AP Music Theory Syllabus
Phelps ACE Music
Mr. Green
Room S206
2015-2016
Course Description
The ultimate goal of an AP Music Theory course 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. The achievement of this goal may be best promoted by
integrated approaches to the student’s development of: aural skills, sight-singing skills, written skills
through, compositional
skills, analytical skills through listening exercises, performance exercises, written exercises, creative exercises, analytical exercises.
This course covers the tonal harmony of the Western Classical and Romantic periods, excluding the modal music of the Renaissance
which preceded it, and the chromatic music of the early twentieth century that followed it. Topics include notation, rhythm and
meter, scales, intervals, triads and seventh chords, cadences, nonharmonic tones, melody, texture, voice leading, modulation, small
forms and score analysis. Study of these topics is developed through sight-singing, score analysis of standard Western tonal vocal
and instrumental repertoire, composition, and discriminatory listening. Each topic will be explored through reading, singing, and
composing music using material that reflects that topic.
Students who enroll in this course are expected to take the AP Music Theory test in May.
Classroom Expectations
Students are expected to behave appropriately in class. The following behavior is appropriate:
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Be Prepared
Bring materials to class, bring completed homework to class, be in full uniform.
Be Punctual
Be on time for class, turn in assignments on time.
Be Polite
The Golden Rule: treat others as you would want to be treated.
Be Positive
Keep an open mind about other people, schoolwork, and yourself.
Students are otherwise expected to adhere to all behavior guidelines in the Phelps ACE Student Handbook.
Required Materials
Students are required to have the following items to use in class EVERY DAY:
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Two pencils (NOT pens)
Notebook with STAFF PAPER
3-ring binder or folder to keep classwork and papers. Folders will be checked periodically.
Textbook – Kostka, Payne. Tonal Harmony
Supplemental Resource Packet – provided by the teacher with excerpts from other books, sight-singing material, etc
Books
This course will use the following books:
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Kostka, Stefan and Dorothy Payne: Tonal Harmony, 7th edition
Scoggin, Nancy. Barron’s AP Music Theory, 2nd edition
This course will use selections from the following books:
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Benward, Bruce and Marilyn Saker: Music in Theory and Practice, volume 1, 9th edition
Clendinning, Jane Piper and Elizabeth West Marvin. The Musician’s Guide to Theory and Analysis, 2nd edition
Crowell, Benjamin. Eyes and Ears, an Anthology for Melodies for Sight-Singing
AP Music Theory Syllabus
Phelps SHS General Music
Mr. Green
Assessment
End of course grade: 80% of students’ end of course grade will be course assignments (20% from each advisory) and 10% will be
their final exam. A midterm will be given at the end of the second advisory, worth 10% of their overall grade.
Assessments
Practice /
Application
Assignments
Number per advisory
Exit tickets: singing, composition, multiple choice, project checkpoint, etc
Daily exit tickets
Homework: practice with analytic and creative skills, research
12 homework
assignments
Major composition: one composition drawing on concepts studied each
advisory.
1 major composition
Quizzes: Checkpoints throughout each unit so students and teacher can
gauge the student’s readiness for exams and project completion
Percentage per
advisory
50%
4 quizzes
40%
2 tests
Tests: listening, reading, writing. Multiple choice, short answer, CR,
performance, etc.
Participation
Portfolio:
Collection of your own exemplary work with reflections.
Self-assessment of progress throughout the advisory.
Two portfolio checks
each advisory
10%
Comments, critique, and evaluation of other students’ projects.
Questions and answers for class discussions.
Course Outline
In this course, we will study the following units. The standards listed are from Michael Levi’s AP Music Theory Concepts and Skills
Summary, published on apcentral.collegeboard.com.
Advisory 1
Harmony
Unit 1
Melody
Tonal Harmony ch. 1, ch 2
Barron’s ch 1, ch 2, ch 3
I.1 Notate and identify pitch in four clefs: treble, bass, alto, and tenor.
I.2 Notate, hear, and identify simple and compound meters.
I.3 Notate and identify all major and minor key signatures.
I.4 Notate, hear, and identify the following scales: chromatic, major, and the three forms of the minor, whole-tone and pentatonic scales
I.5 Name and recognize scale degree terms, e.g., tonic, supertonic, etc.
IV.5.A meter type (e.g., duple, triple, quadruple) and beat type (e.g., simple, compound)
V.3 Notate melodies from dictation, 6 to 8 bars, major or minor mode, chromatic alteration from harmonic/melodic scales, simple or
compound time, treble or bass clef, 3 to 4 playings.
V.4 Sight-sing melodies, 4 to 8 bars long, major or minor key, duple or triple meter, simple or compound time, treble or bass clef, using
solfege, pitch names, numbers, or any comfortable vocal syllable(s).
V.7.A melodic organization (e.g., scale-degree function of specified tones, scale types, mode, melodic patterning, sequences, motivic
development)
V.7.E instrumentation (i.e., identification of timbre)
V.7.F texture (e.g., number and position of voices, amount of independence, presence of imitation, density)
Compose melodies for students’ own instruments using major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales, and various
modes.
AP Music Theory Syllabus
Phelps SHS General Music
Mr. Green
Unit 2
Basic Harmony – Triads and Seventh chords. Reading and writing music using block chords (triads and seventh
chords) in progression
Tonal Harmony ch 3, ch 4
Barron’s ch 5, ch 6, ch 7, ch9
IV.3 Small-scale and large-scale harmonic procedures, including:
IV.3.A identification of cadence types
IV.3.B Roman-numeral and figured-bass analysis, including nonharmonic tones, seventh chords, and secondary-dominant chords
Identify classes of chords in written and aural music
V.4 Sight-sing melodies, 4 to 8 bars long, major or minor key, duple or triple meter, simple or compound time, treble or
bass clef, using solfege, pitch names, numbers, or any comfortable vocal syllable(s).
V.6 Notate the soprano and bass pitches and Roman and Arabic numeral analysis of harmonic dictations in eighteenthcentury chorale style. Features may include seventh chords, secondary dominants, major or minor key, 3 to 4 playings.
V.7 Identify processes and materials in the context of music literature representing a broad spectrum of genres, media, and
styles:
V.7.B harmonic organization (e.g., chord function, inversion, quality)
V.7.C tonal organization (e.g., cadence types, key relationships)
Compose music for block chords played on piano, sung by a choir, or played by a string quartet, using chord progressions
studied in class.
Advisory 2 Part Writing
Unit 3
Part writing in four parts, writing for four voice choir and string quartet
Tonal Harmony ch 5, ch 6, ch 7
Barron’s ch 8
V.1 Detect pitch and rhythm errors in written music from given aural excerpts.
III.3 Realize a four-part chorale-style progression from Roman and Arabic numerals.
IV.3 Small-scale and large-scale harmonic procedures, including:
IV.3.A identification of cadence types
IV.3.B Roman-numeral and figured-bass analysis, including nonharmonic tones, seventh chords, and secondary-dominant chords
IV.3.C identification of key centers and key relationships; recognition of modulation to closely related keys
V.4 Sight-sing melodies, 4 to 8 bars long, major or minor key, duple or triple meter, simple or compound time, treble or bass clef, using
solfege, pitch names, numbers, or any comfortable vocal syllable(s).
V.6 Notate the soprano and bass pitches and Roman and Arabic numeral analysis of harmonic dictations in eighteenth-century chorale
style. Features may include seventh chords, secondary dominants, major or minor key, 3 to 4 playings.
Compose songs for students’ own instruments using part-writing strategies learned in class. Make arrangements of chorales for
instruments represented by the makeup of the AP class.
Unit 4
Non-Chord Tones in part writing, writing for four voice choir, string quartet
Tonal Harmony Ch 11, ch 12
Barron’s ch 10
IV.1 Identify authentic, plagal, half, Phrygian half, and deceptive cadences in major and minor keys.
IV.2 Identify in score the following nonharmonic tones: passing tone (accented and unaccented), neighboring tone, anticipation,
suspension, retardation, appoggiatura, escape tone, changing tone (cambiata), and pedal tone.
III.2 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 and seventh chords, inversions, nonharmonic tones, and secondary-dominant
and dominant seventh chords
V.3 Notate melodies from dictation, 6 to 8 bars, major or minor mode, chromatic alteration from harmonic/melodic scales,
simple or compound time, treble or bass clef, 3 to 4 playings.
V.5 Hear the following nonharmonic tones: passing tone (accented and unaccented), neighboring tone, anticipation,
suspension, retardation, appoggiatura, escape tone, changing tone (cambiata), and pedal tone.
V.4 Sight-sing melodies, 4 to 8 bars long, major or minor key, duple or triple meter, simple or compound time, treble or bass clef, using
solfege, pitch names, numbers, or any comfortable vocal syllable(s)
V.6 Notate the soprano and bass pitches and Roman and Arabic numeral analysis of harmonic dictations in eighteenth-century chorale
style. Features may include seventh chords, secondary dominants, major or minor key, 3 to 4 playings.
Compose songs for students’ own instruments and arrangements of popular songs, adding non-chord tones as studied in
class.
AP Music Theory Syllabus
Phelps SHS General Music
Mr. Green
Advisory 3
Form
Unit 5
Small scale score analysis, small forms
Tonal Harmony ch 7, ch 10
Barron’s ch 12, ch 13, 16
I.4 Notate, hear, and identify the following scales: chromatic, major, and the three forms of the minor, whole-tone and pentatonic scales
I.10 Define and identify common tempo and expression markings.
IV.3 Small-scale and large-scale harmonic procedures, including:
IV.3.A identification of cadence types
IV.3.B Roman-numeral and figured-bass analysis, including nonharmonic tones, seventh chords, and secondary-dominant chords
IV.3.C identification of key centers and key relationships; recognition of modulation to closely related keys
V.4 Sight-sing melodies, 4 to 8 bars long, major or minor key, duple or triple meter, simple or compound time, treble or bass clef, using
solfege, pitch names, numbers, or any comfortable vocal syllable(s).
V.7 Identify processes and materials in the context of music literature representing a broad spectrum of genres, media, and styles:
V.7.A melodic organization (e.g., scale-degree function of specified tones, scale types, mode, melodic patterning, sequences,
motivic development)
V.7.B harmonic organization (e.g., chord function, inversion, quality)
V.7.C tonal organization (e.g., cadence types, key relationships)
V.7.D meter and rhythmic patterns
V.7.E instrumentation (i.e., identification of timbre)
V.7.F texture (e.g., number and position of voices, amount of independence, presence of imitation, density)
V.7.G formal procedures (e.g., phrase structure; distinctions among literal repetition, varied repetition, and contrast; small forms)
III.2 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 and seventh chords, inversions, nonharmonic tones, and
secondary-dominant and dominant seventh chords
Compose songs for instruments represented by the makeup of the AP class using small forms studied in class.
Expand previous chord progressions into larger compositions using small forms studied in class.
Unit 6
Modulation
Tonal Harmony ch 16, ch 17, ch 18, ch 19
Barron’s ch 12, ch 13
IV.4 Melodic organization and developmental procedures:
IV.4.A scale types; modes
IV.4.B melodic patterning
IV.4.C motivic development and relationships (e.g., inversion, retrograde, sequence, imitation)
IV.3 Small-scale and large-scale harmonic procedures, including:
IV.3.A identification of cadence types
IV.3.B Roman-numeral and figured-bass analysis, including nonharmonic tones, seventh chords, and secondary-dominant chords
IV.3.C identification of key centers and key relationships; recognition of modulation to closely related keys
V.7 Identify processes and materials in the context of music literature representing a broad spectrum of genres, media, and styles:
V.7.A melodic organization (e.g., scale-degree function of specified tones, scale types, mode, melodic patterning, sequences,
motivic development)
V.7.B harmonic organization (e.g., chord function, inversion, quality)
V.7.C tonal organization (e.g., cadence types, key relationships)
V.7.D meter and rhythmic patterns
V.7.E instrumentation (i.e., identification of timbre)
V.7.F texture (e.g., number and position of voices, amount of independence, presence of imitation, density)
V.7.G formal procedures (e.g., phrase structure; distinctions among literal repetition, varied repetition, and contrast; small forms)
V.4 Sight-sing melodies, 4 to 8 bars long, major or minor key, duple or triple meter, simple or compound time, treble or bass clef, using
solfege, pitch names, numbers, or any comfortable vocal syllable(s).
Compose songs for instruments represented by the makeup of the AP class that modulate to closely- and distantly-related keys. Expand
previous compositions by modulating them to closely- and distantly-related keys.
Advisory 4
Composition
Unit 7
AP Test preparation, composition
Refer to previous chapters in Tonal Harmony with special focus on ch 7, ch 10, ch 18
Refer to previous chapters in Barron’s with addition of ch 14, 21
V.4 Sight-sing melodies, 4 to 8 bars long, major or minor key, duple or triple meter, simple or compound time, treble or bass clef, using
solfege, pitch names, numbers, or any comfortable vocal syllable(s).
AP Music Theory Syllabus
Phelps SHS General Music
Mr. Green
III.1 Compose a bass line for a given melody to create simple two-part counterpoint in seventeenth- and/or eighteenth-century style;
analyze the implied harmonies.
III.2 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 and seventh chords, inversions, nonharmonic tones, and secondary-dominant and dominant seventh
chords.
III.3 Realize a four-part chorale-style progression from Roman and Arabic numerals.
Compose and arrange songs for the school band, paying attention to instrument transposition, using four-part harmony. Arrange
popular songs for the school band and expand on them by adding non-chord tones where artistically appropriate, and by
modulating to closely- and distantly-related keys.
Unit 8
Composition Project
Refer to previous chapters in Tonal Harmony, with special focus on ch 7, ch 10,
III.1 Compose a bass line for a given melody to create simple two-part counterpoint in seventeenth- and/or eighteenth-century style;
analyze the implied harmonies.
III.2 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 and seventh chords, inversions, nonharmonic tones, and secondary-dominant and dominant seventh
chords.
III.3 Realize a four-part chorale-style progression from Roman and Arabic numerals.
Compose and arrange songs for the school band, paying attention to instrument transposition, using four-part harmony. Arrange
popular songs for the school band and expand on them by adding non-chord tones where artistically appropriate, and by modulating to
closely- and distantly-related keys.
Each unit will end with a unit test. All units include quizzes. Each advisory will include a project. Homework will be given most
nights.
Academic Integrity
Your best work in this class is very important. I only want to see YOUR work, not anyone else’s work. I have no tolerance for
cheating. Any student cheating on an assignment will receive NO CREDIT on that assignment and will have a conference with the
teacher and/or school administrators.
AP Music Theory Syllabus
Phelps SHS General Music
Mr. Green
Return this slip on the second day of class:
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Phelps Senior High School Music
Please feel free to contact Mr. Green by email, phone or on Engrade.
andrew.green@dc.gov
202.729.4360
www.phelpsacemusic.com
Engrade: mrgreenmusic