Intermediate Music Theory Syllabus Liberty High School Spring 2018 Mr. Hedding sean.hedding@asd20.org CURRICULUM & STATE STANDARDS: Curriculum and instruction for this course is designed to meet the Colorado Department of Education Music Standards-Performance Pathway. Prerequisites for this course: 1 Semester of Beginning Music Theory, or instructor recommendation At the end of the semester students will have explored the writing styles of composers of the Common Practice Period, and developed their Aural Skills so that they will be prepared for success in collegiate level music theory classes. During this course students will respond to, and create music in a variety of ways. Units will we cover include (but are not limited to): Advanced Four-Part Chorale Writing techniques, introduction to Form and Analysis, Transposition, Extended Harmonic Practices of the Romantic and Neo-Classical eras, and Composition. This course will be presented in a discussion/lecture formation. There is NO TEXTBOOK for this course, therefore student participation in class discussions and consistent note-taking is critical for student success and information retention. GRADING POLICY All student work will fall into one of these five weighted categories. The categories are as follows: Homework 25% Written Tests/Quizzes 25% Aural Skill/Sight Singing 25% Projects 25% Students will be assigned homework regularly as a means of strengthening knowledge outside of class, however most homework assignments should not take more than 20-30 minutes to complete. Because this class will move through topics quickly, it is of the utmost importance that ALL WORK is completed and turned in ON TIME.
Late work will receive a one letter-grade drop per class period that it is late. (i.e. an assignment that is A+ quality work, would only be awarded B+ if it was one class period late) Work that is being turned in late as a result of excused school absences will be graded in accordance with LHS school policies. Additionally, no work will be accepted after the assessment for that unit has been completed. Written Tests/Quizzes will be given at the end of major units to assess student learning and growth. Because the end result of this course is to prepare students for success in studying music in college, students will be given Aural Skill (Ear-Training) and Sight-Singing tests regularly. The purpose of Sight-Singing is to assess the student s ability to demonstrate musical concepts covered in class without the aid of musical instruments. Aural skills will develop the musical ear of the student, enhancing their ability to discern various aspects of a song upon hearing it a limited number of times. It is this aspect of Music Theory in college that most music majors struggle with their freshmen and sophomore years. Students that do not wish to study music in college will be given alternate assignments that are related to the same assessment that aspiring music majors will be taking. Students will occasionally be assigned projects that correlate to concepts we are covering in class. Examples of these projects could include: musical compositions, creating a presentation on a composer, creating a presentation on a classical piece of music, or examples of music theory in everyday life. Students are encouraged to utilize a school planner or other planning device (cell phone, ipad, etc.) to stay on top of their assignment due dates. REQUIRED MATERIALS Notebook or 3-Ring binder for taking/holding notes Blank Manuscript Paper (blank sheet music) o This can be purchased in loose leaf packs at most music stores, or printed for free online (not recommended, given the price of printer ink) Access to Music Notation Software o There are several options for this, both free and paid, that will be discussed in class, along with a handout that will be sent home STUDENT EXPECTATIONS Students are expected to: be on time, take the initiative to approach the instructor or other students to acquire material covered while they were gone, take notes, turn in all classwork on time, be respectful to the instructor, other students, and their opinions and personal preferences in music.
COMPUTER LABS At various times throughout the semester, Music Theory will hold class in a computer lab (which particular lab is TBD based on availability). Using a computer lab at LHS is a privilege. Additionally, should the student vandalize any LHS computer or equipment while in a lab, the student will be immediately referred to the office. Students that legitimately finish all their lab work early should use remaining class time for another class. Playing games, watching YouTube videos (or something along those lines) is not a productive use of time. Mr. Hedding will inform the class the class period prior that they will be in a lab the following class period. On the day of the lab, students are expected to report directly to the computer lab. Tardiness will be handled the same way on computer lab days as they are on non-lab days. Office Hours Mr. Hedding is available before school from 6:30-7:45 every day, and afterschool on Mondays and Fridays in the band room office. Mr. Hedding is also available for a very limited amount of time after school on Tuesdays-Thursdays as a result of many different band program obligations after school. Mr. Hedding is also available during the day to help students during: Blue-2 Blue-4 Red-4
MUSIC NOTATION SOFTWARE OPTIONS While some assignments for Music Theory will need to be hand written, the vast majority of music composition assignments will need to be entered into music notation software. There are several advantages of this for the student including: they get to hear what they wrote (and eliminate any errors), and it saves a huge amount of time. There are several options for what music software to use, ranging anywhere in price from $0- $600. Free options include: Noteflight (web based) MuseScore (software download) Finale Notepad (software download) There are two BIG names in the Music Notation Software Industry, Finale and Sibelius. While both have their own advantages and disadvantages, they operate in very different ways, making user preference the biggest determining factor as to which one you should use. Ultimately, if your student is going to be a music major in college, it might be worth investing in music notation software because of the amount of assignments they will eventually need to do. However, most colleges have designated music computer labs where the software is available for free. It is a matter of choice and convenience, whether or not you want your student to have their own copy of music notation software for their use on a personal computer. FINALE Finale comes in several different shapes, sizes, features, and costs. Finale Notepad (free) Finale Songwriter $49 Finale Printmusic $119 Finale (full version) Academic Price- $350 (regularly $600) SIBELIUS Sibelius has recently started offering a monthly subscription plan. I am not quite sure how these plans will work, and you should perform your own research as to what option is best for your student. The full price of Sibelius as a download is $689. Note: While there are several options available for Tablets/iPads, I DO NOT recommend their use at this time.
MUSIC THEORY SYLLABUS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Student Name: Student/Parent or Guardian Initials / I have read and understand the syllabus and course expectations for Music Theory. / I understand the Grading Policies, including the lowering of grades for late work. / I understand that my student will need access to music notation software. I am aware that there are both free and paid options that my student can use to complete their work. / I understand that there is not a text book for this class and it is encouraged for me to take thorough notes and that I am responsible for getting notes from either Mr. Hedding or a classmate for any class periods that I miss. Student Signature and Date Parent/Guardian Signature and Date