PPHS AP Music Theory Syllabus

5/24/2018 PPHS AP Music Theory Syllabus

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Pilot Point High School2014-2015

AP Music Theory SyllabusInstructor: Mr. Daniel Balkema

Email: [email protected]

Course OverviewThis course will provide students the opportunity to enrich their education by examining the

development and structural makeup of Western music in depth. This is an advanced course and as

such, it is designed for students with musical backgrounds (students should consult teacher before

enrolling). Students, through visual and aural analysis as well as creative expression, will develop a

solid foundation of musical knowledge that will help them develop into analytical listeners and

creative appreciators of music in a variety of settings.

Textbook & Materials

1. Kostka, Stefan, and Dorothy Payne. Tonal Harmony, 6th ed. New York: McGrawHill, 2009.2. Kostka, Stefan, and Dorothy Payne. Tonal Harmony Workbook, 6th ed. New York:

McGrawHill, 2009.3. Staff paper, as needed4. Pencil and eraser (no pens!)5. Black 3 Rick Music Theory Notebook, with dividers

Objectives of the Course

General Course Content

The following objectives have been adapted from the Syllabus Development Guide on the AP

Music Theory Home Page on AP Central.

1. The study of the rudiments of music, including: notational skills, scales, keys, intervals,

chords, meter and rhythm

2. The study of fourpart harmony

3. The study of figured bass

4. The study of Roman numeral analysis

5. The study of motivic treatment

6. The study of scales, including: major, minor, modal, pentatonic and whole tone

7. The study of nonchord tones

8. The study of seventh chords

9. The study of secondary dominants

10. The study of closelyrelated key modulation11. The study of phrase structure

12. The study of small forms, including: simple binary, rounded binary, ternary, theme and

variation

13. The development of listening, written and sightsinging skills

14. The study of standard Western tonal repertoire, a wide variety of which is included in

the course textbook. We will use the textbook examples given in Chapters 124 and

Chapter 28 for illustration of topics and for analysis.


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Expanded Course ObjectivesThe following objectives have been adapted from the AP Music Theory Concepts and Skills Summary on the

AP Music Theory Home Page on AP Central.

1. Musical Terminology and Notational Skills

a. Notate and identify pitch in treble, bass, alto and tenor clefs

b. Notate, hear and identify simple and compound meters

c. Notate and identify all major and minor key signatures

d. Notate, hear and identify major, minor (all three forms), chromatic, whole tone and

pentatonic scales

e. Name and recognize scale degree terms

f. Notate, hear, and transpose the authentic forms of Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and

Mixolydian

g. Notate, hear and identify all intervals inclusive of an octave

h. Notate, hear and identify triads and seventh chords including inversions

i. Define and identify common tempo and expression markings

2. Compositional Skills

a. Compose a bass line for a given melody to create simple twopart counterpointb. Realize a figured bass

c. Realize a fourpart progression from Roman and Arabic numerals

3. Score Analysis

a. Identify authentic, plagal, half, Phrygian half, deceptive cadences in major and minor

keys

b. Identify the following nonharmonic tones: passing tone, neighboring tone, anticipation,

suspension, retardation, appoggiatura, escape tone, changing tone/cambiata, pedal

tone

c. Smallscale and largescale harmonic procedures, including: identification of cadence

types, Romannumeral and figuredbass analysis, identification of key centers andrelationships and recognition of modulation to closely related keys

d. Melodic organization and developmental procedures, including: scale types, modes,

melodic patterning and motivic development/relationships (inversion, retrograde,

sequence, imitation, etc.)

e. Rhythmic/metric organization, including: meter type, beat type and rhythmic

devices/procedures

f. Texture identification, including: types (monophony, homophony, polyphony) and

devices (textural inversion, imitation)

4. Aural Skills

a. Error detection in written music from given aural excerpts

b. Melodic dictation

c. Sightsinging

d. Recognition of nonharmonic tones

e. Recognition of intervals, scales, chord sonority

f. Harmonic dictation

g. Identification of the following processes and materials in the context of music literature:

melodic organization, harmonic organization, tonal organization, meter and

rhythmic patterns, instrumentation, texture and formal procedures


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Texas Music Educators Association TEKS

IV.1.1 (B) analyze musical performances, intervals, music notation, chordal structure, rhythm/meter, and

harmonic texture, using standard terminology.

IV.1.1 (C) analyze music forms of performance and listening repertoire.

IV.2.1 (A) perform independently, demonstrating accurate intonation and rhythm, fundamental skills, andadvanced techniques, and using literature ranging from moderately difficult to difficult.

IV.2.2 (B) read and write music that incorporates complex rhythmic patterns in simple, compound, and

asymmetric meters.

IV.2.3 (B) compose or arrange vocal or instrumental pieces (manuscript or computergenerated).

IV.3.1 (A) classify representative examples of music by style and by historical period or culture, justifying the

classifications.

IV.3.1 (B) describe the effects of music on society, culture, and technology.

IV.3.1 (D) define the relationships between the content, the concepts, and the processes of the other fine

arts and those of music.

IV.4.1 (A) evaluate musical performances and compositions by comparing them to similar or exemplary

models and offering constructive suggestions for improvement.

Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 19, Part II Chapter 117: TEKS for Fine Arts,Music Level IVKnowledge and Skills:

1. Perception The student describes and analyzes musical sound and demonstrates musical artistry.

2. Creative expression/performance. The student sings or plays an instrument, individually and in groups,

performing a varied repertoire of music.

3. Creative expression/performance. The student reads and writes music notation.

4. Creative expression/performance. The student creates and arranges music within specified guidelines.

5. Historical/cultural heritage. The student relates music to history, to society, and to culture.

The National Association for Music Education: National Standards

1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

2. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.

3. Reading and notating music.

4. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

5. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.

6. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.


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Student Evaluation & ExpectationsGraded assignments for this course will include skill development worksheets, listening logs, eartraining

quizzes, written exams, composition projects, and an analysis paper. It is the students responsibility to check

with the teacher about work missed during an absence.

Type of Assignment Percent of Total Grade_______________________________________________________

Class Participation 15%Skill Development Worksheets 15%

EarTraining Quizzes 15%

Composition Projects/Paper 25%

Written Exams 30%

_______________________________________________________

Class Participation

Students are expected to be attentive and participate in all class activities. Due to the amount of

material covered in this course, it is essential that all students are prepared for class and ready to contribute

every day.

Ski ll Development Worksheets

Worksheets and exercises from the Tonal Harmony workbook will be assigned as either class work or

homework. The extra practice provided by these assignments is vital to student success. If needed, inclass

quizzes may be given to monitor student progress. All assigned work is to be completed in a timely manner.

EarTraining QuizzesThese weekly quizzes will take place on Fridays and are meant to monitor each students

development in the area of aural skills.

Compo si t ion Projects

Periodically, students will be assigned composition projects to complete outside of class. There will

be five projects assigned throughout this course with the last one being completed in two phases. Projectswill tie together concepts learned in class while allowing students to explore the composition field firsthand.

Compo si t ion Projects/ Paper

During the school year, students will be required to take the knowledge that they have gained and create a

composition reflecting skills learned. There will be one composition project per six weeks. The written part of

the project will include commentary on Melody, Tempo, Harmony, Meter, Rhythm, Mode, Texture, Form,

Dynamics, and Articulation.

Written Exams

There will be one written exam given at the end of each six week period. Exams will include multiple

choice and short answer questions in addition to score analysis, written exercises and aural exercises.

Extra CreditStudents will only be allowed one extra credit project per six weeks. Students will be given an opportunity to

write a one page report on a concert that they attend outside of school. If the students decide to take this extra

credit assignment on, the concert program must be signed by the director of the ensemble AFTER the

performance. The written analysis paper will include commentary on Melody, Tempo, Harmony, Meter, Rhythm,

Mode, Texture, Form, Dynamics, and Articulation. This assignment can only take the place of a quiz grade or

worksheet.


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Course PlannerAll topics will include written exercises (including excerpts from literature and workbook exercises)and aural exercises (including aural excerpts from literature). The following outline may be modif iedto meet the needs of the class. Chapter references are to the Tonal Harmony textbook.

First Six Weeks (16)Part I: Fundamentals

Weeks 1 & 2

Chapter 2: Elements of Rhythm Rhythm; durational symbols; beat and tempo; meter; division of the beat; simple time

signatures; compound time signaturesAural Skills: rhythmic dictation; identification of beat and meter; sightread rhythms; sing

scalesWeeks 3 &4 Chapter 1: Elements of Pitch

Keyboard and octave registers; notation of the staff; major scales; major keysignatures; minor scales; minor key signatures; modes; pentatonic scales; wholetone scales; scale degree names; intervals; perfect, major, and minor intervals;augmented and diminished intervals; inversion of intervals; consonant anddissonant intervals

Aural Skills: rhythmic dictation; melodic dictation (short, stepwise); identification of

intervals(2nds, 3rds + 4ths, 5ths); sing scales

Weeks 5 & 6 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 texturesAural Skills: melodic dictation (short, stepwise); identification of intervals (+ 6ths, 7ths);

sing scales;sightsing melodies (stepwise); identification of triad sonority

Composition Project 1: Students will write two contrasting melodies.

Melodies will follow the guidelines presented in the assignment description. This

includes but is not limited to:o Knowledge of clefs (treble, bass, alto, tenor)

o Key signatures (major, minor)

o Time signatures and meter (simple, compound, triple, duple/quadruple)

o Intervals

o Rhythm (durational symbols, dotted rhythms)

o Notational skills (proper technique involving

note/stem/clef/signature/etc. placement)First Six Weeks Exam

The First Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the followingconcepts and skills:

o Rhythm, Meter, Time Signatures

o Major and Minor Scales/Key Signatures, Scale Degree Names,

Intervalso Triads, Seventh Chords, Inversions of Chords, Figured Bass Symbols,

Lead Sheet Symbols

o Rhythmic and Melodic Dictation, Aural Identification of Intervals, Aural

Error Detection in Rhythmic and Melodic Examples


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Second Six Weeks (712)Part II: Melody and Harmony

Weeks 1 & 2 Chapter 4: Diatonic Chords in Major and Minor Keys Minor scale; diatonic triads in major/minor; diatonic seventh chords in major/minor

Aural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); identification of intervals (all); sing

Scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord

sonority

Weeks 3 & 4 Chapter 5: Principles of Voice Leading Melodic line, chord notation, triadic voicing, parallel motion

Aural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); bass line dictation (short);

identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise);identification of triad and seventh chord sonority

Weeks 5 & 6Chapter 6: Root Position Part Writing Root position part writing with repeated roots, roots a 4 th (5th) apart, roots a 3rd (6th)

apart, roots a 2nd (7th) apart; instrument ranges and transpositionsAural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); bass line dictation (short);

identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise);identification of triad and seventh chord sonority

Composition Project 2: Students will realize two Roman Numeral bass lines given by the instructor and then fill

out their harmonies following proper voice leading guidelines in four voices. Students will compose their own bass line and fill in the harmonies following the given

guidelines. Harmonic progressions must adhere to the guidelines listed on the assignment

description which include but are not limited to:o

No parallel 5ths or 8veso No direct 5ths or 8ves

o No 5ths or 8ves by contrary motion

o No unequal 5ths

Second Six Weeks Exam The Second Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the

following concepts and skills:o Topics covered on the First Six Weeks Exam

o Diatonic triads/seventh chords in major and minor modes, Chord

notationo Triadic voicing, Root position writing, Realization of Roman Numeral

bass lines, Harmonic analysiso Basic instrument ranges and transpositions

o Melodic dictation, Bass line dictation, Identification of intervals,

Identification of chord sonority


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Third Six Weeks (1318)Part III: Harmonic Progressions and Chord Inversions

Weeks 1 & 2 Chapter 7: Harmonic Progression Sequences; circle of fifths; diatonic chords; common exceptions; differences in minor

mode; progressions with seventh chords; harmonizing a simple melody

Aural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); bass line dictation (short); harmonicdictation

(I, V, IV); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise); identificationof triad and seventh chord sonority

Weeks 3 & 4 Chapter 8: Triads in First Inversion Bass arpeggiation; substituted first inversion triads; parallel sixth chords; part writing

first inversion triads; sopranobass counterpointAural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); bass line dictation (short); harmonic

dictation(I, V, IV); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise); identificationof triad and seventh chord sonority

Weeks 5 & 6Chapter 9: Triads in Second Inversion Bass arpeggiation; cadential sixfour; passing sixfour; pedal sixfour; part writing for

Second inversion triadsAural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); bass line dictation (short); harmonic

dictation(I, V, IV); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise); identificationof triad and seventh chord sonority

Composition Project 3 Part 1 of Semester Final: Students will compose a short twovoice work using first species counterpoint.

Compositions must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the assignment description

Third Six Weeks Exam Part 2 of Semester Final: The Third Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the

Following concepts and skills:

o Topics covered on the First & Second Six Weeks Exams

o Sequences, Harmonizing a melody, Harmonic analysis

o First inversion triads, Counterpoint, Second Inversion Triads

o Melodic dictation, Bass line dictation, Identification of intervals,

Identification of chord sonority


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Fourth Six Weeks (1924)Part IV: Cadences and NonChord Tones, Practice AP ExamWeeks 1 & 2 Chapter 10: Cadences, Phrases, and Periods

Cadences; harmonic rhythm; motives and phrase structure; period forms

Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, small leaps); bass line dictation (short); harmonicdictation

(I, V, IV); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise); identification

of triad and seventh chord sonorityWeek 3 Chapter 11: NonChord Tones 1

Classification of nonchord tones; passing tones; neighboring tones; suspensions andretardations; figured bass and lead sheet symbols; embellishing a simple texture

Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);

Harmonic dictation (I, V, IV, vi); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsingmelodies (stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority

Week 4 Chapter 12: NonChord Tones 2Appoggiaturas; escape tones; the neighbor group; anticipations; pedal points; special

Problems in the analysis of nonchord tones


Harmonic dictation (I, V, IV, vi); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing

melodies (stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identificationof nonchord tones

Week 5 Chapter 13: The V7 Chord

General voiceleading considerations; V7 in root position; V7 in three parts; V7inversions


harmonic dictation (I, V, IV, vi); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsingmelodies (stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identificationof nonchord tones

Week 6

Chapter 14: The II7 and VII7 Chords II7 chords; VII7 chords in major; VII7 chords in minor

Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);Harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification ofnonchord tones

Composition Project 4: Students will compose a short homophonic piece either using a melody from the first

composition project or using a new original melody. Compositions must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the assignment description that

Include but are not limited to:

o The use of nonchord tones, inverted chords, Roman numeral analysis,

etc.Fourth Six Weeks Exam

The Fourth Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of theFollowing concepts and skills:

o Topics covered on the First, Second & Third Six Weeks Exams

o Cadences, Phrases, Periods, Nonchord tones, V7, II7, and VII7chords

o Melodic dictation, Bass line dictation, Identification of intervals and

chord sonority


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Fifth Six Weeks (2530)Part V: Modulation and Mode Mixture, Practice AP ExamWeek 1 Chapter 15: Other Diatonic Seventh Chords

IV7 chords; VI7 chords+/; I7 chords; III7 chords; seventh chords and the circle of fifthsprogression


Harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies

(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification ofnonchord tones

Week 2 Chapter 16 & 17: Secondary Functions 1 & 2

Chromaticism and altered chords; secondary functions; secondary dominant chords;secondary leadingtone chords; sequences involving secondary functions; deceptiveresolutions of secondary functions


Harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification ofnonchord tones

Week 3 Chapter 18 & 19: Modulations Using Diatonic Common Chords and OtherTechniques

Modulation; tonicization; key relationships and commonchord modulation; sequential

modulation; modulation by common tone; monophonic modulation; directmodulation



Week 4 Chapter 20: Binary and Ternary Forms Binary form; ternary form; rounded binary form; twelve bar blues; other formal designs

such as theme and variation/strophicAural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);

harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sight

sing melodies(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification ofnonchord tones

Week 5 Chapter 21 & 22: Mode Mixture and the Neapolitan Chord

Borrowed chords in minor; the Bb 6 in major; other borrowed chords in major;Modulations involving mode mixture; the Neapolitan chord


harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification ofnonchord tones

Week 6 Chapter 23 & 24: Augmented Sixth ChordsAugmented sixths; the Italian augmented sixth chord; the French augmented sixth

chord; the German augmented sixth chord; conventional uses of augmentedsixth chords; resolutions to tonic; resolutions to other scale degrees; resolutions toother chord members; other augmented sixth chords


Harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies(stepwise); identificationof triad and seventh chord sonority; identification of non chord tones

Composition Project 5: Students will compose a short chord progression that modulates to a closely related

key.


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Compositions must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the assignment description thatInclude but are not limited to:

o Modulation technique, Use of seventh chords, Cadences, Romannumeral analysis, etc.

Fifth Six Weeks Exam The Fifth Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the following

Concepts and skills:o Topics covered on the First, Second, Third, & Fourth Six Weeks

Exams

o Diatonic seventh chords, Secondary functions, Modulation to closelyrelated keys, Mode mixture, Neapolitan chords, Augmented sixthchords


chord sonority

Sixth Six Weeks (3136)Part VI: 20th Century Music

Week 1

Chapter 28: An Introductio\+6n to TwentiethCentury Music Impressionism; scales; chord structure; parallelism; pandiatonicism; rhythm and meter;

Set theory; twelvetone technique; tonal serialization; aleatory of chance music;texture and expanded instrumental resources; electronic music



Weeks 2, 3 & 4 Review for AP Music Theory Exam

**AP Exam**Weeks 5 & 6 Final Composition/Analysis/Research Projects

Composition Project 6 Part 1 of Final: Students will compose 12tone pieces for four voices

Compositions must adhere to one of the sets of guidelines outlined in the assignmentdescription

Options for this project include:

o Simple 12Tone

o Complex 12Tone

o Integral Serialism

Sixth Six Weeks Exam Part 2 of Final The Sixth Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the

following concepts and skills:

o Topics covered on the First, Second, Third, Fourth, & Fifth Six Weeks

Examso Twentieth century compositional techniques


chord sonority

Depending on how well students are grasping skills and concepts, the course

outline may need to be adjusted throughout the year.

Documents

PPHS AP Music Theory Syllabus