AP Music Theory Course Syllabus
Course Description
This is a yearlong course that teaches a wide array of musical concepts. Along with music theory and beginning
composition the students also deal with aural skills, dictation, and sight singing. The objectives for this course are taken
from the AP Music Theory and Composition Course Description published by the College Board. Students learn the basics
of music notation and score analysis along with knowledge of basic tonal harmony in the eighteenth century commonpractice period style.
The ultimate goal of the course is to develop a student’s ability to recognize, understand, analyze, and describe the aspects
and processes of music that is heard or seen on a score. Students engage in a variety of written, singing, and compositional
exercises that teach them the many aspects of musical composition and analysis. The focus is on learning the foundational
principles of music theory that lead to aptitude in analysis and beginning composition.
The primary goal of the course is to prepare students to take the AP Theory exam that is offered toward the end of the year.
Students who pass may earn college credit at a number of colleges and universities. While not all students will likely attain
this level of success, the instruction and practice in this course will serve to greatly enhance and improve a student’s ability
to comprehend, analyze, and notate music in a traditional style.
Objectives
The AP Music Theory course will emphasize a mastery in the rudiments and terminology of music through an
understanding of the Elements of Music, listed as
Sound (Pitch, Dynamics, Timbre); Performance Media (Voice and Instruments); Rhythm and Meter; Music
Notation (pitches, intervals, scales); Melody; Harmony (chordal structure); Key (modes); Musical Texture; Musical
Form; Musical Style (through historical contexts)
Advanced skills will be incorporated through more sophisticated and creative skills, listed as
Melodic and Harmonic Dictation; Composition of a bass line for a given melody, implying appropriate harmony;
Realization of a figured bass; Realization of a Roman numeral progression; Analysis of repertoire, including
melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, and form; Sight-singing simple melodies (Major and Minor keys)
We will emphasize aural and visual identification of procedures based in common-practice tonality, listed as
Functional triadic harmony in traditional four-voice texture (with vocabulary including nonharmonic tones, seventh
chords, and secondary dominants); Cadences; Melodic and harmonic compositional processes (e.g., sequence,
motivic development); Standard rhythms and meters; Phrase structure (e.g., contrasting period, phrase group);
Small forms (e.g., rounded binary, simple ternary, theme and variation, strophic); Modulation to closely related
keys
The development of aural skills is a primary objective of the AP Music Theory course. Throughout the course, students
should listen to musical works attentively and analytically, developing their musical memory and their ability to articulate
responses to formal, stylistic, and aesthetic qualities of the works. Sight-singing is the only performance skill that is directly
tested by the AP Exam. Fluency and quickness with basic materials are essential. Students will be required to do weekly
ear training either using online technology, computer and smart phone apps, or on a school computer in the music room.
The Exam
The AP Exam in Music Theory tests the student’s understanding of musical structure and compositional procedures through
recorded and notated examples. Strong emphasis is given to listening skills, particularly those involving recognition and
comprehension of melodic and rhythmic patterns, harmonic functions, small forms, and compositional techniques. Most of
the musical examples are taken from standard repertoire, although some examples of contemporary, jazz, vernacular music,
or music beyond the Western tradition are included for testing basic concepts. The exam assumes fluency in reading musical
notation and a strong grounding in music fundamentals, terminology, and analysis.
Course Outline (Pacing Guide)
Fall Semester
First Four Weeks
Review of the basics of music theory (Kostka-Payne Chapter 1-2)
I. Notes, rhythms, major and minor scales, key signatures, time signatures, meter, modes, and recognizing
intervals.
Basic ear training
Pitch match, major interval recognition, singing major intervals, recognition of major and all minor scales.
(Benward-Kolosick Unit 1)
Next Two Weeks
Introduction to chords (Kostka-Payne Chapter 3)
I. Major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads.
II. Major, minor, diminished, and half diminished Seventh chords.
Ongoing ear training
Identifying major and minor chords (Benward-Kolosick Unit 1)
Next Six Weeks
Introduction to Basic Harmony (Kostka-Payne Chapter 4-5)
I. Diatonic Triads in major
II. Diatonic Triads in minor
III. Roman Numerals
IV. Inversions and figured bass symbols for triads and seventh chords
V. Voicing diatonic triads in four parts.
a. Close, Open, and keyboard spacing
b. Root Doubling
c. Avoiding spacing and voice crossing errors
VI. Voicing inverted triads in four parts.
Ongoing ear training
Sight singing of scalar diatonic melodies, diatonic melodic dictation (Benward-Kolosick Unit 1)
Next Six Weeks
The Principles of Voice Leading (Kostka-Payne Chapter 5-6)
I. Rhythm, harmony, and contour of the melodic line
II. Conventions regarding leaps, spacing, tendency tones, and vocal ranges
III. Movement - static, oblique, similar, contrary, parallel
IV. Conventions regarding parallel movement
V. Smooth voice leading procedures
Harmonic Progression (Kostka-Payne Chapter 3)
I. Conventional harmonic progression in Major
II. Conventional harmonic progression in Minor
III. Roman numeral score analysis
Ongoing ear training
Sighting melodies with diatonic leaps, harmonic dictation with major and minor triads. (Berkowitz Chapter 1,
Benward-Kolosick Unit 2)
Spring Semester
First Six Weeks
Harmonic Functions (Kostka-Payne Chapter 8-9)
I. 1st Inversion triads
II. Six-four chords - the Cadential six-four, the passing six-four, the pedal six four
Cadences, Phrases and Periods (Kostka-Payne Chapter 10)
I. Cadences - Half, IAC, PAC, deceptive, Plagal
II. Phrase Structure - identifying phrases
III. Periods - Double period, parallel period, contrasting period, antecedent, consequent.
Non Chord Tones (Kostka-Payne Chapter 11-12)
I. Neighbor tones, passing, tones, pedal points, appogiaturas, escape tones
II. Suspensions and their use.
The V7 Chord (Kostka-Payne Chapter 13)
I. Resolving the V7 to I
II. Frustrated leading tone
Realizing a Figured Bass Progression (Thomas-Horvit-Nelson Part V, Chapter 10-11)
I. Review of Symbols, variations of notation
Ongoing ear training
Sight singing in major and minor keys, including non-chord tones, more complex harmonic dictation, error
detection. (Berkowitz Chapter 2, Benward-Kolosick Unit 3-4)
Next Six weeks
The II7 and VII7 Chords (Kostka-Payne Chapter 14-15)
I. Their resolution and use
II. Other diatonic Seventh chords.
Secondary Functions (Kostka-Payne Chapter 16-17)
I. Secondary Dominants
II. Secondary Leading tone chords
III. Figured bass realization including secondary functions and suspensions
Modulatory Techniques (Kostka-Payne Chapter 18-19)
I. Common chord modulation
II. Sequential modulation
III. Other modulatory techniques. Score analysis - identifying modulations
Binary and Ternary Forms (Kostka-Payne Chapter 20)
I. Examples of Binary and Ternary Structures
II. Score analysis - identifying forms
Technical Score Analysis (Kostka-Graybil selected works)
I. More in depth analysis of scores - including phrases, forms, cadences, NCT's, and modulations
Ongoing ear training
Introducing the free response section of the AP Test and studying approaches to it. (Released Exams)
Last Six Weeks
AP Review (Released Exams)
I. Vocabulary Review
II. Test structure and scoring
III. Mock test sections.
Compositional Group Project
I. Groups or partners compose original pieces in 18th Century common-practice style and student ensembles
perform them in class.
Jazz and Twentieth Century Techniques (Kostka-Payne Chapter 27, CD Collection)
I. Reading chord charts - some jazz techniques
II. Introducing serialism and twentieth century composers
Course Materials
It is highly recommended that students use the Baron’s AP Music Theory Study Book for focusing on test skills.
Kostka, S. Payne, D. Tonal Harmony: With an Introduction to Twentieth Century Music, Fifth Edition, 2004
Kostka, S. Payne, D. Workbook for Tonal Harmony: With an Introduction to Twentieth Century Music, Fifth Edition,
2004
Benward, B. Kolosick, J.T. Ear Training: A Technique for Listening, Seventh Edition, 2005
Berkowitz, S. Frontrier, G. Kraft, L. A New Approach to Sight Singing, Fourth Edition, 1997
Kostka, S, Graybill, R. Anthology of Music for Analysis, 2004
Teacher Resources
Kennedy, M. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music, 1980
Kamien, Roger Music: An Appreciation, 9th Edition, 2007, text and accompanying CDs
Kostka, S. Payne, D. Tonal Harmony: With an Introduction to Twentieth Century Music: Instructors Manual, Fifth
Edition, 2004
Kostka, S. Payne, D. Set of two Compact Discs to Accompany Tonal Harmony: With an Introduction to Twentieth
Century Music, Fifth Edition, 2004
The College Board. Released AP Exams 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008
Personal CD and MP3 collection of the instructor – Eric Mabrey
Our High School Course Criteria
Academic Literacy Plan (ALP)
Our High School has adopted a school-wide learning plan for college readiness skills that are used to teach all course
objectives. Students will be developing the skills found in the school's Academic Literacy Plan as follows: 1) description,
give parameters which define something (what it looks, feels, or sounds like); 2) summary, extract important ideas from
given source; 3) relate/apply, use learned concepts and principles in new situations; 4) analysis, break down material into
component parts, 5) synthesis, put parts together to form a new whole 6) evaluation, judge the value of material for a given
purpose.
Habits of Mind
In conjunction with the AP Standards of this course, an emphasis will be placed on developing college readiness. This will
be accomplished by promoting the following “Habits of Mind” for success in college-level course work: 1) building
intellectual perseverance, the persistent pursuit of knowledge, by promoting the value of a strong work ethic and cultivating
sustained effort through repeated practice, 2) developing metacognition by encouraging thinking about the quality of one’s
own and others’ thought processes, practicing intellectual humility, and becoming comfortable with the discomfort of
ambiguity, and 3) creating intellectual curiosity by fostering a desire to know and requiring inquiry, investigation, and
rigorous engagement.
Grading Policy
Scholarship grades are determined by cumulative points given on daily assignments, scores from tests, computer tests on ear
training and music theory exercises, as well as daily participation. Grades will be kept on MyGradeBook.com. The
breakdown for grades are as follows, with rounding up with a .5 or above …
• A = 90%-100%
• B = 80%-89%
• C = 70%-79%
• D = 60%-69%
• F = 59% or below
Citizenship grades will be determined based on daily participation, class cooperation to rules and expectations, attitude, and
attendance. District policy is that 3 tardies will result in an automatic “F” grade in citizenship. Students should be aware
that they are solely responsible for their behavioral choices, and academic effort. Living up to our school's standards of
attendance and being on time, as well as efforts given toward class work will result in higher grades.
Materials for Class
Each student will need to provide the following materials …
• Baron’s AP Music Theory Study Book. If unable to purchase, books are available for borrowing.
• Several pencils for daily exercises. No pens allowed.
• Music binder for putting daily exercises. Binders will be collected periodically for grading purposes. All
assignments will need to be placed in order in the binder.
• Students will need a small composition book for keeping notes on listening examples played in class. Any small
composition book will be sufficient. Please, no lose papers.
• A willingness to learn new, sometimes difficult music skills, with perseverance toward competence.
The school will provide the following materials …
• Blank staff paper for all assignments
• Computer software for aural skills training and music theory training (Auralia and Musition, by Sebelius)
• Computer software for composition (Finale, Band-in-a-box, Cakewalk)
• Internet access to various music skills training websites
Mastery Model
Our High School has developed a campus wide acceptance of a mastery model. This model defines the procedures each
student may take to allow for mastery of objectives for each subject. It is designed to allow students to develop their study
skills toward an ability to master class objectives on initial attempts. To do this, students are given opportunities to make up
units which they may have been unsuccessful in passing on their first attempt. In AP Music Theory, the student will be
required to finish some practice assignments before being given a second chance to pass a failed unit test. This will ensure
the student has a better understanding of the desired skills before their second attempt. Make-up testing, as well as tutoring,
will be available during our school tutoring sessions on Block Days Academic Tutorial Period. All students may take
advantage of this extra time in class to make-up work, do ear training, or study ahead in the curriculum.
Other questions may be answered by contacting the instructor.