Legacy High School A Global Studies School Course Expectations 2017-2018 AP Music Theory Instructor: Dr. Curtis Melton Room 204 Phone: (702) 799-1777, ext. 4040 Email: cmelton@interact.ccsd.net Course Scope: This is a one-year course with an emphasis on meeting the requirements of the College Board Advanced Placement Music Theory examination. Instructors should refer to the current Advanced Placement course description for examination specifics. This course is designed for students who wish to further develop their understanding of music fundamentals, harmony, rhythm, and musical analysis. It is suggested that students have prior instrumental experience or membership in school vocal ensembles. This course may be repeated for credit. This course will fulfill either the one arts/humanities credit or one elective credit required for high school graduation. Course Goals: 1. To understand the lines and spaces of the staff, all major and minor scales, and their respective key signatures. 2. To develop a working knowledge of all simple and compound meters, musical terms, and tempo markings. 3. To visually and aurally have an understanding of whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and dotted notes, along with their corresponding rests. 4. To aurally and visually have an understanding of major, minor, perfect, augmented, and diminished intervals. 5. To gain an understanding of all major, minor, augmented, and diminished triads. Legacy High School Page: 1
6. To gain an understanding of all major, minor, augmented, full-diminished, and half-diminished seventh chords. 7. To have an understanding of all chord inversions. 8. To have an understanding of the fundamentals of figured-bass and fourpart choral writing techniques. 9. To have an understanding of non-harmonic tones. 10. To have an understanding of altered chords. 11. To be knowledgeable of a major work written during the 17th and 18th centuries. 12. To become aware of career opportunities in music. EXPANDED COURSE OBJECTIVES 1. Identify and notate pitch in four clefs: treble, bass, alto, and tenor. 2. Notate, hear, and identify simple and compound meters. 3. Notate and identify all major and minor key signatures. 4. Notate, hear, and identify the following scales: chromatic, major, and the three minor forms. 5. Name and recognize scale degree terms, for example: tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, subtonic, leading tone. 6. Notate, hear, and transpose the following modes: Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and Mixolydian. 7. Notate, hear, and identify whole-tone and pentatonic scales. 8. Notate, hear, and identify all major, minor, diminished, and augmented intervals inclusive of an octave. 9. Transpose a melodic line to or from concert pitch for any common band or orchestral instrument. 10. Notate, hear, and identify triads, including inversions. 11. Notate, hear, and identify authentic, plagal, half, and deceptive cadences in major and minor keys. 12. Detect pitch and rhythm errors in written music from given aural excerpts. Legacy High School Page: 2
13. Notate a melody from dictation, 6 to 12 bars, in a major key, mostly diatonic pitches, simple or compound time, three to four repetitions. 14. Notate melody from dictation, 6 to 12 bars, in a minor key, chromatic alteration from harmonic/melodic scales, simple or compound time, three to four repetitions. 15. Sight-sing a melody, 4 to 8 bars long, major or minor key, duple or triple meter, simple or compound time, using solfege, numbers, or any comfortable vocal syllable(s). 16. Notate and analyze simple 2-bar counterpoint in sixteenth- and/or eighteenthcentury styles. 17. 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, nonharmonic tones, and secondary-dominant/leading tone chords, and dominant seventh chords. 18. Analyze a four-part chorale style piece using Roman and Arabic numerals to represent chords and their inversions. Further use of Roman numerals and realizing the chord progressions will be applied to excerpts from musical literature (Ch. 7 Kostka/Payne, Turek). 19. Compose a chord progression in 4-part harmony, following the proper chord sequence and the progression they are supposed to follow. Part-writing rules will be adhered to in this process. 20. Notate, hear, and identify the following non-harmonic tones: passing tone (accented and unaccented), neighboring tone, anticipation, suspension, retardation, appoggiatura, escape tone, and pedal-tones. 21. 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, 4 to 8 bars in length, major or minor key, three to four repetitions. 22. Compose a melody or expand a motive with or without text, 6 to 12 bars long, given specific directions about key, mode, phrasing, rhythm, and harmonic language. Harmonize a 4- to 12-bar melody by writing a bass line, chords and/or chord symbols, given specific directions about key, mode, phrasing, rhythmic and harmonic language. 23. Define and identify common tempo and expression markings. 24. Identify aurally and/or visually the following: modulation, transposition, melodic and harmonic rhythm, sequence, imitation, ostinato, augmentation, diminution, inversion, retrograde, and fragmentation. Legacy High School Page: 3
25. Recognize standard musical algorithms, i.e., standard melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic idioms that occur in music. Course Content Covered Through Year Students through the course of the year will learn the following: 1) Elements of Pitch; the piano keyboard, staff notation, major scales and key signatures, minor scales and key signatures, the circle of fifths, scale degree names, intervals (major, minor, perfect, augmented, diminished), interval inversions, and consonant and dissonant intervals 2) Elements of Rhythm; durations, beat, tempo, meter, beat division, simple & compound time signatures, rhythm reading and notating 3) Triads and Seventh Chords; construction of triads/7 th chords, chord inversions, inversion symbols, figured bass, lead sheet symbols, and chord notation in various textures. 4) Diatonic Chords in Major and Minor Keys, introduction to Roman numerals 5) Principles of Voice Leading 6) Root Position Part Writing 7) Harmonic Progression, through realization of a Roman numeral progression 8) Cadences, Phrases and Periods 9) Non-Chord Tones; passing, neighbor, suspensions, retardations, appoggiaturas, escape, neighbor groups, anticipation, pedal point 10) Secondary Dominant and Leading Tone Functions 11) Modulations 12) Strophic Form, Binary/Ternary Form, Rounded Binary, Rondo, Sonata Forms 13) Mode Mixture 14) Neapolitan Chords 15) Augmented Sixth Chords (Italian, French, German) 16) Ninth, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Chords 17) Introduction to 20 th Century Practices Legacy High School Page: 4
Textbooks The materials from which we will be taking class lectures, discussions, and assignments from come primarily from the following texts: Kostka, Stefan & Payne, Dorothy Tonal Harmony; With An Introduction to Twentieth- Century Music Benward & Saker Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. 1 Ottman, Robert & Rogers, Nancy Music for Sight-Singing Turek, Ralph Analytical Anthology of Music Student Supplies Students are expected to have and maintain the following supplies all year: Pencil (preferably no pen) Blank staff paper for note taking (a personal staff paper book is recommended) Notes every day in class Sightsinging materials every day A means to be able to listen to samples of music from all music periods (itunes, YouTube, etc.) Submitting Work Students will be expected to submit all work on time. Late work is accepted, however only for a maximum half credit (50%) if it is done correctly and completely. Please make sure to have all assignments turned in on time. This is a college-level course, so timeliness, neatness, and thoroughness is expected! Tardy Policy Tardiness is a serious disruption to the educational program. Every student is required to be in the room when the tardy bell rings. With that in mind, the Legacy High School Tardy Policy will be strictly enforced. Legacy will utilize a Tardy Lockout System. Grading Policy Grading Scale: 90% - 100% A 80% - 89% B 70% - 79% C 60% - 69% D Below 60% F Grades are NOT rounded up. If you have an 89.9%, you have earned a B+. Legacy High School Page: 5
Daily Participation: In-Class Worksheets: 0-10 points (An automatic C- is given for tardies; 7/10. No points are earned for sleeping, using a cellphone or other electronic device, or not having required materials). 0-100 points (depending on assignment) Homework Assignments: 0-100 points (depending on assignment) Tests/Quizzes (including Sight-Singing Tests): 0-100 points Special Projects (4 th Quarter Composition Project): 200 points *Falls under the Homework caption below Semester/Final Exams: 0-200 points *Points can be deducted for the following infractions: 1) Sleeping in class: 0/10 2) Using cellphone/headphones: 0/10 3) Tardies: 7/10 4) Not having materials: 0/10 **Grades are weighed in the overall grade as the following** Daily Participation: 20% Worksheets/Class Assignments: 20% Homework Assignments: 30% Tests/Quizzes: 30% Citizenship Here are the guidelines as to how your citizenship is determined in AP Music Theory: O = Outstanding Student has outstanding attendance to class, outstanding behavior is shown on a consistent basis every single time the student is in the class (not talking in class, behaving, treating others and their property with respect, and working to their best ability.) Student always works hard and is a pleasure to have in class. S = Satisfactory Student s attendance is satisfactory to class meaning, they may have a couple unexcused absences to class or a decent amount of tardies, behavior is decent but student may have a few issues with talking in class while class is going on, may behave satisfactorily but with sometimes having to be reminded of proper behavior, the student does enough to get by. N = Needs Improvement The student may need to improve in any of the following areas; class attendance, behavior in class, doesn t try in class or otherwise is a distraction in class. This student needs to improve substantially but this student does not deserve a U. U = Unsatisfactory The student may have had serious behavioral issues, purposely skipped class, student may have been insubordinate to the teacher, may have gotten into verbal and/or physical altercations with other students or adults, basically this Legacy High School Page: 6
citizenship grade is given to a student who does not uphold the standard of behavior and citizenship qualities the class deems to be essential of every student to have. Notes are expected to be taken every class period as each lesson builds into the next the AP Music Theory class depends on knowledge of all previous lessons. Keeping your notes organized is crucial! ALL students are expected to fully participate in Sight-Singing. This is a crucial component of ear-training AND the class (part of your AP Theory test is sightsinging) so do not worry about having the perfect singing voice. You will be testing with me and not in front of the class! Tardies DO NOT BE LATE. Being late will dock your grade as well as result in disciplinary action if it is habitual. If you are late by more than 30 minutes for whatever reason, it will be counted as an absence, and no points will be awarded. Semester Grades: 40% Quarter 1/3 Grade 40% Quarter 2/4 Grade 20% Semester Examination Make-up Work, Late Work, Attendance and Parent Teacher Conferences Make-up procedures: When absent for any reason excused or unexcused you are responsible to see Dr. Melton immediately upon return. Do not interrupt class to discern what you missed. Turn in any late work in within three calendar days. This means, if you are absent Friday, your work is due Monday. If you are absent Wednesday, your work is due by the following Monday, by SATURDAY if it is an online/electronic assignment. This is regardless of the A/B schedule. You may email it to me at the address at the top of this syllabus. Hours of Availability- Before school or after school, unless otherwise noted by committee meeting or Parent Teacher Conference. You may schedule an appointment with me after class. Do not interrupt class procedures. I will notify you verbally and your parent or guardian via email of any PTC I request of you. Late Work Policy o Late work is accepted but only for half-credit. Please make every effort to turn in assignments when they are due. Attendance Policy o Students are expected to be in attendance in class every day. Tardies are not acceptable, make sure you are in the classroom by the end of the late bell every class meeting. Continual reminders of this will result in disciplinary action up to and including Dean s Referrals. Hours of Teacher Availabilityo 6:40-7:00am before school daily o After school daily until at least 2:00pm o Individual appointments if needed see Dr. Melton and he will do his best to accommodate you. Legacy High School Page: 7
Attendance After the seventh unexcused absence, students will be denied credit and will receive an F for the course. Classroom Behavior Expectations Students will be attentive in class, and follow along with what is happening in the class. Students may not sleep, use cellphones in class, or work on other classwork during instruction. Cellphones and headphones if seen will be confiscated. All possible points will be docked for the day for sleeping, cellphone usage, listening to own music, or working on other classwork during instruction, unless granted express permission by Dr. Melton. Students will not play or touch any percussion equipment or any instrument that is not checked out to them. Consequences can result in phone calls home or referral. No food or drink is allowed in the bandroom at any time. Students will be told to throw away any food or drink seen. Keep all food and drink inside a bag and do not sneak it or take it out for any reason, you will be asked to throw it away. Multiple reminders of this rule will result in disciplinary action. This is a Five Questions offense. Students are expected to set up their own chair and music stand in their assigned spot each and every day, and then put away their chair and music stand every single day when class ends. Students are never to horseplay or wander around the room during class. Students must always be seated. This is a Five Questions offense; referable depending on severity of infraction. ASSERTIVE PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE PLAN: In this class, there is a standard of behavior which must be built and subsequently maintained. This is the discipline plan that the Study Skills classes will put forth: 1 st Offense: Verbal Warning (Food in room, horseplay in room are automatic Five Questions). 2 nd Offense: Five Questions Behavior Reflection. The student MUST complete the Five Questions, and then return it the next class. BOTH THEPARENT AND STUDENT MUST SIGN the Five Questions and have it back by the next class. 3 rd Offense: If the Five Questions did not fix the previous problem, a phone call home will be placed to the parent. 4 th Offense: If the Parent Phone Call did not fix the problem, a Counselor s Referral will be written up. 5 th Offense: If that Counselor s Referral did not work, a Dean s Referral will be written. **Severity Clause If a student s behavior is severe enough to substantially disrupt the classroom atmosphere the teacher has the right to jump immediately to steps 3, 4, and/or 5. **Five Questions Clause If the student adamantly refuses to complete the Five Questions assignment an automatic Dean s Referral will be written. **REFERRAL CLAUSE If a student receives a Dean s referral for any reason, their citizenship grade will be automatically reduced to a U for the grading period. Legacy High School Page: 8
Please complete this page, remove from packet and return to school by Friday, September 1 st, 2017. Acknowledgement of Course Expectations AP Music Theory We fully and completely understand the rules and regulations pertaining to Study Skills/Life Strategies at xxxx High School. I understand that failure to follow the rules in this class will subject me to disciplinary action. I also understand if I break any of the rules set forth in these course expectations, that I have chosen to accept that consequence, and therefore I will do what must be done to correct the issue. I also understand that my grade is my responsibility and mine alone, and to give 100% effort all year long. Student s name [last, first] Parent Name Home phone Student s Signature Parent Signature Work/Cell phone Mandatory Parent/Guardian EMAIL Address: If your parent or guardian is without email have them obtain a free one: GMail http://gmail.com Legacy High School Page: 9