POMPTON LAKES SCHOOL DISTRICT
AP MUSIC THEORY
COURSE OF STUDY
June 2014
Dr. Paul Amoroso, Superintendent
Mr. Vincent Przybylinski, Principal
Mr. Anthony Mattera, Vice Principal
BOARD MEMBERS
Mrs. Dale Ambrogio, Mr. Jose A. Arroyo, Mrs. Traci Cioppa, Mr. Robert Cruz,
Mr. Shawn Dougherty, Mrs. Eileen Horn, Mr. Tom Salus, Mrs. Nancy Schwartz,
Mrs. Stephanie Shaw, Mr. Timothy Troast, Jr.
Unit Overview
Content Area:
AP Music Theory
Unit Title: AP Music Theory: Scales, Beginning Notation, Beginning Aural Skills, Beginning
Composition.
Target Course/Grade Level: Full Year Music Theory Class 11-12
Unit Summary:
The Advanced Placement Music Theory course is designed for the committed music student planning
to study music after graduation. It introduces a student to musicianship, theory, musical materials, and
procedures. It integrates aspects of melody, harmony, texture, rhythm, form, musical analysis,
elementary composition, and some history and style. Musicianship skills such as dictation, sightsinging, and keyboard harmony are included. The student’s ability to read and write musical notation
is fundamental to the course. It is also assumed that the student has acquired at least basic
performance skills in voice or on an instrument. The course’s ultimate goal is 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. Additionally, the development of aural skills is a primary course objective.
All students are encouraged to work both inside and outside the classroom. Homework assignments
are very important. Students are expected to attend concerts as extensions of the classroom. They
should gain exposure to and familiarity with a wide variety of musical literature. All students are
required to take the AP Music Theory exam and receive its benefits.
This course meets all New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards and mandates. It also meets the
AP program’s requirements.
Primary interdisciplinary connections: Mathematics, Science, 21st Century Life and Careers, and
Social Studies
21st century themes: Music, Technology
Unit Rationale:
A major component of a college music curriculum is a course introducing the first-year student to
musicianship, theory, musical materials, and procedures. AP Music Theory is such a course.
Melody, harmony, texture, rhythm, form, musical analysis, elementary composition, and history and
style will be covered. Dictation, sight-singing, and keyboard harmony are also an important part of AP
Music Theory. The student’s ability to read and write musical notation is fundamental. Students are
also expected to acquire at least basic performance skills in voice or on an instrument.
Learning Targets
Standards
STANDARD 1.1-THE CREATIVE PROCESS: All students will demonstrate an understanding of
the elements and principles that govern the creation of works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual
art.
STANDARD 1.2-HISTORY OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE: All students will understand the
role, development, and influence of the arts throughout history and across cultures.
STANDARD 1.3-PERFORMING: All students will synthesize skills, media, methods, and
technologies that are appropriate to creating, performing, and/or presenting works of art in dance,
music, theatre, and visual art.
STANDARD 1.4-AESTHETIC RESPONSES & CRITIQUE METHODOLOGIES: All students
will demonstrate and apply an understanding of arts philosophies, judgment, and analysis to works of
art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
Content Statements
CPI #
1.1.12.B.1
1.1.12.B.2
1.2.12.A.1
1.2.12.A.2
1.3.12.B.1
1.3.12.B.2
Cumulative Progress Indicator (CPI)
Understanding nuanced stylistic differences among various genres of music is a
component of musical fluency. Meter, rhythm, tonality, and harmonics are determining
factors in the categorization of musical genres.
Examine how aspects of meter, rhythm, tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic
progressions are organized and manipulated to establish unity and variety in genres of
musical compositions.
Musical proficiency is characterized by the ability to sight-read advanced notation.
Musical fluency is also characterized by the ability to classify and replicate the stylistic
differences in music of varying traditions.
Synthesize knowledge of the elements of music in the deconstruction and performance
of complex musical scores from diverse cultural contexts.
Cultural and historical events impact art-making as well as how audiences
respond to works of art.
Determine how dance, music, theatre, and visual art have influenced world
cultures throughout history.
Access to the arts has a positive influence on the quality of an individual’s
lifelong learning, personal expression, and contributions to community and
global citizenship.
Justify the impact of innovations in the arts (e.g., the availability of music online) on
societal norms and habits of mind in various historical eras.
Technical accuracy, musicality, and stylistic considerations vary according to genre,
culture, and historical era.
Analyze compositions from different world cultures and genres with respect to
technique, musicality, and stylistic nuance, and/or perform excerpts with technical
accuracy, appropriate musicality, and the relevant stylistic nuance.
The ability to read and interpret music impacts musical fluency.
Analyze how the elements of music are manipulated in original or prepared musical
scores.
1.3.12.B.3
1.3.12.B.4
1.4.12.A.1
1.4.12.A.2
1.4.12.A.3
1.4.12.A.4
1.4.12.B.1
1.4.12.B.2
1.4.12.B.3
Understanding of how to manipulate the elements of music is a contributing factor to
musical artistry. Understanding of how to manipulate the elements of music is a
contributing factor to musical artistry.
Improvise works through the conscious manipulation of the elements of music, using a
variety of traditional and nontraditional sound sources, including electronic soundgenerating equipment and music generation programs.
Basic vocal and instrumental arranging skills require theoretical understanding
of music composition.
Arrange simple pieces for voice or instrument using a variety of traditional and
nontraditional sound sources or electronic media, and/or analyze prepared scores using
music composition software.
Recognition of fundamental elements within various arts disciplines (dance, music,
theatre, and visual art) is dependent on the ability to decipher cultural implications
embedded in artworks.
Use contextual clues to differentiate between unique and common properties and to
discern the cultural implications of works of dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
Contextual clues within artworks often reveal artistic intent, enabling the viewer to
hypothesize the artist’s concept.
Speculate on the artist’s intent, using discipline-specific arts terminology and citing
embedded clues to substantiate the hypothesis
Artistic styles, trends, movements, and historical responses to various genres of art
evolve over time.
Develop informed personal responses to an assortment of artworks across the four arts
disciplines (dance, music, theatre, and visual art), using historical significance,
craftsmanship, cultural context, and originality as criteria for assigning value to the
works.
Criteria for assessing the historical significance, craftsmanship, cultural context, and
originality of art are often expressed in qualitative, discipline-specific arts terminology
Evaluate how exposure to various cultures influences individual, emotional, intellectual,
and kinesthetic responses to artwork.
Archetypal subject matter exists in all cultures and is embodied in the formal and
informal aspects of art.
Formulate criteria for arts evaluation using the principles of positive critique and
observation of the elements of art and principles of design, and use the criteria to
evaluate works of dance, music, theatre, visual, and multimedia artwork from diverse
cultural contexts and historical eras.
The cohesiveness of a work of art and its ability to communicate a theme or narrative
can be directly affected by the artist’s technical proficiency as well as by the manner
and physical context in which it is performed or shown.
Evaluate how an artist’s technical proficiency may affect the creation or presentation of
a work of art, as well as how the context in which a work is performed or shown may
impact perceptions of its significance/meaning.
Art and art-making reflect and affect the role of technology in a global society.
Determine the role of art and art-making in a global society by analyzing the influence
of technology on the visual, performing, and multimedia arts for consumers, creators,
and performers around the world.
Unit Essential Questions
Unit Enduring Understandings
 What are Aural Skills? – listens to
music works attentively and
 aural skills through listening exercises
analytically, develop musical memory
and be able to articulate responses
 sight-singing skills through performance
formal, stylistic and aesthetic qualities
exercises
 How can performance better my
understanding of how music is written?
 written skills through written exercises
– using singing, keyboard or student’s
primary instrument
 compositional skills through creative
 What are the different forms of
exercises
notation and what are their different
applications in music? – fluency in
 analytical skills through analytical
reading with strong grounding in music
exercises
fundamentals, terminology, and
analysis
 How do I compose an entire piece of
music while following all standard
part-writing rules? – four-voice
realization and composition of a bass
line for a given melody
 How do I correctly analyze a score and
interpret everything that is written on
the page? Why is music written this
way? How does it all fit together? –
melodic organization, rhythmic
organization, small and large-scale
harmonic procedures, texture, and
formal devices and procedures.
Unit Learning Targets
Students will ...
 Students will be able to recognize and write specific musical notation.
 Students will be able to identify specific intervals, scales, keys, chords, meters, and rhythmic
patterns.
 Students will be able to navigate through Sibelius program software.
 Students will be able to demonstrate basic sight-singing and sight-reading skills.
 Students will be able to compose a bass-line for a given melody and imply appropriate
harmony.
 Students will be able to realize a figure bass line
 Students will be able to realize a Roman numeral progression
 Students will be able to critically analyze a variety of repertoire, including a study of motivic
treatment, examination of rhythmic and melodic interaction between individual voices of a
composition, and harmonic analysis of functional tonal passages.
Evidence of Learning
Summative Assessment: 18 weeks
Students have successfully demonstrated the understanding of concepts covered within each lesson.
Homework is to be completed in a timely manner and will be graded and gone over in each class
session. Weekly quizzes and tests will help in assessing individual student progress. Projects should
be completed with an emphasis on creativity, originality, and individual effort. Projects are to be
handed in and presented within the given time frame.
Equipment needed: Whiteboard, DVD/Video, worksheets, Sibelius music software, staff-paper,
CD/mp3 player
Teacher Resources: Books, worksheet handouts, audio examples, program tutorials, websites, music
articles
Formative Assessments
 Class Participation
 Percussion Composition/Chamber
Instrument Compositions (2nd Quarter)
 Effort
 Written/Computer Exams
 Music Definitions Glossary-(notebook)
 Aural Skills-based Exams
 Group Teamwork
 Individual Work
 Scales, Notes, Chord Progressions- (1st
Quarter)
Lesson Plans
Lesson
Lesson 1
Brief review of note names on treble and bass
clef staves.
Lesson 2
Introduction to note names on alto, tenor and
soprano clefs.
Lesson 3
Introduction to Major Key signatures
Lesson 4
Introduction to chromatic scales
Lesson 5
Introduction to meter and rhythm
Lesson 6
Students will write major and chromatic scales
in different clefs and in different keys using
various meters and rhythmic patterns.
Lesson 7
Introduction to computer based notation
programs.
Lesson 8
Introduction to minor key signatures and all three
forms of the minor scale.
Lesson 9
Introduction to modes.
Lesson 10
Introduction to whole tone and pentatonic scales.
Timeframe
Sept. - 1.5 hours/2 days
Sept - 40min/1 day
Sept - 1.5 hours/2 days
Sept - 40 min/1 day
Sept - 1.5 hours/2 days
Sept - 40 min/1 day
Sept - 1.5 hours/2 days
Sept - 1.5 hours/2 days
Sept. - 1.5 hours/2 days
Sept. - 1.5 hours/2 days
Lesson 11
Students will write various modal, whole
tone, pentatonic, minor and major scales in
various keys and clefs
Lesson 12
Introduction to aural skills using previous scales.
Lesson 13
Introduction to intervals
Lesson 14
Students will be played various scales from the
previous weeks and asked to identify which scale
they hear.
Lesson 15
Students will also play scales for the class to
identify.
Lesson 16
Students will use Practica Musica to aurally
identify major, minor, diminished, augmented,
and perfect intervals.
Lesson 17
Students will be given various intervals to
identify visually.
Lesson 18
Review of aural skills.
Lesson 19
Introduction to major, minor and diminished
Chords occurring in a major key.
Lesson 20
Introduction to Roman numeral use to identify
chords in a major key.
Lesson 21
Students will visually identify triads in all major
keys using Roman numerals.
Lesson 22
Students will use Practica
Musica to aurally identify
major, minor and diminished chords
Lesson 23
Introduction to Roman numeral use to identify
chords occurring in all three forms of a minor
key.
Lesson 24
Introduction to correct doubling of triads in root
position.
Lesson 25
Introduction to correct pitch range for common
practice period four part writing.
Sept. - 40 min/1 day
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Oct - 1.5 hours/2 days
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Lesson 26
Introduction to form and motivic treatment.
(Rounded, binary, theme and variation, etc.)
Lesson 27
Students will visually identify triads in all three
minor keys using Roman numerals.
Lesson 28
Students will, given a key signature, and bass
note, fill in the remaining voices using correct
doubling.
Lesson 29
Students will aurally and visually identify correct
and incorrect doubling.
Lesson 30
Students will identify various musical forms and
motives in musical examples.
Lesson 31
Introduction to part writing rules for triads in root
position with special attention to tonic, dominant,
and subdominant relationships.
Lesson 32
Introduction to seventh chords.
Lesson 33
Introduction to Cadences.
Lesson 34
Students will connect chords in root position
given a key signature and bass line.
Lesson 35
Students will write cadences (perfect authentic,
imperfect authentic, plagal, and half) in various
major and minor keys.
Lesson 36
Students will aurally identify simple chord
progressions in root position and various
cadences.
Lesson 37
Introduction to part writing rules for triads in
inversion.
Lesson 38
Introduction to non-harmonic tones.
Lesson 39
Introduction to analysis.
Lesson 40
Introduction to commonly used chord
progressions.
Lesson 41
Students will write brief chord progressions using
triads in inversion, seventh chords, non-harmonic
tones, and various cadences.
Nov - 1.5 hours/2 days
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Nov - 1.5 hours/2 days
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Nov - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Lesson 42
Students will analyze short excerpts from Bach
chorales including, key signature, Roman
numerals, non-harmonic tones, and cadences
Lesson 43
Introduction to transposition.
Lesson 44
Introduction to brass instrument range.
Lesson 45
Introduction to phrasing especially as it relates to
wind instruments.
Lesson 46
Introduction to arranging
Lesson 47
Students will be given various pieces of winter
music to arrange for brass quintet (first given the
first trumpet and tuba lines, progressing to just
the first trumpet line).
Lesson 48
Students will use bass lines to imply appropriate
harmony.
Lesson 49
Student works will be performed in class
preferably using a live brass ensemble or with the
use of electronic instruments.
Lesson 50
Students will be given figured bass lines to
realize using appropriate part writing rules.
Lesson 51
Review of aural skills.
Lesson 52
Introduction to woodwind instrument range.
Lesson 53
Introduction to string instrument range.
Lesson 54
Introduction to string instrument phrasing and
bowings.
Lesson 55
Students will arrange various pieces of music for
woodwind quintet, and string quartet.
Lesson 56
Student works will be performed in class
preferably using a live ensemble or with the use
of electronic instruments.
Lesson 57
Students will be given Roman numeral
progressions to realize using appropriate part
writing rules.
Lesson 58
Introduction to percussion instruments.
Dec - 40 min/2 days
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Dec - 1.5 hours/2 days
Dec - 40 min/1 day
Jan - 40 min/1 day
Jan - 40 min/1 day
Jan - 40 min/1 day
Jan - 40 min/1 day
Jan - 2 hours/3 days
Jan - 1.5 hours/2 days
Jan - 1.5 hours/2 days
Jan - 1.5 hours/2 days
Lesson 59
Introduction to melody writing.
Lesson 60
Students will write a brief percussion ensemble
piece using at least five different
Percussion instruments one of which must
be tonal and must conform to a previously
studied musical form.
Lesson 61
Students will write a work for a combination of
musical instruments which must include seven
different instruments and must have a least one
from each family.
(Strings, woodwind, brass and percussion.)
Lesson 62
Student works will be performed in class
preferably using a live ensemble or with the use
of electronic instruments.
Jan - 1.5 hours/2 days
Jan - 1.5 hours/2 days
Jan - 2 hours/3 days
Jan - 1.5 hours/2 days
Teacher Notes:





Students will be required to manage their time sufficiently due to limited computer
availability and will ultimately work cooperatively in groups.
Students will demonstrate proper use and care of delicate and expensive recording
equipment.
All recorded work is to be stored on the Hard-drive AND flash-drive.
All equipment is to be properly stored and cleaned up
Students will maintain and organize a neat 3-ring binder notebook containing all loose dittos
and hand-outs.
Curriculum Development Resources
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit:
Unit Overview
Content Area:
AP Music Theory
Unit Title: AP Music Theory (Full Score Analysis, Part-writing, Composition and more developed
Aural Skills
Target Course/Grade Level: Full Year Music Theory Class 11-12
Unit Summary:
The Advanced Placement Music Theory course is designed for the committed music student planning
to study music after graduation. It introduces a student to musicianship, theory, musical materials,
and procedures. It integrates aspects of melody, harmony, texture, rhythm, form, musical analysis,
elementary composition, and some history and style. Musicianship skills such as dictation, sightsinging, and keyboard harmony are included. The student’s ability to read and write musical notation
is fundamental to the course. It is also assumed that the student has acquired at least basic
performance skills in voice or on an instrument. The course’s ultimate goal is 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. Additionally, the development of aural skills is a primary course
objective.
All students are continued to be encouraged to work both inside and outside the classroom.
Homework assignments are very important. Students are expected to attend concerts as extensions of
the classroom. They should gain more exposure to and familiarity with a wide variety of musical
literature. All students are required to take the AP Music Theory exam and receive its benefits.
This course meets all New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards and mandates. It also meets
the AP program’s requirements.
Primary interdisciplinary connections: Mathematics, Science, 21st Century Life and Careers, and
Social Studies
21st century themes: Music, Technology
Unit Rationale:
A major component of a college music curriculum is a course introducing the first-year student to
musicianship, theory, musical materials, and procedures. AP Music Theory is such a course.
Melody, harmony, texture, rhythm, form, musical analysis, elementary composition, and history and
style will be covered in more detail in the second half. Dictation, sight-singing, and keyboard
harmony are also an important part of AP Music Theory and will become more complex and detailed
in the second half. The student’s ability to read and write musical notation is fundamental. Students
are also expected to acquire at least basic performance skills in voice or on an instrument.
Learning Targets
Standards
STANDARD 1.1-THE CREATIVE PROCESS: All students will demonstrate an understanding of
the elements and principles that govern the creation of works of art in dance, music, theatre, and
visual art.
STANDARD 1.2-HISTORY OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE: All students will understand the
role, development, and influence of the arts throughout history and across cultures.
STANDARD 1.3-PERFORMING: All students will synthesize skills, media, methods, and
technologies that are appropriate to creating, performing, and/or presenting works of art in dance,
music, theatre, and visual art.
STANDARD 1.4-AESTHETIC RESPONSES & CRITIQUE METHODOLOGIES: All
students will demonstrate and apply an understanding of arts philosophies, judgment, and analysis to
works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
Content Statements
CPI #
1.1.12.B.1
1.1.12.B.2
1.2.12.A.1
1.2.12.A.2
1.3.12.B.1
1.3.12.B.2
Cumulative Progress Indicator (CPI)
Understanding nuanced stylistic differences among various genres of music is a
component of musical fluency. Meter, rhythm, tonality, and harmonics are determining
factors in the categorization of musical genres.
Examine how aspects of meter, rhythm, tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic
progressions are organized and manipulated to establish unity and variety in genres of
musical compositions.
Musical proficiency is characterized by the ability to sight-read advanced notation.
Musical fluency is also characterized by the ability to classify and replicate the stylistic
differences in music of varying traditions.
Synthesize knowledge of the elements of music in the deconstruction and performance
of complex musical scores from diverse cultural contexts.
Cultural and historical events impact art-making as well as how audiences
respond to works of art.
Determine how dance, music, theatre, and visual art have influenced world
cultures throughout history.
Access to the arts has a positive influence on the quality of an individual’s
lifelong learning, personal expression, and contributions to community and
global citizenship.
Justify the impact of innovations in the arts (e.g., the availability of music online) on
societal norms and habits of mind in various historical eras.
Technical accuracy, musicality, and stylistic considerations vary according to genre,
culture, and historical era.
Analyze compositions from different world cultures and genres with respect to
technique, musicality, and stylistic nuance, and/or perform excerpts with technical
accuracy, appropriate musicality, and the relevant stylistic nuance.
The ability to read and interpret music impacts musical fluency.
Analyze how the elements of music are manipulated in original or prepared musical
scores.
1.3.12.B.3
Understanding of how to manipulate the elements of music is a contributing factor to
musical artistry. Understanding of how to manipulate the elements of music is a
contributing factor to musical artistry.
Improvise works through the conscious manipulation of the elements of music, using a
variety of traditional and nontraditional sound sources, including electronic soundgenerating equipment and music generation programs.
1.3.12.B.4
Basic vocal and instrumental arranging skills require theoretical understanding
of music composition.
1.4.12.A.1
1.4.12.A.2
1.4.12.A.3
1.4.12.A.4
1.4.12.B.1
1.4.12.B.2
1.4.12.B.3
Arrange simple pieces for voice or instrument using a variety of traditional and
nontraditional sound sources or electronic media, and/or analyze prepared scores using
music composition software.
Recognition of fundamental elements within various arts disciplines (dance, music,
theatre, and visual art) is dependent on the ability to decipher cultural implications
embedded in artworks.
Use contextual clues to differentiate between unique and common properties and to
discern the cultural implications of works of dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
Contextual clues within artworks often reveal artistic intent, enabling the viewer to
hypothesize the artist’s concept.
Speculate on the artist’s intent, using discipline-specific arts terminology and citing
embedded clues to substantiate the hypothesis
Artistic styles, trends, movements, and historical responses to various genres of art
evolve over time.
Develop informed personal responses to an assortment of artworks across the four arts
disciplines (dance, music, theatre, and visual art), using historical significance,
craftsmanship, cultural context, and originality as criteria for assigning value to the
works.
Criteria for assessing the historical significance, craftsmanship, cultural context, and
originality of art are often expressed in qualitative, discipline-specific arts terminology
Evaluate how exposure to various cultures influences individual, emotional,
intellectual, and kinesthetic responses to artwork.
Archetypal subject matter exists in all cultures and is embodied in the formal and
informal aspects of art.
Formulate criteria for arts evaluation using the principles of positive critique and
observation of the elements of art and principles of design, and use the criteria to
evaluate works of dance, music, theatre, visual, and multimedia artwork from diverse
cultural contexts and historical eras.
The cohesiveness of a work of art and its ability to communicate a theme or narrative
can be directly affected by the artist’s technical proficiency as well as by the manner
and physical context in which it is performed or shown.
Evaluate how an artist’s technical proficiency may affect the creation or presentation
of a work of art, as well as how the context in which a work is performed or shown
may impact perceptions of its significance/meaning.
Art and art-making reflect and affect the role of technology in a global society.
Determine the role of art and art-making in a global society by analyzing the influence
of technology on the visual, performing, and multimedia arts for consumers, creators,
and performers around the world.
Unit Essential Questions
 What are Aural Skills? - listen to music
works attentively and analytically, develop
musical memory and be able to articulate
responses formal, stylistic and aesthetic
qualities
 What is a performance? - Performance using singing, keyboard or student’s primary
instrument
 What is Notation and how can it be used
throughout all aspects, genres and historical
time periods? - fluency in reading with strong
grounding in music fundamentals,
terminology, and analysis
 How does one create a composition?- fourvoice realization and composition of a bass
line for a given melody
 How does one analyze a score analysis? melodic organization, rhythmic organization,
small and large-scale harmonic procedures,
texture, and formal devices and procedures.
Unit Enduring Understandings

aural skills through listening exercises

sight-singing skills through performance
exercises

written skills through written exercises

compositional skills through creative
exercises

analytical skills through analytical
exercises
Unit Learning Targets
Students will learn the following items ...
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Musical Terminology
 Interval, chords, scales, and modes
 Rhythm and meter,
 Melodic construction and variation
 Harmonic function
 Cadences and phrase structure
 Texture
 Small forms
 Musical performance
Notational Skills
 Rhythmic and metric notation
 Clefs and pitch notation
 Key signature, scales, and modes
 Intervals and chords
 Transposition of melodic lines
Basic Compositional Skills
 Four-voice realization of figure-bass symbols and Roman
Numerals
 Composition of a bass line (with chord symbols) for a
given melody
Score Analysis (with or without aural stimulus)
 Small-scale and large-scale harmonic procedures, including
identification of cadence types
 Roman-numeral and figured-bass analysis,
including non-harmonic tones, seventh chords, and
secondary-dominant chords
 identification of key centers and key relationships;
recognition of modulation to closely related keys
 Melodic organization and developmental procedures
 scale types; modes
 melodic patterning
 motivic development and relationships (e.g.,
inversion, retrograde, sequence, imitation)
 Rhythmic/metric organization
 meter type (e.g., double, triple, and quadruple)
and beat type (e.g., simple, compound)
 rhythmic devices and procedures (e.g.,
augmentation, diminution, hemiola)
 Texture
 types (e.g., textural inversion, imitation)
 devices (e.g., textural inversion, imitation)
 Formal devices and/or procedures
 phrase structure
 phrases in combination (e.g., period, double
period, phrase group) small forms
Aural Skills
 Sight-singing
 Melodic dictation
 Harmonic dictation
 Identification of isolated pitch and rhythmic patterns
 Detection of errors in pitch and rhythm in one-and two voice
AP MUSIC THEORY
 melodic organization (e.g., scale-degree function
of specified tones, scale types, mode, melodic
Evidence of Learning
Summative Assessment: 18 weeks
Students have successfully demonstrated the understanding of concepts covered within each lesson.
Homework is to be completed in a timely manner and will be graded and gone over in each class
session. Weekly quizzes and tests will help in assessing individual student progress. Projects should
be completed with an emphasis on creativity, originality, and individual effort. Projects are to be
handed in and presented within the given time frame.
Equipment needed: Whiteboard, DVD/Video, worksheets, Sibelius music software, staff-paper,
CD/mp3 player
Teacher Resources: Books, worksheet handouts, audio examples, program tutorials, websites,
music articles
Formative Assessments
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Class Participation
Effort
Music Definitions Glossary-(notebook)
Group Teamwork
Individual Work
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Bach/Brass-Composition (4th Quarter)
Written/Computer Exams
Aural Skills-based Exams
Part-Writing, Notes, Chord Progressions(3rd Quarter)
Equipment needed: Whiteboard, DVD/Video, worksheets, microphones, High-Tech Midi-lab
(Computer, midi-keyboard, and Sibelius, Protools, and Garageband software)
Teacher Resources: Books, worksheet handouts, audio examples, program tutorials, websites,
music articles
Lesson Plans
Lesson
Lesson 1
Students will sing diatonic major scales and
scale excerpts e.g. (1-5, 5-1) using fixed Do in
simple duple or triple meter starting with four
measure examples and progressing to longer
examples.
Lesson 2
Students will rotate diatonic major scales and
scale excerpts e.g. (1-5, 5-1) using both treble
and bass clefs starting with four measure
examples and progressing to longer examples
Lesson 3
Students will analyze a Bach chorale.
Lesson 4
Students will sing diatonic major scales and
scale excerpts e.g. (1-5, 5-1) using fixed Do in
Compound meters starting with four measure
examples and progressing to longer examples.
Timeframe
Feb - 2 hours/3 days
Feb - 2 hours/3 days
Feb - 5 hours/6 days
Feb - 2 hours/3 days
Lesson 5
Students will rotate diatonic major scales and
scale excerpts e.g. (1-5, 5-1) in compound
meters using both treble and bass clefs starting
with four measure examples and progressing to
longer examples.
Lesson 6
Students will sing diatonic major scales and
scale excerpts e.g. (1-5, 5-1) using fixed Do
with altered notes in simple duple or triple
meter and compound meters starting with four
Measure examples and progressing to longer
examples.
Lesson 7
Students will rotate diatonic major scales and
scale excerpts e.g. (1-5, 5-1) in duple or triple
meter and compound meters using both treble
and bass clefs starting with four measure
examples and progressing to longer examples
Lesson 8
Students will analyze an excerpt of a
contemporary work for concert band.
Lesson 9
Students will sing diatonic major scales and
scale excerpts e.g. (1-5, 5-1) using fixed Do
with altered notes in duple or triple meter and
Compound meters starting with four measure
examples and progressing to longer examples.
Lesson 10
Students will rotate diatonic major scales and
scale excerpts e.g. (1-5, 5-1) with altered notes
in duple or triple meter and compound meters
using both treble and bass clefs starting with
four measure examples and progressing to
longer examples.
Lesson 11
Review of aural and sight singing skills.
Lesson 12
Introduction of secondary dominants.
Lesson 13
Introduction of secondary leading tone chords
Lesson 14
Introduction to piano analysis.
Lesson 15
Students will analyze various excerpts with
emphasis on secondary dominants, secondary
leading tone chords, and piano music.
Lesson 16
Students will take an AP practice exam
Feb - 2 hours/3 days
March - 3.25 hours/4 days
March - 3.25 hours/4 days
March - 4 hours/5 days
March - 3.25 hours/4 days
March - 3.25 hours/4 days
April - 40 min/1 day
April - 1.5 hours/2 days
April - 1.5 hours/2 days
April - 1.5 hours/2 days
April - 1.5 hours/2 days
April - 40 min/1 day
Lesson 17
Review of aural and sight singing skills.
Lesson 18
Introduction to various style periods.
Lesson 19
Introduction to modulation to closely related
keys.
Lesson 20
Students will be given various musical
examples to listen to and identify the style
period.
Lesson 21
Students will analyze Bach chorales and
other four part works with emphasis on
modulation
Lesson 22
Students will take an AP practice exam
Lesson 23
Students will analyze a common practice period
symphony for form and structure.
Lesson 24
Introduction to 20th century compositional
techniques.
Lesson 25
Students will compose and arrange a 12 tone
work for concert band.
Lesson 26
Students will compose a work of their choice
Lesson 27
Students will review for the final exam.
April - 40 min/1 day
April - 40 min/1 day
April - 1.5 hours/2 days
April - 1.5 hours/2 days
April - 1.5 hours/2 days
May-4 hours/5 days
May - 4 hours/5 days
May - 4 hours/5 days
May - 4 hours/5 days
June - 8 hours/10 days
June - 4 hours/5 days
Teacher Notes:
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Students will be required to manage their time sufficiently due to limited computer
availability and will ultimately work cooperatively in groups.
Students will demonstrate proper use and care of delicate and expensive recording
equipment.
All recorded work is to be stored on the Hard-drive AND flash-drive.
All equipment is to be properly stored and cleaned up
Students will maintain and organize a neat 3-ring binder notebook containing all loose dittos
and hand-outs.
Curriculum Development Resources
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit: