SVL AP Music Theory Syllabus/Online Course Plan

Transcription

1 SVL AP Music Theory Syllabus/Online Course Plan Certificated Teacher: Norilee Kimball Date: April, 2010 Stage One Desired Results Course Title/Grade Level: AP Music Theory/Grades 9-12 Credit: one semester (.5) x two semesters (1) Estimate of hours per week engaged in learning activities Students will typically commit a minimum of 5 hours of class work per week. Prerequisites and/or recommended preparation: SVL Fundamentals of Music Theory or fluency in reading notated pitch and rhythm in treble and bass clefs, identifying Major and minor key signatures, understanding meter and meter signatures, and interpreting dynamic markings. Course Overview: This course is designed to provide instruction and preparation at the advanced level required for successful completion of the AP Music Theory Exam, including music literacy (musical notation and terminology), aural skills (sight singing and dictation), form and analysis, and composition. Students will achieve knowledge and skills in the elements of music (pitch, rhythm, timbre, expression) and the principles of organization (melody, harmony, form, and notation.) The student s ability to read and notate music is fundamental to this course, as is a basic competency in voice or on an instrument. Enduring Understandings for Course: Music theory encompasses a logical, accessible, and useful language for documenting sound. Music literacy enables individuals to enjoy independently performing and/or creating music. Music theory enables individuals to create original compositions and document them in a way that can be understood and interpreted by others. Music theory in western civilization is best understood as a set of rules that have been gradually and systematically broken as music has evolved. List external resources and include cost for each. Finale Notepad software ($9.95) available from Audacity audio editing/recording software free download from Online lessons and trainers in Music Theory Establish Goals: (AP Music Theory Curricular Requirements from College Board) The course enables students to master the rudiments and terminology of music: notational skills, intervals, scales, keys, chords, meter, and rhythm.

2 The course progresses to include more sophisticated and creative tasks: Writing a bass line for a given melody or harmonization of a given melody in four parts Realization of a figured bass Realization of a Roman numeral progression Analysis of repertoire, including analysis of motivic treatment and harmonic analysis The course includes the following scales: major, minor, modal, pentatonic, and whole tone. The course covers the following concepts or procedures based in common-practice tonality: Functional triadic harmony in traditional four-voice texture including non-harmonic tones, seventh chords, and secondary dominants. Modulation to closely related keys The course also teaches: Phrase structure Small forms (e.g., rounded binary, simple ternary, theme and variation, strophic) Musical skills are developed through the following types of musical exercises: Listening (discrete intervals, scales, etc.; dictations; excerpts from literature) Sight-singing Written exercises Creative exercises The course includes, but is not limited to, study of a wide variety of vocal and instrumental music from the standard Western tonal repertoires. Understandings: By carefully studying the common practices of the six main historical eras of western music, musicians can develop an eye that hears and an ear that sees, allowing them to hear the music on the printed page and transcribe music they hear into notation on the staff. Essential Questions: How do composers record their musical creations to enable future musicians to perform them as they originally intended? Why do intervals, triads, chord progressions, repeated melodic or rhythmic patterns, and other compositional devices provoke such varied responses among listeners? Students will know: Treble and bass clef notation, rhythmic notation, time signatures, key signatures, intervals (Major, minor, Augmented, and diminished), triads (Major, minor, Augmented, and diminished), 7 th chords (Major, minor, half-diminished, fully-diminished), scales (Major, minor, modal, pentatonic, whole tone), cadence types, harmonic and non-harmonic tones, chord progressions, species counterpoint, voice leading rules, melodic organization, basic forms and formal analysis. Students will be able to: Read musical notation fluently in treble and bass clefs; recognize intervals by sight and sound; write intervals, scales, triads, and 7 th chords; compose original music; perform music; hear harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic elements of music; analyze harmonic, melodic, rhythmic, and formal elements of music.

3 Stage Two Evidence of Assessment What evidence will be collected to determine whether or not the understandings have been developed, the knowledge and skill attained, and the state standards met? [Anchor the work in performance tasks that involve application, supplemented as needed by prompted work, quizzes, observations, etc.] Performance Tasks: Transpose instrument parts to arrange a composition for an instrumental ensemble. Transcribe a popular song, adding chord symbols to create a lead sheet. Compose antecedent and consequent phrases. Compose a melody that features the characteristics of good melodic writing. Compose species counterpoint. Harmonize a melody for four-part voices: soprano, alto, tenor, bass. Create an original composition with melody and accompaniment. Complete a formal analysis of a composition. Other Evidence (self-assessments, observations, work samples, quizzes, tests and so on): Formative assessments: Assignments attached to each lesson provide students the opportunity to practice new skills and demonstrate understanding of concepts covered. These assignments include written work completed and submitted using the music notation software Finale Notepad, dictation exercises completed using sound files and Notepad, and sight-singing exercises recorded using Audacity and submitted in mp3 format, and listening-response essays. Each unit s assignments build on the scaffolding provided by earlier units and lessons. Students are given feedback on submitted assignments, encouraged to make corrections, and allowed to re-submit assignments as a way of ensuring that the grade accurately reflects student learning and achievement. Summative assessments: First semester final exam features a written portion covering the first five units, melodic and harmonic dictation, and sight singing. Second semester final exam is the AP Music Theory Exam. Stage Three Learning Plan Learning Activities: Pre-course assignment: NOTATION

4 Notation of pitch-the staff rhythmic notation Meter signatures Simple versus compound meters Dynamic markings Extremely fluent recognition of note names in treble and bass clef Sight reading rhythms Aurally recognizing errors in rhythmic notation Notating manuscript appropriately according to set guidelines Students will review this knowledge or acquire greater fluency with this knowledge by using an online resource with built-in theory and aural skill trainers. UNIT 1: SCALES, TONALITY, KEYS, MODES Major and minor scales Tonality Key Reading and writing major and minor scales Reading and writing key signatures Aural recognition of major and minor scales Sight singing major and minor scales Written assignments will give students practice in recognizing and writing key signatures and scales. Students will participate in an ongoing virtual discussion via a bulletin board on the properties and extended uses of the Circle of Fifths. Ear training begins with melodic dictation assignments. UNIT 2: INTERVALS AND TRANSPOSITION Perfect, major, and minor intervals Augmented and diminished intervals Transposition Methods of transposition Writing intervals with fluency Hearing intervals with fluency Sight singing intervals Writing transpositions Both written and aural exercises will drill students in their ability to hear and write all intervals. Ear training continues with interval drills and with sight singing quizzes via telephone. UNIT 3: CHORDS

5 Major, minor, diminished and augmented triads Seventh chords Triads on scale tones Triad inversion Roman numeral chord symbols Figured bass Popular music symbols Identifying all four triad types Writing all four triad types Aural identification of all four triad types Analyzing chord progressions using Roman numerals Analyzing chord progressions using figured bass symbols Writing chord progressions using popular music symbols Students will practice correctly spelling triads via written assignments. Written assignments will give students opportunity to practice writing correctly spelled chord progressions from both Roman numerals and figured bass symbols. Additionally, students will analyze given chord progressions using Roman numerals or figured bass symbols. Harmonic dictation extends students' aural skills in this unit. As both an ear training exercise and to reinforce popular music symbols, each student will create their own lead sheet of a song of his or her own choosing, including melody and accompanying chord symbols. UNIT 4: CADENCES AND NONHARMONIC TONES Phrase Cadence types Non-harmonic tones Recognizing cadence types on paper Aural recognition of cadence types Analyzing chord progressions including non-harmonic tones Written assignments will give students opportunity to develop their skills in writing phrases, recognizing cadence types and identifying non-harmonic tones. UNIT 5: SPECIES COUNTERPOINT AND 4-PART VOICE LEADING The first four species of counterpoint Voice leading in four-voice texture Common chord progressions Writing first, second, third and fourth species counterpoint with appropriate voice leading Four-voice realization of Roman numeral chord symbols Four-voice realization of figured bass symbols

6 Writing a soprano line above a bass line Written assignments in this unit will emphasize the use of student composition to give students practice writing bass lines and to reinforce the guidelines for writing four-part voicing. Ear training continues in this unit with more complex melodic dictation. A semester final reviews all of the skills and knowledge through Unit 5. UNIT 6: HARMONIC PROGRESSION AND SEVENTH CHORDS Harmonic progression The relationship of chords Dominant seventh chord Resolution of the dominant seventh chord Leading-tone seventh chord Progressions from viiº7 and viiǿ7 Non-dominant seventh chords in major and minor keys Popular music symbols Creating chord progressions Aural recognition of dominant seventh, leading-tone seventh and non-dominant seventh chords Resolving dominant seventh and leading-tone seventh chords with appropriate voice leading Writing circle progressions Student composition will again be the medium for assessing comprehension of the rules of progression. Written assignments will give students practice at recognizing and correctly resolving dominant seventh and leading tone seventh chords. UNIT 7: MODULATION AND SECONDARY KEY CENTERS Closely related keys Modulation types Analytical symbols for modulations Secondary dominants Secondary leading-tone chords Harmonizing melodies that modulate Recognizing and analyzing modulations from written examples Recognizing and analyzing modulations from aural examples Writing modulations Roman numeral analysis of secondary dominants and leading-tone chords Four-voice realization of chord progressions containing secondary dominants and leading-tone chords Aural Roman numeral analysis of secondary dominants and leading-tone chords Students will compose their own modulations as well as progressions containing secondary dominant and leading-tone chords. Harmonic dictation will include secondary dominants and secondary leading-tone chords.

7 UNIT 8: MELODIC ORGANIZATION The motive The sequence Phrase Melodic structure Composition of motivic pieces Composition of sequences Formal analysis of written and aural examples containing motives, sequences Composition of melody Students will find their own example of a melody with good structure and defend their choice. They will also compose a brief melody with a sequence and a melody with a motive. As a culminating project for the unit, each student will compose a larger piece which demonstrates good melodic structure and either a motive OR a sequence. Melodic dictation becomes quite complex with no limit to intervallic skips, rhythms or mode. UNIT 9: TEXTURE Overview of music history Texture Texture types Analysis of texture from both written and aural examples Composition of pieces containing various texture types To give texture types a context, students will learn about the period of Western musical history in which each texture type was most prevalent. To gain more depth of knowledge of each period, students will do research and write brief essays on given characteristics of the period (i.e., word painting in polyphonic music of the Renaissance.) As a culminating project for the unit, students will find a piece that demonstrates each of the given texture types and write an in-depth analytical essay defending their choice of representative piece. UNIT 10: FORMAL ANALYSIS Formal divisions Open versus closed formal divisions Overview of 20 th century music Analysis of form from both written and aural examples Composition of a binary piece and a ternary piece As a culminating assignment for this unit, students will write a piece which must follow a given form. They must also write in a given texture type.

8 UNIT 11: AP EXAM REVIEW AND PRACTICE The four parts of the AP Exam and the types of questions contained in each Strategies for maximizing your score on the AP Exam Students will take the released 2003 exam section by section after having learned about the content and strategies relevant to that section. This serves as a review for the exam and as a course final. Direct Instruction x Structured Overview x Mini presentation x Drill & Practice Demonstrations Other (List) Indirect Instruction x Problem-based Case Studies x Inquiry x Reflective Practice x Project x Paper Concept Mapping Other (List) Experiential Learning Virt. Field Trip Experiments Simulations Games Field Observ. Role-playing Model Bldg. Surveys Other (List) Independent Study x Essays x_self-paced computer Journals x Learning Logs x Reports x Directed Study x Research Projects Other (List) Interactive Instruction x Discussion Debates Role Playing Panels Peer Partner Learning Project team Laboratory Groups Think, Pair, Share Cooperative Learning Tutorial Groups Interviewing x Conferencing Other (List) Scope and Sequence: Week Unit Lessons Due 1 1 Introductory Tasks 2 1 Scales, tonality keys, modes Intervals and transposition 1.01 Major Scales 1.02 Key Signatures and the Circle of Fifths 1.03 Building Key Signatures 1.04 Natural minor and relative keys 1.05 Three types of minor scales 1.06 Hearing Major and minor scales 2.01 Introduction to Solfege: a system for sightsinging 2.02 Writing and hearing Major and minor 2nds 2.03 Writing and hearing Major and minor 3rds 1.01a - b 1.02a - b a - b 1.05a - b a - b 2.03a - b Perfect Intervals: unisons octaves, 4ths, and 5ths 2.05 Writing and hearing Augmented, and diminished 4ths and 5ths a - b

9 Chords Cadences and non-harmonic tones 2.06 Writing and hearing Major and minor 6ths 2.07 Writing and hearing Major and minor 7ths 2.08 Augmented and diminished intervals 2.06a - b 2.07a - b Inversion of intervals 2.10 Transposition Scale degree names 3.02 Four triad types 3.03 Diatonic triads and their Roman numeral chord symbols a - b 3.03a - b 3.04 Triad inversions and their Roman numeral chord symbols 3.05 Seventh chords and their Roman numeral chord symbols Figured bass 3.07 Popular music chord symbols 3.06a - b Phrases 4.02 Cadence types Unaccented non-harmonic tones Accented non-harmonic tones Voice Leading 5.01 Writing a good melody 5.01a - b Two-part voice leading 5.02a - b Four-part voice leading 5.03a - b 18 5 Semester Final Final, Parts 1 and Harmonic progression and harmonic rhythm Harmonic progression and harmonic rhythm 6.02 Dominant 7th chords 6.03 Leading tone 7th chords 6.04 Non-dominant 7th chords Introductory Tasks 6.01a - b a - b 6.04a - b 21 7 Modulation and secondary dominants 7.01 Modulation 7.02 Secondary dominant chords 7.01a - b 7.02 a - b Secondary leading tone chords 7.03a - b 23 8 Melodic organization Texture 8.01 Characteristics of a good melody 8.02 Motive 8.03 Sequence 8.04 Composition project 9.01 Monophony and the Medieval period 9.02 Polyphony and the Renaissance period 8.01a - b 8.02a - b 8.03a - b 8.04a - b The Baroque era -- the bridge between 26 9 polyphony and homophony 9.04 The Classical and Romantic periods Unit Assignment Unit

10 Assignment Formal analysis Formal analysis The AP Exam Important terms Section 1A: multiple choice with aural stimuli Section 1B: multiple choice with visual stimuli Section 2A: free response questions Section 2B: sightsinging Study and Review for AP Exam 33 AP Music Theory Exam Adapted from Understanding by Design Template available online and the Understanding by Design: Professional Development Workbook. References: Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (n.d.). Understanding by Design Exchange. Retrieved November 2, 2004 from Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2004). Understanding by design: Professional development workbook. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.)