Music Theory AP Course Syllabus All students must complete the self-guided workbook Music Reading and Theory Skills: A Sequential Method for Practice and Mastery prior to entering the course. This allows all students to review and/or acquire basic skills of musicianship prior to entering this single semester course which must move at a rapid pace to cover all the curricular requirements as outlined in the current AP Music Theory Course Description provided by the College Board available at www.//apcentral.collegeboard.com. The workbook covers the fundamentals of music from very basic to moderately advanced. Level 1 includes skills in identifying music symbols, reading and writing basic notation, reading and writing basic rhythms, and a review of commonly used music terms and symbols. Level 2 expands the section on rhythm reading and notation to include all note values through sixteenth notes and rests in simple meters. Major scales and key signatures are discussed and additional musical terms are introduced and reviewed. Level 3 expands rhythm reading and notation to include triplets and compound meters. Minor scales and key signatures are introduced with intensive review of major scales and key signatures in relation to the circle of fifths. The reading and writing of major and perfect melodic and harmonic intervals is explained and practice is provided. The final section of Level 3 introduces major and minor triad construction and identification. Individual assistance with this material is offered by appointment on an as needed basis. The main text (Kostka, Stefan, and Payne) for the course addresses basic music theory elements with both written and listening examples of a variety of music from standard Western tonal repertoire. The weekly course structure references specific chapters in the text that include examples of musical literature relevant to the material being presented. Other styles of music will be encountered during the course and students are encouraged to find application of newly acquired knowledge and skills to music they encounter on a daily basis. A brief introduction to twentieth century music and compositional techniques is included near the end of the course utilizing Chapter 28 of the Kostka text. Students will be issued a personal copy of the workbook that accompanies the test. Both the text and workbook include recordings of virtually all the examples from music literature found in each. Aural skills are introduced and reinforced through direct classroom instruction using the Karpinski and Kram text. Sightsinging materials come from the text as well as from the use of student composition and partwriting assignments as additional supplemental material. Additional resources via several websites are used to elaborate and enhance material studied via the text. Individual student practice is required through the use of the trainers available at www.musictheory.net. Written and aural homework assignments are assigned on an almost daily basis throughout the course. Quizzes on material assigned and discussed in class also occur almost daily. Quizzes on aural development material are given during class time a minimum of three times each week. Sightsinging, though practiced with the whole class on a daily basis, is individually graded once weekly. In later weeks of the course, sightsinging using examples closely matching those on the AP exam is completed using the same hand held cassette recorders that will be used during the actual exam. Partwriting assignments are completed during class time with teacher assistance as well as assigned as homework assignments. The majority of these assignments must be completed by handwritten notation (matching the type of response required on the exam) though some will require use of the notational software provided to each student with the workbook. There will be a minimum of three tests during each six weeks grading period. Tests will include both aural and written exercises based on the material covered at that point in the course. The second practice AP administered at the end of the course will count as a major test grade for the final six weeks. Grading percentage: Tests 40% Quizzes 30% Homework Completion 10% Classroom Participation/Work Ethic 20%
Texts/Sources: Francis, Carolyn. Music Reading and Theory Skills: A Sequential Method for Practice and Mastery. Mercer Island, WA: Innovative Learning Designs, 1986. Kostka, Stefan, and Payne. Tonal Harmony with an Introduction to Twentieth Century Music. Fifth ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2004. Kostka, Stefan, and Payne. Workbook for Tonal Harmony with an Introduction to Twentieth Century Music. Fifth ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2004. Karpinski, Gary, and Richard Kram. Sight Singing and Ear Training: Anthology and Sight Singing and Ear Training: Manual with CD ROM. New York: W. W. Norton, 2005. Riemenschneider, Albert. 371 Harmonized Chorals and 69 Chorale Melodies with Figured Bass by Johann Sebastian Bach. Milwaukee, WI: G. Schirmer, distributed by Hal Leonard Corporation, 1941. Adams, Ricci. www.musictheory.net. 2000-2007 Alvira, José Rodríguez. www.teoria.com. 1997-2005 Kostka, Stefan, and Payne. www.mhhe.com/tonalharmony5. Fifth ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2004. Music Theory AP Course Overview Week 1 (partial week) Review basic skills from pre-course packet Introduce aural recognition of select ascending melodic intervals (P4, P5, M6, and P8) Week 2 Review skills and terminology related to notation, key signatures, time signatures, scales and modes. (Kostka Chapter 1 and Chapter 2) Aural recognition of additional ascending melodic intervals (M2, M3, M7), Begin singing major scales and tonic arpeggios Begin listening analysis utilizing examples form the text/workbook and other sources, focusing on determination of major/minor tonality and identification of meter Week 3 Introduce notation/sight recognition of major and minor intervals. Continue practice and drill on scales and key signatures. (Kostka Chapter 1 and Chapter 2) Introduce use of notation software provided with student workbooks. Introduce and practice instrumental transposition as many of the following written musical examples now include transposing instruments. Student composition of four measure rhythmic patterns in simple meters to be used as beginning rhythmic dictation exercises for the class Continue practice on aural recognition of major and perfect ascending melodic intervals. Begin required individual drill (evidenced by progress reports) using the capabilities of the musictheory.net website. Introduce aural identification of major, minor, diminished and augmented triad sonorities. Begin sight singing simple scalar patterns; continue singing major scales with tonic arpeggio Week 4 Introduce triads and seventh chords and inversions in notation and through analysis using examples from the text and workbook as well as examples from 371 Chorales. (Kostka Chapter 3) Student composition of four measure scalar pitch patterns in major keys to be used as supplemental sightsinging material for the class. Aural identification of additional ascending melodic intervals (m2, m3, d4, m6, m7) Continue practice on aural identification of triad sonority. Sightsing scalar patterns and examples using leaps in the tonic triad. Week 5 Introduce diatonic chord in major and minor keys and begin Roman numeral analysis with basic chord structures using examples from the text and workbook (musical examples Kostka Chapter 4) Student composition of four measure sightsinging examples utilizing leaps form the tonic triad Continue practice on aural identification of ascending melodic intervals and triad sonority.
Introduce aural recognition of descending melodic intervals and triads in inversion Sightsing examples utilizing leaps from the tonic and dominant triad Week 6 Introduce principles of voice leading and root position part writing. Introduce Roman numeral analysis of selected examples from 371 Chorales as supplementary material to examples in the text and workbook. (Kostka Chapters 5 & 6) Continue practice of aural recognition of all ascending and descending melodic intervals as well as triad sonority and inversion. Introduce aural recognition of harmonic intervals Sightsing examples utilizing leaps from the tonic and dominant triads with increasing rhythmic demand. Begin rote singing patterns outlining tonic, dominant and subdominant triads Introduce melodic dictation using examples similar to those encountered in sightsinging Week 7 Introduce harmonic progression and the use of diatonic chords to harmonize simple melodies. Student composition of bass lines and basic harmonization to simple melodies (Kostka Chapter 7) Continue aural recognition practice of scales, modes, intervals, triad sonority and inversions with quizzes almost daily and tests on a weekly basis. Continue melodic dictation practice with examples reflecting the parameters encountered in sightsinging. Sightsing examples that now include leaps from the subdominant triad Week 8 Introduce first inversion part writing and first species counterpoint (Kostka Chapter 8) Student composition of basic melodies with a given bass progression. These will be used as supplemental melodic dictation materials and to introduce basic soprano/bass harmonic dictation Continue aural recognition practice and melodic dictation practice. Introduce aural recognition of seventh chord sonorities. Sightsing examples that include leaps from tonic, dominant, subdominant, and supertonic triads. Begin singing natural minor scales and tonic arpeggios Week 9 Introduce triads in second inversion and part writing conventions for second inversion chords (Kostka Chapter 9) Students are now part-writing and doing Roman numeral analysis on a daily basis. Secondary functions are introduced in class analysis of chorales. Introduce figured bass realization and relationship to Roman numeral analysis. Continue aural recognition practice or melodic and harmonic intervals as well as triad sonority and inversion, as well as seventh chord sonority recognition. Introduce aural recognition of seventh chord inversions. Continue melodic dictation at a level consistent with sightsinging. Introduce and begin practicing 4 part harmonic dictation. Introduce and drill often used bass line cadential patterns IV V I, ii V I, Cadential six-four, V I Sightsing increasingly demanding major examples. Begin sightsinging stepwise minor examples Week 10 Introduce cadences, phrases, and periods with analysis of examples in the text and workbook. Introduce non chord tones in analysis and in partwriting. (Kostka Chapters 10, 11, and 12) Student part writing assignments now must include correct usage of specified non-chord tones. Figured bass symbols related to non-chord tones are discussed. Continue student practice with partwriting and realization of figured bass as well as Roman numeral analysis utilizing examples from the text, workbook, and 371 Chorales Continue aural recognition practice including seventh chord sonorities and inversions with all previous material Continue melodic dictation practice in major. Continue practice of four part harmonic dictation in major keys. Continue drill of cadential patterns now including recognition of often used melodic movement. Introduce aural recognition of deceptive cadential patterns and sequential harmonic patterns
Continue sightsinging demanding examples in major and simpler stepwise minor examples. Begin singing harmonic and melodic minor scales and introduce singing of the tonic triad in minor. Week 11 Introduce the dominant seventh chord and conventions for partwriting with dominant sevenths. (Kostka Chapter 13) Partwriting by students now must include the use of the dominant seventh as well as embellishment with non-chord tones. Continue analysis using text and workbook examples as well as select examples from 371 Chorales Continue aural recognition practice. Continue melodic dictation in major and minor keys Continue four part harmonic dictation practice in major keys. Introduce harmonic dictation in minor keys. Continue drill of cadential patterns. Continue sightsinging major examples; expand minor examples to include leaps from the tonic triad. Continue singing minor scales and tonic triads. Introduce singing of the dominant triad in minor keys Week 12 Introduce other diatonic seventh chords and partwriting conventions. Continue partwriting using dominant seventh chords and embellishment. Continue analysis through examples in the text/workbook and 371 Chorales. (Kostka Chapters 14 and 15) Weekly partwriting assignments continue with emphasis on correct seventh chord usage and acceptable chord progressions. Realization of figured bass examples that include seventh chords and non-chord tones. Continue aural recognition practice. Continue melodic dictation practice. Introduce melodic dictation with secondary function usage. Continue four part harmonic dictation practice in both major and minor keys. Continue sightsinging of major patterns. Introduce sightsinging in minor keys with leaps from the dominant triad and usage of harmonic and melodic scale usage. Continue singing all three forms of the minor scale and introduce singing of pre-dominant triads in minor. Week 13 Introduce secondary functions and partwriting conventions. Introduce Binary and Ternary forms and select other basic formal designs. (Kostka Chapters 16 and 17) Student partwriting now must include select usage of secondary functions. Analysis of examples of secondary functions from the text/workbook and 371 Chorales. Continue aural recognition, melodic dictation, and harmonic dictation practice with advanced examples. Continue sightsinging with advanced examples. Students are each issued the exact recorders they will use for the AP exams. Aural recognition checks are no longer scored as quiz grades or as portions of larger tests but count as major test grades individually. Week 14 Introduce modulatory techniques, binary, ternary and other basic forms (Kostka Chapters 18, 19, 20) Advanced analysis from text/workbook and 371 Chorales. Student partwriting to include usage of modulatory techniques. Continue aural recognition, melodic dictation, harmonic dictation, and sightsinging with advanced examples. Administration a practice exam using released AP exam from previous years at the end of this week. Week 15 Introduce borrowed chords, Neapolitan, augmented sixth chords, and other modulatory techniques. (Kostka Chapters 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) Discussion of practice AP exam and individual student needs. Continued practice on aural recognition, melodic dictation, harmonic dictation, and sightsinging. Review of figured bass realization and partwriting conventions. Class practice on areas of concern identified in discussion of practice exam. Administration of second practice exam using another released AP exam at the end of this week. Week 16
Introduce techniques of Twentieth Century music. (Kostka Chapter 28) Continued practice on aural recognition, melodic dictation, and sightsinging. Continued review of partwriting conventions. Class practice on areas of concern identified in discussion of second practice exam. Week 17 Final review and preparation for the Music Theory Exam. Class time is spent in individual study/review and/or consultation with me on areas of difficulty prior to the test. Many of these students are taking multiple AP exams so the remainder of the week is spent with either no or few students during my class period. Week 18 (no class meeting due to school wide end of course exams) Students who take the AP exam do not have to take a teacher made exam and do not report to the course scheduled exam period. Other students will take my end-of-course exam that is modeled after a released version of the AP exam and includes all components.