AP Music Theory Syllabus, 2013-2014

Mr. Stephen Reynolds E-mail: stephen.reynolds@wasatch.edu

Office hours: by appointment or 1:30-2:30 p.m. Mondays Phone: 435-654-0640 ext. 3780

Room 457

website: http://www.wasatch.edu/Domain/632

A musician is not just someone who performs music. A musician also listens to, understands, and creates

music. The study of music theory can enhance performance, inform listening, deepen understanding, and

provide the tools for effective composition.

AP Music Theory is a college level course designed “to develop a student's ability to recognize, understand, and

describe the basic materials and processes of music that are heard or presented in a score.” These goals are

achieved through the development of aural, analytical, and compositional skills using listening and written

exercises. The course also includes creative tasks such as the harmonization of a melody by selecting

appropriate chords, composing a musical bass line to provide two-voice counterpoint, or the realization of

figured-bass notation. Literature studied includes music from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and

Romantic periods. Where applicable, examples for study will also include popular music and world music

examples. The course should prepare students to take the AP Music Theory test in May.

The AP Music Theory test will be given Monday, May 12, 2014 at 8:00 a.m. Every student should expect

to take the AP test and pass!

Required Materials

1. Binder with paper for keeping track of notes, homework, etc.

2. Staff paper

3. Pencil or pen

4. Internet access (school computers are available for student use)

5. Required textbook(s): Music in Theory and Practice, Volume 1, 8th

ed., by Bruce Benward & Marilyn

Saker; accompanying workbook (optional?)

Academic Grades

Grades should measure student progress, understanding, and achievement.

Grades are weighted by category:

Assignments (50%)

Students should expect homework daily. Homework involves written exercises, listening activities, and sight-

singing practice. Assignments should help students develop the skills and understanding required for mastery of

the content. Students may receive a deduction on late assignments.

Tests/Quizzes (50%)

Tests and quizzes will be administered frequently in order to provide feedback and to monitor progress. Tests

include written exercises (e.g., key signature identification, writing a melody including non-harmonic tones),

listening exercises (e.g., melodic and harmonic dictation, aural identification of musical elements), and sight-

singing.

Remediation

Remediation is available by appointment with Mr. Reynolds or during consultation time on Mondays.

Mr. S. Reynolds Syallbus, AP Music Theory Page 2

Academic Grading Scale 93-100% = A 86-89% = B+ 76-79% = C+ 66-69% = D+ 59% or below = F

90-94% = A- 83-85% = B 73-75% = C 63-65% = D

80-82% = B- 70-72% = C- 60-62% = D-

Some work may be graded by other students in class or by student aides. Students are welcome to use their student ID

number on assignments, quizzes, and tests instead of their name.

Citizenship Grades

Participation/Behavior

Students who follow classroom rules will receive full points for citizenship at the end of the term. Students will lose points for breaking classroom rules and school policies (cell phones in class, for example). The following behaviors will affect students’ participation and citizenship grades:

Moving seats without permission

Leaving the classroom without permission

Disrespectful behavior

Use of electronic devices

Not following directions

Disrupting the class

Violations of other school policies or classroom expectations

Attendance

According to the Wasatch High School attendance policy, if you have more than a combined total of five

absences and/or tardies OR if you have any unexcused absences, you will not receive citizenship credit in the

course. You will be required to attend attendance school and make up each absence and tardy in order for credit

to be reinstated. The entire written policy can be found in your student planner and copies are available in the

office.

Feel free to contact Mr. Reynolds if you have questions or concerns regarding any of the above information.

Mr. S. Reynolds Syallbus, AP Music Theory Page 3

Syllabus

Term 1

Week 1

Chapter 1: The Fundamentals of Music Overview of music theory; introduction to solfege; note and rest

durations; treble clef, bass clef, alto clef, and tenor clef; dots and ties; meter; rhythm practice

Week 2

Aural identification of meter (simple, compound, asymmetric); notational conventions; rhythm practice; note

review; notation error detection; simple rhythmic dictation

Week 3

Chapter 2: Scales, Tonality, Key, Modes Sight-singing and melodic dictation of stepwise melodies in major

keys; major scales; key signatures; scale degrees; minor scales; pentatonic scale; whole tone scale; modes

Week 4

Parallel and relative keys; modes and non-diatonic scales; minor key practice; aural identification of major and

minor keys; introduction to intervals

Week 5

Chapter 3: Intervals and Transposition Interval practice; aural identification of scale degrees; aural

identification of m2, M2, m3, M3; sight-singing melodies with 3rds; transposition

Cumulative test: note identification; note and rest durations; meter; key signatures and scales; scale degrees;

melodic dictation; sight-singing

Week 6

Chapter 4: Chords Chords; triad qualities (M, m, dim, aug); diatonic triads; aural identification of chord

quality; sight-singing of triadic melodies; triad inversions

Week 7

Seventh chords and inversions (major, minor, major-minor, half diminished, fully diminished); introduction to

harmonic analysis with Roman and Arabic numerals

Week 8

Aural identification of I and V chords and inversions; seventh chord qualities; chord symbols in popular music;

introduction to figured bass

Week 9

Chapter 5: Cadences and Nonharmonic Tones Cadences; introduction to nonharmonic tones; musical

structures

TERM 2

Week 1

Chapter 6: Melodic Organization More nonharmonic tones; aural identification of cadences; phrase structure;

aural identification of motives, phrases, and periods; aural identification of 4ths and 5ths; composition of simple

melodies

Week 2

Mr. S. Reynolds Syallbus, AP Music Theory Page 4

Dictation practice including intervals of up to a P5; harmonic dictation practice with I, IV and V chords;

analysis of phrase structures in literature

Test on harmonic analysis; nonharmonic tones; dictation; sight-singing

Week 3

Chapter 7: Texture and Textural Reduction Texture; harmonic rhythm; textural reduction; aural identification

of textures; harmonic dictation practice

Week 4

Chapter 8: Species Counterpoint Introduction to species counterpoint; composition in species counterpoint;

melodic dictation practice; aural identification of m6, M6

Week 5

Continuation of counterpoint; composition tasks; sight-singing of student melodies; aural identification of m7,

M7

Week 6

Continuation of counterpoint; introduction to voice leading with root position chords; harmonic dictation

including I, ii, IV, V, vi

Test on species counterpoint (composition task)

Week 7

Chapter 9: Voice Leading in Four-Part Chorale Writing Voice leading with root position triads; voice leading

with inversions; harmonizing a given melody in four parts; error detection

Week 8

Chapter 10: Harmonic Progression and Harmonic Rhythm Functional harmonic progression; harmonic

dictation with diatonic triads; harmonic rhythm

Week 9

Part writing practice; writing a melody for a given bass line; harmonic dictation

Test on voice leading; harmonic dictation

TERM 3

Week 1

Four-part figured bass realization; four-part realization of a Roman numeral progression

Week 2

Chapter 11: The Dominant Seventh Chord Dominant seventh chords; part writing and analysis including

seventh chords; harmonic dictation practice

Week 3

Chapter 12: The Leading-Tone Seventh Chords Leading tone seventh chords; figured bass practice including

seventh chords; part writing with seventh chords

Week 4

Chapter 14: Secondary Dominants and Leading-Tone Chords Secondary dominant and leading tone chords;

written and aural analysis of secondary dominant chords

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Week 5

Chapter 15: Modulation Modulation to closely related keys; review of musical structures; composition tasks

including modulation

Week 6

Review and seventh chords; secondary dominants; modulation

Cumulative test

Week 7

Chapter 16: Two-Part (Binary) Form & Chapter 17: Three-Part (Ternary) Form Form in music: binary and

ternary forms; theme and variation; strophic form; aural identification of binary and ternary forms; motivic

treatment

Binary form composition

Week 8

Part writing review and practice; harmonic dictation practice; sight-singing practice using AP test questions

Week 9

Practice AP test

TERM 4

Week 1

Review and practice using sample test questions

Week 2

Review and practice using sample test questions

Week 3

Practice AP test

Week 7

AP TEST!

Begin free compositions

Week 8

Work on compositions

Week 9

Performance of student compositions

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Student Resources

Benward, Bruce, and Marilyn Saker. Music in Theory and Practice: Volume 1, 8th ed. New York: McGraw-

Hill, 2009.

Benward, Bruce, and Marilyn Saker. Workbook to Accompany Music in Theory and Practice: Volume 1, 8th ed.

New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009.

Benward, Bruce, and J. Timothy Kolosick. Ear Training: a Technique for Listening, 7th ed. revised. New York:

McGraw-Hill, 2010.

Schmid, Will (editor). Something New to Sing About. Mission Hills, CA: Glencoe, 1989.

Teacher Resources

Folkerts, Patti. A systematic analysis of choral sightreading materials adopted for use in Texas middle schools

from 1988-1999 and a suggested original program of study. Doctoral dissertation: University of

Houston, 1998.

Bauguess, David. The Jenson Sight-Singing Course. Jenson Publications, 1984.

Kostka, Stefan, and Dorothy Payne. Tonal Harmony, 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009.

Ottman, Robert W. Elementary Harmony: Theory and Practice, 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall,

1998.

Adams, Ricci. http://www.musictheory.net

DeBenedetti, Gilbert. http://www.gmajormusictheory.org

The Kodàly Center for Music Education at Holy Names University: The American Folksong Collection.

http://kodaly.hnu.edu

Mr. S. Reynolds Syallbus, AP Music Theory Page 7

AP Music Theory Disclosure Statement, 2013-2014

Student Contract

I have read and understand the policies and procedures outlined in the Disclosure Statement for

Mr. Reynolds’ class. I understand that I/my student will be graded according to the criteria

outlined in the Disclosure Statement.

Student Name: ___________________________________________ (Please print)

Student Signature: ________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: _________________________________

Date: __________________

For parents/guardians:

Please indicate the best way for Mr. Reynolds to contact you if necessary:

□ Telephone: _______________________________

□ E-mail: ___________________________________________________________

Please sign and return this page to Mr. Reynolds by Wednesday, August 28, 2013.