Greenwich High School Advanced Placement Music Theory Mr

Greenwich High School Advanced Placement Music Theory Mr. Patrick Taylor, Instructor

2012-2013 Course Syllabus

Objective of Course

This course is a comprehensive investigation of the 18th-century harmonic practices, which have come to form the foundation of our Western system of music. Students will strive to attain mastery of aural skills and cognitive concepts to a degree that is commensurate with a first-year collegiate music theory course. In addition to learning the techniques and materials that pertain to writing and reading music, students will develop their listening, sight-singing and compositional analysis. When combined, all of these skills will prepare students for the Advanced Placement Examination in Music Theory.

Required Materials

Pencil (mechanical pencils are best) NO PENS MAY BE USED IN THIS CLASS Dedicated 3-Ring binder (with hard cover) Manuscript paper (provided in class)

Grading Policy

Quarter grades will be given in accordance with the following formula:

Class participation 60% Quizzes & Tests 30% Homework 10%

Quizzes and Tests: Some classes will begin with a pop quiz on recently covered material. Students missing the quiz due to unexcused tardiness will not be allowed to make up the quiz. The pop quizzes will combine to represent a full test grade at the end of the quarter. Major tests are given at the end of significant sections of the course and during GHS Mid-term and Final Exam weeks. Beginning-of-class pop quizzes will be averaged to create one test grade each quarter.

Typical Course Schedule

Part I: Fundamentals

Weeks 1-4 The Keyboard and Octave Registers The Staff The Major Scale Scale Degree Names Major Key Signatures / Circle of Fifths Modes / Minor Scales Minor Key Signatures

Aural Training: Major and minor 2nds; whole, half and quarter notes/rests. AP Music Theory Mr. Taylor

Week 5 Perfect, Major, and Minor Intervals Augmented and Diminished Intervals Inversion of Intervals Consonant and Dissonant Intervals

Aural Training: Major and minor 2nds; whole, half and quarter notes/rests.

Weeks 6-7 Rhythm Notes, rests Beat and Tempo Division of the Beat Simple Meter Simple Time Signatures Compound Meter Compound Time Signatures Dots, ties

Aural Training: Major and minor 2nds and 3rds; simple meter patterns of whole, half, quarter and eighth notes/rests.

Weeks 8-10 Triads Inversions of Chords Seventh Chords Inversions of Seventh Chords Inversion Symbols and Figured Bass Lead Sheet Symbols Roman Numerals

Aural Training: Major and minor 2nds and 3rds, Perfect 4ths, 5ths and octaves; simple meter patterns of whole, half, quarter and eighth notes/rests.

Weeks 11-12 Diatonic Triads in Major (I ii iii IV V vi viiº) Diatonic Triads in Minor (I iiº III iv V VI VII viiº) Diatonic Seventh Chords in Major Diatonic Seventh Chords in Minor

Aural Training: Major and minor 2nds and 3rds, Perfect 4ths, 5ths and octaves; compound time rhythm patterns of beat-length and subdivided beat-length notes/rests.

Part II: Part Writing

Weeks 13-14 Principles of Voice Leading Notating Chords Voicing a Single Triad Harmonic Motion Aural Training: Major and minor 2nds and 3rds, Perfect 4ths, 5ths, Major and minor 6ths and 7ths and Perfect octaves; simple and compound time rhythm patterns of beat-length and subdivided beat-length notes/rests. AP Music Theory Mr. Taylor

Weeks 15-16 Root Position Part Writing

Aural Training: Major and minor 2nds and 3rds, Perfect 4ths, 5ths, Major and minor 6ths and 7ths and Perfect octaves; simple and compound time rhythm patterns of beat-length and subdivided beat-length notes/rests.

Weeks 17-18 Harmonic Progression Sequences and the Circle of Fifths Progression Normative Harmonic Function Common Exceptions Differences in the Minor Mode Progressions Involving Seventh Chords Harmonizing a Simple Melody

Aural Training: Dictation and sight-singing a mixture of melodic exercises including all keys, meters, intervals and rhythm patterns.

Weeks 19-20 Part Writing First Inversion Triads

Aural Training: Dictation and sight-singing a mixture of melodic exercises including all keys, meters, intervals and rhythm patterns.

Weeks 21-22 Part Writing Second Inversion Triads Bass Arpeggiation and the Melodic Bass The Cadential Six-Four The Passing Six-Four

Aural Training: Dictation and sight-singing of SATB chorales in the tonal style with root position triads, concentrating on the Soprano and Bass lines using simple time rhythm patterns of beat-length or longer notes/rests.

Weeks 23-24 Non-Chord Tones

Weeks 25-26 Modulations Using Diatonic Common Chords Modulation and Change of Key Modulation and Tonicization Key Relationships Common-Chord Modulation

Part III: Form

Week 27 Cadences, Phrases, and Periods Musical Form Cadences Cadences and Harmonic Rhythm Motives and Phrases Period Forms AP Music Theory Mr. Taylor

Aural Training: Dictation and sight-singing of SATB chorales in the tonal style with root position triads, concentrating on the Soprano and Bass lines and Cadences, including Harmonic Analysis, using simple time rhythm patterns of beat-length or longer notes and rests. Listening exercises will also include excerpts from various genres. The students will be asked to identify various aspects from the listening exercise including ensemble type, instrumentation, melodic identifications, harmonic identifications, rhythmic identifications, cadences, phrases/periods, modulations and form.

Week 28 Binary and Ternary Forms Formal Terminology Binary Forms Ternary Forms Rounded Binary Forms 12-Bar Blues Other Formal Designs

Part IV: Review and Practice Exam . Weeks 29-30 A.P. Music Theory Practice Exams

Past exams have been released by the College Board. They will form the core of this unit as final preparations for the AP test commence.

May 13, 2013 ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATION IN MUSIC THEORY

Part V: Other Topics (to be selected from the following)

Weeks 31 to end Overtones and the Harmonic Series Instrumental Ranges and Transpositions Chromaticism and Altered Chords Secondary Dominant Chords Secondary Leading-Tone Chords Impressionism The Diatonic Church Modes Pentatonic Scales Synthetic Scales Atonal Theory Twelve-tone Serialism Aleatory or Chance Music