, hear, and identify authentic, plagal, half, Phrygian-half, and deceptive cadences in major and minor keys. 13. Detect pitch and rhythm errors in written music from given aural excerpts. 14. Notate a melody from dictation, in a major and minor key, duple or triple meter, in simple and compound time, with three to four repetitions. 15. Sight-sing a melody, in a major or minor key, duple or triple meter, in simple and compound time, using solfege and/or scale-degrees.
16. Realize a figured bass according to the rules of eighteenth-century chorale style, major or minor key, using any or all of the following devices: diatonic triads, seventh chords, inversions, and secondary-dominant and dominant seventh chords. 17. Analyze a four-part chorale style piece using Roman and Arabic numerals to represent chords and their inversions. 18. Notate, hear, and identify the following non-harmonic tones: passing tones, neighboring tone, anticipation, suspension, retardation, appoggiatura, escape tone, changing tone, and pedal tone. 19. Notate the soprano and bass pitches and the Roman and Arabic numeral analysis of a harmonic dictation, eighteenth-century chorale style, seventh chords, secondary dominants, major or minor keys, three to four repetitions. 20. Compose a melody given specific directions about key, mode, phrasing, rhythm, and harmonic language. 21. Harmonize an 8 to 16 bar melody by writing a bass line, chords and/or chord symbols, given specific directions about key, mode, phrasing, rhythmic and harmonic language. 22. Define and identify common tempo and expression markings. 23. Identify aurally and/or visually the following: modulations to closely-related keys, transposition, melodic and harmonic rhythm, sequence, imitation, ostinato, augmentation, diminution, inversion, retrograde, hemiola, and fragmentation. 24. Analyze and discuss basic forms of music: rounded binary, simple ternary, rondo, theme and variations, strophic. Expectations of students: 1. All students will obey all school rules and policies. The HHS student handbook is available on the website. 2. No food or drink in the classroom, hallways, or adjacent rooms (closed water bottles are permitted). 3. All students will participate in room set-up and tear-down. 4. All students will contribute to a positive learning environment. This includes participation in all classroom rehearsal, discussions, and activities, listening politely to others, and avoiding disruptive actions. 5. All students will handle school equipment with care and respect. 6. All students will complete all assigned homework and readings in a timely manner. 7. All students will study the released AP Exams and take practice tests to prepare for the exam. 8. All students will listen to at least one hour of a new piece of music each week, outside of class and maintain a music listening log, which will consist of written analysis/evaluations of each listening selection. These written logs should include observations and evaluations regarding the following items: a. melodic characteristics b. harmonic characteristics c. rhythm d. texture e. timbre f. dynamics g. tempi h. meter i. mode j. form k. articulation l. any other interesting observations you wish to include! 9. All students will attend one concert (high school, college, or professional) each nine weeks and submit a short paper about the concert, using an appropriate musical vocabulary. This paper should contain general information about the concert (what group/where/etc.), and an evaluation that includes the following information: a. Discuss and analyze the music with these considerations: melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, timbre, dynamics, tempi, meter type, mode, form, and style. b. Give an opinion on the performance quality of the ensemble that includes the following characteristics: tone, intonation, balance/blend, technical accuracy, musical expression, etc. c. Analyze other aspects at will: conducting, professionalism of ensemble, appropriateness of literature, etc. 10. All students will write brief compositions throughout the course to demonstrate various concepts. Some of these compositions will include: a. a melody in binary and ternary form b. a four-part chorale using a secondary function
Course policies: Attendance: c. a four-part chorale transposed to fit the instrumentation of the class, including an appropriate chord progression d. a melody based on a major and harmonic/melodic minor mode e. a melody using two-part counterpoint f. a piece that modulates using a pivot chord g. a melody based on a whole-tone scale h. a melody based on a chromatic scale i. a melody based on a mode Class attendance is required. For any class that is missed, regardless of reason, it is the student s responsibility to obtain from a peer any information covered for that day. If additional help is needed, please contact the instructor as soon as possible to stay current with classroom instruction. Material that is missed must be made up to earn any points affected by absence. Please arrive on time. Excessive Absences A.R.S. 15-803 (B) states that absences may be considered excessive when the number of absent days exceeds ten percent of the number of required attendance days prescribed in A.R.S. 15-802. Students with excessive excused absences will be required to provide medical documentation to remain in class and excuse any further absences. If additional absences occur, and medical documentation is not provided, the student may be dropped from class(es). Academic honesty: At the very least, cheating on any quiz, exam, or other assigned work will automatically result in a zero grade for that work and the offense will be recorded onto the student s record. The instructor will refer the student to the school administration. NOTE: Students are required to work individually on all required components of the course, including the written assignments unless specifically noted. Questions should be directed to the instructor. Diversity statement: All individuals have a right to an educational environment free from bias, prejudice and bigotry. As members of the Hamilton High School educational community, students are expected to refrain from participation in acts of harassment that are designed to demean another student s race, gender, ethnicity, religious preference, disability or sexual orientation. Assignments: Timed tests, written and aural quizzes, compositions, relevant projects, and unit tests will be given on a regular basis. Avoid getting behind; it is often difficult to catch up and will cause much frustration and disappointment. Come in for assistance and/or ask for peer tutoring should you need extra help. Homework will be given almost every day. If not in the written form, it will be with aural stimulus. Usually, it will be due the next day, but it will always be clear as to when it should be completed. Completing homework accurately and on time will foster a positive learning environment and will be reflected on assessments and personal growth. Turning in late assignments will not allow for students to receive feedback in a timely manner, and of course, will have a negative impact on your grade (maximum credit is 50%.). Please be respectful to everyone (you and me both) by completing all assignments on time. An assignment which is a considered long-term project is due on the due date and time stated when the long-term project was assigned. Long-term projects may be turned in prior to the due date; the parent/guardian may submit this type of assignment at the front desk in the event of last-minute emergency resulting in student absence on the due date.
Test retakes: Generally speaking, students may retake quizzes and tests to demonstrate proficiency of a prescribed skill which was previously assessed and found deficient. This retake policy does not apply to AP, district, or semester exams. Make-up policy: Students who have an absence which is excused have one day for each day absent to submit missing work. Students who are marked unexcused will not receive credit for work missed but will still receive feedback. See the student handbook for more information. Grading policy: Grades will be based on in-class assignments, homework assignments, quizzes, tests, sight-singing, ear-training, composition, performance, and listening activities. All points will be added up to determine the semester grade. Quarter Elements (80% of total semester grade) 30% Homework/Assignments 10% Dictation/Ear-training 10% Sight-singing 25% Projects/Assignments 25% Quizzes/Tests Semester Final (20% of total semester grade) The final exam may be comprised of written and aural elements, compositions, projects, and the formal exam as assigned. Grades may be viewed on the student s portal, which will be updated at least once per week. Grading scale: 90-100% A 80-89% B 70-79% C 60-69% D Below 60% F This syllabus is subject to change.
MUS 100 Course Outline by Quarter 1 st Quarter: Week 1-2 Chapter 1 Elements of Pitch: the keyboard and octave registers, notation of the staff, major scales, major key signatures, minor scales, minor key signatures, scale degree names, intervals, inversions of intervals, consonance and dissonance Melodic Dictation/Sight-singing: pitch discrimination, identifying major and minor tonalities, conjunct melodies using scale degrees 1-3 (Reference: Ottman, ch. 1) Entrepreneurial Musicianship: music business part one: inventory management Week 3-4 Chapter 1-2 Continued instruction regarding Elements of Pitch: modal scales, pentatonic scales, whole-tone scales. Elements of Rhythm: beat and tempo, meter and measure, division of the beat, simple time signatures, compound time signatures, durational symbols Melodic Dictation/Sight-singing: identifying whole and half steps, major key, diatonic pitches, identifying 2-7 intervals, conjunct melodies using scale degrees 1-6 (Reference: Ottman, ch. 1-2) Harmonic Analysis: identifying major and minor triads Entrepreneurial Musicianship: music recording: equipment and software setup Week 5-6 Chapter 3 Introduction of Triads and Seventh Chords: triads, seventh chords, inversions of chords, inversion symbols and figured bass, chord recognition in various textures Melodic Dictation/Sight-singing: major key, diatonic pitches, rhythmic dictation in duple and triple meter, singing major and minor triads, conjunct melodies using scale degrees 1-7 (Reference: Ottman, ch. 2) Harmonic Analysis: identifying major, minor, diminished augmented triads Entrepreneurial Musicianship: music business part two: scheduling and staffing
Week 7-8 Chapter 4 Diatonic Chords in Major Keys: the minor scale, diatonic triads in major and minor keys, diatonic seventh chords in major and minor keys Melodic Dictation/Sight-singing: major key, diatonic pitches, conjunct melodies using scale degrees 1-6, movement of scale degree 7-1, skips of scale degrees 1, 3, and 5 (Reference: Ottman, ch. 3) Harmonic Analysis: identifying bass voice, differentiating cadences (tonic, dominant and subdominant in root position) Entrepreneurial Musicianship: fearless performance 2 nd Quarter: Week 1-2 Chapter 5 Principles of Voice Leading: the melodic line, notating chords, voicing a single triad, parallel motion Melodic Dictation/Sight-singing: major key, diatonic pitches, conjunct melodies using scale degrees 1-6, movement of scale degree 7 to 1, skips of scale degrees 1, 3, and 5, add cadential skips from scale degree 5 to 1 (Reference: Ottman, ch. 3) Harmonic Analysis: bass voice and upper voices (tonic, submediant, dominant and subdominant in root position) Entrepreneurial Musicianship: music recording part two: editing Week 3-4 Chapter 6 Root Position Part Writing: root position part writing with repeated roots, with roots a 4 th (5 th ) apart, with roots a 3 rd (6 th ) apart, and roots a 2 nd (7 th ) apart Melodic Dictation/Sight-singing: major key, compound meters, diatonic pitches, conjunct melodies using scale degrees 1-6, movement of scale degree 7 to 1, skips of scale degrees 1, 3, 5, and 5-1, two-part dictation (Reference: Ottman, ch. 4) Harmonic Analysis: bass voice and upper voices (tonic, submediant, dominant and subdominant in root position and first inversion) Entrepreneurial Musicianship: music business part three: copyright compliance
Week 5-6 Chapter 7 Harmonic Progression: sequences and the circle of fifths, the I and V chords, the II chord, the VI chord, the III chord, the VII chord, the IV chord, common exceptions, differences in the minor mode, progressions involving seventh chords, harmonizing a simple melody Melodic Dictation/Sight-singing: major key, compound meters, diatonic pitches, conjunct melodies using scale degrees 1-6, movement of scale degree 7 to 1, skips of scale degrees 1, 3, 5, and 5-1, two-phrase melodies (Reference: Ottman, ch. 4) Harmonic Analysis: identifying cadences and diatonic chords with bass and upper voices (root position and with inversions) Entrepreneurial Musicianship: music business part four: networking Week 7-8 Chapter 8 Triads in First Inversion: bass arpeggiation, substituted first inversion triads, parallel sixth chords, part writing first inversion triads, soprano-bass counterpoint Melodic Dictation/Sight-singing: melodies with non-chord tones in major, identifying minor keys, intervals from the tonic triad (Reference: Ottman, ch. 5) Harmonic Analysis: bass voice and upper voices (tonic, submediant, dominant and subdominant in root position and with inversions) Entrepreneurial Musicianship: fearless performance Week 9-10 Chapter 9 Triads in Second Inversion: bass arpeggiation and the melodic bass, the cadential six-four, the passing six-four, the pedal six-four, part writing the second inversion triad Melodic Dictation/Sight-singing: major melodies, minor keys, intervals from the tonic triad, identifying seventh chords (Reference: Ottman, ch. 5) Harmonic Analysis: bass voice and upper voices (diatonic triads in root position and with inversions) Final Composition Project Final Exam