Braddock Hills High School
1500 Yost Boulevard, Suite 2
Braddock Hills, Pennsylvania 15221
Course
Course Grade Level: 9-12
Syllabus
Course Title: Introduction to Music
Prerequisite Course(s): none
Course Year: 2012-2013
Course Instructor: Mr. Ross Cohen
Required Texts:
Course Instructor’s Email:
rcohen@propelschools.org
Room Number: 178
Period and Meeting Time:
Course Instructor’s Classroom Telephone
Number and Extension:
Course Instructor’s Web Page:
Planning Period Time Frame:
Teacher Conference or Tutorial Times:
Mandatory Course Materials
Students will need a notebook or designated section in their binder for Introduction to Music.
Description of The Course
Students will gain an appreciation of music through a study of various musical genres and their
historical context, through a study of music theory, and by learning keyboard skills.
Purpose and Goals of The Course
Purpose – The purpose of this course is for students to gain a deeper understanding of an art
form that we experience every day in our society.
Goals – Students will be able to identify and describe music from all periods of music history.
Students will be able to demonstrate basic skills on the keyboard.
Students will have an understanding of music theory, form and harmony.
Standards Addressed In The Course
A. Skills and Techniques/Performance
M8GM.2 - Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
a. Perform on at least one instrument accurately and independently, alone
and/or in small and large ensembles, with appropriate posture, playing
position, technique, and expression.
b. Play by ear simple melodies and harmonic accompaniments.
c. Perform music of diverse genres and cultures, with appropriate
representation of culture and style.
M8GM.3 - Reading and notating music
a. Apply standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo,
articulation, and expression.
b. Read whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and dotted notes and rests in
simple, compound, and complex meters.
c. Read at sight simple melodies in both the treble and bass clefs.
d. Use standard notation to record their musical ideas and the musical ideas
of others.
B. Creation
M8GM.4 - Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
b. Improvise melodic embellishments and simple rhythmic and melodic
variations.
c. Improvise short melodies, unaccompanied and with existing
accompaniments. depicting given styles, meters, and tonalities.
M8GM.5- Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
a. Compose short pieces of music within specified guidelines, demonstrating
how the elements of music are used to achieve unity and variety, tension
and release, and balance.
b. Arrange simple pieces of music within specified guidelines.
C. Critical Analysis/Investigate
M8GM.6 - Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
a. Accurately describe specific music events in a given aural example, using
appropriate terminology.
b. Demonstrate knowledge of elements of music through analysis of music
which represent diverse genres and cultures.
M8GM.7- Evaluating music and music performances
a. Critique musical performances and compositions using specific criteria.
b. Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their own and other’s
performances, compositions, and arrangements, implementing
constructive suggestions for improvement.
c. Investigate various uses of music in daily experiences.
D. Cultural and Historical Context
M8GM.8 - Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines
outside the arts
a. Compare two or more art forms and their characteristics to describe the
transformation of related subject matter into art.
b. Assess the interrelated principles and subject matter between music and
other core curriculum.
c. Investigate various career paths in music.
M8GM.9 - Understanding music in relation to history and culture
a. Describe distinguishing characteristics of representative music genres and
styles from a variety of cultures.
b. Classify exemplary musical works by genre and style and recognize their
identifying characteristics.
c. Compare music of several world cultures identifying the function and role
of music, their musicians and their respective performance conditions.
d. Demonstrate appropriate performance etiquette as a performer and a
listener in a variety of performance settings.
Course Objectives
Students will be able to listen to an unknown piece of music and identify the genre and time
period based on identifiable characteristics.
Students will be able to describe the elements of music as they relate to different styles and
time periods.
Students will be able to identify major composers of each time period and important works that
they composed.
Students will be able to trace musical motives throughout an extended piece of music and
describe how they are manipulated by the composer.
Students will be able to identify form and structure within a piece of music.
Students will be able to play simple pieces of music on the piano using both hands.
Students will be able to identify major and minor tonalities by ear.
Students will be able to identify on paper, as well as demonstrate on the keyboard, major and
minor triads, major and minor scales, intervals, and various other chords.
Students will be able to improvise over a simple jazz or blues, given a scale and a form to work
within.
Course Schedule
Week 1 – Scheduling and expectations
Unit: Elements of Music
Week 2 – Rhythm and Melody
Week 3 – Harmony, Timbre, Texture and Form
Unit: Simple Theory and Harmony
Week 4 – Treble and bass cleff, pitches, lines and spaces, keyboards
Week 5 – Rhythm notation
Week 6 – Whole/half steps, Major scales, keyboards
Week 7 – Intervals, triads, major/minor, keyboards
Unit: History of Pop
Week 8 – 90’s, 80’s
Week 9 – 70’s, 60’s, 50’s
Unit: Jazz
Week 10 – Elements of jazz, jazz harmony, improvisation, keyboards
Week 11 – Jazz history
Week 12 – Keyboard practice
Unit: Instruments of the Orchestra
Week 13 – Instruments of the orchestra
Unit: Early and Renaissance Music
Week 14 – Chant and Renaissance vocal music
Week 15 – Renaissance instrumental music
Unit: Baroque Music
Week 16 – Style, historical context, texture, genres
Week 17 – Fugue, counterpoint, concerto
Week 18 – Choral/vocal music, keyboard
Unit: Classical Music
Week 19 – Style, historical context, symphony, concerto, sonata form
Week 20 – chamber music, solo instrumental music
Week 21 – choral/vocal music, keyboard
Unit: Romantic Music
Week 22 – Historical context, style, developments in instrument manufacturing
Week 23 – Orchestral music, symphony
Week 24 – Program music, tone poem
Week 25 – Concerto, virtuoso
Unit: 20th Century Music
Week 26 – Neo-romantics (Copland, Shostakovich, etc), American composers
Week 27 – Dissonance, serialism, minimalism
Unit: Broadway
Week 28 – Early Broadway
Week 29 – Modern/recent Broadway
Unit: Modern Crossover
Week 30 – Examples of crossover musicians
Unit: Composing and arranging
Week 31 – Create melodies for composition
Week 32 – Orchestrate or arrange for band students
Week 33 – Composition performances
Unit: Testing instruments
Week 34, 35, 36 – Try band instruments
Non-Negotiable Student Expectations
Students are expected to act respectfully at all times. This includes appropriate use of
language, appropriate topics of conversation, and listening quietly will the teacher or other
students are speaking, or when there are musical examples being played.
Cell phone use is absolutely not allowed in class. If a cell phone is out, it will be taken until the
end of the class period. After multiple offenses, the cell phone will be taken and kept until a
parent can come pick it up.
Technology Utilization and Expectations
All technology used within the classroom needs to be handled carefully and respectfully. In the
Introduction to Music course, this technology will include keyboards with headphones and
computers for various online assignments.
Instructional Methodology
The instructional delivery methods for this course will include lectures and note taking with
examples, group discussions, guided listening of musical examples, written responses to
musical examples, practicing/performing on the keyboard, classwork and worksheets related to
written music theory, and guest speakers/performers.
Course Evaluation
Grades will be based on the following percentage weights earned from assignments, quizzes,
exams, class participation and attendance. Grades must be updated on daily or weekly basis
and the frequency schedule of the updates must be posted in this section of the syllabus.
Assignment Domain
Class Attendance and Participation
In Class Assignments
At Home Assignments
Quizzes
Major Examinations
Special Projects/Major Papers
Final Exam
Percentage Weight
20
10
10
20
20
20
The following grading scale will be utilized to measure student performance.
A
B
C
F
90 - 100
80 - 89
70 - 79
A Grade of 69 or Below
Course Policies
Please type your course policies under each heading in this section.
Academic Honesty
Classroom Environment and Culture
The environment in this classroom will be one of respect, maturity, mental engagement and
curiosity. Students will listen to the teacher, and to each other, intently and without interruption.
As music is an aural art form, students will also listen to musical examples intently and without
interruption. Students will act in a manner that is safe and courteous at all times.
Communication and Conferences
Attendance
This should be the same school wide.
Parent and Student Syllabus Acknowledgement Form
By signing my name below, I certify that I have received a copy of the syllabus for
(Course Name), and that I understand ALL expectations, policies and requirements set
forth in this course. Furthermore, I understand that the instructor reserves the right to
modify this syllabus at anytime throughout the school year and it is my responsibility to
stay abreast of and adhere to any changes made.
I also understand and acknowledge that it is the personal responsibility of the parent
and student to utilize resources provided to me by Propel Braddock Hills High School to
remain apprised of all grade postings and academic progress throughout the duration of
this course. This in no way excuses teachers’ obligation to effectively communicate with
parents and students. This does however, place shared responsibility with the parent(s)
and student(s) involved to ensure and strengthen the connection between the teacher,
student and parents.
Student Name Printed: ______________________________________
Student Name Signed: ______________________________________ Date: ________
Parent(s) Name Printed: ______________________________________
Parent(s) Name Signed: _____________________________________ Date: _______
jo/bw 2012