ANN ARBOR PIONEER HIGH SCHOOL

MUSIC DEPARTMENT
ADVANCED PLACEMENT MUSIC THEORY

INSTRUCTOR

B108, Choir Room

2013-14 School Year
http://pioneer2.aaps.k12.mi.us/choir/

Mr. Steven Lorenz

lorenzs@aaps.k12.mi.us
(734) 994-2189 x2

SYLLABUS
COURSE OVERVIEW
Advanced Placement (AP) Music Theory is an accelerated introduction to the basic tools used in reading, writing, and
listening to music. The course of study will focus on vocal and instrumental compositions primarily from 1600-1900,
though 20th century and contemporary music will also be explored. Compositions will largely originate from the Western
European tradition, though world and popular music will be incorporated throughout. Students will study score analysis,
sight-singing, aural recognition (including rhythmic, melodic, & harmonic dictation), composition, and fundamental
keyboard harmony.
AP-Music Theory meets daily during fourth period. Students have access to the practice room pianos during lunch and
after school for keyboard harmony and composition exercises throughout the course.

PROVIDED TEXTS

Kostka, Stefan & Payne, Dorothy (2008). Tonal Harmony: 6th Edition Textbook & Workbook. McGraw-Hill, Inc.
Cole, Samuel. Melodia: A Comprehensive Course in Sight-Singing. Nabu Press.
Weekly Plans posted on the Pioneer Choir website.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Three-ring binder

Pencil & Eraser

Staff Paper Notebook

COURSE EXPECTATIONS
As a college level class, college level discipline is required. In order to cover all the material, it is expected that you will:
Be punctual. Tardiness is unacceptable.
Actively participate in class.
Be prepared. Have all assignments fully
Seek help rather than frustration.
completed PRIOR to class.

ASSESSMENT POLICIES

Homework is due at the beginning of each class. Students absent (excused) should submit their work upon return.
Late work is downgraded one letter grade per day late.
Extra credit is available for attending concerts. Each concert is worth 3 points (30 points max/semester).
Aural Skills (including sight-singing & dictation) assessments take place weekly throughout each semester.

STUDENT EVALUATION MARKING PERIOD

Marking period assessments are assigned one of three categories:
Performance Skills Assessment Sight-Singing, Dictation, Aural Skills
Formative Assessment
Homework, Chapter Quizzes
Summative Assessment
Unit Exams, Projects, Compositions

STUDENT EVALUATION SEMESTER

Marking period grades are cumulative, using the categories identified above.
Marking Period 1 & 2 (cumulative %) 85%
Marking Period 3 & 4 (cumulative %)
Semester 1 Exam
15%
Semester 2 Exam

85%
15%

COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of the course, students should be able to do the following in each category:
Pitch Notation
Performance Marks
Rhythmic Notation

Student will be able to identify pitch elements in a musical passage.

Student will perform musical passages, exhibiting correct usage of performance markings.
Student will be able to perform simple rhythms. Student will be able to compose and identify
rhythmic elements in a musical passage
Key Signatures
Student will be able to write and identify the circle of fifths, all major, minor, relative and parallel
tonalities.
Scales
Student will be able to compose and analyze major, minor, modal, pentatonic, whole-tone, and
chromatic scales. Students will be able to aurally identify major, minor, modal, pentatonic,
whole-tone, and chromatic scales. Student will be able to transpose simple melodies to other
keys. Student will be able to sing the major, minor (natural, harmonic, and melodic), and
chromatic scales on solfege.
Intervals
Student will be able to compose and identify intervals of various sizes, qualities, and directions.
Triads
Student will be able to compose and identify major, minor, augmented, and diminished triads, in
root position and in inversion. Student will be able to realize figured bass excerpts.
Harmonic Analysis
Student will be able to analyze musical examples harmonically, utilizing Roman Numeral
Analysis. Student will be able to harmonically analyze examples in major and minor keys.
Students will be able to realize figured bass lines in four-part, SATB texture, including inversions
and altered chords. Student will be able to realize chord progressions from a given bass line
displaying Roman Numeral Analysis, in four-part, SATB texture. Student will perform harmonic
analysis on small and large excerpts.
Principles of
Student will be able to identify open and closed cadences. Student will be able to compose and
Harmonization
identify chord progressions that follow the chordal hierarchy. Student will be able to compose
bass lines for a given melody, reflecting appropriate harmony. Student will be able to harmonize
a given melody in four-part, SATB texture, displaying good voice leading.
Cadences
Student will be able to compose and identify harmonic & rhythmic cadences in a musical context.
Non-Chord Tones
Student will be able to compose and identify non-harmonic tones in a musical context.
Voice Leading
Student will be able to compose and evaluate voice-leading exercises into four-voice, SATB
texture, adhering to the rules governing chord connection, doubling, and resolution.
General Melodic
Student will be able to identify voice-leading errors in melodic passages. Student will be able to
Characteristics
compose and identify musical sequences, according to the rules of tonal, real, and modified
sequences. Student will be able to create melodic reductions, recognizing step-progressions,
large-scale arpeggiations, and primary, secondary, and embellishing tones.
Phrases and Periods Student will be able to analyze phrase relationships and period structure from musical literature,
including phrase groups, antecedent and consequent phrases, melodic fragments, motives, and
periods (contrasting, double, and parallel). Student will be able to compose melodies that
demonstrate specific phrase or period types. Students will be able to analyze and compose music
demonstrating an understanding of motivic development, including augmentation, diminution,
extension, fragmentation, sequence, retrograde, and transposition.
Seventh Chords
Student will demonstrate ability to analyze musical literature that includes dominant and nondominant seventh chords. Student will compose part-writing exercises that follow the guidelines
for good voice leading.
Secondary Dominants Student will demonstrate ability to analyze musical literature that includes pivot
and Modulation
chord modulation, chromatic modulation, and tonicization. Student will compose four-voice partwriting exercises that follow the guidelines for good voice leading.
Musical Form
Student will analyze, compare, and compose music that demonstrates an understanding of
Rounded Binary, Simple Ternary, Strophic, and Theme and Variation forms. Compositions will
exhibit understanding of texture and dramatic shape.
Sight-Singing
Student will sight-read intermediate & advanced melodies in a variety of key and time signatures.
Student will demonstrate an understanding of moveable-DO and LA-based minor solfege.
Dictation
Student will notate rhythms and melodies in a variety of key and time signatures.
Harmonic Dictation Student will notate soprano and bass lines of four-voice chord progressions.