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Great Valley offers Music Theory and AP Music Theory. Please see below for their syllabus.
Music TheoryTeacher: Ms. Fisher
Term: 2017-2018
Time Frame: 3 days a cycle
Course Description
This is a beginning course for the students interested in the ability to understand and compose music. This course is designed to develop sight-singing, aural, compositional, and analytical skills necessary for a thorough understanding of music theory.
Course Objectives
At the end of this course students will be able to identify:
Ø All pitches of treble, bass, and tenor clefs
Ø Keyboard identification, octave identification, accidentals
Ø Meter, tie, dot
Ø Time signatures (simple and compound), key signatures
Ø Melodic and rhythm dictation
Ø Enharmonics and intervals
Ø Circle of fifths
Ø Major and minor scales
Ø Relative minor / Parallel minor
Ø Triads (major, minor, diminished, augmented)
Ø Chord analysis and progressions
Ø Harmony
Ø Musical terminology to discuss elements of form, expressivity and aesthetics in music
Ø Figured bass and cadences
Class Expectations
1. Students are expected to be prepared and arrive on time to class. Students should always bring the materials listed in the syllabus and their textbook to class.
2. Mutual respect will be displayed for your peers and teacher at all times.
3. Students should keep in contact with me about missed assignments for any reason. Communicate with me. If I don’t know what is going on I can’t help.
4. No food, drink, or gum allowed during class at any time.
5. Students will be expected to sing no matter what their major instrument is, this will include drills, exercises, short dictation, sight singing, and arpeggiation.
6. Theory is more than just textbook learning. Students will be expected to work outside of the classroom, especially on sight singing and sight rhythms.
7. You are to complete every activity to the best of your ability and always ask for help before it is too late in the course. I am here to help in any way I can!
Text
Tonal Harmony – Kostka-Payne Replacement cost: $80.00
Materials
Ø Binder (suggested)
Ø Loose leaf paper
Ø PENCILS ONLY!!!
Grading Policy
Tests 100 points
Quizzes 50 points
Class Assignments 25 points
Homework 25 points
Composition Projects 25 points
All grading is subject to change to accommodate the test or assignment. For example a classroom assignment might be worth 22 points or 26 points depending on the amount of questions.
Homework Policy
All assignments must be handed in at the beginning of class. If you are absent, be sure to turn in your homework before homeroom the first day you are back in school. Late assignments will be accepted, but will deducted one letter grade each day it is late.
Student Agreement:
I have read the syllabus for GVHS Music Theory class and fully understand the policies and agree to abide by the procedures stated.
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Name
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Date
AP Music Theory
Syllabus
Course Overview
Primary Texts
I carefully chose texts for this course so that the class will be able to cover all of the requirements of the AP Music Theory curriculum. The Tonal Harmony with an Introduction to Twentieth Century Music give me excellent materials to work with including a teachers guide, student workbook, and recorded musical examples of a great variety of choral and instrumental music. Each chapter of the book contains “checkpoints” for understanding, self-tests and a chapter summary. Sight-singing is part of every class, utilizing Melodia.
Kostka, Stefan, and Dorothy Payne. 2004. Tonal Harmony with an Introduction to Twentieth-Century Music, 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Cole, Samuel W. and Leo R. Lewis. 1909. Melodia A comprehensive Course in Sight Singing( Solfeggio) King of Prussia, PA: Theodore Presser.
Course Outline
The syllabus follows the sequence of the texts. Weekly written assignments are drawn for the text or are of my own design. Tests and quizzes are designed by me and closely follow the quizzes provided in the Instructor’s Manual for the text. The text includes many excellent written and recorded examples to accompany each chapter.
Sight-Singing begins every class. Weekly dictation practice and written exercises that parallel the text are employed. Homework contains work in four-part writing, analysis and creative assignments. Melodic, rhythmic and harmonic dictation is employed throughout the course.
Our school utilizes a “modified block schedule”. On “block” days the periods are 85 minutes in length, which enables the class to participate in two to three in depth activities per class. “Block” days also have a built in remediation period which the students can take advantage of for extra help.
AP Music Theory is the culminating course in a three-tiered group of courses. Students must have a final grade of “B” in both Music Theory I and Music Theory II classes to enroll in the AP Music Theory Class. September is devoted to a review of materials and concepts from these classes. Music Theory I and II are semester classes. AP Music Theory meets daily for the entire academic year.
September
The year begins with a review. I use the AP Music Theory Course Description as a guide throughout the year so I can be sure to cover all of the concepts covered on the AP Music Theory Exam
Sight Singing:
Book I, First Series – One-part diatonic exercises in step-wise melody; G and F clefs; all major keys to B and D flat. All representations of notes and rests of whole-beat length and multiples thereof; Elementary presentation of the divided beat.
Chapter 1: Review of fundamentals
Keyboard and Octave registers
Notation on the staff
Ledger Lines
Grand Staff
Whole Steps and Half Steps
Treble and Bass Clefs
Major Scales and Key Signatures
Minor Scales (Natural, Harmonic and Melodic)
Minor Key Signatures
Relative and Parallel Minor
Scales Degree Names
Intervals (Perfect, Major, Minor, Augmented and Diminished)
Inversion of Intervals
Consonant and Dissonant Intervals
Introduction to Solfegio
Chapter 2: Elements of Rhythm
Durational Symbols
Meter
Division of the Beat
Simple Meter Signatures
Compound Meter Signatures
Chapter 3: Introduction to Triads and Seventh Chords
Triads
Seventh Chords
Inversions of Chords
Inversion Symbols and Figured Bass
Lead Sheet Symbols
Recognizing Chords in Various Textures
October
This month continues with review and the introduction of new material. Special attention is given to the correct voicing of triads and seventh chords as well as smooth voice leading to different triads and seventh chords.
Sight Singing:
Book I, Second Series - Two-part exercises in step-wise melody; Keys to B and D flat inclusive; all representation of notes in First Series with greater variety and length of rests; the divided beat in fuller presentation.
Chapter 4: Diatonic Chords in Major and Minor Keys
Diatonic Triads in Major
Diatonic Triads in Minor
Diatonic Seventh Chords in Major
Diatonic Seventh Chords in Minor
Chapter 5: Principles of Voice Leading
Melodic Line
Notating Chords
Voicing a Single Triad
Parallel Motion
Chapter 6: Root Position Writing
Root Position Writing with Repeated Roots
Root Position Writing with Roots a 4th (5th) Apart
Root Position Writing with Roots a 3rd Apart
Root Position Writing with Roots a 2nd Apart
Three and Four Part Textures
Instrumental Ranges and Transpositions
November
This month is devoted to the conventional use of diatonic triads as employed during the common practice period. Students begin to have assignments to write original material. They also have assignments in the realization of figured bass and analysis using the traditional Roman Numerals.
Sight Singing:
Book I, Third Series – One-part exercises in step-wise melody in all keys; Graded presentation of all chromatic tones except flat 2 and flat 5; Development of the minor; The dotted note involving division of the beat; Triple and quadruple division of the beat.
Chapter 7: Harmonic Progression
Sequences and the Circle of Fifths
Chord Classification System
The I and V Chords
The II Chord
The VI Chord
The III Chord
The VII Chord
The IV Chord
Common Exceptions to the Chord Classification System
Chord Progressions with Seventh Chords
Harmonizing a Simple Melody
Chapter 8: Triads in Inversion
Bass Arpeggiation
Substituted First Inversion Triads
Parallel Sixth Chords
Part Writing First Inversion Triads
Three and Four Part Textures
Composing Soprano-Bass Counterpoint
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 for Second Inversion Triads
December
Students are exposed to a variety of micro and macro forms. Assignments include composing original phrases and periods. Recorded examples, as well as examples played in class by me, are utilized to illustrate the different forms. The students are exposed to non-chord tones (non-harmonic tones). They learn to define, identify all of the standard non-chord tones. They also learn to embellish a simple melodic line.
Sight Singing:
Book II, Fourth Series – Two-part exercises in step-wise melody in all keys; Chromatic tones, modulatory and ornamental; Development of incidental and extended modulation; Syncopation; Double and triple division of the beat.
Chapter 10: Cadences, Phrases and Periods
Introduction to Musical Form
Cadences
Cadences and Harmonic Rhythm
Motives and Phrases
Period Forms
Chapter 11: Non-Chord Tones 1
Classification of Non-Chord Tones
Passing Tones
Neighboring Tones
Suspensions and Retardations
Figured Bass and Lead Sheet Symbols
Embellishing a Simple Texture
Chapter 12: Non-Chord Tones 2
Appoggiaturas
Escape Tones
The Neighboring Group
Anticipations
Pedal Point
Special Problems in the Analysis of Non-Chord Tones
January
The students are exposed to the concept of modulation and the traditional uses of the 7th chords.
Sight Singing:
Book II, Fifth Series – One-part exercises; Systematic treatment of intervals, beginning with the larger; Skips to and from chromatic tones having obvious key relationship; Augmented and diminished intervals.
Chapter 13: The V7 Chord
General Voice-Leading Considerations
The V7 in Root Position
The V7 in Three Parts
Other Resolutions of the V7 (deceptive cadences)
The Inverted V7 Chord
The 6/5 Chord
The 4/3 Chord
The 4/2 Chord
The Approach to the 7th
Chapter 14: The II7 and VII7 Chords
The II7
The VII7 Chord in Major
The VII7 Chord in Minor
Chapter 15: Other Diatonic Seventh Chords
The IV7 Chord
The VI7 Chord
The I7 Chord
The III7 Chord
Seventh Chords and the Circle of Fifths Progression
February
Students are exposed to sophisticated uses of chromatic harmony in modulation.
Sight Singing:
Book III, Sixth Series – Two-part exercises embodying all intervals treated in Fifth Series; more elaborate development of rhythmic difficulty, especially in syncopation; Lengthy exercises from German, French and English sources; Canon and fugue.
Chromaticism 1
Chapter 16: Secondary Functions 1
Chromaticism and Altered Chords
Secondary Functions
Secondary Dominant Chords
Spelling Secondary Dominants
Recognizing Secondary Dominants
Secondary Dominants in Context
Chapter 17: Secondary Functions 2
Secondary Leading-Tone Chords
Spelling Secondary Leading-Tone Chords
Recognizing Secondary Leading-Tone Chords
Secondary Leading-Tone Chords in Context
Sequences Involving Secondary Functions
Deceptive Resolutions of Secondary Functions
Chapter 18: Modulations Using Diatonic Common Chords
Modulations and Change of Key
Modulations and Tonicization
Key Relationships
Common-Chord Modulations
Analyzing Common-Chord Modulations
March
Students utilize advanced modulation techniques; further study of musical form.
Sight Singing:
Book III, Seventh Series – On-part exercises; Systematic treatment of skips to, from and between chromatic tones; Introductory study of passages whose chromatics “deny” the key signature; Advanced exercises from a variety of foreign sources.
Chapter 19: Other Modulatory Techniques
Altered Chords as Common Chords
Sequential Modulation
Modulation by Common Tone
Monophonic Modulation
Direct Modulation
Chapter 20: Binary and Ternary Forms
Formal Terminology
Binary Forms
Ternary Forms
Rounded Binary Forms
12-Bar Blues
Other Formal Designs
Chromaticism 2
Chapter 21: Mode Mixture
Borrowed Chords in Minor
The Use of the Flat 6th in Major
Other Borrowed Chords in Major
Modulations Involving Mode Mixture
April
Students are introduced to the Neapolitan Sixth chord and the Augmented Sixth Chords.
Sight Singing:
Book III, Eighth Series – Two-part exercises involving all the difficulties treated in the Seventh Series and fully reviewing the rhythmical problems treated earlier; Maximum difficulties of modulation; Special studies in the development of independence of parts.
Chapter 22: The Neapolitan Chord
Conventional Use of the Neapolitan
Other Uses of the Neapolitan
Chapter 23: Augmented Sixth Chords
The Interval of the Augmented Sixth
The Italian Augmented Sixth Chord
The French Augmented Sixth Chord
The German Augmented Sixth Chord
Other Uses of Conventional Augmented Sixth Chords
May
Students are exposed to a variety of twentieth-century compositional techniques. Creative assignments allow them to experiment with techniques such as Serial, Pandiatonic and expanded tertian harmonies.
Sight Singing:
Book IV, Ninth Series – One-part exercises; Typical passages from early and more recent composers of difficulty ranging from medium to difficult; Full exposition of chromatics which “deny” the key signature.
Introduction to Twentieth- Century Techniques including non-traditional scales, chords, and compositional techniques by analysis of examples form literature.
Careers in Music
Review and Preparation for the AP Exam
AP Exam
June
Students use their accumulated knowledge and experience to create final project compositions which are performed by students in class
Sight Singing:
Book IV, Tenth Series – Two-part exercises represent excerpts from early and recent composers embodying maximum difficulties in pitch and rhythm as well as the utmost independence of parts.
Composing and arranging individual student compositions with performances in class
