Honors AP Music Theory – Ankeny Centennial High School
Materials of Music I and II – Des Moines Area Community College
Lester Ray Miller III, Instructor
Course Overview –
DMACC Credit
st
Materials of Music I will be offered 1 semester and 3 hours of DMACC credit are available upon
successful completion of the course as the DMACC competencies for MUS 106 will be taught and
assessed.
nd
Materials of Music II will be offered 2 semester and 3 hrs. of DMACC credit will be available
upon successful completion of that course as the DMACC competencies for MUS 107 will be
taught and assessed.
Objectives of the Course
This course is designed to develop musical skills that will lead to a thorough understanding of
music composition and music theory. Students are prepared to take the AP® Music Theory Exam
when they have completed the course. Students planning to major in music in college may be
able to enroll in an advanced music theory course, depending on individual colleges’ AP policies.
General Course Content
1. Review of music fundamentals, including: scales, key signatures, circle-of-fifths, intervals,
triads, and inversions
2. Daily ear training, including rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic dictation
3. Weekly Sight-Singing using numbers for pitches
4. The study of modes
5. The study of figured bass
6. The study of two-part counterpoint
7. The study of four-part harmony
8. The study of seventh chords
9. The study of secondary-dominant functions
10. The study of musical form
11. The study of common compositional techniques
The objectives below have been adapted from the Expanded Course Specifications posted on the
1
AP Music Theory Home Page on AP Central
Expanded Course Objectives
1. Identify and notate pitch in four clefs: treble, bass, alto, and tenor
2. Notate, hear, and identify simple and compound meters
3. Notate and identify all major and minor key signatures
4. Notate, hear, and identify the following scales: chromatic, major, and the three minor forms
5. Name and recognize scale degree terms, for example: tonic, supertonic, mediant,
subdominant, dominant, submediant, subtonic, leading tone
6. Notate, hear, and transpose the following modes: Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and Mixolydian
7. Notate, hear, and identify whole-tone and pentatonic scales
8. Notate, hear, and identify all major, minor, diminished, and augmented intervals inclusive of an
octave
9. Transpose a melodic line to or from concert pitch for any common band or orchestral
instrument
1
C1 – The teacher has read the most recent AP Music Theory Course Description
10. Notate, hear, and identify triads, including inversions
11. Notate, hear, and identify authentic, plagal, half, and deceptive cadences in major and minor
keys
12. Detect pitch and rhythm errors in written music from given aural excerpts
13. Notate a melody from dictation, 6 to 12 bars, in major key, mostly diatonic pitches, simple or
compound time, three to four repetitions
14. Notate melody from dictation, 6 to 12 bars, in a minor key, chromatic alteration from
harmonic/melodic scales, simple or compound time, three to four repetitions
15. Sight-sing a melody, 4 to 8 bars long, major or minor key, duple or triple meter, simple or
compound time, using solfege, numbers, or any comfortable vocal syllable(s) 16. Notate and
analyze simple 2-bar counterpoint in sixteenth- and/or eighteenth-century styles
17. Realize a figured bass according to the rules of eighteenth-century chorale style, major or
minor key, using any or all of the following devices: diatonic triads, seventh chords, inversions,
nonharmonic tones, and secondary-dominant and dominant seventh chords2
18. Analyze a four-part chorale style piece using Roman and Arabic numerals to represent chords
and their inversions
19. Notate, hear, and identify the following nonharmonic tones: passing tone (accented and
unaccented), neighboring tone, anticipation, suspension, retardation, appoggiatura, escape tone,
changing tone (cambiata), pedal tone
20. Notate the soprano and bass pitches and the Roman and Arabic numeral analysis of a
harmonic dictation, eighteenth-century chorale style, seventh chords, secondary dominants, 4 to
8 bars in length, major or minor key, three to four repetitions
21. Compose a melody or expand a motive with or without text, 6 to 12 bars long, given specific
directions about key, mode, phrasing, rhythm, and harmonic language. Harmonize a 4- to 12-bar
melody by writing a bass line, chords and/or chord symbols, given specific directions about key,
mode, phrasing, rhythmic and harmonic language3
22. Define and identify common tempo and expression markings
23. Identify aurally and/or visually the following: modulation, transposition, melodic and harmonic
rhythm, sequence, imitation, ostinato, augmentation, diminution, inversion, retrograde, and
fragmentation
24. Recognize standard musical algorithms, i.e., standard melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic
idioms that occur in music
j) form (binary, ternary, sonata, rondo, etc.)
k) articulations (legato, staccato, etc.)
How students will be graded:
· A 0-100 percent scale will be utilized at the secondary level in the Ankeny Community
School District.
· Letter grades will continue to be assigned for all courses at the secondary level based
on the 0-100 percent scale.
· When utilizing a rubric with a 1-4 scale, I will show the connection between a student’s
performance on the rubric to the assigned grade within the 0-100 percent scale. This connection
will be communicated at the onset of its use and throughout the learning progression for the
purpose of providing feedback.
· When a rubric is converted to a letter grade, the 0-100 percent scale will be employed.
st
· Categories/Weighting in Infinite Campus: Assessment %100 21 Century Skills %0
Grading Scale:
Minimum Percent
2
3
92.5
89.5
86.5
C4 – The course includes realization of a figured bass
C12 – The course teaches phrase structure
79.5
72.5
66.5
62.5
Letter Grade
A
A-
B+
82.5
B
B-
76.5
C+
C
69.5
C-
Board-Approved Standards:
Guiding Practices:
Multiple and Varied Assessment Opportunities (including Retakes)
All students should have multiple assessment opportunities to demonstrate higher levels of
achievement. The opportunities may be initiated by the instructor or the student, but always at the
instructor’s discretion.
Additional opportunities may include retakes of an alternate form of an assessment (e.g., Form B
instead of Form A), student revisions of work products based on descriptive feedback, or
alternative methods of assessments (e.g., an oral response rather than a written test).
Guidelines for retakes include the following:
· Students will be provided the opportunity to be reassessed (i.e., retakes and homework).
· Teachers determine appropriateness and authentic need for reassessments.
· Generally, reassessments will be limited to one retake per assessment. Additional
reassessments will be provided at the discretion of the teacher.
· Retakes will be taken within a reasonable time frame that the teacher determines and
informs students of in advance. Homework / Independent Practice Homework is an
opportunity for students to practice skills, apply knowledge, review and build on past
learning, and extend learning. Homework is individualized and based on each student’s
progress towards established standards. The purpose of the assignment will determine
whether or not a grade is given and will be clearly articulated to students. Through
independent learning tasks (homework), students assume more responsibility for their
learning and are given opportunities to apply what they have learned to new situations or
experiences.
Extra Credit and Bonus Points
To ensure that grades reflect progress toward and achievement of the standards, giving extra
credit points or bonus points will not occur in this class.
Expectations of Students
1. Students will participate in all classroom discussions and activities.
2. Students will complete all assigned exercises and readings.
3. Students will keep and maintain a Music Theory notebook, which will include class notes,
handouts, assignments, and listening logs.
4. Students will study the released AP Exams and take practice tests to prepare for the exam
5. Students will listen to approximately one hour of music each week outside of class and
maintain a music listening log, which will consist of written analysis/evaluations of each listening
selection.4 These written logs should include observations and evaluations regarding the following
items:
a) Melodic characteristics (conjunct/disjunct)
b) harmonic characteristics (harmonic idioms present)
c) rhythm (straight/syncopated)
d) texture (homophonic, monophonic, polyphonic, heterophonic)
4
C6 – The course includes analysis of repertoire. C14 – Musical skills are developed through
listening. C16 – Musical skills are developed through written exercises.
D+
D
e) timbre (instrumentation, tone color)
f) dynamics (dynamic contrasts)
g) tempo
h) meter (duple/triple, simple/compound, regular/irregular)
i) mode (major, minor, modal, atonal)
Behavioral Expectations
· The vision of the Ankeny Community Schools is that behavior will be reported separately
from academic achievement.
· Formative and Summative Assessment: Definitions
· Formative Assessment: Formal and informal processes teachers and students use to
gather evidence for the purpose of improving learning.
· Summative Assessment: Assessments that provide evidence of student achievement
for the purpose of making a judgment about student competence or program
effectiveness.
Textbook
Horvitm Michael, Timothy Koozin, Robert Nelson. 2001. Music for Ear Training, Belmont, CA:
Thomson Learning.
Kostka, Stefan and Dorothy Payne. 2009. Tonal Harmony: With and Introduction to Twentiethth
Century Music, 6 ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Ottman, Robert. 2004. Music for Sight-Singing, 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Palisca, Claude V., editor. 1988. Norton Anthology of Western Music, Vols. 1 and 2, 2nd ed. New
York: W. W. Norton.
Turek, Ralph. 1996. The Elements of Music: Concepts and Applications, Vol. I, 2nd ed. New York:
McGraw-Hill. Includes workbook.
The textbooks include a wide range of music literature from standard Western tonal repertoires
and emphasize tonal relationships, harmonization from Roman numerals, etc. Through utilization
of the textbooks as the course progresses through the year, students will engage in activities that
address these curricular requirements.5
First Nine Weeks:
Week 1 & 2
Theory: Chapter 1 – Elements of Pitch: Keyboard, Notation and Staff, Major and Minor Scale, Key
Signatures, Scale degree names, Intervals, Inversions
Sight Singing/Ear Training – Introduction to Solfege
Week 3
Theory: Chapter 2 – Elements of Rhythm: Durational Symbols, Beat and Tempo, Meter, Division
of Beat, Simple and Compound time signatures
Week 4
Theory: Review and Assessment
5
C5 – The course includes realization of a Roman numeral progression
Sight Singing/Ear Training – Introduction to Scale Line / Ascending and Descending Pitch
Week 5 & 6
Theory: Chapter 3 - Introduction to Triads and Seventh Chords: Triads, Seventh Chords,
Inversions of Chords, Inversion Symbols and Figured Bass, Lead-Sheet Symbols, Chords in
Textures
Sight Singing/Ear Training – Intervals from the triad / major and minor seconds
Week 7 & 8
Theory: Chapter 4 – Diatonic Chords in Major and Minor Keys: Diatonic Triads in Major, Diatonic
Triads in Minor, Diatonic Seventh Chords in Major, Diatonic Seventh Chords in Minor
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Intervals from tonic triad / major and minor thirds
Week 9
Theory: Review and Assessment
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Review and Assessment
Second Nine Weeks
Week 1
Theory: Chapter 5 - Principals of Voice Leading: Melodic Line, Voicing a Single Triad, Parallel
Motion
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Intervals from the Tonic Triad, Minor / Perfect and augmented
fourths
Week 2 & 3
th th
Theory: Chapter 6 – Root Position Part Writing: Repeater Roots, Roots a 4 (5 ) Apart, Roots a
rd
nd
3 Apart, Roots a 2 Apart, Instrumental Ranges and Transposition
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Intervals in the Dominant Triad
Week 4
Theory: Chapter 7 – Harmonic Progression and the Sequence: The I and V Chords, II Chord, VI
Chords, III Chord, VII Chord, IV Chord, Minor Mode Differences, Progressions, Sequences,
Harmonizing a simple melody with a bass line
th
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Intervals in the Dominant 7
Week 5
Theory: Review and Assessment
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Review and Assessment
Week 6
Theory: Chapter 8 – Triads in First Inversion: Bass Arpeggiation, Parallel Sixth Chords, Part
Writing, 2 Part Counterpoint (soprano/bass)
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Rhythm and Dictation
Week 7
Theory: Chapter 9 – Triads in Second Inversion: Bass Arpeggiation, Cadential Six-Four, Passing
Six-Four, Pedal Six-Four, Part Writing i
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Melody in the tonic and dominant triad
Week 8
Theory: Chapter 10 – Cadences, Phrases and Periods: Musical Form, Cademnces, Motives and
Phrases, Period Forms, The Sentence
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Diatonic Intervals
Week 9
Theory: Review and Semester Exam
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Review and Semester Exam
Third Nine Weeks
Week 1
Theory: Review and Chapter 11&12 – Nonchord Tones 1 & 2: Passing, Neighboring,
Suspensions, Retardations, Appogiaturas, Escape, Anticipations, Neighbor Groups, Pedal
Sight-Singing/Ear Training- Review and Chorale Excerpts
Week 2
Theory: Review and Chapter 13 – The V7 Chord: General Voice-Leading, The V7 in Root
th
Position, The V7 in Three Parts, Other Resolutions, the Inverted V7, The Approach to the 7 .
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Chorale Excerpts
Week 3
Theory: Chapter 14 – The II7 and VII7 Chords
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Chorale Excerpts
Week 4
Theory: Chapter 15 – Other Diatonic Seventh Chords: The IV7, The VI7, the I7, The III7 chords,
Seventh Chords and the Circle-of-Fifths Progression
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Chorale Excerpts
Week 5
Theory: Review and Exam
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Chorale Excerpts
Week 6 & 7
Theory: Chapter 16 – Secondary Functions: Altered Chords, Secondary Functions and
Tonicization, Secondary Dominants, Spelling and Recognizing Secondary Dominants, Secondary
Dominants in Context
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Chorale Excerpts
Week 8 & 9
Theory: Chapter 17 – Secondary Functions 2: Secondary Leading Tones, Spelling and
Recognizing Secondary Leading Tones, Secondary Leading Tones in Context, Sequences
Involving Secondary Functions, Deceptive Resolutions of Secondary Functions
Week 9 Exam
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Chorale Excerpts
Fourth Nine Weeks
Week 1
Theory: Chapter 18 – Modulations Using Diatonic Common Chords: Modulations and Change of
Key, Modulation and Tonicization, Key Relationships, Common-Chord Modulations, Analyzing
Common-Chord Modualtions
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Dictation exercises
Week 2
Theory: Chapter 19 – Other Modulatory Techniques: Altered Chords as Common Chords,
Sequential Modulation, Modulation by Common Tone, Monophonic Modulation, Direct Modulation
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Dictation exercises
Week 3
Theory: Chapter 20 – Binary and Ternary Form: Formal Termanology, Binary Forms, Ternary
Forms, Rounded Binary Forms, Sonata Form, Rondo Form
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Dictation exercises
Week 4
Theory: Diatonic Modes, Borrowed Chords in Minor, Pentatonic, Whole Tone and other Synthetic
Scales
Sight-Singing/Ear Training – Chorale Excerpts/Dictation
Week 5-7
Free response exercises, Dictation exercises, Recorded sight singing exercises, literature
analysis
Week 8-9
Student arranging assignments
Semester Two Exam
Teaching Strategies
Vocabulary is emphasized, because learning music theory vocabulary is critical to success on the
AP Exam. Likewise, it is crucial that students understand standard music theory protocol, both in
analysis and in composition. Composition is used as a means by which students can demonstrate
their understanding of a particular concept. Many students find musical composition to be
intimidating, especially since they come to class with varying skills. Students will be given specific
composition assignments with prescribed requirements and to grade them with a scoring
guideline (rubric). This allows all students to succeed as long as they meet the assigned criteria,
while giving the more advanced composers some latitude to “make it their own.” Students can
benefit from helping each other, so they are encouraged to work with a partner and check each
other’s work. Sometimes the study of theory can seem monotonous and dry, so it’s important to
vary activities and give assignments that let “the creative juices flow.” When a task in theory
seems like an overwhelming chore, we face it together with humor, as a challenge to be met.
Grades
Tests, Quizzes, Compositions – 100%
Homework – 0%
A – 90% and Above
B – 80% to 89%
C – 70% to 79%
D – 60% to 69%
F – 59% and Below
Teacher Resources
Benjamin, Thomas, Michael Horvit, and Robert Nelson. 2001. Music For Analysis, Examples from
the Common Practice Period and the Twentieth Century, 5th ed. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth.
Benward, Bruce, and Gary White. 1997. Music In Theory and Practice, Vol. I, 6th ed. Madison,
Wis.: Brown and Benchmark.
Clough, John, Joyce Conley, and Claire Boge. 1999. Scales, Intervals, Keys, Triads, Rhythm and
Meter: A Programmed Course in Elementary Music Theory, with an Introduction to Partwriting,
3rd ed. New York: W. W. Norton
Harder, Paul O., and Greg A. Steinke. 1994. Harmonic Materials in Tonal Music: A Programmed
Course, Vols. 1 and 2, 7th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Kostka, Stefan, and Dorothy Payne. 2000. Tonal Harmony with an Introduction to TwentiethCentury Music. New York: McGraw-Hill.
McIntosh, Edith. 1955. Theory and Musicianship, Lessons with Worksheets and Supplements.
New York: Fischer.
Merryman, Marjorie. 1997. The Music Theory Handbook. Fort Worth, Texas: Harcourt Brace.
Ottman, Robert. 1998. Elementary Harmony: Theory and Practice, 5th ed. Upper Saddle River,
N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Ottman, Robert. 2001. Music For Sight Singing, 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Roig-Francoli, Miguel A. 2003. Harmony in Context. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Turek, Ralph, compiler. 1992. Analytical Anthology of Music, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. 13